Ariana returned to the auction hall to find that Jensen had already bought another diamond necklace for Sienna. Spencer and Joanne, however, didn't return. After the auction ended, Jensen dragged Ariana and Sienna to a bar. Despite knowing they couldn't drink because they had to work the next day, they still went.Once at the bar, Sienna received a call from a client and left in a hurry. Jensen ordered fruit juice for Ariana and himself. He insisted on sipping on his juice and watching others dance. Even when Ariana felt nauseous from drinking too much juice, he still refused to leave. Unable to put up with it any longer, Ariana said to him, "Drink all you want. I'm leaving."Finally, Jensen stood up and offered to drive her home. Something seemed to be troubling him. Ariana held back from prodding until they reached her place. As expected, he turned off the engine but didn't let her out of the car."What's going on? Since when did you have a problem expressing your thoughts
The voice sounded familiar—it was Joanne! Spencer followed the sound and pushed open the two doors leading to the fire escape stairwell."Spence!"Spencer looked down and frowned deeply. Ariana was on the ground, and the expression on her face reflected the pain she was feeling. She was clutching her ankle and looking up at him.Spencer had always known that Ariana was beautiful, but he didn't acknowledge this much. He believed that physical appearances mattered the least when it came to appreciating the beauty of someone or something in totality.Yet, when Ariana looked up at him with tears swimming in her gorgeous hazel eyes, her beauty stunned him momentarily."Spence!" Joanne called out again.She had also fallen and was in pain, but why was Spencer's gaze only focused on Ariana?Joanne's voice snapped Spencer back to his senses. He immediately turned his attention to her, taking hurried steps down the stairs to get to her side.He bent down and asked, "What happened?"
Ariana was stunned by the scene.Although Jensen had a sharp tongue and a whimsical personality, he was actually serious and stoic when he was working. If not, the female doctors and nurses wouldn't have been charmed by his chaste and polite facade.Of course Spencer was even more stoic and mature. He was the type who'd always keep his cool, even if the world came crashing down on him.It was shocking enough that Jensen started the fight. But why did Spencer start fighting as well?Both Jensen and Spencer were clearly trained in close combat. Every attack they delivered was packed with tremendous force. They traded blows with each other, their skill levels seemingly on par with each other.No matter how anxious Ariana was, she couldn't leave her wheelchair at all."Hey! Both of you, stop fighting already! Jensen! Spencer! Stop it, both of you!"Ariana was extremely pissed, to say the least. The sight of Jensen losing the fight also fueled her anxiety.She knew Spencer would nev
Ariana could barely believe her ears.What did Spencer say just now? He really was a monster, wasn't he?She was already injured, yet all he could think about was having sex with her.Having spotted Ariana's shocked expression, Spencer stripped his shirt off. "You don't have to move."Ariana's cheeks colored out of anger. Somehow, it enhanced her beauty even more.She glared at Spencer furiously while snarling out, "You… You monster!"He responded by leaning closer to her. He supported his weight with one hand placed on the couch's backseat as he began to edge closer to her. "How can I ever satisfy your urges if I don't do that? Mrs. Ulrich, make your choice. You want to continue this in our bedroom, or do you want to do it right here?"Ariana tried to push Spencer away. "Do it, then! I dare you!""Why won't I?" Spencer gripped Ariana's wrist. "You were the one who forbade me from being intimate with other women. What do you think I should do, then?"A surge of anger and emb
"What's wrong?" Ariana asked."It's something to do with the hospital," Jensen replied. "Someone's trying to join my department through their connections.""As a doctor?"Jensen said, "He didn't even take the exam. How can he be a doctor? I've read his files. Seriously, he's… You know what? I'll just show them to you."Then, he pulled out his phone and passed it to Ariana.Ariana didn't get to see the files, for she glanced at the photo, which was pasted on the upper right corner of the résumé.Jeremy Yates?Then, she glanced at the name on the résumé. It really was him.Ariana decided not to look at the résumé after that. She asked, "Did he join the hospital through the regular hiring channel?""Of course not. People with his credentials would've been eliminated during the résumés screening process. Someone visited Dr. Caton in person. You've always known that I'm the one in charge of hiring medical personnel for my department.""Then, just follow the principles. Calm down,"
Did Spencer overhear the things Ariana had said in a joking manner?Meanwhile, Jensen felt uneasy as well. No matter what, this place was still the Ulriches' private territory.He didn't want to make things difficult for Ariana, so he rose to his feet instantly. "Focus on recovering from your injury, alright? Have a nice meal. I'm going to leave now."Ariana turned to look at him. A hint of gratitude could be seen in her eyes."Thank you, Jen."Jensen knew what she meant. She was grateful to him for not starting another conflict with Spencer. He nodded slightly before striding toward Spencer in wide steps. Ariana was worried that they might start fighting each other again. Just as she was about to say something, she saw Jensen ramming his shoulder into Spencer's roughly at the doorway. Then, he opened the door and walked out.But Spencer never paid any attention to Jensen. His gaze was pinned on Ariana's face the whole time.Ariana met his gaze calmly. "Why did you return at t
The organizers of the fashion design competition didn't arrange any meals or accommodations for the participants. That meant everyone was responsible for their own stay. Ariana and Sienna soon checked into a nearby hotel. Sienna had brought the outfit that was meant to be her participating product, as well as various rolls of fabric and a mini sewing machine. She still needed to make adjustments to the outfit before the start of the semifinals.Hence, Ariana took the elevator to the hotel lobby. She wanted to get some fresh air at the fountain in front of the hotel.Since she was stuck in a wheelchair, it was inconvenient for her to go anywhere else on her own. But it wouldn't be a problem for her if she were to hang out outside the hotel entrance.A hotel employee wheeled Ariana to the main entrance. She thanked her gratefully before wheeling herself forward.She tried to navigate down the ramp. Due to her lack of skill and the ramp being steeper than she expected, her wheelch
This hotel belonged to Gerald. Occasionally, he'd come over to stay here for a few days. He didn't expect to bump into such a beautiful Harvorian woman here.He accepted the documents from Blake, who then said, "Mr. Kirkland, these are the documents detailing Spencer Ulrich and his wife. Please go through them."After Gerald was done reading Spencer's information, he flipped to the page detailing Ariana's information. He arched an eyebrow before a smile spread across his face.What a coincidence.That meant Ariana had lied to him just now.If she was Spencer's wife, she was definitely not staying in the hotel with her boyfriend. Besides, there was no way she'd cheat on Spencer so blatantly.Also, Gerald didn't expect that the woman he was interested in was actually Spencer's wife.Things were starting to get interesting.Meanwhile, Ariana was still trying to cope with the fact that she almost got into another accident just by strolling outside the hotel on her own. Now that she
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