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Dead at Heart Chapter 54
Ariel didn't mind. Throughout the meal, Chad was attentive to her needs by handing her skewers, slicing grilled meat for her with scissors, and passing her a napkin the moment she needed one.All the meticulous care didn't go unnoticed by those around them. Even Nancy frowned slightly and glanced at Chad before looking at Ariel again.What did Ariel do to deserve such treatment from Chad?Of course, most of the people at the table noticed the dynamic, while Jayson's cold features betrayed no emotion. It seemed as if he hadn't seen a thing.Matt took a sip of beer and scoffed. Then, he leaned in to the group around Jayson and muttered in a low voice, "Ariel's playing it smart. She's obviously using Mr. Hockney to get Jayson's attention."She's probably trying to show that she's got men wrapped around her finger and pull every last tactic to win him back." He sneered mockingly.Nancy gave a small, almost imperceptible laugh as if she were amused.No one knew whether Jayson heard
Dead at Heart Chapter 55
"Oh? Sounds like you really admire the developer of U.N2," Chad said, giving Matt a meaningful look.Matt replied, "Who wouldn't? I'm sure everyone admires a genius developer like you."His words were half genuine admiration and half strategic flattery, a veiled attempt to initiate a partnership. Faye Technologies was the rising star in the technological industry. His father had reminded them that getting on good terms with Chad was sure to guarantee a profit.Ariel stayed silent and calm the whole time. After all, ambition and opportunism were part of human nature.Her hand moved toward a napkin at the same moment a larger, bony hand approached from the opposite direction. Their fingers brushed briefly, a warm, surprising touch that sparked through her like static electricity, prompting an immediate upward glance.Jayson was watching her, though he remained composed. When her eyes, wide with surprise, met his, his expression didn't even flicker.Then, he pulled his hand back as
Dead at Heart Chapter 56
Silence fell over the scene. Ariel gave Matt a cool glance, while Perry eyed her and stepped in to say, "I don't think Ms. Walker needs to handle something like that."This was something the waiters should be doing.Both Chad and Ariel immediately understood what Matt was implying. He'd just praised Nancy as a top elite bound for a clear future, and now he was asking Ariel to do something menial. His words sent a clear message that she was not on the same level as Nancy.Ariel knew that the bed-climbing and forced-marriage scandal had incited the group's hatred for her. To them, she was someone who needed to atone for her sins.Matt patted his forehead and said, "Oh, I didn't mean anything by it. I thought that since Ms. Walker was a housewife for three years, she'd be more used to doing that."Ariel couldn't help but glance at Jayson. He had to know how little regard his people had for her, but he'd never cared about her feelings. Just like now, he was indifferently watching
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"Thank goodness you were fast to react, Jayson. Nancy almost got burned." Matt noticed the detail and exhaled in relief.All eyes turned to Nancy. She'd indeed been quite close to the grill.Seeing everyone's concern, Nancy smiled and said, "It's okay. I'm fine."The culprit of the accident, Renee, anxiously rushed over. She cradled Nancy's hand and blew on it with distress. "I didn't mean it, Nancy. That was close!"Nancy ruffled her hair. "It's alright."A subtle clenching of Ariel's fingers accompanied the chilling clarity that she had been reading too much into the situation—Jayson hadn't rushed to save her from the flames. He'd been in such a panic because they had nearly reached Nancy.That shook his usual composure and made him risk burning himself without hesitation. Only Nancy could make the detached Jayson lose his cool.After making sure Ariel was unharmed, Perry relaxed back into his seat.Freya asked in concern, "Ms. Walker, are you sure you're okay? Let me see."
Dead at Heart Chapter 58
Ariel stayed silent and composed most of the time, treating Perry with polite detachment. He pressed his lips together before saying, "That's good then."She turned slightly to his side and asked, "Mr. Houston, is there anything else?""No. I'm leaving," Perry said; he got the message.Ariel sat for a while longer and enjoyed the solitude. As it got further into the night, she got up and returned to her tent. Just as she got up, she heard footsteps not far away, accompanied by the faint flicker of a lamp. A woman's soft voice carrying an audible smile sounded behind her. "Is this your tent?"Ariel looked in the direction of the voice and found Nancy standing beside Jayson. He bent over to enter the tent, while Nancy followed right after, entering the same tent.They were staying in the same tent.Ariel's gaze trembled slightly, and she was surprised by the scene. Jayson clearly knew she was there tonight, but he didn't bother to avoid her.Ariel's fingers tightened around th
Dead at Heart Chapter 59
Colton's surprise was absolute as Ariel swept past him, her eyes fixed straight ahead, offering him no acknowledgment whatsoever.What had gotten into her? It was obvious she'd seen him, yet she hadn't even offered a polite greeting."Mr. Zeller, what's going on?" someone called out to him.Colton snapped out of it and said, "It's nothing. I'll report the details to Mr. Larkin."Before leaving, he frowned again in Ariel's direction. What exactly was she playing at?…At Bluum Corp Tower, Jayson had just ended a meeting. As he walked, he skimmed over the report Colton had handed him. The latter dismissed the rest of the secretaries and followed Jayson into the office."Mr. Larkin, GildSynergy has offered a small concession. They seem sincere, so please take a look."Jayson flipped through the file and signed his name. "Good work."Without looking up, he asked, "How's the contact with Mr. Hockney coming along?"Nancy had always wanted to meet Carlos, and Jayson had been trying
Dead at Heart Chapter 60
Ariel helped Betty to her seat and said, "Don't worry. I'll take good care of myself."Betty caressed her bony wrist in distress. "You call this taking care? Look at how much weight you've lost lately!"Plus, pregnancy takes a toll on women. You'll suffer if you get pregnant while being this weak. It's better to start building yourself up early." Betty was clearly thinking long term.Ariel wasn't sure how to respond. Betty still hoped Ariel would bear children for the Larkin family, but that wasn't possible now. They were getting divorced. Even if they weren't, her body wouldn't allow it anymore.Seeing Ariel go quiet, Betty hesitated and lowered his voice to say, "Ari, you've been married to Jay for three years and still haven't gotten pregnant. Why don't you have him go with you for a checkup sometime?"Worried Ariel would overthink it, she quickly added, "Both of you should get checked. If there's anything wrong, it's best to address it early, don't you think so?"Betty's tr
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A wave of mortification washed over Ariel, rooting her to the spot. Evelyn's seemingly innocuous words felt like a dismissive assessment, reducing her to an object of scrutiny.Just to bear a child, she had to be assessed for her qualifications! She was completely insignificant compared to someone like Nancy, a PhD graduate from a top foreign university.Little did they know, their words were a painful reminder of her impending reality. Once she began her medical treatment and surgery, her chance to bear children would be gone forever.It clicked. That explained his lukewarm attitude toward intimacy before their divorce. Maybe even back then, he'd already decided that she wasn't good enough to bear his offspring.Ariel didn't want to know how Jayson responded. The way he brushed off Betty's expectations at dinner made it clear that he had no intention of having a child with her. He most likely agreed with Evelyn.She gripped the bottle tightly and returned to her room. Her breaths
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Dead at Heart Chapter 100
Ariel held Janice back. She calmly looked at Frederick. "We're here representing Mr. Hockney.""Since when has Mr. Hockney become so negligent, so much so that he'd send the likes of you to attend an event like this, which is vital for networking?" Frederick frowned, clearly puzzled.He knew Janice's character. She was only interested in the pleasures of life. As her friend, how could Ariel be any better than her?Ariel knew Frederick was prejudiced against her. She didn't explain herself. Instead, she tugged Janice along and went to another exhibition hall.In doing so, she passed by a man who was walking in their direction.When Zach Quinton laid eyes on her, he couldn't help but gaze at her for several seconds.Frederick followed his gaze and stepped forward. "Mr. Quinton, that's my younger sister. She has always been unruly. I must keep an eye on them so they won't do anything inappropriate.""Are they both your sisters?" Zach asked with an eyebrow raised.Frederick was jus
Dead at Heart Chapter 99
Noticing Betty's enthusiasm, Ariel thought that seemed peculiar. "He… had already left."She wasn't sure when Jayson left in the night. Judging by how neat the bed was, she was certain he didn't stay the night.Betty's expression changed. "He left? It's only 7:30 am. I woke up at 6:00 am, but I never saw him leave."Ariel realized that something was not right with Betty. She soothed her and asked, "Grandma, did something happen?"Seeing that she was curious, Betty sighed heavily. "The concoction I had him drink last night wasn't a supplement. It was… an aphrodisiac."The field of alternative medicine was extensive and profound. She purposely asked Albert to prepare the concoction, but evidently, it didn't help! Ariel didn't look like someone who'd had a passionate night.Ariel froze. Pressing her lips together, she fell silent. No wonder she thought Jayson's voice sounded raspy last night. As for when he left…"Grandma, tell the kitchen staff not to prepare breakfast for Jayson.
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Jayson calmly withdrew his hand and glanced at Betty. "Happy now?"Betty was reassured, but she still told the household staff to bring Jayson a bowl of concoction. "Take this supplement. It's good for you."Seeing that she insisted, Jayson decided to go along with her. He didn't even ask what it was for as he downed the entire bowl.Betty smiled, pleased. She then turned toward Ariel, who was deep in thought. "Ari? Come here. Let Mr. Ward examine you."Jayson leisurely turned to look at her too.Ariel clenched her fists. She felt a lump in her throat. "I…"She couldn't let Albert examine her.A skilled alternative doctor could definitely identify any health conditions that one had. Albert had been looking after Betty for the past few years. He was one of the best alternative doctors in the country. He could certainly identify Ariel's condition."What's wrong, Ari?" Betty stepped closer to her.Ariel's lips were drained of color. "Grandma, I'm feeling fine. There's really no n
Dead at Heart Chapter 97
Ariel's gaze flickered, and she unknowingly tightened her grip on her utensils.Renee took in her reaction in that fleeting moment, and her grin broadened. She shoved her phone nearer to Jayson, demanding a response. "Jayson, do you like it or not?"Jayson's cold gaze fell on the screen. The calmness on his face was impeccable. He cast Renee a warning glare.Intimidated, Renee withdrew her hand. She knew the relationship between Jayson and Nancy was supposed to be a secret for now, but she wanted to see how Ariel would react. That was why she did it. She never wanted to anger Jayson."What's wrong?" Betty noticed the atmosphere was tense and looked up from her food."It's nothing, Grandma." Renee leaned closer to her gleefully. She continued, "I was just showing Jayson something he'd be very interested in."Betty didn't know what they were talking about. She patted Renee's head and stopped probing.Ariel kept her head hung low, her expression as calm as quiet waters.She was so
Dead at Heart Chapter 96
Ariel also had a bit more peace of mind.She accompanied Leonard for lunch. At the same time, she recovered from the discomfort she felt from the radiation therapy. Then, she returned to Faye Tech to wrap things up.Jayson never contacted her again.The next day, before Ariel got off work, Betty called her. "Ari, what time are you getting off work today?""I'm just about to," Ariel answered as she shut down her computer."Great timing! I told Jayson to pick you up. Come to the manor with him. There's something I want to do, and I need you both to be present."Ariel was caught off guard. "Grandma, but I have another—""He's arrived outside your company. You'll see him when you go down."Ariel kneaded her throbbing temples. If it weren't for Betty's orders, Jayson would never come to pick her up.She simply gathered her things before heading out. Indeed, a Bentley Mulsanne was parked outside.A window rolled down. Jayson looked out at her and said, "Hop on."That was new to A
Dead at Heart Chapter 95
Jayson spoke in a business-like tone.Ariel's gaze wavered slightly.She was very uptight. Because of the radiation therapy she just had, she felt lightheaded. She had to secretly hold onto the nursing counter to stop herself from falling.Ariel took in a deep breath. "There are many better rooms they can choose from, yet they specifically want my uncle's room. What are they after?"Jayson gazed at her calmly. "It's important for the patient to stay in a good mood. I can arrange for your uncle to have the best room and pay the full year's fee upfront."Not even bothering to elaborate further, he went straight to business.He'd really go to great lengths just to make Sarah happy.Ever since Leonard fell ill, Jayson had never helped out even a little, let alone pay for anything. Yet now he agreed to pay the VIP room fee for Leonard for the entire year, which amounted to millions of dollars, just for Nancy and her family.Ariel had once thought of relocating Leonard to a better ro
Dead at Heart Chapter 94
The nursing facility was right behind the department she was in. It was quite near.When Ariel arrived, she paid a lump sum of 200 thousand dollars.After she signed the bill, the nurse asked her, "Ms. Walker, would you be okay if we relocate Mr. Walker to another room?"Ariel was stunned. "What do you mean?"The nurse explained, "Here's what happened. Someone has expressed their interest in your uncle's current room. They'd like to discuss this matter with you because they want to use that room. In return, they'll be happy to meet all of your requests."It was a private nursing facility. They would usually encourage negotiation if any requests were made.Ariel frowned. "Please tell them we refuse to relocate."Over the years, when Leonard had been sick, they'd spent a great sum on his treatment. Katie barely gained any income from her hotel due to its poor management. Ariel had always been the one paying the fees. She used up almost all of the income she earned from working as
Dead at Heart Chapter 93
Janice had just taken a dosage of oral solution, grimacing in pain as she did. She turned toward Ariel."I'm sure there are a good number of them. Various organizations of different natures will collect paintings from various means for resale." Confused, she asked, "Why?"Ariel kneaded her brow. "One of my mom's paintings went missing back then. It was still on her mind even before she passed. I'm thinking that since it's going to be her third death anniversary soon, I can at least fulfill her wish if I track it down for her."Katie once brought that matter up. The other half of that painting was apparently Elena's graduation project. Something happened in the process, and she eventually didn't submit it.Upon graduating, however, Elena had gone back to Eldoria.Besides, paintings would circulate in different locations. Eldoria was home to numerous channels to acquire paintings; she might hear something about it there.Janice mulled over it. "I'll ask around. Wait for my update."
Dead at Heart Chapter 92
However, Betty's appetite was much better. She even took an extra helping.The oatmeal Ariel prepared was almost finished.Even Jayson took a big portion. Ariel wasn't surprised at all. Jayson had always enjoyed her cooking.After dinner, Jayson went out to answer a phone call. Ariel waited for several minutes before going out after him.On a covered walkway, she found him smoking. Pulling her coat tighter around herself, she walked up to him. "Have a minute to spare?"She wanted to talk to him about attending Elena's third death anniversary.As she approached, Jayson moved the cigarette away from his lips and put it out."How long have you been there?" he asked, eyeing her.Ariel took some time to realize the meaning behind that question. Was he on the phone with Nancy just now?""Just now," she replied coolly, her chest still heaving. "After you ended the call."Jayson then arched an eyebrow at her. With one hand stuck into his pocket, he abruptly said, "I was drunk."Arie
