Complimenting someone’s child for their good looks was a surefire way to delight their parents. Beaming, Melanie regarded her daughter for a good long while before remarking, “Millie’s a lil’ cinnamon roll, alright, but only her lips seem to have come from me. Other features came from someone else… I wonder, are those from Alex’s old look?”Instinctively, Arianne stole a spying glance at Alejandro. He was feeding Millie with his head lowered close to the girl, having appeared to miss the women’s conversation. Of course, that was an affectation. Anyone huddling around the dinner table definitely heard them.Melanie was aware that it was a sensitive topic to tread, but her curiosity over Alejandro’s past look—when he was Ethan—overtook her. Hence, she followed up with the question. “Alex, do you have your old photos with you? I, um, would love to see them—”“No,” he rebuffed flatly.Arianne furtively tugged on Melanie’s sleeve and shot her a meaningful glance.After the dinner, Aria
Thirst roused Arianne from her sleep. She went downstairs to grab some water and chanced upon Mark walking through the main door.“What kept you till this late at night, hmm?” she asked from her spot by the stairs with the cup in her hand. “Look at the time, Mark. Even club-goers would have been home by now, I’m sure.”Abject exhaustion shadowed his mien. “As it turned out, the wound on her leg hadn’t fully recovered yet when she decided to run away and kicked up a world of troubles,” he explained. “A minor surgery had to be performed today in the hospital to prevent sequelae. But, of course, that’s neither here nor there. Are you up because you haven’t slept yet, or did you just wake up?”By “she” and “her, Mark obviously meant Shelly. It made Arianne wonder why he could not just refer to her as “Aunt Shelly” like he used to, though it was an inquiry she decided not to voice. The last thing she wanted was for Mark to think she was spoiling for a fight.“Of course, I woke up from s
The office was quiet enough for Arianne to overhear Ursula from the other end. “Oh, I know you’re working, silly! Did you see the desserts and coffee I bought you? Bon appetite! I bought an extra set for Mrs. Tremont too. I sure hope she enjoys them!”So, these were from Sylvain’s mother—and by her own admission, she had not bought anything for poor Robin.It was a loaded gift to accept. Arianne felt like she finally understood the discomfort Robin felt whenever she was with Sylvain’s mother.Sylvain set the desserts and coffee aside with a quick shove as soon as he hung up. “Goddamn it. It’s like she can’t just let peace be,” he murmured. “God knows why she decided to trespass here early in the morning. What, life’s not troublesome enough for her?”Arianne thought for a moment. “I’m not used to having confectionery and coffee this early in the day, but Robin would probably appreciate them. I’m gonna give her mine,” she said. “Besides, we girls planned to have dinner and shopping t
Tiffany leaped straight into her commentary. “Puh-lease. I didn’t even know he’s that big of a cheapskate since way back. I mean, seriously? Bruh’s mad over uber prices?”The corner of Arianne’s lips twitched. Sure, pregnancy could dull a woman’s wits for at least up to two years after childbirth, but in Tiffany’s case? She was probably slated to be this dense for at least six years. How did Tiffany miss Melanie's obvious act of flaunting her relationship? How the heck did the girl listen to that and think Melanie was genuinely complaining about Alejandro being “miserly?”Melanie, however, was very amused. “Well, maybe he’s always been a big, fat cheapskate this whole time! Tee hee,” she joked. “Anyway, we should probably start placing orders. Remember to tailor our dishes according to Lady Tiffany’s preferences, girls. Among a bevy of women, the pregnant one is queen.”Arianne could not stop herself from sharing about her woes with Shelly while the women dined. “So, girls, why do y
Instead of heeding her, Mark froze into place like a statue.Arianne ignored him and turned her attention back to her stuff before taking a shower. She re-emerged after she was done to the sight of him sitting by the edge of their bed, his head hung and his mind lost in thoughts.Emotions as nebulous as the fog shrouded his visage. It was hard to make out what could be on his mind.She climbed into their bed and laid down. “Switch off the light, please. I’m going to sleep.”He reached out to the bedside lamp and clicked it off. Amid the ensuing darkness, he said morosely, “I’m sorry. I don’t intend to keep secrets from you, but it’s just… I don’t know how to even say it. Many things have happened recently and I… I’m just so tired.”Arianne closed her eyes, but sleep was leaving her. “I know you are, and I want to empathize with your anguish. But you’re not giving me the chance to do that at all, Mark. The only thing I can do is to listen. I want to help. I want to take up some of
Mark wanted nothing more than a partner to drink his woes away. Even when he was drunk, he was tightlipped and aired nothing about his real birth circumstances.If he could not even bring himself to tell Jackson, his best friend, then how could he ever tell Arianne?Jackson had to lumber a very wasted, clambering Mark out of the bar while the nipping gale slapped his entire body. “The hell, Mark Tremont? Anyone seeing your sorry a** right now would suspect you’re at the verge of divorce, man!” he grumbled. “Who would drink like a man possessed if there’s nothing eating them inside? Or did you just lure me outta my house just to make me as miserable as you? I mean, it’s the best goddamned explanation I have now, man, since you ain’t saying anything other than forcing me to get as wasted as you are.”No sooner had he finished his commentary than he espied Arianne standing next to Mark’s car. By the looks of it, she must have been waiting for a while, too. Her hair was a disheveled mes
A smile shadowed Mark’s lips. He reached out and ruffled her hair. “Don’t worry, I’ve washed. Sorry for the troubles and for forcing you to put up with my stench the entire night,” he said. “I’m going to the Tower now, and you go back to sleep, okay? You can sleep until you’re all freshened up for work. I’ll discount it from being tardy.”Seeing his gentle smile dispelled the sleepy haze in Arianne’s head. How long had it been since he last smiled like this? A thick smog of gloom had been shrouding his mien for days that now, seeing him talking to her this early in the morning felt like a miracle.Arianne watched Mark going into their changing room before sitting up on her bed. She shook her still groggy head, suspecting herself to be dreaming.Mark came out of the room, changed, and saw Arianne sitting on the bed. “Oh no, did I wake you up?” he said gently. “You can go back to sleep. I’ll be going right away.”She shook her head again and spread her arms wide.For a moment, Mark
Mark could feel his head throbbing as he crossed to his desk and opened his lunchbox. “Look, it wasn’t satisfying, okay? She got me something I didn’t really like. But this one—the one you brought me? Mm, just what I like. You’ve had your breakfast, right?” he said. “Anyway, you should go back to work. I need to head out after this breakfast.”Arianne sighed. “If she weren’t your aunt, I would have thought I’m battling a new love rival or something,” she remarked. “She knows you like the back of her hand. Heck, she’s even more attentive to your every microscopic need that I am.”Mark grimaced. “That’s just ridiculous, no?”Arianne let out the mother of all snorts before turning on her heels and starting toward the door.Mark waited. When he was sure she had gone far outside his office, he called out to Davy instantly. “You told her, didn’t you? Damn it, are you dimwitted or what?” he grumbled. “I can’t believe that even after all this time of being my personal assistant, you still