"They arrived at Zeroun's residence just before breakfast. The quiet streets made Gerald drive faster than usual. Yusuf welcomed them at the door. The old man's forehead wrinkled when he saw Ariana and Gerald getting out of the car. Gerald immediately approached him to ask what was going on. But before his question could be answered, they already saw the answer. "Mommy!" Axel's shout made Ariana and Gerald turn simultaneously. The little boy ran towards Ariana and immediately threw himself into her arms. But what surprised them was the people following Axel. "Mommy, where were you? Why didn't you come home last night?" Axel asked curiously. While Ariana's attention was still on the other guests who were looking at her and Gerald alternately. "Just because you're newlyweds, it doesn't mean she can monopolize your time and even make you forget Axel, Gerald. She should remember that her presence here is to help you gain custody of Axel," Ariana's mother-in-law's words were thrown out
The rectangular table had eight chairs. One chair was placed at each end of the table, and the remaining three chairs were arranged facing each other on each side. Gerald sat at one end of the table, and Mrs. Rosaline sat at the opposite end. Ariana sat to Gerald's right, and Axel sat to Ariana's right, leaving one chair empty. Meanwhile, on Gerald's left, Karenina, his mother, and Ariana's mother were seated. "It feels like a complete family, doesn't it?" Mrs. Caitlyn exclaimed loudly. It was clear that her gaze was directed at Karenina and Gerald. Ariana understood the implication. In truth, her heart stung a little due to her mother's blatant discrimination against her and Karenina. Yet, Ariana chose not to resist. "Of course," Ariana heard Mrs. Rosaline speak up. "In the end, my grandson gets a good wife, and Axel gets the mother he needs. What more could we ask for?" Mrs. Rosaline's gaze shifted towards Ariana, a warm smile on her face that made Ariana feel a bit warmer. A sco
Ariana then laughed. Not a happy laugh, but a hysterical one. In the end, the trust she had placed in Gerald was once again tarnished. Because the fact was, he didn't believe her at all. It was clear that it wasn't Amber who would reveal the contents of Ariana and Karenina's conversation in her room yesterday. Ariana could be sure that Gerald must have hidden a listening device in his room. And that was why Gerald changed drastically afterward. Because he clearly heard what Ariana, Amber, and Karenina talked about that day. So the sweet demeanor he had shown before and all his promises were just empty words. None of it came from his genuine remorse. It wasn't because he wanted to redeem his mistakes. Instead, it was all manipulation based on what he had heard. And Ariana didn't like that fact. She felt like she was being played. Ariana looked at Axel; the boy seemed completely unfazed by his breakfast. She gently stroked Axel's head, making him look up. "Let's change your clothes,
Ariana nervously swallowed her saliva as she noticed a different aura on Gerald's face. "I told you, I let her go," he growled. "If I truly wanted to keep her as my wife, I would have pulled her back even before she set foot at the airport. Which part of that sentence didn't you understand?" Gerald asked, clearly annoyed. Ariana looked at Gerald in confusion. What was going on? How could the situation flip so quickly? Wasn't she the one who had been upset with Gerald just a moment ago for violating her privacy? She should be the one angry with him. But why was he now the one annoyed with her? "Gerald..." Ariana called his name. Gerald ignored her. He, like a sulking child, chose to turn away. Ariana was left gaping. Dear God, was this the adult version of Axel? she wondered inwardly. "Are you now mad at me?" Ariana asked incredulously. Gerald shot her a glare and turned his face away. Ariana was stunned. "Are you angry with me? Because I mentioned Karenina's name?" Ariana asked ag
“Mommy!” Axel's shout, accompanied by banging on the door, made Ariana immediately push Gerald away. His tall frame fell onto the bed instantly. Ariana glanced at him briefly, noticing the annoyance on his face before she got up and walked towards the door that Gerald had locked from the inside. “What's the little one bothering us for at such an important moment?” Gerald's grumble was clearly audible behind her. He had risen too and was following her. Ariana opened the door and saw Axel, already dressed in his school uniform. His hair looked messy, either wet from a shower or perhaps he had applied too much baby hair oil. But Ariana loved the fragrance wafting around him. “Mommy said she'd take Axel to school. Why are you still here?” the little boy complained. "Sorry." Those were the only words that escaped Ariana's lips. She then extended her hand to Axel, asking him to hold it tightly. Gerald faithfully trailed behind Ariana. "Where are you going?" Ariana asked the man. "To tak
"You... with Chris?" Ariana instantly furrowed her brows. Adel nodded weakly. Ariana herself felt weak just hearing it. "But why? Who arranged this for you?" Ariana asked again. "Papa. He and Uncle Jason planned it all," the girl replied. Jason was Chris's father, a cousin of Ariana's stepmother. "But what about Daffin?" Ariana asked. Daffin was Chris's younger brother, born from a different mother. He was the one Adel had liked all these years, her first love since she was fifteen. Everyone knew how much Adel liked Daffin, including Adel's parents and Chris's parents. So why were they suddenly pairing Adel with Chris and not Daffin? "I know Daffin never liked me. He always saw me as a nuisance. But Chris? Am I really being forced to marry Chris? He's so old-fashioned. Adel doesn't like him," the girl whined. Then, a name popped into Ariana's head. "What about Amber? Does she know about this?" Ariana looked at Adel with a furrowed brow. Adel's sulking face nodded. Damn it. Amber m
"That's my business, and I don't like my personal matters being interfered with," the voice said, causing Ariana and Amber to turn. Chris was standing behind them, his gaze sharp and directed at Amber. "Whether it's you or Adel, neither of you will be my choice for a wife." Chris then grabbed Ariana's arm and pulled her up. She stood up instantly, her knees aching from crouching for so long. "Chris..." Ariana tried to restrain him. Chris's words were unpleasant to hear, and Ariana was sure they would only make Amber more convinced that Chris had feelings for her. "I need to talk to you," he said. He then led Ariana out of the kitchen, pulling her towards the stairs, ignoring Adel who was staring at them in disbelief. Ariana followed Chris wherever he took her. She was no longer worried about Gerald listening to their conversation because she knew he had removed the listening device he had installed. Chris entered the room first, then let Ariana in before locking the door behind the
"I came back here with new hope, in the beginning," the man said seriously. "But then, that new hope vanished in an instant. And like you said, maybe this is the fate that God has planned for me." He continued softly, "Initially, I thought I wanted to try everything in a new way. With you," the man admitted. "But it turns out I was too late. Because you're already married to Gerald. Although I was hesitant at first, but now I know that you're captivated by his charm." Chris looked at Ariana teasingly. "You know, all of this feels funny to me. Only you know my story, and I hope this will always be our secret," Chris replied, looking hopefully at Ariana. Ariana smiled and nodded. "But leaving isn't the right choice, Chris," Ariana replied later. "You just came back recently. Don't you feel sorry for Uncle Jason?" she asked sadly. "I love my dad, Ana. You know that. But staying by his side isn't the right choice either. I just hope that when I come back again, Dad will finally realize