Connor had indeed done quite a few things. Back then, no one paid much attention to what he did.But when all his actions and words were pieced together, it became clear how much he had contributed to Ariana and Spencer's divorce.More than once, Conner told Spencer that Ariana had poor character and they weren't suited for each other—that they were not a good match.Spencer now found it ironic. He even thought Connor's words made some sense back then.Comments like "You can't spoil women, or they'll become arrogant", or "Ariana is great at playing hard to get", or "Ariana and Jensen are way too close".Connor had said these comments countless times.Spencer had never thought much of Connor's dissatisfaction with Ariana. Connor was on his side, and Ariana was close to Jensen, who was someone their group didn't get along with.But thinking about Jacob, George, and the others in their circle, none of them ever said Ariana had a bad character, even if they weren't friendly with her
Spencer remained quiet while Connor continued, "I just don't think you two are a good match. Ariana has a tough personality, and she doesn't show you any respect. If you keep pursuing her, she'll probably become even more arrogant."Spencer lit a cigarette, took a puff, and asked, "By the way, shouldn't you be thinking about settling down, too? What kind of person are you looking for?"Connor was the same age as Spencer. At their age, not being married was already a concern for their families.Connor lit a cigarette as well. "I'm not in a rush. I just don't want to end up like you, stuck in an arranged marriage without any emotional foundation. That's bound to lead to problems. I'd rather wait and see if I find someone I genuinely connect with.""What about Ariana?"Connor froze for a moment and said, "Didn't I just say? She doesn't really have any redeeming qualities…""No. I mean, do you think Ariana could be someone you'd have a genuine connection with?"Connor was truly stun
At that moment, Connor realized just how dire the situation could become if Spencer ever found out the truth.Although he had considered the possibility of being exposed, he still acted with a false sense of security, believing his discretion would shield him. What had given him the most confidence was Spencer's arrogant personality. Connor was convinced that Spencer wouldn't care about such matters and certainly wouldn't be so invested in a woman. But he had lost that bet.After Ariana left five years ago, Spencer underwent a transformation that sent chills down Connor's spine. He was no longer the same man he knew. He had truly fallen for Ariana and deeply regretted his past mistakes. The thought of Connor admitting this made him uneasy, as he couldn't bear to imagine the severe consequences that would follow.Shaking off his thoughts, he said, "What are you talking about? We've been friends for over 20 years, and you're actually questioning me?"Spencer shot him a glance bef
"I should have been carefree at that age. But because of you, I've become suspicious, insecure, and timid!"Spencer couldn't take it anymore. He replied, "After more than 20 years, I finally see you for who you really are."Connor had bottled up his frustrations for far too long. He could accept that he didn't measure up to Spencer in terms of family background or talent. Yet, it felt unfair that Spencer effortlessly won the heart of the girl he liked.He married Ariana and didn't appreciate her. Their divorce was just a matter of time, and it had nothing to do with him."Let me give you some advice," Spencer said icily. "Stop worrying about the future of the Stone family. With your petty behavior, Ariana will never love you."Those words ignited Connor's fury."Just because she doesn't like me doesn't mean she'll like you! Don't be ridiculous! Spencer, she'll never forgive you after everything you've done!"This statement hit Spencer hard. Their friendship had shattered over Ar
Ariana shut Spencer out, then took a shower and prepared for bed.Before the two of them divorced, Spencer had more than once told her that she would regret her decision, but she had never regretted it. On the contrary, it was now Spencer who held regrets. He had asked her what he needed to do for her to forgive him just now.She had simply replied, "Stay further away from me, then. Who knows? If we never interact again for the rest of our lives, I might just find it in myself to forgive me."She closed the door on him immediately after saying so, without even sparing a glance at his expression.As she was lying on her bed and getting ready to sleep, her phone rang. When she saw the video call invitation flashing on the screen, she immediately smiled.All thanks to Spencer stirring up trouble, she had actually forgotten to give her son, Leo Lubove, a call. Leo must've gotten impatient waiting and taken the initiative to call her instead.When she accepted the invitation, a young
Sam became even happier upon receiving Ariana's praise. "I'll work hard!"Sam was a friend that Ariana had become acquainted with overseas. His father was an extremely famous and wealthy man back in his home country.Two years ago, his father had been diagnosed with liver cancer, and it was Ariana who had overseen his surgery as the chief surgeon. Since then, she and Sam had become familiar with each other.If she really allowed Sam to bring Leo back to Harvoria when the time came, then Sam's identity would be that of her boyfriend and also Leo's biological father.Spencer might still be holding onto some hope right now, but once Sam and Leo were here, he would probably give up on his own.Ah, right, there was still the matter of Zane.When she considered the fact that Sam would be able to solve all her problems in one fell swoop, she couldn't help but start to look forward to his arrival.Furthermore, she really missed Leo. She quickly fell asleep and even had a pleasant dream
Ariana smiled gently as she spoke about her son. "Yeah, my boyfriend and I got together five years ago, but things didn't work out, and we split up for a while. My son is four years old now—he's super smart and adorable. You'll get to meet him soon, Mr. Marshall."Zane took a few seconds to digest that bombshell.Finally, he forced a smile. "Great! I'm looking forward to it."Yeah, right. He wasn't looking forward to meeting some long-lost boyfriend. And now, there was a kid? A four-year-old kid?Feeling irritated, Zane went to see Rowan.Rowan was also surprised to hear that Ariana had a son. "Wait! Ariana has a four-year-old son? I wonder if Boa knew about this."Zane shot him an annoyed look. "Ariana's been keeping this under wraps. Even if Boa knows, there's no way she'd tell you.""Ugh! You talk too much," Rowan shot back, glaring at him. "If Ariana told Boa to keep it secret, she'd respect that. Boa's not the type to break someone's trust.""Yeah, keep telling yourself th
As the saying went, "You need to know your enemy to win a battle".With that in mind, Zane immediately told Rowan to reach out to Boa and invite her to dinner.Rowan, always eager for more time with Boa, typed the message as he said, "I can set up the dinner, no problem. But I can't guarantee if she spills anything about Ariana.""Just ask her out," Zane replied.When Boa received the message, she immediately thought they definitely wanted something from her. She texted back, "Zane wants to have dinner with me? What's the catch?"Rowan responded, "He's feeling down. Want me to pick you up?"Zane feeling down could be entertaining.Boa shot back, "No need. Just send me the address. I'll be there."Rowan chuckled as he put down his phone, turning to Zane. "She's coming, but she's definitely here to see the drama."Zane shrugged. "As long as she helps me figure out how to win Ariana over, I don't care what she's here for."When Boa arrived, Zane wasted no time. He jumped straigh
Ariana lowered her gaze, her lashes hiding the emotions in her eyes. Spencer could not see them, but he imagined her expression remained as distant as ever."I just want to know if we could still be friends," he continued softly.Ariana paused for several seconds before shaking her head. Spencer's voice was strained with pain as he spoke, "I know it's an inappropriate request, but if we don't try this approach, I might not be able to stop pursuing you." "So you're saying if I don't agree to be friends, you'll keep bothering me?" Ariana finally looked at him directly. "Are you threatening me?"His words reminded her of Zane, who had used the same tactic. She wondered if all men thought this way—when pursuit failed, they would settle for friendship as a consolation prize.Spencer met her gaze. "That's not it. Ari… I'm just asking for your mercy."His eyes were bloodshot with dark circles underneath, clearly showing signs of sleepless nights. Ariana looked away, unable to bear
Jacob rubbed his temples in frustration. "I've warned you about this. She has a boyfriend now, and they have a kid. If you get involved, what does that make you? The other man?""I know…" Spencer mumbled. "But I love her and can't control these feelings." "Having control is what makes us human," Jacob said firmly. "Losing control makes us no better than animals. You're better than that.""Maybe being an animal would hurt less," Spencer muttered."If that's your attitude, then there's nothing left to discuss." Jacob was getting exasperated with him. "That man isn't right for her!" Spencer burst out, recounting everything that had happened.Jacob shook his head. "They have a child together. What's the point of saying all this now?""He's manipulative and deceitful!" Spencer's voice rose with frustration. "How can Ari be with someone like that? Even if I didn't love her, I couldn't stand by and watch her be with someone so toxic!"Jacob took a deep breath and offered another per
"Still, he shouldn't have hit anyone!" Ariana sighed as she looked at his face, now swollen and red. "Does it hurt?"Sam's eyes welled up with tears. "Yeah, it hurts like hell..."Spencer stood nearby, his fists clenched tight. For some reason, Sam just made his blood boil, and he wanted nothing more than to punch him again."Mr. Ulrich," Ariana said while supporting Sam. "Let me say this one last time—stay out of my life. Since Sam's willing to let this go, I won't press charges, but if there's a next time, I will call the police."After her warning, Ariana helped Sam inside their house. They both froze in their tracks when they saw Leo standing in the doorway—neither knew how long he had been awake or how much he had heard."Leo," Ariana quickly spoke up. "Go back inside.""Mom, you two go ahead. I'll close the door," Leo responded quietly.Ariana had no choice but to help Sam inside while Leo walked to the doorway and looked up at Spencer. The little boy barely reached Spence
After that, Sam told Ariana softly, "Go check on Leo. I'll handle this."Wanting no part in this confrontation, Ariana went back inside. Sam closed the door and cracked his knuckles. "Why are you always bothering Ari? She's my girlfriend now, and you should stop.""You're not right for her," Spencer replied coldly."Are you?" Sam raised an eyebrow. "I'm younger, more devoted, and I'd never hurt her or flirt with another woman. What makes you think you're better?""This is between Ari and me. It doesn't concern you.""It doesn't concern me? Or you just can't think of a response? Did I hit a nerve? I guess getting older really does make people shameless.""Don't get cocky. You're not Ari's type at all."Sam leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "That's where you're wrong. Ari loves everything about me, especially my young body..."Before he could finish, Spencer threw down the food container and swung at him. Sam, anticipating the move, dodged quickly. Before long, the two me
Boa quickly called Ariana back and reported, "It's not Zane.""Then, it must have been Spencer," Ariana concluded."That obsessive jerk!" Boa exclaimed. "He just won't give up!"Ariana asked, "Boey, since Rowan and Zane are close, could you tell Rowan to let Zane know that nothing will ever happen between us?"Boa sighed. "I already told him, but I'll emphasize it to him again. By the way, when are you heading to Orkney? I want to pick up Leo!""Tomorrow afternoon," Ariana replied. "But don't worry about picking him up—he's coming with me."When Ariana hung up, she found Leo watching her expectantly. He jumped into her arms as soon as she put down her phone. "Mom, are you done? Can you play with me now?"Ariana's heart melted. "Of course, baby. What would you like to play?""Let's play house!" Leo's eyes sparkled. "You be the mommy, and I'll be the baby, and you have to carry me!""Alright." Ariana laughed, scooping him up."No, not like that," Leo directed. "Carry me like
Dennis could not help glancing in the rearview mirror at that comment. Meanwhile, Ariana looked at Sam and blurted out, "Marriage? Did you forget what we agreed on?""I remember," Sam replied. "But with your ex-husband and that Zane guy, we've got our work cut out. I'm worried they'll figure things out. Maybe we should turn this act into reality."Ariana shook her head firmly. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that. You're already doing me a huge favor by helping. Marriage is sacred, and when you find someone you truly love—" "But Ari, you're the one I love! I want to marry you!" Sam interrupted."Sam, you're still young..." Ariana smiled gently.Sam protested, "I'm not that young! You always use that excuse, but you're only five years older than me!"Before Ariana could respond, Dennis chimed in from the front seat, "There's an old saying—you can't force love. Sam, if you really care for her, win her heart properly and make her say yes to you. This isn't the way." "You sound like
Ariana smiled politely. "That really won't be necessary. Don't put yourself through that, Mr. Marshall. You're quite the catch, and I'm certainly not worthy. If you'll excuse me, they're waiting for me."With that, Ariana turned and headed downstairs, where Sam was leaning casually against the car, waiting for her. Even though he and Dennis knew each other, they did not get along well, so Sam stepped out of the car to wait.Being a handsome foreigner with striking features and bright blue eyes, Sam naturally drew admiring glances from passersby. He was used to the attention, but suddenly, his gaze fixed on someone watching him with unmistakable hostility.He quickly realized it was the same guy from the airport yesterday, who had tried to block their path but was completely ignored by Ariana. Sam met Spencer's gaze with calm confidence and the natural arrogance of someone who knew they had won. As far as he was concerned, Spencer was the defeated rival—someone who did not stand a
"That jerk..." Boa muttered under her breath before turning to Leo with a bright smile. "Leo, I'm going to treat you to something yummy!""Thank you, Aunt Boa," Leo replied with a blank face."Come on. Give me a smile," Boa cooed, pinching his cheek. "Oh, my goodness! You're just too cute!"Leo responded by burying his face in Ariana's shoulder. Jensen rushed to join them after finishing his surgery, making it a lively meal with five adults and one child. Leo only showed his bright smile when interacting with Ariana, maintaining his composed expression with everyone else.However, his stoic demeanor only encouraged Boa to tease him more, filling the dinner with laughter and joy. After that, Rowan arrived to pick up Boa, accompanied by Zane. By then, Leo was fighting to stay awake after his long flight and emotional reunion.He managed to open his eyes briefly to look at the two tall men before drifting off on Ariana's shoulder. Though the glimpse was quick, it was enough for
"Me, too!" Sienna exclaimed, and Ariana could not help but laugh at her precious son's perfect little face, now adorned with two lipstick marks.Even though Leo felt that he was too grown up to be carried, he had not seen Ariana in so long that he did not want to leave her arms. Just this once, he decided to indulge himself and enjoy the comfort of her embrace.As the group walked toward the exit, sharing laughs, Ariana suddenly stopped in her tracks. The others paused, confused."What's wrong? Why did you stop…" Boa's voice trailed off as she spotted the man standing ahead of them.It was Spencer, his eyes fixed intently on the child in Ariana's arms. Now, Boa understood why Ariana had been so confident that Spencer would not question Leo's parentage. With those bright blue eyes matching Sam's, there was no way Spencer would suspect Leo was his.Boa thought it was a brilliant plan, and she looked at Spencer smugly. On the other hand, Leo glanced at Spencer before resting obed