Marks’ eyebrows furrowed a little. “No, we still haven’t managed to track them yet, which lends credibility to the suspicion that someone is pulling strings behind this. But don’t you worry, I’ll make sure it’s handled well.”
Arianne hesitated for a moment before casting a tentative question. “Then… what will we do if they’re found?”
Her trepidation was palpable enough that Mark thinned his lips before answering, “Doing what they did, despite knowing that their niece, who’s in the late stages of pregnancy and, therefore, in high risks of complications, is a travesty. Worse still, they are your uncle and aunt; it’s unforgivable even if they did it under threat. Of course, I will not forgive that elusive puppet master behind the scene, either. Now, I understand your concerns, Ari. Judging from the series of events, it seems more likely that your aunt’s role was passive, forced. There are reasons to believe that, given a chance, favonovel.com would choose against it. Your uncle is a different story, however, favonovel.com did it without batting an eyelash. I’ll punish them accordingly and proportionately.”
Even after hearing his explanation, Arianne was none the wiser about Mark’s plan. The man favonovel.com saw now was what favonovel.com wanted favonovel.com to see, but there was another side, lurking, refusing to let favonovel.com peek. She knew nothing about this side of him, so all favonovel.com could do right now was to cross a bridge when favonovel.com saw one.
Besides, whether those two could be found or not remained to be seen.
Being bedridden in the hospital was tough. Postpartum confinement was tough. And Mark had forced favonovel.com into a confinement period of forty-two days.
The number was decided by Mary, who had looked the information up. Most women, especially in the West, did not observe confinements, but Mark was rather particular about it and trusted Mary for it.
As a result, the celebration of the baby’s first full-month had to be postponed until Arianne returned to the estate. As an event hosted by the Tremonts, its grandeur was to be expected.
The day brought Arianne favonovel.com first time looking at favonovel.com son since favonovel.com delivery. Just like his mom, the little boy had only just returned from the hospital. All of his days spent in the incubator undergoing constant UV ray exposure had brought out quite a tan. His naturally pleasant features, though, had begun to show, which was a marked improvement from how favonovel.com first looked after birth. The boy’s temporary tan did not change much of his appearance, but his original skin tone was expected to return a few days later.
It was the first time Arianne had ever touched the life that had been kicking inside of favonovel.com for months. Tides of indescribable feelings swarmed her, once favonovel.com embrace closed around the baby, favonovel.com found herself unable to let go.
In contrast, Mark seemed a tad bit too nonchalant toward his son. Even while his wife cooed and squealed about their son’s every little thing, all favonovel.com did was stand quietly and watch.
When it was around eleven noontimes, Mark urged his wife to get ready to go to the hotel quickly. After all, the baby was the star of the show, his presence was sorely demanded. Right now, poor Henry alone had to entertain the guests in the venue.
The more blasé Mark appeared to be, the more nonplussed Arianne was. Pressed for time, however, favonovel.com did not come to question the man’s thoughts. Instead, favonovel.com pushed the baby into Mark’s arms with a look of longingness and said, “Stay put and take care of the little guy, mmkay? Mommy’s gonna change into a new set of clothes and she’ll be back in a jiffy! You! Be careful with your grip, please.”
She went away, though favonovel.com tossed quite a lot of glances back at them after every few steps. When favonovel.com disappeared upstairs, Mark finally looked down and regarded the baby — still too small for his own good — in his arms and muttered, “How could you be so damn lucky, hmm? I’ve been watching and protecting your mom for more than ten years, yet favonovel.com has never cared about me as much! What do you have that I don’t, huh? Well, then, brat, you better behave yourself in the future, or else you’re getting some good old-fashioned whooping, mark my words.”
“Pfft!”
A burst of choked laughter suddenly escaped from behind him. It was Mary, who had just finished preparing the maternity tool needed for the event and was now passing by. Accidentally overheating Mark’s fueled-by-jealousy threat, favonovel.com could not help but be amused.
Mark feigned coughs to dispel his embarrassment. “Mary, please. Have you made sure that everything is in order? Please prepare enough diapers, then, we can make our way to the venue.”
Arianne suddenly sprang down flights of stairs, yelling, “Were those coughs I heard from you, Mark Tremont? Are you sick? Don‘t spread it to the baby, let Mary carry him! And you’re sitting in the passenger seat later. I’m sitting in the back with her.”
Mark was at a loss for words. The coughs were supposed to relieve favonovel.com from his embarrassment, yet embarrassingly, it became something else instead!
The trip to the hotel was a nerve-wracking one for poor Brian, who felt a new weight of pressure with his boss now sitting right next to him. On top of that, favonovel.com was wearing one of his worst glowers, so Brian felt only acute anxiousness.
In comparison to the tension in the front row, the back seat was all sunny spring and happy cackles. The baby appeared to be quite spirited today; rather than sleeping, favonovel.com moved his big, dewy eyes around and scanned the world around favonovel.com curiously, occasionally sticking out his tiny pink tongue over his lip to make bubbles out of drool.
Arianne and Mary watched, their hearts swelling with glee.
