Since when did Ariana need someone with gastritis to teach her how to eat?"At night, you can eat less, but you can't skip it entirely. Two meals a day is unhealthy. From now on, whenever I have dinner, you should too," Brian said."Brian, I'm really not used to eating dinner. You're making things difficult," Ariana retorted.He coolly answered, "If you eat dinner every night on schedule, I'll pay you one million dollars a day."Ariana almost thought she misheard him. A million a day? Was he out of his mind?Brian noticed her skeptical look and frowned. "Is that not enough?""How about two million?" Ariana asked, testing the water.She looked up to gauge his reaction. She could tell it was too much."Alright, one million it is," she conceded."Skip dinner even once, and I'll deduct two million. If you eat properly every night for a month, you'll have a guaranteed 30 million."With that, Brian started eating. He preferred mild flavors, and he was extremely picky about food. Ve
Finally, Brian could no longer hold back his frustration and swung the door open. He strode toward the room with the light on inside.Did Ariana not know it was nighttime? Who would choose to have renovations this late and disturb everyone's peace?"Ariana! You—"Brian stopped abruptly as he saw Ariana perched on a ladder, drilling something with an electric drill.There were no renovation workers in the room.With music blasting from a pair of headphones, Ariana was completely oblivious to Brian's presence.Noticing her phone on the desk nearby, Brian walked over without hesitation and paused her music.Ariana's world instantly fell silent."Why did my Bluetooth disconnect?" she muttered, puzzled, while taking off her headphones.Suddenly, Brian's voice roared from below, "Ariana! Get down here right now!"His words startled her so much that her foot slipped. Both she and the ladder tipped backward.Brian instinctively tried to dodge, but the ladder came crashing down squar
Brian was stunned when he saw Ariana in her bold punk outfit—a short jacket, a cropped top baring her midriff, and tight black denim shorts. To complete the bold look, Ariana even wore black stockings.Those long legs would turn heads wherever she went, and her hourglass figure was impossible to ignore.Brian asked, "Why are you dressed like that?"He still remembered how Ariana used to dress in her elegant and modest tweed dresses, exuding the grace of a lady from a respectable family.But she was utterly different today."Well, I actually prefer dressing in this style. It's quite cool and comfortable," she said, deliberately adding a hint of flirtiness to her tone as she stepped closer to Brian.Her ample bosom was faintly visible beneath the thin straps of her top, like a hint of snow peeking through a frosted window. Her long hair cascaded over one shoulder, adding to her allure. Her every movement was hypnotic, her smooth skin and soft, supple waist inviting thoughts one s
"Holy crap, are you serious?" Selena stared at Ariana in disbelief.How much courage did it take for Ariana to dress like that for school?"Ari, I swear, if you weren't Brian's fiancée, the security guard would've stopped you at the gate!""Really? I think it's fine." Ariana glanced at herself in the mirror.Selena couldn't help but exclaim, "You look like… one of those delinquents in TV dramas—the ones going through their rebellious phase and heading straight to juvenile detention.""Don't worry about it. This is the only way I can think of to make Brian hate me.""And? Does he hate you now?""Kind of…" Thinking back to Brian's reaction earlier that morning, Ariana felt it wasn't quite there yet.She had already tried many tricks, but Brian remained indifferent toward her. He did not quite hate her, but neither did he like her too.Ariana hesitated. "Why can't he just hate me? He used to hate me with a passion.""That's because you used to follow him around like a shadow. Th
It wasn't an overstatement to describe Brennan's looks as dashing and breathtaking.However, for Ariana, handsome looks meant nothing. Nothing could rein her in like a single word from William.At that moment, Brennan stood frozen in place and removed his sunglasses. His phone vibrated again with an incoming call from Evelyn."Have you arrived?""I'm downstairs at Block A," Brennan replied.It wasn't long before Evelyn walked out of the building."Was that Ariana just now?" Brennan had met Ariana before. In their social circle, most people with similar family backgrounds had grown up together. The Lowells and the Torreys were on par back then, so Brennan and Ariana had played together as kids.But Brennan hadn't seen Ariana again since he became a child star. He bet she probably didn't remember him either."Yes, that was her."Evelyn's face darkened slightly as she mentioned Ariana. "She's been toying with me like I'm a fool. Brennan, I know you've always taken my side sin
"What are you thinking about?" William suddenly tapped Ariana on the head with the book in his hand.In an instant, Ariana snapped out of her thoughts about her past life."Why did you hit me?" Ariana rubbed her forehead.William replied, "That's because I have something to talk to you about."He pushed a document in his hand toward Ariana and said, "Take a look for yourself."Ariana checked the document and saw that it was an approval letter for land development in the South Gleaston suburbs.Seeing this, Ariana immediately exclaimed, "Yes!"William frowned at her reaction and asked, "It's just an approval letter. Why are you so excited?""You don't understand. I'm about to make a fortune."Seeing Ariana's confident expression, William scoffed. "You think you're getting rich from an approval letter? At most, you'll get some government subsidies. That's not much money. Besides, the South Gleaston suburbs are just barren land. You won't make much profit even with this approval.
Ariana refrained from calling William insane. She turned to leave William's office without saying anything more.Time flew by quickly at Glea College, and before they knew it, night had fallen. Ariana and Selena walked out of the academic building.They didn't have any classes in the afternoon, but Ariana hung around because she wanted to spend more time in the school library.Selena had never seen Ariana study so diligently before. Ever since Ariana jumped into the pool at that engagement party, she seemed to have come to her senses.Not only did she stop chasing after Brian, but she also suddenly seemed to develop a real passion for studying.Selena said, "Ari, you don't really need to study so hard. You're set for life with your family wealth.""That's not the point," Ariana replied. "Money comes and goes. What's yours today might not be tomorrow. But knowledge stays with you forever. No one can take it away."As she spoke, Ariana glanced at her watch. "It's about time.""Wh
This almost felt like a standard operating procedure.After a few rounds of drinks, Isaac patted Brian on the shoulder and said, "I'm heading to the restroom. Be right back!"Isaac, slightly tipsy, wandered off, while Brian said nothing.Nearby, a clueless woman leaned in close. "Mr. Lodge…"The seductive look on her face instantly froze under Brian's sharp glance. She dared not come any closer."Sir… I can't drink…"Not far away, a woman's distressed voice caught Brian's attention.He turned to see one of the businessmen, Liam Dalton, wrapping his arm tightly around a woman and forcing her to drink. The liquor spilled down the woman's smooth neck, soaking through the thin fabric of her clothing. Her chest was nearly exposed.It wasn't until then Brian recognized that woman. It was Fiona.Seeing Fiona flustered and helpless, Brian stepped forward and grabbed Liam's hand.Liam, mistakenly thinking that Brian was interested in Fiona, immediately tried to please him by releasing
Brian instinctively released his grip. Ariana turned and walked downstairs."Emily, follow her," Brian ordered."Yes." Emily stalked after Ariana. When Ariana took the stairs, Emily also opted for the stairs. Once they reached the pharmacy, Ariana realized she didn't have a bag to carry the medication and had to take it with her hands.One hand wasn't enough to carry all six medicines. As expected, the medicines fell to the ground. Ariana bent down to pick them up, only to see Brian stop before her.She took a deep breath. He was everywhere!"Emily, pick them up," Brian said."Yes." Emily bent down and gathered all the medicines.Ariana straightened up. "Do you find this amusing?""I think it's quite entertaining." Brian was enjoying Ariana's disheveled state.Ariana hurled the medicines at Brian's face. "You think you can see me embarrassed? Never!"Ariana turned on her heels and stomped away. But Brian grabbed her arm and snarled, "I've told you! You're nothing if you'r
"Are you done yet? I have other things to do later." The academic advisor sounded impatient.Ariana glanced at the academic advisor outside the door. She was painfully aware of her situation. Anyone could push her around as they pleased.She turned to the doctor. "I understand. Doctor, please prescribe the medicine for me.""Alright." The doctor quickly prepared the prescription and explained how to use the medicine. Once everything was settled, Ariana picked up the form and stood up.Outside, the academic advisor impatiently asked, "Are you done? If so, I need to leave.""Mr. Runes, Mr. Kingsman asked me to give you the report." Ariana handed him the injury assessment report.The academic advisor shoved it into his pocket. "If that's all, let's go. Don't waste my time!"The academic advisor walked ahead. Ariana said, "I still need to pick up my medicine. Mr. Kingsman mentioned that it's inconvenient for me to carry it alone, so he asked you to help me. What am I supposed to do
"Um, Ms. Torrey and her peers got into a minor conflict. She went to the hospital to treat a hand injury…" Christopher muddled through.He continued prodding, "Mr. Lodge, Ms. Torrey can't always be taking time off school. The college is a place for studying. Do you think…"All Christopher wanted was to get onto Brian's good side. After all, Ariana must have offended Brian for him to call off the engagement.Anyone in their social circle was keenly aware of the situation. As the college dean, Christopher felt the need to express her stance.With one word from Brian, he could immediately expel Ariana from Glea College."Don't you even care when one of your students was hurt on campus?" Brian's voice was as cold as winter.The remark caught Christopher off guard. He could not wrap his head around Brian's anger. Ariana was the one who offended Brian. Wasn't it normal for everyone to be throwing stones at her?Still, Christopher obliged and said, "That's true. Mr. Lodge, you're right
"That works. See you, Mr. Kingsman!" Ariana gave him a grateful nod before leaving campus.Meanwhile, Belinda was throwing a fit at the Lodge residence."Ridiculous! Who gave you the permission to carry it out?" Belinda slammed her fist on the table. Never had she expected Brian to host a press conference to call off his engagement to Ariana when she wasn't paying attention.Brian sat on the couch without a word. Emily chimed in, "Mrs. Lodge Senior, what happened was—""Shut up!" Belinda snapped at Emily. "I made you work for Brian so you could keep an eye on him! But look at you! You're letting him do as he wishes. How could he not discuss such a serious decision with me? "Brian, do you still see me as your grandmother?""Grandma, I've never liked Ariana. She was the one who suggested calling off our engagement. All I did was to grant her wish," Brian revealed in an icy tone.Belinda nearly choked from the anger. Emily hurriedly held her. "Mrs. Lodge Senior, calm down…"It
William did not even once look at Evelyn. The words got caught in her throat. She realized that William was not going to be nice to her.If she continued explaining, she would only humiliate herself.William reached out and took Ariana's waist. A frown crept onto his brows when he saw the awful bruises on her skin. "This is serious. You need to go to the hospital."Maddie didn't want to be implicated, and she shot Evelyn a look, asking for help. "I-I didn't step hard on her hand at all!"Evelyn chimed in, "Maddie accidentally stepped on Ms. Torrey's hand. We will pay for her medical fees.""This is not a problem of medical fees," William sneered. "I will obtain the security footage of the library. If you have intentionally hurt Ariana, I shall make a police report. The college will penalize Maddie according to the police's assessment.""Mr. Kingsman, I didn't do it on purpose! I—" The color drained from Maddie's face when she realized the gravity of the situation.Her family had
"Look who I've bumped into—Ariana Torrey, who's just been dumped by Brian Lodge!" Lila deliberately raised her voice, attracting everyone's attention in the otherwise silent library.Ariana did not want any drama. She bent over, ready to pick up her books, but Maddie stepped hard on her hands with her high heels. As if that weren't enough, Maddie smugly ground her heel down with a cruel twist of her ankle.A searing pain shot through Ariana's body. She struggled to get up—not that Maddie would let her.Lila smirked. "You've flaunted your status as the future Mrs. Lodge on campus. Now that the engagement has been called off, why aren't you showing off as Ariana Torrey instead?""She is a nobody now. Everyone knows the Torreys are on the brink of bankruptcy. Their family business is on the verge of failing. She's reached her end after Brian Lodge called off all their business partnerships and their engagement. I bet she can't even pay her tuition fees." Maddie put on a mocking smirk.
"If that's what you think, suit yourself." She said nonchalantly, "You've always seen me as a gold digger. Mr. Lodge, you described me as a vain and greedy social climber. Of course, I'll go to a richer man. Mr. Smith is a much more compatible candidate than you."At least Mr. Smith loves me and doesn't flirt with other women. And he doesn't have any children out of wedlock."Brian had never clarified the rumor that spread in Gleaston about Evelyn going through an abortion for him. Everyone in their social circle merely assumed that Evelyn was pregnant with Brian's child.In Ariana's past life, she was mocked as the baby-making machine of the Lodge family. She was nothing but a joke compared to Brian's beloved Evelyn."Who told you I had a child with Evelyn? Ariana, you—"Emily immediately went up to stop Brian. "Mr. Lodge, Ms. Torrey is only saying that out of anger. Please stay calm.""I don't care whether or not you and Evelyn shared a child. You love her; that's the truth. If
"Go on.""I have no clue about any illegal activities you're involved in.""And?""Shouldn't you offer me a safe exit, now that you've dragged me into this mess?""Are you saying I have to vindicate you after I'm sent to prison?""I'm not guilty in the first place!""So, what are you talking about?""You—"Ariana was baffled. Victor was playing dumb and betting on her to not overtly mention the money laundering.The moment she let slip, she would become an accomplice of his, and she wouldn't be able to defend herself if she got arrested.Amused at her flushed face, Victor quipped, "Just now, you claimed you were unafraid of me. What's with the sudden fear? "The higher the risks you take, the higher the returns. Fear will only make you a pawn in the game, and people take advantage of that. It's been a dog-eat-dog world since the beginning of time."Ms. Torrey, you need to grow stronger than Brian Lodge if you wish to call off the engagement. Else, you'll get married and be
"Ms. Torrey, please enjoy." Victor gestured at the dishes before them.Staring at the T-bone steak with blood seeping out of the meat, Ariana lost her appetite."Mr. Smith, I'm not hungry." Technically, she would never eat dinner. Apart from the few times she had to attend social events, she usually did not take dinner.Victor sat from across her and placed his slender fingers on the table. He gently swirled the contents in the wine glass, saying, "Do you know what happened to the last guy who tried to read my mind?"She remained silent.He went on, "I hate it when people try to read me. I despise those who think they're smart. You should feel thankful that I decided to work with you instead of getting rid of you.""Well, I'm beyond grateful to you." Ariana couldn't even force a smile. She had tried to get Victor to work with Evelyn, but he pulled her into this mess instead.She wondered what Victor saw in her. Although Evelyn was the only daughter of the Granger family, Evelyn