Lahat ng Kabanata ng Dead at Heart: Kabanata 241 - Kabanata 250

Jayson's question caught Ariel off guard. Her brow instinctively furrowed.She didn't want any mistakes or slip-ups in the divorce. Even if she didn't want to maintain contact with Jayson, she had to consider the bigger picture now.She thought for a moment, then slowly exhaled. "Can I?"Jayson's gaze lingered on her. His eyes held something unreadable.A slight smirk played on his lips as he replied, "Whatever you want."Ariel felt odd about that answer but was too tired to care.She entered Jayson's new phone number into her contacts, double-checked it, and finally felt a little relieved.When Jayson glanced at her call log on the phone, his expression was calm and unbothered.Ariel checked the time.She had only come to visit Betty. Now that Betty was resting, she didn't plan to stay longer. Holding the gift box with Betty's watch, she prepared to leave.Just as she turned, a long, strong hand gently gripped her arm."Wait," Jayson called out from behind.Ariel instincti

Jayson stood not far away. Dressed in a slightly loose black shirt, he blended into the dim lighting. An unlit cigarette dangled between his fingers.The distance wasn't close enough for Ariel to clearly see his expression. The mood, however, had turned subtly tense.Ariel remained calm. She didn't think her words were wrong, except for the ill-timed use of the word "husband".Nancy noticed Jayson over there and frowned instinctively. She then looked at Sarah and said, "Mom, let's head back inside."Although Nancy found Ariel's remark utterly unreasonable, she refused to stoop to petty arguments. That would only lower her own standards. Only the insecure would lash out loudly to protect their pride.Sarah's expression shifted slightly when she saw Jayson, but she quickly masked it with a smile. "Jayson, come in when you're done."She didn't want Jayson to have too much contact with Ariel and hoped the latter would show some self-awareness. To her, only Nancy deserved to stay by J

Ariel didn't care what Jayson was planning to do. That was his problem.The birthday party was a grand and important social event, with Ariel representing the company's image and networking opportunities.So Janice accompanied her to choose a formal outfit, and together they carefully picked out a birthday gift for Jackson.On the afternoon of the 18th, Chad came to pick up Ariel so they could go to the Spencer residence together.During this time, Ariel had received no messages or reminders from Jayson.There was an unspoken understanding between them. Neither asked the other how they planned to handle the party.The Spencer residence was a sprawling estate designed in a classical garden style.Upon arrival, they saw many luxury cars parked at the gate. The scene clearly showed a gathering full of distinguished guests.Ariel wore a dark green silk bodycon dress, and on her slender wrist, a vintage gemstone watch perfectly matched the dress.As Ariel and Chad entered the resid

Zach's voice wasn't too loud or too soft. It was just enough for the two surrounding tables to hear him.Everyone instinctively turned to look at Jayson and Ariel. Their gazes brimmed with curiosity and scrutiny.Nancy's expression darkened. She glanced down at the watch peeking from Jayson's cuff, then turned to look toward the neighboring table at Ariel with a frown.So Ariel had planned this far ahead?Even Zach looked speechless. Matching couple watches? That just felt way too deliberate.Guests nearby couldn't help but tease, "Will there be such a coincidence?""Right? I've seen those watches before. They're from a limited edition couple's set. They do sell them individually, but still, what are the odds? Must be fate."One person waved it off. "I'm guessing it's just a coincidence that Ms. Walker is wearing hers today. Ms. Stanton probably has the matching one. She just didn't wear it. Right, Ms. Stanton?"Nancy had no choice but to suppress her frustration toward Ariel.

On her way to find Chad, Ariel ran into Perry.He looked at her, then held out a cup of hot chocolate. "Are you looking for Mr. Hockney?"Ariel glanced at the hot chocolate Perry handed her. It was a cold day, and a warm drink would be comforting. It had most likely been thoughtfully arranged by the Spencer family.She accepted it with a polite nod. "Yeah. Thank you."Perry had actually witnessed her interaction with Kieran just moments ago.After some serious thought, his usually sharp eyes softened with sincerity. "I didn't understand Faye Tech's project well before, but I've reviewed the specs of your new release recently. It's impressive. If the opportunity arises, do you think we could collaborate?"Ariel was a little taken aback. She hadn't expected Perry to approach her like this, let alone extend an offer.Many in their circle questioned why her name was even on the Faye Technologies project. Some took it a step further, doubting the company's qualifications altogether.