“Don’t be angry, that’s not what I mean,” he said helplessly. “I just think that you’ve just had a baby not too long ago and I’m worried that your body won’t be able to take it. If you insist on keeping in, we’ll transfer to the best hospital and have another examination. As long as we can confirm that your health won’t be affected, we’ll keep it. I’m not mean to the kid, and it’s not that I don’t like kids. Don’t make assumptions.”Tiffany felt much better. “I want to keep this baby. It’s here anyway. It’d be heartbreaking to get rid of it. I’m exhausted today, so let’s do the check up tomorrow.”Jackson nodded, then drove to the West Residence. Knowing that Tiffany was pregnant again, Summer took Plato away. Taking care of their kid was now Summer’s favorite pastime.Summer’s dog, Little Bean, dashed towards the pair, wagging its tail when they arrived. Its position in the family had been on decline ever since Plato’s arrival.“Tiffie, are you… keeping the baby?” Summer asked as
At dinner, Mark raised his glass towards Jackson in a Schadenfreude manner. “Congrats, you’re going to be a dad again.”Jackson rolled his eyes at him. “Stop it. Is your vasectomy something to be proud of? I’m going to get a vasectomy tomorrow, so that I won’t have any more kids. I can’t take any more.”Only then did Tiffany arrive at a realization. “Why didn’t I think of that? Mark’s had a vasectomy, so you should have done it too. Besides, there’s no use in leaving it.”Jackson stared at her as if she were an idiot. “A vasectomy only prevents you from having kids. You don’t turn into an eunuch. How the heck does your brain work?”When Mary joined the dinner table, the younger ones curtailed their conversation topics. Henry had been a butler at the Tremont Estate for most of his life, so he rarely joined them at the table. This was a form of etiquette for Henry. Arianne hoped that Henry would let loose one day, just like Mark. Unfortunately, he was set in his ways.Suddenly, Aria
Zoey broke into a grin. “All thanks to your guidance, brother dear! Aren’t you just the luckiest to have someone as good as Mark as your brother-in-law, Harv?”Harvey lowered his head, visibly embarrassed. He hated it when his parents went into buttery-flattery-mode. He was also deeply ashamed of the things his parents had done. Somehow, they always managed to find the most shameless things to make him feel burned.As it was a festive day today; Mary and Henry joined the Tremonts and Wynns for lunch. It started as good as one could hope until Harris raised his glass ostensibly to toast in Mark’s name. “I would like to thank you for taking care of my son Harv so well. We didn’t even know he was working under you until I read his payroll and saw your esteemed company’s name on it! Come, let us drink to that!”Arianne worried that Mark’s past grudges with them would spur him into ignoring Harris out of spite, but her worry turned into relief when her husband raised his glass cooperativ
Zoey did not say anything more, but her husband, pretending to be drunk, murmured under his breath, “Wow, they treat their workers so well, but their actual relatives? Nope, that’s too much! Jesus, I get it, we aren’t related by blood. But Zoey’s still your aunt and deserves your respect, too.”Mark abruptly hurtled his fork and spoon to the table, got up, and stormed upstairs. Henry and Mary—dragged into the fray out of the blue—simultaneously put down their utensils, their food untouched.Arianne forced the flames flaring inside of her from spilling out to the open. “Here’s what you’re missing, Mary and Henry aren’t just “some workers” to me. They are the family who watched me grow, which means they’ve been in our lives way longer and more significantly than my supposed aunt and uncle. When Mark went missing and we were in a very dark place, where were you two, huh? But when he’s back, alive and well, you come right back, wagging your tails and showing your faces! Humor me this, wh
Arianne and Mark both broke into giggles. The two took each others’ hands and descended the stairs back to their lunch.Feeling his hand in hers filled Arianne with an immense sense of security and a desire to bind her fingers with his forever, never to part. She loved the smell emanating from him. She loved the warmth spreading into her hand from his palm. She loved how his warmest, gentlest, and kindest self was always only reserved for her.She loved everything about him; the good, the bad, the whole.After their meal, the family relaxed in their yard, though Mark was busy making calls. Judging from the content of his conversations, Arianne judged that they were all work-related.A part of her watched Smore as he played with his slide, but most of her attention was on Mark. Ever since his return, Arianne realized that her eyes would always drift to his visage given any chance. His gestures, motions, all of his expressions—they never ceased to enthrall her. It was as though there
Arianne no longer wanted to suppress her feelings for Mark. “I don’t know what exactly happened, either. All I know is that I suddenly realized how much I love you. It’s so overwhelming, so strong, I feel—no, I yearn to be beside you at every moment. We don’t even have to do anything; just watching you is enough. But most of all? I’m mortified at the idea that you might disappear all of a sudden, and then I remember how that almost happened—how you almost completely vanished from my life—and my heart… It feels crushed. I feel a weight on my chest; I can’t breathe. I… I wonder, Mark, do you know how that feels?”Arianne did not have to wait for long, for her awaited answer came in the form of a swift, firm kiss.Of course, Mark loved her the same way as she did him; he always had. He loved her so much that he could not bear to be separated from her. All of the wiles and trickeries and labors he had done, just to make her stay! It used to be one-sided, and he had to resort to intimidat
Mrs. Cox’s habit of dunking on her daughter kicked in automatically. “Please, you’re just an accountant. What’s all of that ‘energy’ going to change? On that note, how’s bookkeeping supposed to get in your way of a good relationship, huh? I fail to see your logic, sweetie. You should be grateful that your aunt has the best of your interests at heart! Especially when you know you can trust her wisdom in judging a man. That settles it, then—you’re seeing your suitor tonight! We’ll have dinner together.”Robin’s face paled. Her mother had completely bypassed her opinion on this matter. This was no discussion; it was an order!Even if she were a lily-livered pushover, Robin did not want one of the most crucial and significant events in her life to be dictated solely by her family without her say. Hence, she protested. “No, Mom. I happen to have my own plans for tonight. I won’t be having dinner at home, too. Let’s discuss this some other time.”Mrs. Cox had gotten so used to Robin’s unq
Robin’s potential husband arrived before dinner, along with his parents. Everyone was in high spirits, except Robin.Everyone at the dinner table made every effort to matchmake them, but Robin stayed completely silent. She couldn’t even pretend to smile.This went on until 10PM, when her relatives and potential husband left, along with his own family. Robin immediately went back to her room and changed out of her clothes, then got ready to go out.Mrs. Cox threw her clothes onto the ground. “What was that? That sulky look on your face? Does someone owe you money? Have you forgotten all your good manners? You’re not to step out of this house today. If you leave, you can forget about ever coming back!”Robin pulled out her ID and waved it in front of her mother. “How old do you think I am? I’m over twenty years old. Anyone at my age who’s married early would have had independent kids by now. I’m not a child anymore. Why do you have to control me all the time? You don’t want a daughte