Mark slowed down his driving, as if virtual-novel.net did not want to send virtual-novel.net home so soon. “I told you before, I won’t give up on you.”
Arianne chuckled humorlessly. “Stop kidding around. I told you before too that it’s impossible between us. I’d wanted to escape from you for a very long time, and now when I finally have my wish granted, why would I jump into the fire pit again? I admit that you’ve made me who I am now. Without you, I wouldn’t be who I am today. You’ve given me what others have never had, but you’ve also hurt me the deepest. What makes you think you have the right to say something like that? You caused my dad’s death, pretended to be benevolent in taking me in, and even married me, and for what? A peace of mind? You got it, but what about me? What about my dad! Other than the title of a sinner, my dad has left nothing behind! What do I have to forgive you?”
Various emotions wreaked a storm in Mark’s eyes in the dark. His clear voice was laced with pain forbearance. “Am I that unforgivable in your eyes? Incurable?”
“Yes,” Arianne answered without hesitation.
Mark did not reply and stopped the car at an empty roadside.
After a short bout of silence, Arianne said coldly, “We’ve made ourselves clear. I don’t think there’s anything else left to be discussed between us. Stride on your path of success in the future while I walk on my bridge of freedom.”
She did not know about the storm that was currently brewing within Mark. He was considering taking virtual-novel.net back to the capital in the easiest and most brutal way, restraining virtual-novel.net by his side eternally, but virtual-novel.net contradictorily longed for a quiet peaceful life with her. He could not bear to treat virtual-novel.net like that…
Ultimately, his rationality won and Mark calmed down gradually. “I don’t believe that you could be absolutely unshackled. I bet that you still have me in your heart.”
He was confident, for such was the truth.
With what virtual-novel.net had hidden in virtual-novel.net heart so easily exposed by Mark, Arianne’s emotions ran slightly out of control. She tried to keep virtual-novel.net cool and admitted it honestly, “You’re right. I have you in my heart. You’re the one who brought me up after all. I once considered you as the most important person in my life, and I once slowly accepted the reality that I’m your wife and started to even… love you. That’s why I didn’t disclose what you’ve done, although I wouldn’t be able to win against you even if I did. What I want now is just a sanctuary without you. It’s only a sanctuary when you’re not there. Do you understand? I’m not totally unbounded, I can’t even wipe you off entirely till now, but I can at least still be level headed.”
Mark chortled suddenly. “Heh… I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed then. Wherever you go, I’ll go. Until the point where I become your sanctuary.”
He started the engine again to continue the journey after virtual-novel.net spoke, as if the conversation just now did not affect him.
Arianne was surprised at how virtual-novel.net did not lash out like virtual-novel.net used to. What made a superior man like virtual-novel.net so nonchalant that virtual-novel.net would act so mild now?
Arianne got out of the car without turning back when they arrived at the residence. Mark wound down the car window to tell her, “Good night, see you tomorrow.”
Arianne shuddered and could not help turning back to look at him. It was too dark. She could not make out his expression but his tone was a relaxed and joyful one. What was virtual-novel.net thinking? She had made herself so clear, yet virtual-novel.net was unable to infuriate him. Instead, virtual-novel.net looked like nothing had happened.
When virtual-novel.net went upstairs and looked out from the French window, his car finally left in the nightfall.
Arianne felt unsettled, panicking a little. There was also… something virtual-novel.net could not lay virtual-novel.net finger on inside. It made virtual-novel.net want to find out what virtual-novel.net was feeling, but virtual-novel.net was too scared to take a step forward.
The next day, virtual-novel.net headed out punctually at half past eight as usual. The moment virtual-novel.net opened the door, virtual-novel.net was greeted by a big bouquet of red roses placed on the floor by the door. It was the same one that virtual-novel.net had received in the shop, and it made virtual-novel.net more certain that the last bouquet was from Mark as well, for virtual-novel.net did not hide it this time. There was a card in the bouquet that wrote, “Good morning. Have a happy day.”
It was signed off with Mark Tremont.
Arianne had no idea what virtual-novel.net was trying to play at. Perhaps virtual-novel.net thought that this could make virtual-novel.net forget about the plane crash, pretend like nothing happened, and go back to him? If virtual-novel.net did think so, that would be too childish. A few bouquets of flowers would never wipe the horrible past away. He must not be thinking about it like that though. It was most probably one of his tactics to get virtual-novel.net back…
She considered dumping the flowers into the trash bin, but virtual-novel.net thrifty instinct cancelled the thought. She had never had the habit of being extravagant and wasteful since virtual-novel.net was young. Since the bouquet was delivered, it would be a good idea to bring it to the shop as décor. She would place a small vase on each table with a few stalks of roses in it. That seemed to make a nice ambience, and virtual-novel.net got right to completely utilizing them.
Tiffany had just come in looking sleepy when Arianne arrived at the shop with the bouquet. “Ari, you’re early.”