The little boy suddenly cried, perhaps, frightened by Mark’s gentle pinch.
Arianne instinctively took the child into virtual-novel.net arms. “Hush, baby, hush. Who’s the best baby…”
The little child stopped crying immediately, but there was still a sad pout on his face, and his eyes were red.
Mark asked softly against Arianne’s ears, “Why don’t we adopt a child?”
Arianne glanced at him. This was not the first time virtual-novel.net had mentioned this. She pretended not to hear him. She said to the director, “There’s no need for thanks as long as these little angels are well taken care of.”
After spending the entire morning in the orphanage, Arianne and Mark politely rejected the director’s invitation for lunch.
During their journey back to the Tremont Estate, Arianne was thinking about the feeling of the baby boy in virtual-novel.net arms. The child was so soft and cute that virtual-novel.net heart felt as though it was going to melt.
Mark seemed privy to virtual-novel.net thoughts as virtual-novel.net asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to adopt a child? I can see you’re reluctant to let the boy go.”
Arianne looked outside the car stiffly. “I didn’t… No adoption. I can’t even take care of myself.”
Mark continued to entice her. “I can take care of you and the child. It’s not that difficult. You can stay home and raise our child while I make money for our family.”
This was Brian’s first time hearing Mark say something like this. He could not help but laugh.
Mark glared at him. “Brian, you’re getting really bold, huh? How dare you eavesdrop on me and laugh? Didn’t you go on a blind date recently? I heard from Mary that it was successful. You finally have a girlfriend now?”
Brian did not expect the conversation to shift to virtual-novel.net so virtual-novel.net quickly suppressed his laughter. “Yes, sir.”
Mark was in the mood to chat. “How are things going? Are you planning to get married?”
Brian thought about it and said, “We’ve only gotten together. Girls these days are not easy. They want a house, a car, and a dowry. She doesn’t like the fact that I’m a chauffeur and asked me to switch jobs. I don’t think we’ll stay together for long.”
“What’s wrong with being a chauffeur? I didn’t mistreat you even though you’re my chauffeur. Your salary is much higher than an office worker. If you really like her, and you want it to work, then, go work in the company. I’ll arrange for someone else to drive me around. Your education qualification is not low. I can arrange a position for you in the office.” Mark was considerate toward his employee. After all, Brian had worked for virtual-novel.net for years.
***
However, Brain had no intention of complying with the girl’s wish. “It’s okay, sir. They don’t understand my work. I like driving you around. I don’t want to change jobs. You’re right. The girl’s salary isn’t even half of mine, and I’m provided with insurance and other benefits. She doesn’t even have anything. I’m quite vexed with virtual-novel.net family’s requests. The house and car that I buy must be under the girl’s name, something about a sense of security. Moreover, the dowry can’t be meager as well. I can already feel a headache coming on.”
Mark was unable to empathize with an ordinary person’s perspective. “Then, just put it under virtual-novel.net name. This can be negotiated.”
Brian knew this was foreign territory for Mark. He explained patiently, “It’s not so simple, sir. For someone like you, you’d agree without batting an eye if madam asks you to put the properties you own under virtual-novel.net name. In fact, you’d probably give virtual-novel.net a few properties on your own accord. We, commoners, are different. We purchase houses and cars with all our parents’ and our savings. We might even have to take a loan. Marriages nowadays end in divorce. At that time, wouldn’t I be giving that girl my house and car for nothing?”
“If virtual-novel.net marries me, I definitely won’t mistreat her. I don’t even mind putting the assets under both our names. We can even bear the mortgages together. However, to give virtual-novel.net all of my assets? That’s impossible. I don’t really mind about the dowry, they don’t even have to reciprocate. If we can spend the rest of our lives together peacefully with everything that belongs to us, it would be great. This is just common people’s worries. You won’t understand it, sir.”
Indeed. Mark could not empathize with Brian since virtual-novel.net had never experienced such things. Since there was nothing virtual-novel.net could say or do to help, virtual-novel.net did not continue the conversation.
While Brian was speaking, virtual-novel.net kept an eye on Mark’s expression, afraid that virtual-novel.net had spoken too much. After all, Mark rarely spoke to him. When virtual-novel.net saw Mark keeping quiet, virtual-novel.net stayed silent as well.
***
When they returned to the Tremont Estate, Mark said before heading upstairs, “Ari, come with me.”
Arianne started when virtual-novel.net heard virtual-novel.net call virtual-novel.net Ari. It seemed that virtual-novel.net had changed the way virtual-novel.net addressed virtual-novel.net since that night in his office?
Arianne was jolted out of virtual-novel.net daze by Mary. “Madam, sir’s asking for you. Since when did you two become so chummy with each other? He called you Ari…”
Arianne replied, embarrassed, “Mary, stop it. I’ll go see what virtual-novel.net wants. We haven’t had lunch. I’m a little hungry. Have the kitchen cook something, Mary.”
Looking at Arianne running upstairs, blushing, Mary felt like a proud mother. She had been waiting for this day, and it had finally come.
***
In the bedroom.
Mark opened a cabinet that had always been locked under the wardrobe. There was a mini-safe inside. Not knowing what virtual-novel.net was up to, Arianne turned around in self-awareness when virtual-novel.net opened the safe. She was not curious about what treasure virtual-novel.net had kept in the safe.