Freya debated for a bit before snapping off a small piece of a palmier and handing it to Perry."I'll give you this much. You can just have a taste. Ms. Walker has made them specially for me."Perry was rendered speechless as he looked at the tiny piece of palmier on his palm.Matt and the others came back fairly quickly.Nancy walked over while checking the photos on Matt's camera. A faint smile played on her lips.Jayson noticed Renee was missing. He asked, "Where's Renee?"Freya answered immediately, "She went back to the lounge. She got upset for some reason just now. I'm not even sure what I've said that ticked her off, though."Jayson did not think much of it. "Hmm… Don't mind her. She's been spoiled rotten."After hearing Freya's explanation, Matt suddenly recalled the post she had shared on her social media account the other day.He sat down next to Freya and poured her a drink. Then, Matt probed, "Tell me, Freya. You posted about your brother and a lady the other day.
Perry would ask Ariel if she had managed to get in touch with that doctor from time to time. Ariel told him frankly about the situation she had encountered.Perry responded, "That person hardly ever uses his phone. He's often in remote areas overseas, where there is no signal or internet connection. He didn't mean to ignore your messages."After seeing Perry's explanation, Ariel could not possibly try to prompt any one of them for a quicker response.After all, Perry was not obligated to help Ariel in the first place.Ariel was certain the doctor Perry had recommended to her must be a first-rate expert. However, she could not possibly just wait and do nothing while they still could not reach that person.She needed to prepare an alternative plan.During her days off, Ariel focused on finding out which experts would return to their country for work after the federal holiday was over. She used every connection she had to gather information about that.As for Jayson, neither he nor
Looking out of the window, colorful fireworks could be seen exploding in the air. Ariel raised her head and gazed at the night sky. Then, she turned her eyes toward Katie and Leonard, who were recording the fireworks show by the window.She could sense that Betty had genuine concern for her. Ariel would have had a harder time living with the Larkins if not for Betty, who had always taken her side during the last few years."Grandma, we didn't get into any fights," Ariel replied slowly. "You know how Jayson and I hardly ever fight with each other."The way they had settled most of their issues was by putting it aside until they could reach a consensus through negotiation.Normally, couples would get into arguments when they still cared about each other and their relationship. Unfortunately, Jayson felt nothing but detestation for Ariel.For a moment, Betty was at a loss for words.She was also aware of this particular issue that Ariel and Jayson had. Regardless of how close or hap
And then, Ariel noticed a familiar name below that—Nancy.Her gaze dimmed slightly.So they had their own private group chat.Nancy really was the center of their universe, the one everyone flocked around.All those years married to Jayson, she never knew that a spouse could be added to their friend group chat like that, openly acknowledged.Even if she no longer cared, learning about this now felt like some private humiliation had been dragged into the open—something they could all laugh at behind her back.She almost found it funny.Perry wanted to say something, but then he saw a private message from Nancy. "Are you really dating someone? Who is it?"Perry pressed his lips together, not replying to her directly. Instead, he wrote a message in the group chat. "Don't jump to conclusions."…Meanwhile, after dinner, a few men gathered together, including wealthy heirs from family-run businesses.The private room was lively, filled with clinking glasses and laughter. Matt saw
The outdoor spring was the largest hot spring in the resort and had the best view. From there, one could see fireworks bursting in the sky and towering mountains in the distance.Ariel quickly sensed something was off.She was wearing a swimsuit underneath. If she took off the bathrobe, it might be a bit inappropriate with Perry around.So she simply sat on a chair at the edge, watching to see which side Perry would choose.Perry hadn't guessed what was on her mind. A staff member had already brought over a beautifully arranged fruit platter and drinks.As he glanced over, he caught sight of Ariel's long legs under the bathrobe.Her posture was perfect. As she sat with her legs naturally crossed, the long lines of her legs looked even more striking.Perry abruptly looked away and cleared his throat before stepping into the water. Turning his back to Ariel, he avoided looking again.He pulled out his phone and started replying to a few holiday greetings on WhatsApp.Ariel didn'
Ariel almost choked on Katie's words. "Grandma, you misunderstood. He's Jayson's friend."Katie's expression stiffened for a moment. "Well, that won't do. He's not suitable. Keep looking, then."Leonard helplessly cut a piece of steak for Katie. "Mom, Ari just decided to get a divorce. There's no need to rush."They had talked about this before. He supported Ariel's decision. A marriage without happiness would only drain a person. Staying was of no benefit.Katie shot him a glance. "I know that. You young people always say the best way to get over someone is to meet someone new. If she finds a suitable and nice man, why not give it a try?"Ariel chuckled. "Grandma, you're quite open-minded, huh?"She'd expected Katie to worry about her, but it seemed Katie's experience studying abroad in her youth had made her very open-minded. That put Ariel at ease.The bonfire party was at 10:00 pm. When they finished dinner, it was just over 8:00 pm.Ariel asked, "Do you want to try the hot