Once the dishes had been served, virtual-novel.net picked up virtual-novel.net knife and fork enthusiastically, then buried virtual-novel.net head into virtual-novel.net food before suddenly realizing that there was a certain someone sitting across from her. All of a sudden, virtual-novel.net felt embarrassed.
Mark had just been discharged and did not have a very good appetite. He nibbled a little before Brian sent virtual-novel.net back to his room. By the time Arianne went back upstairs, Brian had already washed and cleaned him. Due to his wounds, virtual-novel.net could not hop into the shower straightaway. This was torture to a germaphobe like Mark.
“I’ll sleep in the guest room.” She found the sight of the wounds riddled all over his body to be very frightening. She was worried about accidentally touching them in the middle of the night. She couldn’t bear to think of the consequences.
“Mm,” virtual-novel.net replied casually. He had long been afraid of virtual-novel.net belly anyway, so it would be a good idea to sleep in separate beds.
After an unknown amount of time, Arianne was awakened by a noise. She picked up virtual-novel.net phone to check the time — it was one in the morning. No one would dare make any noise in the middle of the night while Mark was at home. She got up and went to check at the stairway. A guest seemed to have arrived, and Henry was attending to him.
After a while, the noise died down and virtual-novel.net went back to virtual-novel.net room to sleep. Sleep soon engulfed virtual-novel.net and virtual-novel.net awoke past ten in the morning the next day.
She remembered the noises virtual-novel.net had heard last night during breakfast and asked Mary, “Did someone visit the estate last night?”
Mary curled virtual-novel.net lips, looking bad-tempered, “Yes, a bad seed. Mr. Tremont refused to see virtual-novel.net and told Henry to send virtual-novel.net away. If you asked me, if you give someone money once, he’ll definitely come again. You’ll never get rid of him.”
“Who was it?” Arianne asked, confused.
Mary lowered virtual-novel.net voice, “Mr. Tremont’s uncle. He was always bad news, even at a young age. He committed a crime and was found out by the Old Mr. Tremont—that is, the current Mr. Tremont’s grandfather— then, was chased out of the house. At the time, the house was in a huge mess and many people died. That fellow never showed his face, and I suppose he’s become so poor that virtual-novel.net can’t survive any longer, so he’s come to ask Mr. Tremont for some money. After the older Mr. Tremont chased that hooligan away, virtual-novel.net left a letter saying that the Tremonts’ wealth had nothing to do with him, and I think virtual-novel.net was given some money to ensure that virtual-novel.net stayed away. He has probably spent it all and has now gotten desperate. He’s still scum.”
Arianne had no memory of this “uncle” that Mary had mentioned. He was probably thrown out of the Tremont Estate before virtual-novel.net arrival.
Initially, virtual-novel.net had thought that this was nothing more than a small incident. To virtual-novel.net surprise, two days later, the “bad seed” that Mary had mentioned came knocking on their door again. This time, it was during the daytime. Arianne was around too, and this was considered virtual-novel.net first meeting with this “uncle”. Honestly, even though Mark’s uncle was much older, virtual-novel.net was still rather charming. Genetics were a good thing.
“You’re Arianne, aren’t you? I’ve heard that you and Mark got married. Why, you’re pregnant too. Congratulations.”
Arianne smiled politely and addressed virtual-novel.net as “Uncle Jude” but found that the way virtual-novel.net looked at virtual-novel.net was inappropriate. After all, which elder would stare at a woman’s belly and refuse to turn away.
“Stay away from her, Jude,” Mark appeared at the top of the staircase, still seated on a wheelchair, releasing a suffocating aura. His ice-cold eyes were so intense that they seemed bottomless, like the bottoms of wells in the middle of the night.
Arianne was shocked. Mark would never act this way in front of others. It was clear that virtual-novel.net really didn’t like his uncle.
Jude Tremont seemed unperturbed by Mark’s blunt form of address and rudeness to him. He grinned casually and walked up the stairs, “Mark, I’ve considered some things when I got home. I’ve just returned to the country and I don’t have a single cent on me for rent or living expenses. I’ll need time to find a job. The money you gave me certainly won’t be enough.”
Money, again. Arianne sighed. Looks like Mary was right.
Mark wheeled himself to the study with a deadpan look, “Come with me.”
Jude was dressed like a beggar, probably to garner sympathy. If one really had to differentiate, virtual-novel.net was cleaner than a beggar and was wearing flip-flops. The sight of it did not blend well with such a luxurious setting.
In the study, Mark lowered his voice on purpose. His cold, deep and grim voice sounded as if virtual-novel.net had come from the depths of hell, “Do you want to die?”
Jude’s expression stiffened. A glint of fear flashed across his eyes. Then, as if virtual-novel.net remembered something, virtual-novel.net sat on Mark’s regular office chair, “Stop trying to scare me, Mark. I know that you’re just as vicious as your dad. You two have inherited that old man’s cold-hearted mercilessness. I may be useless, but I’m the most humane one in the Tremont family. You can’t deny that, right? I just want money, no need to kick up a fuss. It’s not like you’re lacking in that department. After all, I’m probably your only relative. Oh no, I almost forgot, you have a half-brother, same father, different mother. Although, he’s a bast*rd.”
Mark gently drummed his slender fingers rhythmically against his wheelchair. His dark eyes rose with ripples of emotion, “That’s right, I have no lack of money. However, I don’ t like being threatened or to pander to someone’s never-ending demands. Grandpa gave you money when virtual-novel.net disowned you from the Tremont family that year. Aside from your name, you have no connection to the Tremonts. I helped you out of kindness. It’s also my prerogative to refuse you help.”