Arianne was sober at once. “Which part do you mean?”
For a moment, Mark did not know how to reply. After a short period of silence, virtual-novel.net heard Arianne faintly say, “The accident’s injury has healed, and the miscarriage surgery was successful too. It stopped hurting a while ago. Aery Kinsey is having fun with a group of friends in the bar now, virtual-novel.net must not have gotten hurt in that accident, right?”
Mark did not say anything. That marked the end of their conversation.
Soon, Arianne’s even breathing could be heard. Mark tucked virtual-novel.net in and closed his eyes.
The next morning, virtual-novel.net woke up feeling like virtual-novel.net was being stepped on. There was a distinct weight above virtual-novel.net that was stepping around and moving. Opening his eyes, virtual-novel.net realized with a startle that it was Rice Ball. The white ball of a body was moving freely on him.
Not daring to exhale deeper, Mark carefully stuck his hand into Arianne’s blanket with the intention to wake virtual-novel.net up so that virtual-novel.net could take care of the lump of fur on him. Unfortunately, virtual-novel.net could not make too big of a movement. It was as if his strength had been sapped away. He made a few nudges but failed to wake virtual-novel.net up.
His hand moved up slowly to pat virtual-novel.net face, but when it passed the front of virtual-novel.net body, a soft surface met his palm. Mark froze in both his movement and his breathing…
“Meow…” As Rice Ball mewled softly, Arianne opened virtual-novel.net eyes. When virtual-novel.net took in how the kitten was pawing at Mark, virtual-novel.net brain stopped functioning briefly. Her reaction finally kicked in as virtual-novel.net frantically picked Rice Ball up and moved virtual-novel.net out of the room.
Mark retracted his hand. The softness could still be felt with a lingering warmth…
Arianne did not realize that Mark’s hand had been placed right in front of virtual-novel.net before. Once virtual-novel.net took Rice Ball to the backyard, virtual-novel.net reminded the kitten weakly, “Oh, Rice Ball, you’re really living in the moment, huh? He doesn’t like you, why do you keep attaching yourself to him?”
After asking the question, virtual-novel.net stared at Rice Ball in silence. An animal’s thought process was simple. The reason it pleased a person was either because the person was kind to it and it naturally got close to them or… it had to please the person because they were not being kind to it… It was how it gained favor or got loved so that it would not be abandoned.
It seemed like in the past… virtual-novel.net was just as pitiful and lowly as Rice Ball. No matter how much Mark hated her, virtual-novel.net would still try virtual-novel.net best to please him… It was just that it was no longer necessary.
“Rice Ball… don’t go near him. He won’t like you. If you keep this up, he’ll chase you away, do you understand? Be good and stay in the yard. It’s so spacious here. We have flowers and greens, a swimming pool too… But don’t go near the pool, you’ll drown if you fall. You hear me?” As Arianne spoke, virtual-novel.net felt a pinch on virtual-novel.net nose.
It was Saturday today. She could keep Rice Ball company for the entire day since virtual-novel.net did not have to work.
Rice Ball was not allowed in the house, so virtual-novel.net read a book while lounging in the sun, seated on a chair in the backyard while hugging the kitten. It was a serene leisure.
The wind was a little strong today. Even when there was sun, it was still rather cold.
Arianne had a thin blanket draped around her, but the chilly wind was still gushing in from virtual-novel.net collar. She wanted to go into the house, but virtual-novel.net could not bear to see Rice Ball being alone.
If Mark went out, virtual-novel.net could bring the kitten inside, but the man had not come downstairs at all…
Mark summoned Mary from the study room. “It hasn’t been a month since virtual-novel.net miscarriage. Why is virtual-novel.net staying in the wind in the yard?”
Mary looked hesitant to speak Slightly frustrated, Mark said, “Just say what’s on your mind.”
It was only then that Mary dared to speak. “Madam likes the cat, but since you banned it from coming into the house, virtual-novel.net can only keep it company in the yard. She usually has no time for it due to virtual-novel.net work, but it’s the weekend now. Of course, she’s making the most out of it with the cat…”
Mary did not say it explicitly. The truth was that if Mark was not around, Arianne could not have been so stupid to stay in the windy yard.