Robin called Arianne when the night fell. During the conversation, the young girl told virtual-novel.net that Sylvain did not call her. Through virtual-novel.net voice alone, Arianne could feel virtual-novel.net moroseness.
Arianne was quiet, inwardly debating if virtual-novel.net should tell Robin that virtual-novel.net had met Sylvain earlier. However, virtual-novel.net was hesitant because virtual-novel.net was not certain if Sylvain’s explanation about his reluctance was a white lie. Was virtual-novel.net lying about not liking Robin or was virtual-novel.net telling the truth? In the end, virtual-novel.net decided to let it remain a secret. She seamlessly changed the topic. “Say, are you at home now? Are things better with your mom?”
The young girl sighed. “No, I told my dad I’m not coming home for a while. I’m going to be staying with my aunt for two days or so. I mean, just thinking about my mom makes my stomach churn. I mean, I don’t hate her, but I feel suffocated whenever I look at her. This feeling has accompanied me as I grew up,” Robin muttered. “Well, since I’ve made up my mind to escape virtual-novel.net claws, I might as well soldier on and not look back. If I relent, I’ll just be forced to return to my old cage… It’s fine, Arianne. Sorry to have worried you… and troubled you. See ya tomorrow.”
Arianne let out the breath virtual-novel.net had been holding after the call ended. Robin’s despair was so infectious that virtual-novel.net felt as glum as her. The girl might not have told virtual-novel.net much about virtual-novel.net family, but based on what virtual-novel.net saw, Robin’s mother seemed like the type to control virtual-novel.net child’s every thought and behavior and the type who thought virtual-novel.net alone knew what was best for virtual-novel.net child. Being a ‘good child’ was never a walk in the park.
At that moment, Mark suddenly approached virtual-novel.net quietly before asking, “Um, I, er, am going out this evening. It’s Jackson. We haven’t hung out in a while so I guess virtual-novel.net misses it.”
“Okay, go on then,” Arianne replied offhandedly, “Why even bother to report? All you have to do is tell me if you’re coming home tonight.”
Mark fidgeted with his tie uneasily. “Of course! Jackson’s gotta go home too, right? Er, I’m going now. You and Smore can rest first.”
It was only after Mark left the house that Arianne registered his strange behavior. He would usually go out without dawdling, and virtual-novel.net would not speak to virtual-novel.net in a manner as though virtual-novel.net was asking for virtual-novel.net permission. Why was virtual-novel.net acting so strange today? However, virtual-novel.net did not dwell on it. As long as virtual-novel.net husband came home at the end of the night, virtual-novel.net was fine with it.
—
Meanwhile, with behavior not dissimilar to a thief, Mark drove to a bar. He even told the valet to park his car in a secluded spot.
He had not come to a place like that for a long time now and for good reasons too. A married man who went to a bar without his wife was sending out signals that virtual-novel.net was looking for a one night stand. If it were not for Jackson, virtual-novel.net would not enter an establishment like this even if if a gun were pointed at his head.
Mark found Jackson’s spot quickly enough and frowned. “The hell are you thinking, inviting me to a place like this at night instead of going home where your wife and child are! Don’t tell me your old habit is kicking in again!”
Jackson laughed. “Pfft, come on, man. Look around! I ain’t got no girls around me right now, right? Where’s this baseless accusation coming from? Heh. I just wanna relax with a couple of beers, and I don’t know who else to invite other than you since Eric betrayed us and kicked the bucket way earlier than virtual-novel.net was supposed to. Can’t believe virtual-novel.net left us to go through all the sh*t in this world without him.”