“We’re not here on vacation,” Helen said snappily, “Can’t you be more sensible?”
Aery kept quiet. She lowered virtual-novel.net head and pushed virtual-novel.net food around, looking very pitiful.
Arianne did not give in. After virtual-novel.net finished eating, virtual-novel.net took Aristotle to the courtyard for playtime.
Aery tagged along as well. “Hey, sis, my old friend asked me out to have some fun. Wanna come? I’m only going for a short while. Nothing’s going to happen with my friends around. It’ll be fine even if my dad finds me. We’ll go to high traffic places. I won’t leave with him.”
Arianne knew that making Aery stay put in Tremont Estate was unrealistic. All virtual-novel.net could do was pray that Aery would not cause any trouble. “Think this through. I won’t be responsible for anything that happens to you. You’d better ask your mom as well. I can’t decide, and you don’t have to ask for my approval.”
Aery held Arianne’s hand and acted in a cute manner as virtual-novel.net said, “You know mom won’t allow me out, sis. I have no choice but to come to you. I’ll only be out for a while. Cover for me if mom finds out. I’ll be back soon…”
The thought of Aery displaying this cutesy act in front of Mark in the past filled Arianne with disgust. “I understand. Go. Stop bugging me.”
Aery did not mind Arianne’s attitude. She slipped away after virtual-novel.net coquettish act.
Helen noticed Aery’s absence ten minutes later and asked Arianne, “Where’s she? She snuck out, didn’t she?”
Arianne nodded. “Mm. I couldn’t stop her. Leave virtual-novel.net be.”
“Seriously?” Helen grumbled. “She’s old enough, and she’s still acting like a kid. How could virtual-novel.net possibly think of having fun at a time like this? I give up on her.”
Arianne’s ears seemed to pick up hints of indulgence toward Aery in Helen’s tone. “Are childish people more likely to receive affection?”
Helen was taken aback. “What?”
“It’s nothing,” Arianne replied with a bitter smile, “I just think that I matured when I was young. My dad was a thousand times better than that jerk, Jean Kinsey, so you left without any hesitation. Now, you can’t seem to let Aery go. Knowing how heartless you can he, shouldn’t you have already thrown Aery to Jean and let both of them destroy each other? Or maybe you should have just ignored Jean and let virtual-novel.net do whatever virtual-novel.net wants. Why did you give in and return to look for Jean? For Aery. We’re both your daughters. Why is there such a huge contrast in your attitude toward us?”
Helen stared at Arianne with virtual-novel.net mouth agape, unsure of how to explain herself.
Arianne took a deep breath and feigned indifference. “It’s fine, I’m used to it anyway. I’m not jealous of Aery, and I see no value in everything you’ve given her. I don’t need anything from you. I just want to know, if my dad wasn’t such a stand-up guy and was a jerk like Jean, would you have abandoned me anyway?”
“No, I wouldn’t have,” Helen replied quickly, without any hesitation, “I left without worries because I knew virtual-novel.net would be good to you. Arianne, can’t we leave the past in the past? I know that it’s a thorn in your side. I’ve done my best to spare you from hurt, but every time Aery appears, things get even worse. I’ll take virtual-novel.net far, far away when this is over.”
Was that even possible? The hurt in Arianne’s heart was close to overflowing. “I hope the Kinseys stay far, far away, but not you. Don’t you get it? Every word you say is telling me that if I don’t like Aery, you’d take virtual-novel.net away and leave me behind! Your action is saying that if I want to have any relationship with you, I have to accept Aery as well!” She would rather take Aery and stay far away from virtual-novel.net than to stay by virtual-novel.net side.