Arianne could no longer sit still when she heard of Rice Ball’s condition. “Alright, I’ll return and pack some of my clothes as well. I’m running out of clothes at Tiffie’s place anyway.”She changed into a long-sleeved white dress after ending the call before hailing a cab. When she arrived at the gates of the Tremont Estate, she saw the house was brightly lit. Mark was home.At this moment, Rice Ball ran to Arianne’s feet and rubbed itself against her legs. It looked energetic and did not seem like it had been starving for a few days. It was still as round and obscenely fat as ever. Mary had fooled her into coming home so that she would run into Mark.When Arianne walked in, a forced smile could be seen on Mary’s face. Arianne did not say anything. Instead, she went upstairs to her room to pack her clothes.Mark was sitting on a chair in front of the French windows. She did not greet him. She did not know if there was even anything left to say between them. She did not have many
Tiffany combed her fingers through her hair. “It feels like... back when I was still with Ethan. I can’t really describe the feeling, but when I see anything delicious, I’d think of leaving some for him. I’d be worried if he catches a cold or if it gets too hot. I’d be worried if he gets sick or if he’s upset. I didn’t worry about myself back then. At that time, I thought he’d be the only one for the rest of my life. I’d do anything for him and forgive him unconditionally. I’d forgive him no matter how many times he had upset me. On the day of our break up, I felt as though… the sky had fallen on me. He was right in front of me, but he wasn’t mine anymore. I couldn’t hold him or continue loving him because he didn’t love me anymore…”Arianne began to cry when she heard these words. She had never experienced the things that Tiffany had described, but she could understand the hurt she felt....Early in the morning, the next day, Arianne prepared a bowl of cat food and water for Rice
Arianne did not immediately refuse her. She replied tactfully, “We’ll… talk about this when the time comes. She heaved a sigh of relief when she returned to the room. “Tiffie, your mom just asked me to give her my share of the rent, water, and electrical fees. She complained the allowance you’ve given her is too little.”Tiffany rolled her eyes. “Ignore her. I’ve been giving her a lot. I’m penniless every month, what more does she want from me? By the way, your phone rang while you were in the shower. I didn’t check. It sounded like a message.”Arianne wiped her hair as she picked up her phone. It was a message from Mary. “Ari, Mr. Tremont has been coming home every day since you’ve moved out. Are you really not coming home? If you’re throwing tantrums, just throw a tantrum. Why must you move out? It’s not like you’re getting a divorce.”Arianne mulled over her thoughts before she replied to the message. “Mary, please stop concerning yourself with our affairs. He refuses to come hom
Arianne was dazzled by the sights in the shopping mall when they arrived. She shopped around for cheap brands and did not intend on buying anything too expensive.On the other hand, Lillian lingered exclusively around the sales counters of big brands. She seized the opportunity when Tiffany had gone to the changing room and pulled Arianne aside. “Ari, look at how pretty those clothes are over there. I haven’t bought any new clothes in such a long time. My daughter is so useless. I used to indulge her so much in the past, and now, she wouldn’t even buy me a single piece of clothing.”Arianne forced herself to ask, “Then, how about I buy one for you? I’ve left the Tremont household so I have to survive on my own. I don’t have much so I can only afford one…”“Alright, alright, alright,” Lillian hurriedly replied, “Just one. You’re the best, Ari!”Arianne wiped the cold sweat off her brow when she saw the price of the clothing Lillian had chosen. She did not have much cash on her today
Arianne shook her head. “I’m not going in. It’s awkward to meet. Return it for me. I’ll be going now.”Mary called out hastily, “What are you doing? It’s so hot. Look how red your face is from the heat. How can your skin take this? Moreover, what if you get a heatstroke? Heatstroke can kill as well! You can stay away from him, but don’t you want to see me? Come in. You can cool down in my room!”After a moment of hesitation, Arianne followed Mary to the housekeeper’s room. Everyone was working at this hour so no one was in the room. Although the room housed four people, it had everything and was very spacious. There were even an individual washroom and a kitchen.Mary returned from upstairs briefly and returned the card to her. “I told you, sir isn’t so petty. He doesn’t want it and asked me to return it to you. He said to keep it for emergencies.”Arianne was startled. “Really? Did he say anything else?”Mary shook her head. “Nothing else. He just asked if you’re back. I told him yes,
Arianne did not really feel like moving out. “Tiffie, I understand what you mean, but I moved here because I don’t want to stay alone. We can do this. I’ll save some for Rice Ball and my personal expenditure when I get my salary each month. I’ll pass everything else to you for food, rent, utility bills, and whatnot. I won’t have anything to give your mom when she asks for it since my money is with you.”Tiffany could only agree. “I guess that’s all we can do. Don’t worry. You don’t usually eat at home, only during weekends. You don’t have to bear the living cost. After dividing the rent, utility bill, and everything else, I’ll save what’s left for you. I won’t spend it on nothing. Just don’t let my mom see that we have any money.”Just as Arianne lay down, Tiffany suddenly exclaimed, “Ari, look! Someone took photos of us buying the Chinese-style omelet wraps! There are even photos of us coming home. Rumors are spreading that you’ve divorced Mark and moved out of the Tremont Estate. It’
After Tiffany bought the pregnancy test kits, Arianne tested it instantly and received the result in less than five minutes. Two bars. She did not dare to believe it and decided to test it again tomorrow morning. The results would be more accurate in the morning.When morning came the next day, she was in despair. She was really pregnant. Calculating the time, it must be around three months now. It was then she realized how long it had been since she had left the Tremont’s. It felt surreal.After Arianne confirmed the results, Tiffany asked, “What’s your plan? The baby is Mark’s, right?”There was a momentary silence from Arianne before she answered, “Both Will and I were unconscious that day, it’s nearly impossible for anything to happen. It can only be Mark’s. However, he definitely won’t believe it. He didn’t believe it the first time, he definitely won’t believe it this time. I genuinely can’t stand how he questioned me about the baby’s father with his cold and indifferent tone at
Looking around at the pregnant ladies accompanied by their husbands, Arianne felt slightly gloomy. When it was finally her turn, Tiffany went in with her. After a blood draw and an ultrasound scan, the doctor looked at the results and said, “Baby is 12 weeks old and is quite healthy. This is your first checkup? You shouldn’t be so careless. Have your file documented and come back punctually for your checkups.”It was already past two in the afternoon when they left the hospital so they headed to a nearby restaurant for lunch. Tiffany had two big servings since she was extremely hungry. “It’s so troublesome to do a checkup. One full day is gone. There are too many people in the public hospital. Why don’t we go to a decent private one? Otherwise, I’ll suffer and you’ll suffer even more each time.”Arianne stroked her belly. It was slightly protruding, and she could feel a tiny bump. She could not help but smile. “Yeah, let’s go to a private hospital next time. I know of one.”When they r