Spencer and Ariana didn't speak to each other again for the remainder of the car ride to Ulrich Estate.After getting out of the car, Spencer walked expressionlessly over to her and held out his arm.Ariana took it with a wooden expression on her face.The two of them entered the house, and Ariana smiled at once when she saw Enrique. "Grandpa!" She let go of Spencer and handed Enrique the box of desserts she was holding. "I bought these for you!""Alright, alright." Enrique was beaming. "I'm just happy to see the two of you back here. You didn't need to get me anything." He turned to look at Spencer, who was empty-handed.Enrique snorted. "Look at how thoughtful Ari is! You're a completely useless grandson!"Spencer hadn't even noticed that Ariana had been carrying something. He glared at her before saying, "Grandpa, she and I are one. Whatever she bought is from me, too.""Don't get wise with me." Enrique wasn't fooled. "You're just not thoughtful enough!"Spencer wasn't i
Ariana couldn't help but take a step back. She avoided Spencer's gaze. "Anyway, figure it out yourself."Spencer wasn't about to let her off the hook. "Fine! Then, I'll show you what I can do!""What are you doing?" Ariana snapped. "Either you sleep on the couch or tell Grandpa the truth. Just stay away from me!"The last time they had a fight was also at Ulrich Estate.Ariana had told him to sleep on the couch, but he complained it was wet.This time, she checked specifically, and the couch was fine.She added, "Or I can sleep on the couch. Just make sure you stay away from me!"Spencer took a deep breath and tried to tame his anger. "Have you forgotten that you're supposed to fulfill your duties as a wife? You don't want me sleeping with others, but now you want us to sleep separately. Do you think I have no needs?""You can sleep with others."Spencer was stunned. "What?"Ariana said, "You can sleep and be with whoever you want. Mr. Ulrich, you're free now. I don't care an
Ariana raised her leg and kicked Spencer. "Get off me!"However, Spencer grabbed her ankle. "Ariana, my patience is running thin!"She knew all too well that his patience was reserved for someone else. Of course he was snappy with her!"Are you even a man? How can you force yourself on a woman?""You've said that before." Spencer easily restrained her. "Well, let's spice things up a bit. What do you think?"Ariana was losing her mind. "Spencer, you used to be different!"Although they had a healthy sex life in the past, he would never ignore her wishes before."You used to be different, too." Spencer's large hand traced the curves of her body with satisfaction. "I prefer the old you more.""Dream on!" Ariana was determined. Gritting her teeth, she glared at him. "Believe it or not, I'll get Grandpa here.""Go ahead. Call him." Spencer found it amusing. "Call him if you want to upset him.""Spencer, that's your grandfather!""Yes, I know." He pinched her. A wave of satisfacti
Neither of them ended up sleeping on the couch.After their intimate session, Spencer held Ariana in his arms, reluctant to let her go.For some reason, sleeping with her seemed to improve his sleep quality.He often felt restless alone.Just before falling asleep, Ariana said in a daze, "You didn't use protection."Satisfied and exhausted, Spencer murmured, "It's fine.""What if I get pregnant?""You won't."Spencer gently patted her back.He was too worn out. He wanted to say, "If it happens, we'll deal with it." But before he could finish his sentence, he fell asleep.Ariana waited a few seconds in the darkness.A wry smile appeared on her lips as she heard his steady breathing.She shouldn't have kept her hopes up.At this point, she couldn't possibly expect anything from him.It wasn't Spencer's fault for not taking her seriously.After all, people rarely valued things that came too easily. They only longed for things they couldn't have.Ariana was too easy for S
Enrique gave Spencer a dreadful scolding during breakfast.Once they were done eating, Spencer said, "Grandpa, I'll drop Ari off at work. We'll head upstairs to get changed now."Enrique finally looked satisfied. "That's more like it. It's exhausting for Ari to go to work. Remember to pick her up and drop her off every day."He then turned to Ariana, "Hurry up and go get changed. Dress warmly today. It's cold."Ariana had no intention of going upstairs with Spencer, getting changed together, and heading to work with him.But under Enrique's watchful eyes, she had no choice but to get up.As soon as they entered the bedroom, Spencer pinned her against the door."You're quite bold now." He looked down at her, his thumb brushing against the corner of her mouth. "How dare you complain to Grandpa?"Ariana blinked. "No. I just spoke the truth.""Stop playing innocent," Spencer said. "Did you enjoy watching me get scolded?""Oh, you know when someone is playing innocent." Ariana sne
After another round of torture by Spencer, Ariana felt completely defeated.He left feeling refreshed, while she sprawled on the bed, too exhausted to move.Spencer was too rough. It was as if he wanted to bind her into his body.Ariana now understood the consequences of her stubbornness and regretted her impulsive behavior.All she'd achieved was making herself suffer.Now, with Spencer gone, she had to face Enrique alone!In the end, she had no choice but to drag herself downstairs. To her relief, Enrique wasn't there. He had gone out for a walk.She then quickly got into the car and left.Even though she hadn't seen Enrique, the morning's events had left her seething with frustration toward Spencer.Arriving at the hospital in a foul mood, she ran into Jensen, who was there for a consultation. They found a quiet corner to have a chat."You're looking good." Jensen tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Did you sleep well last night?""Jensen!" Ariana glared at him.
Spencer immediately turned to Ronan Zeller, the driver. "Turn up the heater."Ariana waved her hand. "Wait, Mr. Zeller. Did you spray perfume in the car?"Due to her profession, Ariana never wore jewelry or strong-smelling perfumes at work. As soon as she entered the car, she noticed a strong perfume scent.Spencer sniffed but couldn't detect any smell.Ronan quickly spoke up, "No, Mrs. Ulrich. We haven't put any perfume in the car.""That's strange…" Ariana sniffed again and looked at Spencer.Ronan remained silent and focused on the road.He didn't dare to tell Ariana that the scent was coming from Spencer himself. He himself had nearly been overwhelmed by the perfume as soon as Spencer got into the car.Soon, Ariana realized it as well. She slightly tilted her head, not even leaning close to him, and immediately pulled back.Spencer never wore perfume. It was impossible for him to smell like it.It had to be Joanne's.Ariana found the scent even more repulsive now. She op
Eventually, Enrique allowed Spencer into the house after he took off his coat."I've never smelled something like this at home." Enrique glared at him. "Have you been fooling around with other women?"Spencer hurriedly said, "No! I must have accidentally picked it up somewhere. Grandpa, I'll head upstairs now."Upstairs, he found the bedroom door locked.Spencer knocked on it, and Ariana's voice came from inside, "Just a minute."After a few minutes, she opened the door. She had changed into a simple, plain-colored loungewear.She walked out and headed toward the stairs.Spencer could tell that she wanted to avoid being alone with him.He quickly grabbed her arm. "About the smell…"Ariana replied curtly, "It's not bad. It smelled quite expensive. It must be a limited edition. Too bad I'm not high class enough to appreciate it."There she was, being all sarcastic again.Spencer had never realized how sharp and cutting Ariana could be with her words. He'd been experiencing thi
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