Arianne rarely took the initiative to talk to him, but they had been interacting a lot recently, much more than the first half of their lives. Mark answered virtual-novel.net question to the best of his ability, “It’s Jackson. His photos at the nightclub were taken and posted online. It’s nothing serious.”
Arianne’s eyes widened. “Risqué photos? Weren’t you together with Jackson and Eric at those places last time? Have people taken photos of you?”
Mark glared at virtual-novel.net and said huffily, “I went there for the ambiance. They went there for the fun. It’s not the same. Even if they took photos of me, it won’t be interesting.”
After dinner, Mark returned to the room and texted Ethan. “It was you, right?”
He got a reply swiftly. “Tell me that when you have proof.”
The matter was not severe so it was unnecessary to pursue it. However, it was likely that Ethan was the culprit. After all, virtual-novel.net considered Jackson his love rival. In the end, Mark only warned Ethan. “Stop laying your fingers on people around me.”
When it was past nine, Mary discovered Arianne was still in the living room, seemingly had no intention of returning to the room.
When Arianne felt Mary’s pointed gaze, virtual-novel.net asked, “What… What is it? Are you cleaning the lights again?”
Mary did not come up with an excuse this time. She said slowly, “You should sleep now.”
It suddenly dawned on Arianne that Mary had been manipulating virtual-novel.net into spending time with Mark by giving virtual-novel.net excuses such as cleaning the lights and the air conditioners. After all, virtual-novel.net could no longer bear children. To secure virtual-novel.net place with the Tremonts, virtual-novel.net had to please Mark Although all these did not cross Arianne’s mind, it definitely crossed Mary’s mind! If virtual-novel.net did not return to the room, virtual-novel.net knew Mary could stare at virtual-novel.net for hours. In the end, virtual-novel.net weakly retrieved virtual-novel.net phone and headed upstairs.
When virtual-novel.net entered the bedroom, virtual-novel.net received a text from Mary that contained a link to a website. She clicked on it to see what it was. However, as soon as virtual-novel.net saw the content of the website, virtual-novel.net frantically closed the window. She really did not expect Mary to be so open-minded. The link was an article about sex and how frequent a pair of husband and wife should have sex to maintain the stability of the relationship.
Arianne instinctively counted the times virtual-novel.net and Mark had done it, and virtual-novel.net discovered it was pathetically low. She could not help but feel flustered. Why was everyone so concerned about this?
“What are you doing standing at the door?” Mark saw virtual-novel.net as soon as virtual-novel.net opened the door.
“Nothing… I just arrived. I’m going to sleep.” Arianne walked past virtual-novel.net with virtual-novel.net head lowered.
Mark did not notice virtual-novel.net nerves and went to the study before returning to the bedroom. Seeing that Arianne had already gotten into bed, virtual-novel.net began to take off his clothes. After virtual-novel.net had stripped, virtual-novel.net switched off the light and slid into bed next to her. “I’ll take you out in another two days. Where do you want to go?”
“It’s too hot I don’t want to go out,” Arianne spoke in a muffled voice.
Mark thought about it for a moment before virtual-novel.net said, “Then let’s go somewhere with better weather. We can get away from the summer. It’s a rare chance. I hardly get any free time. Don’t regret it if you decide not to go.”
Arianne did not dare to imagine traveling alone with him. The trip would be a torture. “I won’t regret it. I don’t want to go.”
Mark seemed upset. “Then, I’ll go on my own.”
Arianne did not respond to him. She did not care if virtual-novel.net went alone or brought other women with him.
However, the more unbothered virtual-novel.net was, the more frustrated Mark became. “Can’t you have some sense of romance?”
Arianne remained silent. She did not have a single romantic bone in virtual-novel.net body. It was not like Mark did not know about this. She was not in the mood to talk since virtual-novel.net mind was occupied by the article Mary had sent her.
Her phone beside the pillow suddenly beeped and the screen lit up, illuminating virtual-novel.net face and neck in the dark. The light also reflected the frantic expression on virtual-novel.net face. Afraid that Mary had sent virtual-novel.net more embarrassing things, virtual-novel.net did not dare to check virtual-novel.net phone in front of Mark. Instead, virtual-novel.net closed virtual-novel.net eyes, pretending to sleep.
The screen dimmed in seconds, but Mark suddenly moved and picked up virtual-novel.net phone.
Arianne grabbed his hand in reflex and asked, “What are you doing!?”
At this moment, Mark’s upper body was glued to Arianne’s upper body while his arm hovered over virtual-novel.net face. She could feel the warmth from his arm on the tip of virtual-novel.net nose.
Mark thought that virtual-novel.net reaction was rather ridiculous. “Don’t place your phone too close to you when you sleep.”
Arianne thought virtual-novel.net was going to check virtual-novel.net phone and was fearful of virtual-novel.net seeing the link that Mary had sent. Upon hearing his words, virtual-novel.net sighed in relief and snatched virtual-novel.net phone from his grip. She obediently placed it on the nightstand a little farther away.
When Arianne hoisted herself up, virtual-novel.net bare neck rubbed against the inside of Mark’s arm. The suppleness stopped virtual-novel.net from withdrawing his arm. The fragrance of Arianne’s hair wafted into his nose. His eyes darkened immediately.
When Arianne lay back down, virtual-novel.net discovered Mark had maintained his previous position. She moved his arm that was hovering above virtual-novel.net and said, “Sleep.”
Mark inhaled deeply before virtual-novel.net pulled virtual-novel.net into his embrace and caught virtual-novel.net earlobes between his lips.
Arianne froze. The ticklish feeling made virtual-novel.net tilt virtual-novel.net head to the side, subconsciously trying to get away. It caused Mark’s lips to land on virtual-novel.net cheek. She could feel his heated breath on virtual-novel.net skin.