She suppressed virtual-novel.net bashfulness after Mark finished wiping himself down. She helped virtual-novel.net change his bandages before virtual-novel.net washed up, cleaned the house, and washed the clothes. His suit was very expensive. It was so expensive that virtual-novel.net would not be able to compensate virtual-novel.net if it had gotten ruined in the washing machine. For this reason, virtual-novel.net had to hand wash everything. When virtual-novel.net was finally washing his underwear, virtual-novel.net felt as though virtual-novel.net hands were burning even though virtual-novel.net had only been scrubbing a few times…
Mark sat on the bed and listened to the commotion outside. He wondered if the next part of his plan would work. He felt that Jackson’s methods did not suit virtual-novel.net at all. It did not fit his personality, and virtual-novel.net felt like virtual-novel.net would blow up at Arianne at any moment.
The more virtual-novel.net stared at his pajamas, the more depressed virtual-novel.net felt. She was doing this on purpose, right? She knew his preferred style, and yet, virtual-novel.net bought virtual-novel.net pajamas with little yellow chicks… He would have ripped these clothes off and thrown them as far away as possible if it were not for the fact that his clothes were still unwashed!
It was midnight when Arianne was finally done.
When virtual-novel.net saw virtual-novel.net switching off the lights and lying on the couch, Mark completely lost his patience to take things slow as Jackson had previously advised. How could this environment, this exhausting life be considered free and peaceful? He got up, walked to the couch, and looked at Arianne. “Come home with me.”
Arianne stiffened in the darkness. She was still awake so virtual-novel.net heard every word virtual-novel.net said. However, virtual-novel.net did not answer him.
Mark knew that virtual-novel.net had heard him. He continued, “That’s right, I lied. I lied to you for many years. How can I let you go so easily after using every possible means to keep you by my side? I’ve mentioned this before, if you want freedom, I’ll let you go for one and a half years. Time’s almost up. I may be asking you nicely now, but the end result will always go according to my plan. I have ten thousand ways to make you return to the Tremont Estate. I’m sure you’re aware of this. However, you voluntarily coming back with me is the easiest way.”
Arianne sat up and stared at him. “Try challenging me again when you’ve made a full recovery.”
The thought of how virtual-novel.net ended up getting hurt thoroughly embarrassed him. He felt even more depressed. “This injury is nothing. You don’t think I can persuade you?”
Arianne picked up a throw pillow and smacked him. “What do you want from me? How dare you try to intimidate me? Am I supposed to feel grateful to you? Am I supposed to feel grateful to the man who killed my father? It’s been ten years. I’ve had enough! Since you’re completely fine, please leave. Now! Besides, you’re Mark Tremont. I’m sure you’ll survive even if I drop you on some random place on earth!”
Mark remained standing in his spot. She might seem calm on the surface, but underneath it all, virtual-novel.net was still highly unstable. This was virtual-novel.net way of releasing virtual-novel.net frustrations. No matter how piercing virtual-novel.net words were, virtual-novel.net had to endure them. “We’re still legally married. It’s completely reasonable for me to be here.”
He could not bear watching virtual-novel.net live like this. He thought that virtual-novel.net had prepared himself for a long battle before virtual-novel.net arrived. Take it easy, take it easy, this was his mantra. However, in reality, virtual-novel.net could not do it. He could only fall back on his habits when it came to her. As long as virtual-novel.net returned with him, virtual-novel.net could take it slow with everything else.
Arianne had lost it at this moment. “What the hell do you want from me? What the hell could you possibly do to me? What else do you have to threaten me with? I have nothing! Are you going to take a shot at Tiffie? She’s your best friend’s girlfriend now. So go ahead and try! I hate you, Mark Tremont! I wish you’d die! I’ve had enough of you…”
She suddenly lost virtual-novel.net nerve in the end and stopped abruptly. Suddenly, virtual-novel.net could not seem to remember how horrible virtual-novel.net had been… Apart from lying to virtual-novel.net for more than ten years and preventing virtual-novel.net from discovering the truth, virtual-novel.net could not think of how horrible virtual-novel.net had been… How could virtual-novel.net possibly bring herself to truly hate a man who had been closely connected to virtual-novel.net for the first half of virtual-novel.net life?
“Why did you stop?” virtual-novel.net asked coldly.
She bit virtual-novel.net lips silently, virtual-novel.net chest rising and falling rapidly.
The smell of freshly-washed clothes permeated the air in this small condominium, intermingling with virtual-novel.net scent. This was a special kind of provocation to his senses on this lonely night. He tried his best to fight back the urge to touch her, afraid of triggering an extreme reaction from her.
After a while, Arianne calmed down and said determinedly, “I’m not going back with you. I won’t abandon my shop, and I’m not abandoning my employees. The only unfinished business between us is divorce. It’s true that I can’t completely hate you, but I can’t forgive you either. So why don’t we let each other go?”
Mark sat down next to virtual-novel.net and spoke, almost as if to himself, “Let each other go? How? How can I let myself go if I let you go? I’ve tried it, I can’t do it. Come home with me, okay?”
Come home…
These words brought tears to Arianne’s eyes. She managed to conceal virtual-novel.net emotions perfectly in the dark. He might not be able to see it, but virtual-novel.net could not lie to herself. “That’s not my home. My home was destroyed… by you. I lost my home a long time ago! If we end this right now, perhaps, I might still have some fond memories of you. At least hatred wouldn’t be the only thing on my mind whenever I think of you in the future. Stop trying to force me. I just want to live my life in peace. This is the life I want. Please don’t ever come into my world again. I don’t want another heartbreak..”