Henry nodded and went out.
Mark drove to the Tremont Tower and passed the key to the security to park his car. When a senior citizen fell down by the road, Mark subconsciously wanted to go up and help, but virtual-novel.net was suddenly reminded of Arianne’s hysterical words when virtual-novel.net left, “Stop acting with a mask, okay?”
Was virtual-novel.net being too hypocritical like this? He was supposed to be someone cold. He should not have been so kind.
Ultimately, Mark stepped into the tower without turning back while the security, who was striving to showcase himself, helped the senior citizen up.
***
In the White Water Bay villa, Arianne and Tiffany were just done fooling around. The living room and the couch were a mess. Luckily, Jackson was not home. Otherwise, virtual-novel.net would have grumbled.
“Ari, now that you’ve left the Tremont’s, what’s your plan?”
Arianne thought about it for a moment. “I haven’t gotten a clue yet… I don’t want to stay in this city anymore. I want to go somewhere completely foreign and start anew.”
Tiffany pictured the new life that Arianne mentioned instantly and looked envious. “I want to leave with you too and start afresh. That’s a new word…”
Arianne shook virtual-novel.net head with a smile. “You’re different from me. You still have your mother. If you leave her, virtual-novel.net won’t know how to survive. I’m alone, so I can go wherever I want. I can find a job to feed myself or maybe open up a small shop, live normally… It sounds good.”
Roused, Tiffany felt like leaving even more. She had things that virtual-novel.net did not want to face in this city and people whom virtual-novel.net did not want to meet. Lillian could actually live as well without her. “Ari, didn’t you learn how to make desserts before this? We can go to a brand new city and start a dessert shop, and sell some coffee and milk tea and stuff. What do you think? Since my mom still has some money laying around, we have the funds for an investment. You decide!”
Arianne was hesitant. It was a big move in life. It could not be decided simply. If virtual-novel.net really wanted to leave, it was not as easy. She had spent the earlier half of virtual-novel.net life in this city, bitter and sweet. It had virtual-novel.net most important people and a cat. Funny enough, there was not a sliver of hatred when virtual-novel.net thought of Mark now. How could virtual-novel.net hate a man who had taken care of virtual-novel.net for more than a decade?
Giving it another moment of consideration, Arianne made virtual-novel.net decision. “Give me a month. I’ll tie the loose ends and we’ll leave together. Tiffie, getting to know you is the best thing that’s happened to me.”
Tiffany smiled so wide that the corners of virtual-novel.net eyes sparkled with tears. “I think so too.”
Before Jackson came back, Tiffany was sent home by Arianne. Once virtual-novel.net entered the door, Lillian could be heard complaining, “Do you still think of me as your mother? You didn’t even call when you hadn’t come home for days. Are you trying to kill me from anxiety? I really…”
Before virtual-novel.net could finish virtual-novel.net words, Tiffany suddenly hugged her. “Mom… I missed you so much…”
Lillian’s words were choked. Her daughter’s sudden act of love stirred a lot of sentiments within her. “Tiffie, What’s up? Is the sun rising from the west now?”
Tiffany shook virtual-novel.net head and went into the kitchen, still hugging Lillian. “I’ll make you a meal but you have to help me. I’ll leave the task of washing the vegetables to you. Ari sent me home just now, she’s left. I asked virtual-novel.net to stay for the meal but virtual-novel.net refused. Right, I lost my phone. I want to get a new one. Mom, can you buy one for me? I have no money.”
Lillian stuffed a bank card into Tiffany’s pocket. “I worry about spending all the money I have. I’m giving it to you for safekeeping. This is what’s left after purchasing the house. We can move in after another two months. We don’t have to stay in this awful house anymore.”
The long forsaken warmth almost made Tiffany tear up. Her mother was not just all burdens. She was still virtual-novel.net mother, after all.
Jackson was terribly pestered by Mark in the afternoon and could only leave his office to go home. Although there were people standing guard around, Mark still feared something happening to Arianne and urged virtual-novel.net to check personally. If Mark were not his best friend, virtual-novel.net would not have endured it for so long.
Once Jackson entered his house, virtual-novel.net saw Arianne spacing out while staring at the dessert on the coffee table. There was no doubt that Mark had sent them. He thought about an excuse before virtual-novel.net spoke, “Uh… the desserts from this shop are very nice.”
Arianne looked up at him. “Ask virtual-novel.net not to send them to me anymore. I don’t want to have anything to do with virtual-novel.net now. And… I may have to disturb you for some time. I’ll leave this city a month from now to start afresh. Don’t tell Mark. I’ll pay for the living expenses and rent for the month that I spend staying at your place. I don’t have too much money, so please make it cheaper.”
Amused, Jackson opened the box of desserts to have a piece. “Why are you Tremonts so dominating? Staying here as you please without having to discuss it? Do I look like someone needing that bit of money? If you really want to be particular, renting a villa is not cheap. Besides, I, a marvelous chef, am making you good food every day and providing you with nutrients. This is more expensive than the rent. How cheap could it get? It’s nonsense to talk about money. Just stay however long you want. But… are you really leaving the city?”