Arianne was slightly surprised. ‘The woman’s already married and has a child, yet Mateo still came all this way especially for her. Why does he sound like he’s planning to steal the woman?’ However, Arianne did not dare to voice her thoughts, so she could only be as subtle as possible. “She… She’s already married and has a child? In that case… What kind of outcome are you hoping for? Could it be… you’re hoping for her to get a divorce and be with you?”However, Mateo merely shook his head. “I don’t expect her to be with me. In the past, just one look at her was enough to make me want to protect her, yet I kept stopping myself from doing so. I’ve waited for a hug from her for so many years… All I want is just a hug. Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”Arianne heaved a sigh of relief. “Just a hug? That’s easy. Since she’s the light of your life, then I’m sure the two of you know each other. Therefore, since the two of you have known each other for so many years, I’m sure she wou
Mark had never divulged on his past relationships, and he did not intend to let loose a whiff of a clue now. “You said so yourself. How is it plausible that someone like me could ever deign to pine for anyone? As if there’s anyone in this world who’s worthy.”‘As if anyone’s worthy’? What, not even Arianne herself was worthy?!She swung a fist gently at him. “Oh, sorry I’ve asked, then! I forgot that none of us mortals deserve someone as highfalutin and above-it-all as you. Yep, none whosoever deserve your immortal affection; nope, nada, zilch!”Anyone who could read between the lines would hear her offended undertone. Yet, Mark seemed to have committed one of the cardinal sins the male species was sometimes accused of—either their crippling inability to interpret things beyond their literal meaning, or their inclination to feign that inability. “Do refrain from stating the obvious.”Arianne was miffed. “Oh, so even I’m unworthy, then? Someone’s making this seem as if I was the one
“I heard you, Arianne. I’ll talk to him about this with my attitude in check. Then, later, I’ll be eating with you and Tiffany at Teo’s place. I don’t give a damn about what he thinks. I’m gonna go there with my head held high, and I’m gonna let him know myself!”Just like that, Melanie terminated their call, leaving Arianne with her mind dancing on pins and needles. What had she done? She was the one who brought this up, which meant that if a heated altercation between Melanie and Alejandro broke out, part of it was on her.Meanwhile, Melanie wasted not a minute more before driving all the way to Alejandro’s office. Despite it being a weekend, he was working overtime again. The man was renowned for being doggedly focused on his work, which likely stemmed from his troubled life experience in the past. Knowing full well that the survival of the Smith family’s wealth and legacy was on his shoulders, while he still had much to learn and do, Alejandro usually sacrificed his weekends away
Melanie seemed to have read Arianne’s mind. “No, Arianne. This has got nothing to do with you. Even if you kept this a secret from me, I would have found out about this, so don’t think this happened because of you,” she pointed out. “In fact, I’m happy and grateful... You didn’t choose to be biased toward him despite his connection to you. If we really think about this… He’s your brother-in-law, isn’t he? He’s family. I’m not.”Melanie’s analysis of their complex relationship had reached a depth beyond Arianne’s cognizance, and it made her feel pretty ashamed of herself. Frankly, she had never once cared for Alejandro the way a decent sister-in-law was supposed to do, particularly since Mark did not exactly enjoy the warmest of kinship with him. Granted, with a backdrop as charged and tumultuous as that, Arianne felt as though she could never be a good sister-in-law even if she tried.Mateo was always in his restaurant these few days, but at least he was not as busy as he used to be
Mateo’s body immediately stilled. When he whipped his face upward to consider Melanie, his signature practiced grin was completely absent. “How did you… know?”Melanie breathed a quiet sigh. She was relieved; it turned out that Mateo was not pining for her, and yet, she could not help but be simultaneously worried for the path her old friend seemed poised to tread. “Your friend can tell, Teo. And unless I’m mistaken, our reunion in the supermarket wasn’t a coincidence at all, was it? You planned for it. I was never the reason that compelled you to come back; that had always been Arianne,” she said. “You knew Arianne’s my friend, so you used me to help make you closer to her. I don’t mind being used this way, Teo, but I think I should warn you—Mark Tremont’s wife isn’t someone you should set your eyes on. Ever.”He curled his lips into a flitting, pained smile. “I know, I know. I’ve never harbored any funny ideas either, if this helps. But, seriously, how did you piece it together?
Upon reaching the estate, Alejandro disembarked and went straight into the house.Melanie tailed him nonchalantly. The quieter he was, the more it boded ill, like the calm before a storm. It was simply not Alejandro’s nature to be so quiet, especially since the tirade Melanie had recounted to Jett should have lit up his fuse and caused him to erupt twice over.Hearing their footsteps, Melissa sprung out to meet them. “Daddy! Mommy!”Alejandro lifted the little girl into his arms and pecked her on the cheek. “Daddy’s a bit tired today; gotta catch some rest. You will have to play alone today, Millie.”Melanie, however, waved at the girl. “Come here. Mommy will be your playmate today.”Alejandro later vanished into the stairs without asking her anything or even showing the telltale signs of an incoming altercation.Melanie was starting to feel the dissonance of him being out-of-character. How was a man so known for his hair-triggering temper suddenly as calm as still water?While
Just look at the other kids! All of them were holding their parents’ hands as they regarded the foreign environment with childlike repulsion. Only a handful of them seemed to welcome the brave, new world sprawling before them.Mark was already showing signs of bailing out of there. “Seriously, can’t you just bring him inside, leave some words to him, and then mission accomplished, we go home? When it’s time, we come back and take him home. Simple as that,” he suggested. “It’s becoming pretty apparent now, hasn’t it? He’s not the slightest bit ill at ease! I can’t believe your anxiety eclipsed his!”Arianne rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t sugarcoat it; you’re just growing impatient! I can’t believe you’re impatient with your own son! And also, just because he isn’t anxious now doesn’t mean he won’t be missing home after a while. What happens if he starts to cry, huh? Besides, look around you, mister—none of them decided to just leave after dumping their kid here, right? Just be there f
Smore followed the rest of his class into his classroom. Arianne followed suit later to talk to the teacher, though she could not help but notice Smore incessantly gesturing to her to get out of the classroom with the same snappish impatience.For the first time, Arianne felt so unwanted… by Smore, no less!Since all the other kids’ parents had taken to watching from outside the class, Arianne—who was still feeling a little hung up—decided to observe her son from a spot where he could not see. Her purpose? Trying to see if the kid would eventually break down to tears!As many kids were wont to do on the first day of school, they were unaccustomed to leaving on their own without their parents in the vicinity. Many were so downright reluctant to step inside the classroom that one might suspect that they thought they were being thrown into a prison where dangerous, terrifying things lurked. The teachers tried hard to pacify them but to no avail.The longer Smore looked at the crying k