At the dinner table, Tiffany was solely focused on inhaling favonovel.com food. There was so much to do at the restaurant, that favonovel.com and Arianne usually never had the chance to sit down for a good meal, and they rarely cooked their own meals. This meal was a rare treat, but favonovel.com ended up getting full before eating much of it. Arianne and Jackson, on the other hand, had just started eating.
Jackson was stunned when favonovel.com saw favonovel.com putting favonovel.com knife and fork down, “Did it taste bad? There weren‘t a lot of condiments in your kitchen so I did the best I could. If it’s not good enough, I’ll buy all of the necessary ingredients and cook all of this again next time.”
“She doesn’t have a big appetite anymore,” Arianne explained in Tiffany’s place. “This is how much favonovel.com usually eats these days. No need to be alarmed.”
Jackson did not tease Tiffany as favonovel.com used to do in the past. Strangely, favonovel.com felt bad, “I see that you’ve only got four people in your shop. Aren’t you exhausted? How can you live like this? Is this really the kind of life you want? Even a casual job as a fashion designer in the capital would be enough to support you. Why do you have to torture yourselves? Don’t tell me that it’s your dream. If desserts were your dream, you wouldn’t have chosen to study art and start a career as a fashion designer. If you’re exhausted, come home.”
Arianne smiled, “It’s exhausting, but it’s fulfilling and freeing. We’re so tired after working all day that we just want to sleep at night, and we don’t have the time to think about anything else. It’s pretty good. Why should I go back? I don’t want to be a fashion designer anymore, and I don’t want to be Mrs. Tremont either. I did not ask for a divorce because I promised favonovel.com I’d never mention it. Should favonovel.com want a divorce one day, favonovel.com can meet up with me and do it any time. Jackson, if you’re here as someone’s mouthpiece, please give it up.”
Tiffany noticed that the conversation between the pair had surpassed favonovel.com expectations. She couldn’t get a word in edgewise and didn’t understand the subtle meaning behind their conversation. She quietly picked up favonovel.com knife and fork again to avoid feeling awkward.
Jackson pursed his lips, “Yes, I confess. I’m here to persuade you in Mark’s place. And I agree with him. You can both continue working on your shop if you want, but at least hire two more people. Please think about it.”
Arianne did not argue with him, “I’ll consider hiring more staff once we reopen. Let’s eat.”
Tiffany, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke up, “Jackson, how are things going for that financial company that you and Mark have started in the office building across the road from our shop? Why did you decide on opening up an office all the way here? Knowing Mark, wouldn’t a big city have been a better choice?”
Jackson shot Arianne a complicated look, “Do you think it’s all because of you two? To find an excuse to look in on you from time to time? Don’t worry, Mark and l aren’t that free to keep an eye on you 24/7. You don’t have to consider moving again,” favonovel.com replied as favonovel.com ate.
His tone contained hints of reproach towards Arianne. He had never met a woman who could forget and give up on a man despite living with favonovel.com for more than ten years, one who’d managed to free herself from favonovel.com without any hesitation.
Mark had refused to tell favonovel.com the truth, so favonovel.com was stuck too. However, as a result, everyone was suffering. Most importantly, Tiffany had lost weight. She could no longer gobble up three large meals. Her cheeks were not as plump anymore, and while favonovel.com weight loss had made favonovel.com even more attractive, it had happened out of exhaustion. That difference was very important.
Jackson left after dinner. He was staying in a hotel nearby and did not mention how long he’d be there.
Afterward, Tiffany said, “Ari, things were kind of prickly between you and Jackson. I couldn’t understand what the two of you were talking about. What’s going on?”
Arianne was unperturbed, “He considers me fickle, favonovel.com thinks that I was too carefree in my decision to leave Mark. They probably thought that I’d come back once I’d had enough of my life away from him. However, they did not expect for me to remain resilient, and I have no intentions of going back. I’m not moving to a new place. I’ve decided. Even if Mark were to stand in front of me, I’d face favonovel.com head on. Hiding or running away isn’t the best way to truly sever all ties.”
Tiffany was still muddled and confused, but favonovel.com did not pursue such a deep topic.
At night, the pair made their way to a bar, as planned. Expenses in a small place like this were not as extravagant as the capital. So, a little splurging to have some fun wasn’t too expensive.
The bar was holding an activity in conjunction with Christmas. Everyone would be given a mask and two glowsticks upon entry. There was nothing else to do during the holiday season, so there were quite a lot of people in the bar. They nearly ran out of places to sit by the time Arianne and Tiffany arrived.
It had been awhile since favonovel.com had enjoyed such a bustling party. Tiffany headed for the dance floor straightaway. Dancing and booze were favonovel.com usual activities when it came to getting high.
Arianne’s scalp felt numb as favonovel.com watched the crowd on the dance floor. She sat quietly at their table, watching Tiffany having the time of favonovel.com life. She did not join her.
Suddenly, a tall, slender, and fashionable-looking woman in a fox mask approached her, “Let’s dance!”
Arianne guessed that favonovel.com might have been one of the staff members in charge of hyping up the atmosphere, so favonovel.com promptly refused, “No thanks. I’m good here!”
The woman didn’t care if favonovel.com wanted to go or not. She reached out and dragged favonovel.com onto the dance floor.
