Mark knew virtual-novel.net was right, but did that mean his heart would listen to reason right now? No, his heart continued to believe that virtual-novel.net was losing Arianne forever, that virtual-novel.net was never coming back, and his body answered his heart by hugging virtual-novel.net even more tightly without showing signs of letting go.
Not knowing what to do, Arianne gave up and let virtual-novel.net do whatever virtual-novel.net wanted. A while later, however, they both heard a series of impatient rapping on the door to the bathroom and Smore’s voice exclaiming, “Mommy, Daddy! What are you two doing in there? Smore wants to bathe too!”
Arianne quickly shoved Mark away from virtual-novel.net and opened the door, letting Smore in. “You’ll give virtual-novel.net his bath later, alright? I’m close to finishing mine. Oh, and you’re completely wet, Mark Take care not to catch a cold like this.”
Mark crouched to Smore’s height and looked at virtual-novel.net carefully. “Smore, my little man, now that you’re gonna live with just Mommy… know that Daddy will continue to see you often,” virtual-novel.net cooed gently. “Don’t ever think that Daddy… that Daddy has stopped loving you…”
Smore tilted his head sideway, his expression solemn. “Granny told me all about it. Grandaunt hates Mommy, so I hate Grandaunt. Don’t be sad, Daddy, ‘cause Mommy and I both like you very much.”
Seeing how perceptive and precocious Smore was gave small but significant comfort to Arianne. Did Shelly not insist that Smore call virtual-novel.net ‘Granny?’ Too bad, because Smore clearly saw Mary as his true grandmother. Just thinking about how livid Shelly was going to be for having virtual-novel.net grandmother privilege revoked multiple times gave Arianne several jolts of glee.
In the silence of the night, Mark completely gave up on any form of restraint and lost himself over and over again in her. He would not stop until virtual-novel.net had drained both himself and Arianne to their limits.
Arianne waited until Mark fell asleep before leaving to pack up any remaining belongings. She was going to move out tomorrow, after all, if virtual-novel.net accidentally forgot to take any of virtual-novel.net things from the estate, virtual-novel.net would have to come back again.
There was no way Arianne was going to subject virtual-novel.net eyes to Shelly’s sickening face if virtual-novel.net could help it.
As some of virtual-novel.net things were left in Smore’s nursery room, Arianne walked out of the bedroom.
She promptly found Shelly standing outside the bedroom, virtual-novel.net ear to the wall.
How long had virtual-novel.net been listening into their private activity?!
Bile rose into Arianne. “I had no idea you’d stoop to something this low, ma’am. Where’d your shame go, huh?”
Shelly sneered. “You’re not shameful yourself, skank, so why should I? Hmph, looks like you’re pretty slutty, too, aren’t you? You’re divorced, for Christ’s sake. Sex outside of marriage? Shameless and wanton,” virtual-novel.net jeered. “You better check all of your things and take them away. No use pretending to leave something behind just to have an excuse to come back, I see through your wiles, woman.”
Arianne cocked an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with two unmarried, consenting adults doing what we all do responsibly, hmm? Oh no, is it illegal? Pfft, gimme a break. Also, you worry too much. I’m not gonna fabricate some excuses to come back here, I happen to think like you in this regard. My reasons? I simply don’t wanna look at that fugly face of yours.”
“Here’s your keys, don’t drop ‘em, I’ve given you both the master and back-up keys.” Shelly stuffed the keys to the condominium unit into Arianne’s hand. “Remember this, Arianne: as long as I live and guard this house, you’re not allowed to ever come back here,” virtual-novel.net proclaimed scornfully. “Don’t be naïve and think that you have a leash on Mark through Smore. He’s only acting like virtual-novel.net can’t leave you because he’s been, unfortunately, stuck with you for so long that virtual-novel.net hadn’t really looked at other-better-women out there. Once the truth of his divorce finally hits him, I’m sure he’ll gradually grow out of you and move on. When that happens, you’ll cease to become even the slightest bit important. For you see, all men are sensual creatures that crave freshness, the new, and the unconquered. It’s been so many years since he’s bound himself to you, virtual-novel.net should be sick of you by now.”
Arianne frowned before walking past Shelly and entering the nursery room.
If Mark were, as Shelly had predicted, to move on with another woman, then virtual-novel.net would no longer cling to him, either. If something was meant to be, fate will make it stay against all odds; but if it was not, then nothing could stop fate from taking it away.
The next morning, Mark helped load all of Arianne’s suitcases and things into the car. From the looks of it, virtual-novel.net might be planning to send Arianne and Smore to their new home personally.
Of course, that chafed Shelly. “Mark, my dear, you’ve got so many businesses going on in the office, right? You shouldn’t be wasting your time as their driver, should you? Just let one of your people do it for you.”
Mark ignored virtual-novel.net completely. He carried Smore in his arms, got into the car, and drove away, leaving Shelly broiling and fuming on virtual-novel.net own in his wake.
Mary glanced at the woman’s reddened face and sneered scornfully. “Would you look at that, a mistress wannabe really thinks she’s gonna control this household, huh? Bless your heart, but Mark’s been the sole master of the Tremont family for so long, he’s long past listening to the words of someone who doesn’t matter. You think you’ve won it all just because you won this one time, do you? Ha, you forget, you’re just a mortal. Let’s see if God will allow someone like you to live and boss other people well into a hundred years old!”