Aery’s heart sank. She rarely saw Mark looking this serious and terrifying.She just couldn’t understand why Arienne wouldn’t leave Mark even though she didn’t love him. Nor could she understand why Mark didn’t want to give them his blessings even though he didn’t seem to care about her. Was this all because of his pride as a man? If this continued, she would forever be Mark’s secret lover. She, more than anything, wished to be Mrs. Tremont. Arianne got this so effortlessly, yet she didn’t value it at all. Aery couldn’t help but be incensed at the thought of it.While Mark was working in the study room, Aery strutted into his room to take a shower. She then picked out one of Arianne’s silk pajamas and put them on. Looking as though she was the mistress of the house, she walked into the living room and haughtily commanded Butler Henry, “Go get the guest room ready.”Butler Henry remained standing still and directed his gaze to Arianne.Arianne was nonchalantly reading a magazine on
Arienne got up and went upstairs, but stopped again when she was in front of Mark’s room.While Arienne was hesitating, Butler Henry pushed open the door, leaving no room for her to mentally prepare herself.She reflexively averted her gaze from the room. How would she react if she saw something she shouldn’t?“Sir, madam isn’t in good health, so she needs to rest now. Please send the insignificant person to the guest room.” Butler Henry’s tone was humble, yet carried the weight of authority.Mark was smoking a cigarette on the chair before the French window. He merely cast a silent glance at Arianne.“Who are you calling insignificant?” Aery was quick to retort. “Mark dear is still smoking. If you don’t feel well, then why don’t you sleep in the guest room, big sis?”Arienne said nothing. She only looked at Mark.Butler Henry gently nudged her into the room. It was his silent push that reminded Arienne that she shouldn’t continue being a coward. “You’re not fit to sleep in this
Mark mistook her confusion for hope. The anger in his eyes burned even more intensely. He clenched his hands into fists before silently unclenching them again. In the end, he left and slammed the door behind him.As his car drove away from Tremont Estate, Arianne sat on the cold floor with her back against the bedside. She hugged her legs and buried her face in her knees. Maybe that would take some of her loneliness away...Mary came back three days later. “Ari, why did sir choose to go on a business trip during New Years Eve? Didn’t you try persuading him to set aside work for a bit? You must be feeling lonely now that you’re left all alone.”Arianne sat on the sofa and didn’t reply to her. All of a sudden, her phone rang. It was a greeting message from Eric, and a holiday bonus sum attached along with it.Arianne didn’t accept the money. She only replied to him with a smiley face emoticon and attached her letter of resignation. She turned her gaze back to the magazine in her hand
Before she could regain her senses, Mark pounced forward and pressed against her lips. “I won’t allow it. You cannot leave! You are not allowed to leave my sight!” he whispered hoarsely, brushing his lip against hers.Arianne wanted to explain that she was merely heading out to relax and enjoy the art exhibition, but he didn’t give her the chance. She could tell that Mark was sick, and it was pretty severe too.His mind was slightly muddled. With him holding her down, she lost all means of resistance. Then, just as she was about to suffocate, he finally moved his lips down to her neck… She gasped, her breathing growing unstable. “Mark… You’re sick, let’s go to the hospital… Stop it…”He ignored her as if he didn’t hear her at all.Arianne’s mind was in a blur. In the end, he did not let her get away… Would he be disgusted by her filth when he returned to sobriety?He finally collapsed into sleep when the storm ended, still lying on top of her...She found it very hard to brea
Arianne got off the bed, enduring the discomfort she felt. She grabbed her clothes and headed to the bathroom to change. By the time she got out, Mark had already finished packing and was waiting at the door.His gaze sunk when he noticed her slightly unusual walk. His expression turned cold as well, and his thoughts were unfathomable.Arianne kept dozing off on the plane but was afraid of touching Mark if she fell asleep. She could tell he was in a bad mood. He had not confronted her over her unapproved trip to Ayashe.Upon his return to the Tremont Estate, Mark immediately went back to his bathroom to take a shower. “When did he arrive home?” Arianne softly asked Mary.Mary stared blankly at her. “Sir never came back at all. He just arrived today.”Arianne was feeling slightly annoyed. She shouldn’t have told Eric about her intentions for resignation. He must have leaked that piece of information. She hadn’t thought of this at the time. She thought, knowing her current relations
She took off her jacket and washed her hands before going back to the bedroom. She even sniffed herself to check if there was any leftover stench on her, afraid that he would hate her for it.Her carefulness had been established since she was eight years old.The faint smell of tobacco greeted her when she opened the door. “What is it?” she asked with a frown.Mark was standing in front of the French windows, looking out at the snow. His light grey tailored suit set off his tall, straight figure very well. Even his back seemed attractive. “My company will be organizing a fashion show at six tonight. Your designs will be there. You can go if you like.”Her designs? The only decent work she’s done were the wedding dress designs that he had criticized, right? Finished products were certainly released very quickly. “I’m going,” Arianne replied gleefully.He didn’t have much to say. He lifted his hand, put it to his lips and coughed twice. “Are you still sick?” she asked after a pause.
Arianne seemed blissfully unaware that she was being watched. She was surrounded by many gasps and compliments, and she felt as if her ears had developed calluses from the sheer amount of them. The bridal show was during the latter segment of the fashion show. She took twelve minutes to brace herself and waited for her design to appear on the runway. Although she wasn’t part of the manufacturing process, she was the “biological mother”.Minutes and seconds passed, and the show was nearly its end. She was beginning to feel skeptical; her design couldn’t possibly have been put in the finale, right? After all, she wasn’t a member of Mark Tremont’s company. However, if it wasn’t in the finale, did that mean that Mark was toying with her?Suddenly, the music changed from a rhythmic tempo to a melodious tune. A tall, slender and fair-skinned model dressed in white slowly strutted onto the runway. Arianne gasped. ‘That’s my design… It really is the finale piece!’The bridal gown was long a
Arianne’s phone received a flurry of messages ever since Tiffany walked out. Just as the pair plunged into a heated discussion over text, Mark suddenly said, “Focus on your food.”Arianne swiftly sent Tiffany a “shh” emoji, then put her phone away. She picked up her cutlery and obediently focused on her meal. Her movements were so smooth that there wasn’t a single flaw, very similar to how she reacted whenever he scolded her during meals or whenever she was playing with toys.He was slightly entranced by the sight of her reaction… The memories of his past with her seemed to be solely filled with hatred…Arianne noticed Mark’s gaze and grew wary. “What is it…?”Mark turned away and poured her a glass of wine.She was shocked. He never drank wine with her…After two seconds of hesitation, she clinked her glass with his.Just as she was sipping on her wine, Mark suddenly asked, “Do you know what day it is?”Having learned her lesson from the last time she had forgotten his birthda