Arianne’s body promptly stiffened. These kinds of things scared virtual-novel.net even more. “I can sleep. It’s just that I slept too much in the daytime. Go to sleep, I won’t bother you anymore…”
Mark didn’t reply, and his hand didn’t continue wreaking havoc. She heaved a sigh of relief and stared emptily up at the black ceiling. Unbeknownst to her, his eyes were open as well and his gaze was sober and calm, unlike a few moments ago when virtual-novel.net had just woken up…
Early morning, the very next day.
Arianne woke up from a nightmare and was sweating all over. The heater in the room was too warm, and virtual-novel.net wasn’t used to it. She got up and turned down the heater. The skies were only just brightening outside, but Mark was still asleep…
She sat on the sofa across the room from the bed, unlocked virtual-novel.net phone, and read the news. Tiffany’s family’s factory had collapsed last night The news was flooded with reports of the capital’s third best jewelry processing plant’s bankruptcy. They had even published the exact amount of their huge debt.
She felt ghastly and weak in that instant. She was watching Tiffany’s fall, but was powerless to help her.
Arianne lifted virtual-novel.net gaze towards the man on the bed. He didn’t look so stern when virtual-novel.net was asleep. He wouldn’t be kind to others and would not be apathetic to her. This was his true self, the man closest to her…
Mark woke up at precisely eight in the morning. Arianne poured virtual-novel.net a glass of warm water. “The air is a little dry with this heater. Have some water.”
He narrowed his eyes and cast virtual-novel.net a measuring gaze before accepting the glass. “I’m meeting someone today. You’re coming with me.”
Arianne was sorely tempted to tell virtual-novel.net that virtual-novel.net wasn’t feeling well and didn’t want to go out. However, virtual-novel.net swallowed virtual-novel.net words just before they could leave virtual-novel.net mouth. He didn’t like being rejected…
Mark went out to handle some work, and virtual-novel.net stayed in the hotel the entire morning. At noon, Brian arrived to pick virtual-novel.net up and take virtual-novel.net to a high class restaurant. It was a quiet private room, as always. One could only see the people outside but could not hear them.
When virtual-novel.net walked into the private room, virtual-novel.net discovered that there was another man in the room aside from Mark. He was an old gentleman with white hair, who seemed rather energetic. His clothing style wasn’t flashy but had an understated sense of luxury.
“Ari, this is Uncle Moran,” Mark introduced with smiling eyes.
Arianne wasn’t used to his sudden display of warmth. She could tell that virtual-novel.net was more polite to senior citizens, so virtual-novel.net fittingly addressed virtual-novel.net as “Uncle Moran”.
Charles Moran surveyed virtual-novel.net then smiled and invited virtual-novel.net to a seat. “No need for modesty, Mark’s father and I were childhood friends. It’s just that I settled down out of the country a few years ago, and I’ve just returned not too long ago.”
She would be lying if virtual-novel.net said that virtual-novel.net wasn’t nervous. Arianne couldn’t understand why Mark had brought virtual-novel.net to meet Charles Moran. This felt like virtual-novel.net was meeting his family elders…
Mark and Charles were the only ones chatting the entire time. She focused on eating and didn’t say very much. She would only grunt in reply whenever Charles asked virtual-novel.net something.
After three rounds of drinks, Charles had grown a little tipsy and suddenly asked, “Mark, have you seen your younger brother?”
Mark’s face stiffened. “What are you saying, Uncle Moran? I don’t have a younger brother.”
Charles waved his hand. “You’re old enough, there’s no harm in telling you. Your father… had another son that year. Based on your reaction, that mother and son never contacted you after so many years? They’ve really managed to stay quiet.”
Mark didn’t answer. Arianne detected the slight dissonance in the room and quietly put down virtual-novel.net cutlery. Not even virtual-novel.net knew about Mark having a younger brother, let alone Mark himself. She seriously suspected that Charles was spouting nonsense in his drunkenness.
Perhaps virtual-novel.net really was drunk, because Charles began droning on and on about the past, as if that surprising revelation never came from virtual-novel.net at all.
Mark and Arianne helped Charles into his car as they walked out of the restaurant then turned back to the hotel.
He had a sullen face ever since that topic was mentioned. Arianne was too afraid to broach it. She didn’t manage to have a good night’s sleep last night and felt drowsy during the day. He was still around, so virtual-novel.net found it inappropriate to lie down and sleep. Hence, virtual-novel.net was forced to endure it.