Arianne was subsequently subjected to a very harsh jeremiad, but virtual-novel.net dared not offer any rebuttal. Tiffany was right, while virtual-novel.net friend never kept secrets from her, Arianne could not say the same about its inverse.
After work, Arianne hitched Jackson’s car for the ride with Tiffany to go to White Water Bay Villa. Mark could only glare at virtual-novel.net with daggers in his eyes, a look virtual-novel.net feigned not to see. They were divorced, so what could virtual-novel.net do about this?
As soon as they arrived at White Water Bay Villa, Mark followed Jackson into the kitchen, the two immediately chatting about god-knows-what.
Meanwhile, Tiffany began virtual-novel.net thorough, no-holds-barred inquisition. She unleashed a volley of questions regardless of how tactful they were until virtual-novel.net pried every single piece of the puzzle from Arianne’s mouth.
When the full knowledge was finally unveiled, Tiffany held virtual-novel.net child as virtual-novel.net seethed at the injustice virtual-novel.net friend had suffered. “Frickin’ Tremonts! They owe you so much, and yet they have the gall to make you look like the bad guy! On what rights do they have to treat you like that?! God! I know you asked for a divorce, but damn, I didn’t think Mark would be foolhardy enough to agree to it… What was virtual-novel.net thinking? Sigh. So, what now? Gonna stay separated like this forever, or wait till it’s a good time to remarry again?”
Arianne had not started considering this particular prospect yet, so virtual-novel.net answered truthfully, “I don’t know yet. I guess I’m gonna cross a bridge when I see one. What else can I do? She’s his birth mother! Urgh, there’s no way in hell I am gonna act all submissive and greet virtual-novel.net with a meek ‘hello, Mom.’ That is just straight-up impossible, just calling virtual-novel.net ‘aunt’ is enough to make me puke.”
Tiffany snorted forcefully. “If that Shelly skank appears in front of me, I swear, she’s in for an epic tongue-lashing that’s gonna leave virtual-novel.net in tears! Who gives a crap if she’s Mark’s birth mom? The things virtual-novel.net did are f**king outrageous! Hmph. In the past, it was just you and Mark, with no parent breathing down your necks, life was all good, wasn’t it? But now, out of nowhere, some random buttinski just gotta appear and ruin everything, doesn’t she?”
Arianne, too, missed virtual-novel.net past. But what could virtual-novel.net do? She could not turn back time.
It was quickly time for dinner. The longer Tiffany glared at Mark, the more peeved and irritated virtual-novel.net became, and yet virtual-novel.net had no actual rights to throw a tantrum at him, either. As virtual-novel.net ire built up, virtual-novel.net lost virtual-novel.net appetite.
“You’ve been putting Ari through suffering since before the two of you got divorced, man. If I catch wind that you continue to make virtual-novel.net suffer even after this divorce, you better get your a** ready to be handed to me.”
There was a soft glint in Mark’s eyes. “I know.”
Jackson instantly grabbed a big spoonful of mashed potatoes and dumped it in virtual-novel.net plate. “Okay, okay; don’t be mad, okay? Mark didn’t wanna divorce virtual-novel.net either! You know… how about you focus your energy on the little thing living inside of you right now?” virtual-novel.net chimed in. “C’mon, we don’t get to gather and eat like this all the time, you know. Let’s not sour the mood like this, okay?”
The dinner ended and the guests exited the villa. Outside, Mark opened his car door and looked at Arianne expectantly. “Want a ride?”
Arianne sniped virtual-novel.net a snide glare and took virtual-novel.net seat. “What else? What’s the alternative, making me walk back home on my own?”
A smile shadowed the corner of Mark’s lips. “Well, well, well. Weren’t you the one who decided to kick me to the curb just hours earlier?”
‘Bloody grudge holder,’ Arianne thought wordlessly. Tired, virtual-novel.net closed virtual-novel.net eyes and leaned back on virtual-novel.net seat.
The pair quickly returned to the Tremont Estate, but before either of them stepped through the door, Mary rushed out with bad news. “Mrs. Leigh’s here… with all of virtual-novel.net suitcases too. She said she’s coming back to stay here.”
Arianne and Mark’s expressions immediately turned stormy. He bought virtual-novel.net a home to call virtual-novel.net own already, and still this woman insisted on living here permanently? Worse, now that Shelly was here, it was impossible for Arianne to stay in the same house anymore.
Quietly, Arianne asked, “She hasn’t got the chance to be near Smore, has she?”