Before meeting with Sienna and Boa, Ariana said to Jensen, "If they try to hit me later, remember to hold them back."Jensen tilted his chin up. "I'm not getting involved!"Sienna and Boa were unaware of Ariana's return. Jensen had arranged to meet them, and they arrived first. As they chatted, the conversation inevitably turned to Ariana.Boa spoke of her with a mix of anger and resentment, "That heartless woman! It's been five years of radio silence!"Sienna sighed, "It's all because of Spencer!""Don't mention that jerk!" Boa snapped. "I turned on the TV yesterday, and damn it! I had the bad luck of seeing his face!"Sienna asked, "Was it that charity auction? I heard from a client at my boutique that Spencer donated quite a bit."Boa scoffed. "Guilty conscience, I bet. Throwing money around to ease his mind."Years had passed, but Sienna's and Boa's dislike for Spencer had not lessened one bit. Regardless of his past actions, they blamed him for Ariana's five-year absence.
Ariana did not know what else to say apart from apologizing. Meanwhile, Boa hit her back a few more times before finally breaking down and crying while holding her. This was different from when Boa had gone abroad.Back then, they had stayed in touch and knew how each other was doing. On the other hand, Ariana had just up and left, with only Jensen to relay a message. It had been over five years—nearly two thousand days—without a single word from her.Boa was truly angry with Ariana. If it had not been for Jensen's updates assuring them that Ariana was fine, Boa would have gone out of her mind with worry. Eventually, the three of them cried, fussed, and scolded for a good while before finally calming down.Sienna sniffled and looked at her two best friends. "You two look like raccoons with all that smeared makeup..."They looked at each other and burst into laughter. Then, Boa gave Ariana another playful shove and scolded her lightly, "What are you laughing at?"Finally, the four
Ariana couldn't help saying, "It's been over five years. Maybe he's forgotten all about me by now.""Let's hope so," Boa replied. "But we need to prepare for the worst."The four discussed the matter further before the conversation shifted to Sienna. Even though Jensen had already told her, Ariana wanted to confirm for herself. "Sisi, what does your fiancé do? How does he treat you?" Sienna's eyes sparkled like a lovestruck teenager at the mention of her fiancé. "He treats me very well. He works in sales and has already been promoted to department manager."Sienna used to be from a wealthy family, but after they went bankrupt, her parents moved back to their hometown. In the past, she would have looked for someone from a similar background, as the family business needed support.Without those concerns, she only needed to find someone she truly liked. Ariana knew that Sienna did not care about social status. She was easily satisfied as long as the person was kind and treated her w
As she spoke, the housekeeper called inside, "Miss, someone's here."A sweet voice replied, "Who is it?"Ariana stepped inside and saw a young woman in loungewear. The girl had long, loose hair and pretty features, and she looked gentle and well-behaved."Who are you?" Nadia approached, waving the housekeeper away. "I don't know you."The house's layout was mostly the same, with only minor changes. Ariana casually opened the shoe cabinet but found all her old shoes gone. She could not quite describe how she felt.Even though she was not close to her parents, and leaving for five years was indeed her fault, coming home to find everything changed was unsettling. Ariana even considered turning around and leaving, thinking a hotel would be fine. Just then, she heard a voice from inside."Nadia, who's here? Come on in, or you'll catch a cold."Ariana could not help but chuckle. She recognized the voice as her own mother, Winifred. She had never heard Winifred speak to her with such c
In the emergency department of Feynman Hospital in Nordenton, Ariana Lubove had just completed several surgeries. The intense exhaustion caused her to feel a little light-headed. Just as she was halfway through taking off her scrubs and thinking that it was time to call it a day, someone pushed the door to the emergency department open and barged in.Dressed in an expensive tailor-made suit, Spencer Ulrich appeared before her. He exuded an air of detachment and nobility. He had stern brows, a high nose, thin lips, and a sharp, well-defined jawline—the classic traits of a handsome face. At the moment, he was holding a petite young woman in his arms. His expression was composed, but the anxiousness and concern behind it were apparent. "She's hurt. Take a look at her," he requested.Ariana's gaze fell on the young woman's face. She had delicate features and innocent doe eyes.She was Spencer's type, and Ariana knew this more than anyone. For years, his taste in women hadn't chang
Spencer had the air of a man used to being at the top of the pyramid—detached and regal. Yet, he was holding an ordinary black plastic bag. The bag most likely contained the sanitary items Joanne needed.Ariana withdrew her gaze and asked him, "Grandpa wants us to return to Ulrich Estate for dinner tonight. Can you make it?"Spencer didn't even spare her a glance. His eyes were fixed on Joanne as he asked, "Does your tummy still hurt? Have you drunk some warm water like I told you to?"As his words fell, he handed the bag to Joanne, who took it shyly. She then glanced at Ariana before replying, "I'm feeling much better now. Thank you.""Go ahead. I'll wait for you here," Spencer said with a gentle expression. "I'll take you home afterward."Joanne cast a tentative glance at Ariana before turning and leaving."Did you follow me here?" Spencer finally turned his attention to Ariana. "Don't you have anything better to do?"Ariana didn't bother answering his question. She simply ask
Spencer was tall and attractive, while Joanne was petite and sweet. They looked like a match made in heaven. For such events, most people normally adhered to the unspoken black-tie dress code. Women, especially, were decked in the most eye-catching evening gowns. In contrast, Joanne's white T-shirt and jeans seemed out of place—Spencer didn't care about such details.But as Joanne looked at Ariana, who wore a stunning silver-gray gown that fit her body like a glove, she bit her lip. A hint of grievance and unease appeared on her pretty face."What's wrong?" Spencer asked, glancing down at her.Joanne whispered, "They're all dressed so formally, especially Dr. Lubove. She's wearing such a beautiful dress."Spencer's retracted gaze held a bit of displeasure. The moment he entered, he saw Ariana laughing and chatting with Jensen in a carefree way. Jensen even ruffled her hair. She had just told him to mind his boundaries with other women, yet here she was, being a hypocrite.Aria
Ariana didn't understand much about business, but she knew that ever since she married Spencer, the Lubove family's wealth had at least tripled. Yet, Kieran was still unsatisfied.After putting down her cutlery, Ariana stood up. "I'm done eating, so I'll be going home now. Please carry on."Kieran shouted at her back, "Don't forget about what your grandmother said to you before she passed!"Ariana's back stiffened for a few seconds. Then, she walked away.When she got to the hospital, she received an unexpected call from Joanne. At first, she didn't want to answer the unfamiliar number. But the persistent ringing got on her nerves, so she relented and took the call.As soon as the call connected, Joanne's sobbing voice came through, "Dr. Lubove, please come quickly! Spence is injured!"Ariana rushed over and found that Spencer's hand had already been bandaged. When Spencer saw her, he frowned and questioned, "Why are you here?"Ariana glanced at Joanne and didn't answer him.