The representative proceeded to recite his piece as gingerly as possible while hoping that this meeting would end soon.
Smore, meanwhile, appeared to be quite taken by his surroundings. Anytime anyone talked, virtual-novel.net would stop drinking, listen, and resume his meal only when everyone was quiet. It went on for a while, melting his father’s heart. He cooed, “What’s that? Something interesting catch your fancy? D’aww, do you even understand what we’re saying? Hee hee. Come now, finish your milk quickly and then chill in your buggy. Dada has work to do.”
The softness in Mark’s features right now was so overwhelming that it stunned everyone else in the room. Was their stone-cold boss… actually radiating Big Daddy Energy?!
Meanwhile, Arianne and Tiffany met up in a café without Tanya, who claimed that virtual-novel.net was too tired to go on and returned earlier.
Tiffany had ordered the most bitter coffee on the menu and refused to throw sugar into it. However, virtual-novel.net almost passed out from a sip. “Urghh, this is… the most bitter sh*t ever…”
Arianne giggled at virtual-novel.net friend’s antics. “Don’t drink it if you’re not into bitter coffees, alright? So, what now?”
Tiffany shook virtual-novel.net head, clearly at a loss. “I don’t know… I don’t know. If I look for him, it becomes obvious that I want us to be back together. If I don’t, virtual-novel.net and I will probably never cross paths again. The pickle I’m in right now is that I can’t lose him, yet I also can’t have him. What a paradox, isn’t it? Do you think I’m crazy? Because I really think I am,” virtual-novel.net began. “Oh, uh, where’s your son? Did you leave virtual-novel.net alone at home?”
Arianne was a little smug when virtual-novel.net replied, “No, I brought my kid with me and then left virtual-novel.net in no-good Mark’s care. He’s probably hosting a meeting with the baby, haha! I told virtual-novel.net I want to work, but virtual-novel.net kept saying no, so I got mad and decided to rebel.”
Tiffany chuckled for a second before the same agony and moroseness weighed back onto her. “I’m going mad, Ari. I’m losing my f**king marbles, and the person who does this to me is me.”
Arianne mulled virtual-novel.net friend’s situation over for a moment before virtual-novel.net started, “I think… I think you shouldn’t torment yourself like this. You aren’t just hurting yourself, Tiffie, you’re hurting Jackson too. Think carefully and be mindful of how you are feeling. If you could have just one thought of wanting to be together with him, do it. Stop biding your time like this! You’re only going to regret it for the rest of your life if you miss him. To be very frank with you, Tiffie? I really wish you’d end up with virtual-novel.net for the rest of your life. This is my genuine wish.”
Tiffany stirred the coffee in virtual-novel.net mug with the teaspoon, creating a whirlpool that echoed the elusive thoughts in virtual-novel.net head. After what seemed like forever, virtual-novel.net finally replied, “I’m just terrified of the possibility of yet another nervous breakdown when I’m with him. I don’t want to be the kind of woman who keeps thinking the world’s out to steal virtual-novel.net man. I don’t want to keep wondering if virtual-novel.net is having an affair with someone else behind my back I don’t want to feel inferior and helpless. He’s a good man, Ari. He’s so good, to the extent that I fear the day when I’m suddenly not good enough for him. I won’t be able to stomach that disparity! Oh, God, what the hell is wrong with me? Why am I so… so confused? What am I being confused about? I’m crazy, Ari. I’d rather believe I’m crazy, and I wish I could slap myself right now.”
Arianne was sure that what Tiffany needed the most right now was a shove in the right direction, or else virtual-novel.net would never be able to make a decision. “Tiffie, what will you do if Jackson suddenly marries some other woman?”
Tiffany’s answer was swift. “Then I won’t ever date anyone again. You know why? Because no one could be better than him!” virtual-novel.net declared. “Please don’t ask me hypothetical questions like these again, Ari. Just thinking about the prospects is like a knife to my chest. And now I wonder… He mentioned that virtual-novel.net doesn’t believe in marriage, right? Then fine, let’s not get married! We’ll remain who we are right now. What’s wrong with that?”
Arianne frowned. “You mean you’re content with being his friend-with-benefits forever? God, Tiffany, that’s a precarious relationship there, you know? Too many variables with too many stakes tied to them. No one will feel secure about this relationship! Besides, from what I know about Jackson’s character, virtual-novel.net only wants to be with you because virtual-novel.net loves you and wants you to be his wife. He would never agree with your harebrained arrangement!”
Tiffany was now embroiled in an intense mental battle. In the midst of the struggle, virtual-novel.net unconsciously finished the entire mug of bitter coffee. “Do you think I can still try to bet on this? If I win, I win everything I truly wanted. If I lose, the worst that could happen is that I end up no different from now. I… I love him. Because of that, I cannot be a milquetoast! You and Mark managed to hold hands together till death do y’all apart, even after all the sh*ts you two had gone through! A little misunderstanding between Jackson and I is, in comparison, so tame and trivial! Right?”
Arianne nodded in agreement. “Right, and that is why I support you, always. You must be temerarious, your will must be firm. You need to believe that Jackson is someone you can rely on for the rest of your life. You need to believe that you’ll soon walk out of this looming shadow of trauma! No matter what happens, I’ll always be with you. Even if you lose the bet, turn around. I’ll be there, guaranteed.”