Sylvain smiled. “Alright, I look forward to working together in the future. Also, I feel that I should really apologize for that matter where I drugged you...”Arianne shrugged. “You didn’t have a choice, right? It was all due to Jessica’s heavy influence on you in the past. From now on, just do your best. I’m sure your life is going to be better than it was before. However, there’s something I’m curious about… Once you get back on your feet, do you have any plans regarding Robin?”Sylvain’s smile froze as his expression turned gloomy. After a moment, he said, “What plans can I have? I don’t even know how to face her and her family. In my opinion, relationships are sacred. First, both parties would have to love each other. Second, both parties should date with the goal of getting married in the future. Third, the relationship has to have the blessing of both parties’ parents. All three conditions are important, and none can be left out. After being influenced by Jessica for so many y
When Robin finished speaking, Arianne turned around and left. She was frustrated. In the first place, she did not want to get involved in Robin and Sylvain’s matter. She was not a saint and did not want to have anything to do with them, but she was constantly being dragged into their mess. As expected, there was nothing she could do anyway.Robin did not pay Arianne any attention the entire afternoon. She did not speak to Arianne like how she usually would.Arianne knew Robin had to be feeling extremely dejected, but she did not intend to explain herself. It was better to let Robin calm down first before she said anything.However, out of Arianne’s expectation, she received news the next day that Robin had resigned. Robin even left a letter saying she decided to listen to her mother and follow her arrangements for another job. After such a difficult struggle, it seemed like Robin had given up on standing up to her mother and returned to being an obedient child.Arianne felt guilty.
With the addition of Sylvain and fall approaching, the company was busy as it always was during the start of every season. Mark returned home later than usual and worked overtime during the weekends.Feeling bored, Arianne brought Aristotle along and invited Tiffany on a shopping spree.Tiffany pushed Plato on the baby stroller as she complained about Jackson’s lack of intimacy with his child.“Isn’t it good enough that he’s good to you?” Arianne asked jokingly, “The baby has always been secondary to him. He had no intention of getting married, but you somehow managed to trick him into marrying you. Can’t you give him some time to adjust? Plato is his biological son, he’ll learn to like him sooner or later. Why are you so worried? I used to think that Mark didn’t like Smore as well, but look at him now, he’s holding Aristotle every day, reluctant to let go.”Tiffany snorted. “Jackson is different! Every time we visit the baby at his mother’s after work, he refuses to carry him. He
After a substantially long conversation, Tiffany finally remembered that she was here to buy makeup with Arianne. She turned around and noticed the strange expression on Arianne’s face. “Ari, what’s wrong?” she asked suspiciously, “What’s with the long face? Are you feeling okay?”Arianne took a deep breath before she replied, “Yes, I’m feeling a little faint. I don’t want to shop anymore. Let’s go.”Tiffany lifted her hand and touched Arianne’s forehead. “Is it anemia? You’re too skinny. I’ll ask Mark to fatten you up later. Since we’re already here, why don’t you get your stuff? You only need to pay for them. It won’t take much time. Why don’t you take a seat? I’ll do it for you. I know the brands you use.”Alejandro turned to look at Arianne, his eyes flashing with defiance. Both were well-aware of the circumstances.Arianne swallowed her anger and sat on a bench. Her only hope was that Tiffany would hurry up and buy the makeup so they could leave. Every second with Alejandro wa
Soon after, Alejandro and Jett left the shopping mall and entered the car.Alejandro stared at the pile of female goods next to him, a hint of frustration could be seen in the space between his eyebrows.Jett looked at him through the rearview mirror. “Sir, don’t let external factors distract you. You’ve decided on visiting Mrs. Smith in Ayashe,” he reminded softly, “Don Smith will never give you the Smith family’s inheritance if you make any move now.”Alejandro stared out the window and calmly replied, “I know.”He would not have made this trip today if Don Smith did not pressure him into it. He even had to expend effort to buy so many things for Melanie. He did not expect to run into Arianne and Tiffany there. Based on Arianne’s reaction, Mark must have told her everything.Someone else had given him that plant. It was a species unique to Nafaeth. He had gone through so much effort to bring it back into the country, and no one knew when it would bloom. With meticulous care, one
“Why did you stop?” Arianne asked. “Keep going.”“You push. Or, sit on the swing with Smore,” Mark replied mischievously. Arianne had a fall from a swing when she was younger and was traumatized as a result. “No, no, no, you swing with him. I’ll push. Your legs are long enough, it should be quite easy for you to swing. You don’t need help, why are you asking me to push?”He raised an eyebrow and replied, “So that you can participate as well, instead of standing there in a daze…”There was something off with his words…Arianne gave in and walked behind them. She placed her hands on his back and pushed.Aristotle cried out in delight from time to time. It seemed like Aristotle was not extra delighted when he was with Janice. It was just that her playtime with him was too quiet and restrained. After all, it was her first time being a mother, and her first time playing with a kid. She had a lot to learn....Meanwhile, at White Water Bay Villa.After dinner, Jackson washed the di
Just as he was feeling around the wall to turn on the lights, Tiffany stopped him. “No! I like having the lights off. I’m feeling a bit shy.”He knew what was on her mind. She worried he would be turned off by her stretch marks. He smiled and kissed her forehead. “Aren’t you silly? You’re usually shameless, I didn’t know you’re capable of feeling embarrassed. I’d never be turned off by you. You gained these marks because you had my child. They’re your medal of honor.”Tiffany fell for his words. He really did have a glib tongue that helped him to deliver all those smooth words.Jackson turned on the light when she was still lost in her thoughts.Tiffany quickly grabbed the covers and hid her body as soon as the lights came on. “Aw, come on! I don’t want the lights on. Give me time to adjust!”He smiled mischievously. He ignored her complaints and grabbed her hands to stop her from wiggling away…Her breath caught in her throat as she lifted her chin. Her sight became blurry.A p
Tiffany noticed that something was amiss before she finished speaking. She lifted her gaze and saw that Jackson’s expression had grown cold. His eyes flickered with panic. She couldn’t understand what was happening to him. “Wh-what’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?” It was like he had changed into a completely different person. His tone was as cold as ice. “With that marriage of convenience, do you really think that he’d actually develop some f*cking feelings for Melanie Lark? It’s all in your mind. I’ve told you, you are not allowed to see him. Not even by accident and especially not on purpose. Next time, avoid him!”His sudden change in demeanor frightened Tiffany. She gaped, unsure of what to say.Jackson quickly finished his shower and stormed out, leaving her alone in the bathroom. Her heart immediately felt empty. Everything was going so well until she had mentioned Alejandro, and it suddenly turned into this…Unbeknownst to her, Jackson hid himself away in the
Arianne had not heard that name for so long, she had to reel back in bemusement for a few seconds before finally remembering her face.Shelly-Ann Leigh… She must have spent all those years in the mental institution, right? God knows if the woman’s hair was now grey and white all over.When someone was near death, one could stand to forgive all of the history between them—even the dark ones, even if the ledger was brimming—for good. So, Arianne replied, “I’ll go with you. No matter what happened, she’s still your mother.”Mark did not expect that answer from her at all. In his surprise, he bent down and left a kiss on her lips. “I knew I picked the right woman as my wife. I thought you wouldn’t agree to let me accompany her for the last of her days…”Arianne replied nothing. She was not so obtuse that she would try to win over a woman whose days were numbered. No matter how much of an a**hole Shelly was, Arianne was still the one who came out on top. That victory was all she needed.
Arianne sneered. “You confused, little thing. I wouldn’t be daft enough to anger the mother of the man I like if I were you, girl. I would especially not say anything as low IQ as that, too. Let me be completely frank with you: no one who bears the surname of Leigh will ever get the better of me—the last one failed. Hard. I can guarantee that you’ll leave us in the span of three days. If I lose, you can stay here forever. Wanna bet? I dare you.”She left her threat hanging at that and turned her wheelchair away, leaving the scorned young woman behind.Rage came out of Raven as waves of quakes all over her body. She was lurching close to hyperventilation, but right before it became impossible to stop, she came around and battled herself to calm down. She had a feeling that even if she fainted right there and then, no one would discover her, would they?Now that Arianne and Mark had returned, the Tremont Estate had recovered its vivacity and life. It had become merry.And Raven Leigh
Melissa was the type who always pushed things to go as festive as logically possible. She leaped to her feet and raised her cup, “Yo, everyone! Let’s toast to Cindy becoming my cousin-in-law!”The crowd answered enthusiastically with their cups in the air and a roar—except Raven, who remained seated. “I have a sickly constitution. I can’t drink. I’m sorry.”Her smile was so mechanical, her face too ashen. Something flickered in Arianne’s eyes before she replied, “Sure.”After the revelry faded, Arianne steered her wheelchair to the courtyard. The outward appearance of the Tremont Estate seemed to have frozen in time, which was why being here made her feel so… safe.Of course, that was despite Henry and Mary’s passing. In the end, time passed and things changed, characters and objects came and went, and all these missing years left lingering regrets in their wake.Arianne espied the silhouette standing alone at a distance and approached her, sighing, “Nothing beats being home.”Ra
Arianne grabbed the two beauties by the hands and smiled. “Thank you! Gosh, to me… it’s like you two have grown older in the blink of an eye! How gorgeous the two of you are! Cindy, where’s your brother? Plato hasn’t come home yet?”Mentioning the name of her dear brother made Cynthia pout. “He said he was coming home half a month ago—that’s what he said. Who knows what he’s actually doing, though? Anyway, who cares about that no-good. He’s always like this anyway. Oh, um, the weather is quite hot. We should probably get inside.”Arianne nodded and shot a brief, uneasy look at Aristotle. Not once did he look like he wanted to talk to her… Could the boy be counting his grievances in his mind? Mark and Arianne had stayed in Switzerland for so long; life must have been hard for him all alone.It took until she reached the living room to finally notice Raven. “Millie, is this your younger sister?”Melissa quickly sprung to correct her. “What? Noooo. This is Ares’ classmate or something
Aristotle’s entire being stilled.He had waited for this news for nineteen years. As time passed, the flames died little by little, the heart grew more numb, until the very thought of it was no different from a pipe dream. But today, news of it coming true reached him and plunged him into a torrent of feelings.A long while later, he finally muttered under his breath, “When… When will they be back?”Jackson closed the distance between them and gave the young man a light, comforting pat on the shoulders. “Not so soon, I bet; not when your mother has just woken up and is in need of some time to recover. She did sleep for nineteen years, you know. So maybe after she’s recuperated enough for a while…” he answered. “We’ve waited for nineteen years for this, right? What’s waiting for just a little bit more compared to that? The most important thing for you to do is to manage the company to the best of your abilities. That’s the way to not disappoint your father’s expectation.”Aristotle
Cynthia had never had a relationship before, so she did not know what love was. However, one thing was for certain. She loved the feeling of being with Aristotle and how he had protected her since they were kids. Even though Aristotle had become a little domineering and “naughty”, she was not taken aback by him. Instead, she even felt a little moved, which was amazing.It wasn’t known how they ended up in bed, with their breaths synchronized. Apart from the final step, they had done just about everything else that could be done.Just as they were about to hit the final step, Aristotle suddenly stopped and helped pull the covers over Cynthia. “Let’s sleep, good night.”Cynthia was still lost in a daze from before. She did not know why Aristotle had suddenly stopped, nor did she have the courage to ask him. She had struggled for so long before having persuaded herself to go with the flow…The next day, when Cynthia woke up, Aristotle had already long gone to his company.She took a
Cynthia heard what Aristotle said, but her hands did not stop doing what they were doing. Her head was in a complete mess. “There’s no… no need. I’ll be able to be done with these now. Go ahead and get some sleep first. By the way, where am I sleeping tonight? There are so many rooms here, I’ll ask Agnes to help me clear one up.”Aristotle walked up to her and squatted. He grabbed onto her arm with one hand while the other closed the luggage. “Just sleep with me here and stop tidying already.”Cynthia suspected that she might have misheard. She took a look at the big bed behind him in a daze and suddenly felt her palm, which was held by him, burning up. “Y… You’re kidding, aren’t you, Ares? Although we used to sleep with each other a lot when we were kids, we’re all grown ups now, so wouldn’t that be a little inappropriate?”Aristotle said with a straight face, “I wasn't joking.”Cynthia panicked a little and recalled Melissa’s words once again. ‘Would Ares, whom I’ve known for so
Melissa knew that Aristotle had kissed Cynthia, so she knew what was going on. Hence, she very naturally boasted, “Of course, they’ve been engaged to each other since they were born. Coincidentally, the both of them felt the same way about each other as they grew up, so wouldn’t this make it even better? From the way I see it, your illness isn’t going to recover for the rest of your life and the both of them are probably going to have to wait until Cindy graduates before they get married. So, you’d be better off moving back to France as early as possible. Don’t worry, you’ve saved Aristotle’s life before, so he wouldn’t be stingy with you financially.”Raven wanted to control the unhappiness she had in her heart very much, but her emotions refused to follow her will. Hence, she fiercely struggled to wring free from Melissa’s grasp. Melissa was startled for a moment. “Are you crazy?”After that, Raven regained her senses and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry… I was a little unwell just n
‘You’re not that worried?’ Melissa was so furious that she laughed. “Am I the only one who’s being worried for nothing? I thought you loved my brother, didn’t you? The man you’ve been dreaming of every day has returned from France but brought a woman with him, yet you’re actually not that worried? Let’s put aside your parents’ intentions for a moment. Do you dare to say that you don’t love him? I’m only helping you because you’re my best friend, so could you not be so relaxed, as if I’m helping you for no reason?”Cynthia shook her head and lowered her volume as she said, “He… might have confessed to me. We also… did that already. So, I think he doesn’t feel that way towards Raven. It’s purely because she saved his life once. I trust that Ares will be able to handle the situation properly.”Melissa’s eyes opened wide. “What? He’s only returned for a few days, yet the two of you have already had sex? That fast?! I never knew it, but you’ve really got it in you!”Cynthia’s face flushe