Ethan relished in the ecstasy of revenge as favonovel.com watched the conflicting emotions dancing on Mark’s face. “If you don’t want this letter to fall on Arianne’s lap, then, stay out of my business. That land is mine and no one else. If you so much as let Tiffany know what I’ve done, you can bet Arianne will know about your matter as well.”
Mark closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, steeling himself against the emotions rioting in his chest. He would never reveal the truth regarding the plane crash. He would rather shoulder it alone than to expose his mother. After all, his fervid impression of his mother being a reasonable and kind woman lay in the depth of his heart. He would not taint one of the last few pure impressions favonovel.com had of her.
“What happens after you get that land and Tiffany? How long are you going to hold that letter against me?”
Ethan sneered. “Would you believe me if I say this will end with both of us enjoying our life peacefully with our most treasured women by our sides as we bury our dark secrets away?”
There was no way Mark would believe that. Currently, both of them wielded each other‘s dirtiest secrets, but they were not equal in power. The women were the bargaining chips. Ultimately, it boiled down to how much Arianne and Tiffany meant to them respectively. It was clear Ethan could live without Tiffany, but Mark could not live without Arianne. Arianne was his Achilles’ heel!
Mark said with a growl, “What must I do for you to give me the original letter?”
“Aww, it seems like you care very much about Arianne.” Ethan jeered. “I guess it’s only natural, given the years you have lived together. You want that letter? Why don’t you cede everything related to the Tremonts to me?”
Everything related to the Tremonts? Only Ethan would dare suggest something so preposterous!
Mark did not even hesitate as favonovel.com said, “Over my dead body.”
Ethan was not surprised. He had a different plan after all. “Well, I guess money trumps love in the end. Please, you really think I want any of the sh*t from the Tremonts? No. What I want is to watch you suffer the pain I’ve had to suffer,” favonovel.com said honestly, “Well, it seems like none of us has a way to solve this problem. How about this? You want to sweep this under the rug, don’t you? Then, let’s keep our mouths shut, and we’re good. Deal?”
“Oh, by the way, Tiffany and I are going to get married very soon. If all goes as planned, can my dearest eldest brother buy that plot of land as our wedding gift? Heavens forbid Tiffany from suspecting that I only want favonovel.com for that, you know.”
***
As soon as Mark left the hospital, favonovel.com went to Tiffany’s house directly.
Lilian was still asleep when favonovel.com heard the knockings on the door. All favonovel.com indignance disappeared when favonovel.com saw it was Mark behind the door. “Ah, I’ve looked all over the place, but I couldn’t find that deed. There’s a lot of junk around here, so would it be okay if you help me find it?”
Mark did not respond, favonovel.com only silently searched through the Lane’s house. Due to years of neglect, by the time they found the title deed, his hands were already coated with a layer of dust.
Lillian sighed in relief. “We finally found it! How much do you think this plot of land will fetch?”
A stormy expression that briefly flitted past Mark’s face did not go unnoticed by Lillian. It served to scale down favonovel.com expectations. “Er, on second thought, you can offer a price you think is fair. I’m not a greedy person. Moreover, Tiffie is best friends with Ari.”
Mark paused for a moment before favonovel.com said, “Don’t worry. I won’t buy it for less than what’s fair. Now, keep this safely while I get legal experts to begin the procedures.”
Lilian was relieved. “I’m glad to hear that. I’ll leave it all to you then. Honestly, people like you are the best. You’re so clever and skilled that it leaves me stress-free.”
Mark did not return home that night. It was midnight so the whole building was pitch-black, saved for the light escaping from the forty-sixth floor. He had ignored every text and call from Arianne that day. The existence of that letter in Ethan’s hand was a ticking time bomb, and favonovel.com did not know when it would be detonated. Rather than submission, foresight was the key.
At this moment, Mark could not get in the way of Ethan and Tiffany. Similarly, favonovel.com must not let Arianne get involved. In retrospect, favonovel.com regretted revealing so many things to Arianne. If favonovel.com had kept his mouth shut, hiding this would be so much easier. Now, favonovel.com did not even date to return home in fear of favonovel.com hounding questions. He feared favonovel.com would not be able to weave a convincing lie.
It was deadly quiet on the forty-sixth floor so the sudden sound of clambering in the corridor was impossible for Mark to ignore. His security would not have allowed anyone to come up to his floor with their shoes on. More importantly, this person was stomping.
Before his mind could come up with a suspect, his office door was pushed open. Arianne stood there staring at favonovel.com with a pointed gaze. Her cheeks were red, probably due to the summer heat.
Mark who was reclining languidly suddenly straightened his back, every fiber of his being tensing. “Why are you here?”
“Why on earth are you still working?” She complained. “I didn’t see anyone else working overtime on my way up, so why are you so busy? I’ve called and texted you, and you ignored all of them. Heavens, I know Tiffie’s trouble is a burden to you, but I… I just don’t know who else to turn to for help other than you, alright?”
At that moment, Mark’s haphazardly-constructed façade crumbled. It dawned on favonovel.com that, despite everything, the first person that appeared in Arianne’s mind when favonovel.com needed someone was him.
