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Chapter 68
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"You…" Brian's face darkened with anger.Ariana calmly sat back down and gestured toward him. "Please leave, Mr. Lodge.""Ariana, think carefully before you speak.""I think I've thought it through," Ariana said with a slight smile. "You mentioned that today is Valentine's Day. It's a day for lovers to celebrate together."Should you be accompanying Evelyn instead of taking me home? If she were to see us and misunderstand, that'd be unfortunate, wouldn't it?""Fine. Remember your words!" With that, Brian turned and stormed out of the restaurant with his men following closely behind.Once they left the restaurant, Emily worriedly asked, "What do we do since Ms. Torrey refuses to come with us? What should we tell Mrs. Lodge Senior if she asks?""Find out how exactly Ariana got hurt," Brian said as he frowned."Are you suggesting those two might have slandered Ms. Torrey? But they seem to be close friends with Ms. Granger. If we ask them…""Then ask other witnesses in the cafeter
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"Great to hear that Ms. Torrey is coming with us. Ms. Torrey, this way please." Emily politely gestured toward the car.Ariana could understand how anxious Gwen felt. The final deadline was tomorrow, and if Brian refused to invest, the Torrey family would face complete bankruptcy.She knew Brian must be thinking the same thing, so she relented and said, "Fine. I'll come along."Emily stepped aside and allowed Ariana into the car.Watching her get in, the fawning smile on Gwen's face turned into a sneer. "Pretending to be high and mighty, huh? She ends up getting into Mr. Lodge's car anyway."They arrived at the Lodge residence twenty minutes later. Emily escorted Ariana into the mansion. The moment she stepped in, a wave of familiarity hit her.In her past life, she'd shamelessly moved into the Lodge residence and tirelessly took care of Brian and Belinda. She'd catered to their every need, and all it had brought her was humiliation and misery.Every corner of the mansion bore m
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Belinda looked at Ariana and said, "Feel free to cook anything, Ariana. I'm heading out now since I have something to do."She stood after saying that and made sure to shoot a look at Brian before leaving.Soon enough, Ariana and Brian were the only two people left in the Lodge residence's massive dining room.There wasn't even a hint of respect in Brian's gaze as it swept past Ariana. "Well? Why are you still standing around? Shouldn't you get in the kitchen and cook?""Nobody's home now. So, why bother carrying on the act, Mr. Lodge?" Ariana met Brian's eyes and added, "Get some food delivered if you're hungry.""How dare you—" Brian wanted to retort, but Ariana had already left. She went into the kitchen, washed her hands, and was about to cook something.Upon seeing that, he snorted. "What's this? You told me to get food delivered if I'm hungry, while you're only cooking a meal for yourself? If you really want to leave that badly, why don't you take this chance to flee since
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"Know your limits, Ariana." A frown marred Brian's face. "It's not like I absolutely need your food." "You're on your own, then, Mr. Lodge." Ariana ate a mouthful of her omelet before Brian as though taunting him. She knew Brian was spoiled rotten since he was young, so he didn't know how to cook.Brian didn't burst out in rage upon facing Ariana's taunts. Instead, he scoffed at how bolder she had gotten. Brian stood, entered the kitchen, and found a few instant noodle packets in the cabinet. So, he grabbed one for himself. Ariana's smirk deepened at that. She wanted to see what Brian would do next. Much like she expected, many loud sounds soon emanated from the kitchen. Brian had no choice but to exit the kitchen with a simple bowl of instant noodles in the end.Ariana had already finished her meal by then. She entered the kitchen with her empty plate while peering at Brian's instant noodles. Then, the corner of her lips curled into a sneer.That utterly angered Brian."What
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The interior and furnishings were still the same. The only difference was her things weren't there anymore. Ariana shook her head and bitterly smiled at that observation. She mused, "Oh, Ariana. You used to put yourself through unnecessary pain back then."She had just been inside the room for a little while when a loud pop rang out from the room beside hers.Ariana's brows furrowed as she headed toward Brian's room next door. There, she smelled a sickeningly sweet smell that filled the entire space and froze.Brian had already dragged Ariana into his room when she finally snapped out of her shocked state."You really are something else, Ariana!" Brian's eyes turned frosty as he said that. His breathing had hastened, and his cheeks were flushed. Everything about the way he looked at Ariana seemed off.Ariana nearly suffocated because Brian grabbed her neck. She muttered, "L-Let go of my neck first, B-Brian!""You… You and Grandma have put on quite the show!""Let me go!" Arian
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"Are you seriously resorting to this despicable trick, Ariana? I can't believe the Torrey family's heiress is such a shameless person!""Shut up!" Ariana glowered at Brian. "Despicable trick, my ass!"While saying that, she switched on the main lights. However, it was obvious someone had messed with the lights because a redder light shined into Brian's room just then.Ariana's expression withered once she saw that.Brian's eyes narrowed dangerously, making it clear that he was misunderstanding the situation even more.Meanwhile, Ariana could already feel herself losing control because of the scent. She hastily tracked down its source, which was a small candle, and put it out with water. Then, she ran to open the window.Gusts of chilly air blew into the room, clearing the space of the sickeningly sweet fragrance once and for all.Ariana felt slightly better now that she inhaled some fresh air.Even Brian had snapped out of his crazed state by a little.Ariana glanced at Bria
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Ariana kept her eyes on the door. At that moment, the footsteps stopped right outside. The person seemed to be eavesdropping on Ariana and Brian through the door.Brian looked up and saw Ariana's delicate jaw. His gaze couldn't help but travel downward until he saw her collarbones. Then, he looked further down, where her cleavage was ever-so-slightly visible.Ariana smelled nice. It wasn't the fragrance of a body powder nor the intense smell of a perfume. Instead, it was a natural and pleasant bodily scent. She had a clean smell, which made Brian unable to stop himself from getting closer to her. That was when Ariana shouted, "What do you think you're doing, Mr. Lodge?"Her shout indicated how taken aback she was. Ariana tugged at her clothes out of the blue. Upon realizing she couldn't rip it apart, she reached for Brian's clothes instead.The ripping of Brian's shirt filled the air, and Brian's expression turned grim at once. "How dare you, Arian—"Ariana stared straight a
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Brian spoke with a subdued tone. "Even if you have nothing to do with this incident tonight, do you dare to say you had no ulterior motives toward me?""I do though—I've been hoping that you'll die sooner," Ariana mocked, finding Brian immature. Then, she pushed him off her and got up from the bed.Brian voiced, "If you go out there now, Grandma will know we were pretending to be intimate. She might arrange for another situation like this again if her plan fails this time.""What are you suggesting, Mr. Lodge? Do you want me to stay the night in your room? That doesn't seem wise, does it?" Although Ariana said that, she didn't seem like she would leave the room at all. In truth, she knew Brian was right. Belinda would realize the truth if she left the room now. If that happened, their little pretense earlier would be for nothing.At that moment, Brian lightly patted the side of his bed and said, "Come here."Surprisingly, Ariana complied and approached him as told.Just when Br
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"Yes, Mr. Lodge."Emily quickly left to get the exhaust fans.Downstairs, Brian wore a simple white robe and went to check the fridge. There were indeed a few simple dishes waiting, but he could tell at once that Ariana hadn't prepared them.He remembered how Ariana used to make all kinds of creative dishes for him when she stayed at the Lodge residence. She was worried he might lose his appetite.Back then, he would decide whether to eat or not depending on his mood. But now, he had to beg Ariana to cook, and she still refused.He had no desire to eat anymore, so he slammed the fridge door shut.Seeing this, Emily asked, "Mr. Lodge, are these dishes not to your liking?""What do you think?"He clearly looked displeased.Emily was puzzled. It shouldn't be. Brian had always liked Martha's cooking. Why didn't he like it now?"Mr. Lodge, should I order takeout for you?""No need."Brian frowned. "Has Ariana eaten anything tonight?""I believe not.""Tell her to come down and
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Evelyn couldn't just sit and do nothing.She couldn't just watch Ariana seize Brian from her.With that in mind, Evelyn quickly took out her phone and dialed a familiar number."Hello, I want you to come back to the country. I need you to help me with something!"In the evening, Brian returned to the Lodge residence.He found only one lamp switched on in the living room, and the sound of moving furniture was coming from upstairs.Frowning, he asked, "They're still not done?"Emily answered, "Ms. Torrey is quite particular. She's already sent back three batches of furniture this afternoon.""Where is she now?"Emily said uneasily, "She's... probably in there giving instructions.""Giving instructions? What exactly is she instructing?"Brian's face darkened as he headed upstairs, wanting to see what Ariana was playing at.The moment he got to the second floor, a cloud of white dust blew right into him.The worker immediately apologized. "Mr. Lodge, I'm so sorry. Ms. Torrey w
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Might not be true?Evelyn had heard it clearly.Brian had forced a kiss on Ariana, and the Lodge residence was being revamped for her.Thinking of this, Evelyn headed straight to Brian's office.When she reached the door, Emily stepped forward to stop her. "Ms. Granger, Mr. Lodge is in a meeting. He can't see anyone right..."Before Emily could finish, Evelyn pushed the door open.Inside, Brian was wearing a headset and speaking to an international firm via video call. He shot Evelyn a frown for barging in.He swiftly ended the call with a few short words."Eve, I'm working."Evelyn would never have been this impulsive before.Brian put down his headset and looked at her.Evelyn lowered her head and said, "I... I didn't mean to interrupt you.""What's the matter?" Brian asked."I came to pick you up from work," Evelyn replied, forcing a smile that looked incredibly stiff.Brian didn't seem to notice anything unusual about Evelyn's mood. "I've got something going on tonigh
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Brian thought Ariana was hinting at something. He said, "We're engaged. It's perfectly normal for us to share a room. My bed is big enough for three, so if you want...""Mr. Lodge, if you're trying to take responsibility for what happened earlier, there's really no need. I understand you acted on impulse because you were angry. It was just a kiss. I don't care at all."Hearing Ariana's words, Brian thought he must have misheard. "You... You said you don't care at all?""Of course. It's the 21st century. A kiss isn't a big deal. I'm not going to lose sleep over it."Brian was momentarily speechless. Ariana's words made him so angry that he just laughed.So, he was the only one who still cared about it?"You're right. I thought you cared about your chastity more than anything. Looks like I was wrong. Forget what I said before."Brian felt something tighten in his chest. He went upstairs, then stopped halfway, remembering he had come back specifically to talk about their relationsh
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At that moment, Brian's voice came from behind Ariana. "Alright. I agree."Hearing this, Ariana turned around. She hadn't expected him to come back at this moment.She turned too fast and bumped into his chest, banging her nose against the badge on his suit. She stepped back, rubbing her nose. "Mr. Lodge, did you really agree to all that?"From what she remembered, he was never so easy to deal with.Brian said calmly, "What's wrong? Now that I've agreed, you're not happy about it?""If you're on board, of course I'm happy."With that, Ariana acted as though she was afraid he might change his mind. She said to Emily, "You heard it, Ms. Weston. Mr. Lodge is fine with everything. I'll leave the arrangements to you.""Yes, Ms. Torrey."Emily hurried off to prepare Ariana's new room.Ariana looked at Brian. "Mr. Lodge, if there's nothing else, I'd like to go get some rest.""Hold on." Brian suddenly grabbed her arm.Ariana frowned and glanced at his hand, wishing she could slice
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Belinda had seen Gwen's true colors a long time ago. Yet, because Gwen was Ariana's stepmother and the lady of the Torrey family, Belinda treated her with courtesy.But when Belinda thought of Igor's disgraceful behavior from the previous night, she had no desire to humor Gwen any further.She asked indifferently, "Mrs. Torrey, how much money are you hoping to borrow?""Not a lot... just 90 million."Belinda froze. 90 million? That was a bold request indeed."Mrs. Lodge Senior, I know the Lodge family has immense resources. 90 million is just a drop in the bucket for you. Please have mercy on us. We really are facing a crisis, or else I wouldn't be begging for your help."Gwen was anxious to redeem the Aurora Pearls. The seller had said the price would rise again in a couple more days. If she waited too long, even 90 million wouldn't be enough."Mrs. Torrey, you're quite brazen. Do you think we're just a convenient ATM for the Torreys?"Belinda was already displeased with Arian
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Ariana's eyelid twitched as she asked, "Emily, what does this mean?""It's a gift from Mr. Lodge. He asked me to apologize for his impulsive behavior earlier..."Before Emily could finish, Ariana shut the door in her face.Emily called out urgently, "Ms. Torrey! Mr. Lodge really is sorry! He even sent someone to pick you up! Please don't make this difficult for us! We're just following orders! Ms. Torrey!"Inside, Ariana ignored Emily's shouts.However, Gwen hurried downstairs. She pointed at Ariana and snapped, "What's wrong with you? You dare turn away Mr. Lodge's secretary?"Since Igor had offended the Shaw family, Gwen was desperate to latch on to Brian now. She couldn't afford to offend him.Putting on a flattering smile, Gwen opened the door and said to Emily, "Ms. Weston, don't mind Ariana. She's just shy. I'll make sure she goes with you!"Ariana found it laughable to see Gwen currying favor with Emily.Gwen still owed Ariana money, yet she shamelessly suggested sendin
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Only Ariana had slapped him again and again. Only she dared to do that."Mr. Lodge..."Emily entered the office and said, "Ms. Torrey knocked over the decorative plant by the entrance as she left.""Let her knock it over.""What?" Emily was taken aback.Let her knock it over?Brian wiped at the blood where Ariana had bitten his lip. "Go to the Torrey residence and bring Ariana back here. Tell her I said she isn't allowed to go anywhere without my permission.""Mr. Lodge, that might not be a good idea. What if she leaves again? That would only make you look bad."The last time Ariana left, Brian threw out all her belongings in anger. Going back to fetch her now would be embarrassing enough. If Evelyn learned about this, it could blow up.Brian said, "I told you to do it. Are you going to defy me?""Certainly not." Emily quickly lowered her head.Brian said, "Ariana is my fiancée. I want her to live with me. Is there a problem?""No.""Then get going. Don't make me say it th
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Seeing Brian speak up for Ariana, Belinda merely nodded."Ariana, you've always been smart and well-behaved, but when it comes to matters affecting both families' reputations, you've been too careless. We'll let last night slide, but if it happens again, don't blame me for being mean. I'll have to reconsider your engagement then," she said with a smile, but there was a warning in her tone.Ariana tried to free her hand again, but Brian held on firmly. She was about to speak when Brian said, "You're right, Grandma. Ari has always been smart and well-behaved. Her brother is the one causing problems. Next time, she'll watch him more strictly, so it won't happen again."He then turned to Emily. "Emily, please escort Grandma out.""Yes, sir." Emily helped Belinda out.Brian pulled Ariana behind him, blocking her from view. She frowned and reached out with her free hand to pinch him hard at the waist.He gasped but had to stifle the sound in front of Belinda. Ariana felt a bit gratifie
