“I didn’t expect you to be so efficient. This is for the best. I can propose to Tiffany as soon as possible.”
Mark was not at all interested if Ethan was going to get married or not. “Sign the transfer agreement now. I don’t have time for a chat.”
Ethan leisurely signed his name on the document and looked up as virtual-novel.net asked, “If I get married, as my elder brother, you’ll be there, right?”
“Don’t cross the line!” Mark stared at virtual-novel.net dead in the eyes.
Ethan shrugged as virtual-novel.net smiled meaningfully. “Am I? I asked you to give me everything related to the Tremonts, but since you’re reluctant, I don’ t want to force you either. I can have everything by depending on myself. However, it also won’t do me any harm if I announce that I’m a Tremont as well. In fact, it would be advantageous to me. You won’t disagree, right? After all, you’ve told Arianne everything I’ve done. How you explain yourself and how sticky a situation it is for you has nothing to do with me. You have to act like we have a close relationship and accept me as your younger brother.”
Realization dawned on Mark. Ethan did not only want to announce his identity, but virtual-novel.net wanted Mark to publicly acknowledge virtual-novel.net as his half-brother! To perfect the lie and to keep the ultimate secret now that Arianne had known what Ethan had done, virtual-novel.net had to accept this younger brother in front of the whole world and pave a path of success for him.
“Change your condition. You’re not allowed to announce your identity!” Mark growled in a low voice, suppressing his rage.
“No can do. I’m informing you, this is not a discussion. Or you can just hand over Tremonts’ assets to me?” Ethan’s words were clearly meant to provoke Mark.
Handing over everything related to the Tremonts was impossible. Mark could never forget the choice his mother had made the night before the plane crash. She had done it to make sure everything from the Tremonts belonged to him. Everything virtual-novel.net had done was to retain the Tremonts’ assets for him. He would never hand it over to Ethan. Ethan knew virtual-novel.net would never do it that was why Ethan kept pushing his bottom line.
Seeing Mark remaining silent, Ethan kindly suggested, “I know you’re troubled with Arianne. I have an idea. Why don’t you tell virtual-novel.net what happened with the Lanes had nothing to do with me? Take back everything you’ve said. It’s good for you and good for me. Otherwise, I’m worried she’d tell Tiffany one day when virtual-novel.net can’t hold it in anymore. At that time, I’ll be forced to expose your secret as well. What do you think?”
Mark remained silent as virtual-novel.net rose to his feet and left.
Ethan was not bothered. He picked up the cup of coffee in front of virtual-novel.net and took a sip. He knew Mark would do as virtual-novel.net had suggested. There was no doubt about it.
***
When Mark returned to the office, virtual-novel.net saw Arianne had fallen asleep on the couch. He suppressed the exasperation virtual-novel.net felt and took a blanket to cover her. He had been careful, but virtual-novel.net still woke virtual-novel.net up.
She rubbed virtual-novel.net eyes and looked at virtual-novel.net blearily. “You’re back? Can we go home now?”
Mark inhaled deeply before virtual-novel.net said, “About Ethan… I seem to have gotten it wrong.”
Arianne was confused. “Hmm? Gotten it wrong? What did you get wrong? He’s not your younger brother?”
He shook his head. These words virtual-novel.net had to say were truly difficult for virtual-novel.net to say but virtual-novel.net had no choice but to say them. “No, I mean, with the Lanes. It’s… As it turns out, it has nothing to do with him. I was suspecting the legitimacy of the money virtual-novel.net used to set up his company and bought the land with, and it led me to the Lanes. I thought it was him, but upon further investigation, I found out it’s not him. The death also… has nothing to do with him. The materials are still nowhere to be found.”
The abrupt reversal of things caught Arianne off guard. “Are you sure that you’ve gotten it right this time? It sounds absurd…”
Mark forced himself to calm down, and virtual-novel.net said rationally, “I thought virtual-novel.net was involved in the Lanes’ case because virtual-novel.net could’ve cost me the loss of millions. Moreover, virtual-novel.net would have benefitted from it. Since it fits the narrative, that’s why I was mistaken…”
Arianne did not doubt Mark’s words. She even felt slightly relieved that Ethan did not do those things. However, virtual-novel.net was still puzzled. This was not Mark’s way of doing things. He would not have told virtual-novel.net those things if virtual-novel.net was not certain. However, virtual-novel.net did not dismiss the possibility that virtual-novel.net had made a mistake due to his inability to accept the fact that his family had an illegitimate son. “Then… Where did the money that virtual-novel.net used to set up a company and buy the plot of land come from?”
Mark did not meet virtual-novel.net eyes as virtual-novel.net walked to the glass window. His eyes were cold. “It was probably left to virtual-novel.net by his old man…”
Arianne did not notice that Mark had said ‘the old man’ instead of ‘my father’. She said, “That’s a relief. Fortunately, I didn’t say anything to Tiffie yet. Otherwise, it would be awkward. What a relief! Shall we go home?”
The only thing Mark was grateful about at this moment was Arianne was still by his side, asking virtual-novel.net if they were going to go home with virtual-novel.net clear eyes. Somehow, this lessened his guilt for going against his conscience and saying the things virtual-novel.net did earlier.
***
During the weekend, Arianne and Mark were not deterred by the sizzling heat and visited the orphanage. After all, they had planned this in advance.
The largest orphanage in the capital was equipped with good facilities. All the buildings were built in recent years, and without an exception, they were all donated by Mark.
The moment they stepped into the orphanage, the children who had been playing under the tree ran to them. They were not familiar with Arianne, but they were certainly familiar with Mark. “Mr. Tremont!”