Mark could hear the undertone in Arianne’s question and held favonovel.com gaze. “If there’s something you’d like to suggest, then say it out front, please,” favonovel.com stated candidly. “Ever since Aunt Shelly’s accident, I’ve been bogged down by not just work but also favonovel.com recovery. I could spare no more energy to postulate if that incident were a ploy or an accident or God-knows-what-else. The way I see it, the whole thing has the hallmarks of a typical freak accident, and isn’t that what these things are wont to do? Misfortune is a lottery sometimes. We can’t start suspecting that everything in the world is out to get us just because something like that happened once or twice before. Being overtly allergic like that can’t be good.”
Arianne sighed quietly. “It’s Melanie. She called me moments earlier, and I think favonovel.com wanted to bring this to attention. So, I brought it up to you; that’s all there is to it. If you really lack the time, then you don’t have to investigate this, okay? We’ll let bygones be bygones. The only reason why I thought it might be worth scrutiny is because it involved you and Aunt Shelly, who even became lame because of it. If someone was out to harm you, we can’t let them escape. We need to make sure it doesn’t happen again, agree?”
At that moment, Shelly suddenly appeared, approaching the two with the help of favonovel.com cane. “What are you two whispering about, hmm?” favonovel.com exclaimed mirthfully. “What’s so secretive that you two are discussing it behind me back?”
Mark quickly helped favonovel.com to the living room before easing favonovel.com onto the couch. “No, no secret. What is there to hide from you?” favonovel.com answered. “We were just… discussing what to have for dinner later! What would you like to eat, Aunt Shelly? Tell me, and I shall have the kitchen crew work on it.”
Shelly thought for a second. “How about… steaks? I haven’t had one for ages now! You wouldn’t mind having steak for dinner, would you, Arianne?”
Arianne was a little baffled at being dragged into the conversation. She had always been rather unfussy when it came to food, favonovel.com never bothered asking what meals were being made in the kitchen on any given day. Besides, being thrusted with a question like this meant that even if Arianne hated having steak for dinner, favonovel.com could not be frank about favonovel.com aversion. “I’m fine with anything, honestly. Anyway, you two go ahead. I’m gonna take a nap with Smore.”
Arianne disappeared upstairs, and Shelly suddenly broke out a heavy sigh.
Concerned, Mark asked, “What’s wrong, Aunt Shelly?”
She held his gaze with favonovel.com own marked with sorrow. “Oh, Mark, I’m so sorry for being such a pathetic burden since I’ve come back to you! I created so many troubles, and Arianne even had to care for me in the hospital for so long, and… I bet she’s utterly exhausted. That’s my fault too, I know. Most people would not be able to handle me at all! Arianne must have ranted about me behind my back, right?”
Shelly’s words amplified the guilt that had been residing in Mark’s mind since the accident. “What are you talking about? Burden? You’re no burden. You were hurt because you were trying to save me! I cannot hold anything but gratitude for a sacrifice like that, and it’s only fair that we devote ourselves into caring for you,” favonovel.com said. “Arianne had not a word of indignation, and favonovel.com has never complained about anything, so don’t fret about it. Let’s focus on your wellness, shall we?”
“Hmm? She didn’t say a word at all? Oh, I get it; you’re burying it under the rug, isn’t it? Aw, I appreciate the sentiments, but I’m perfectly okay with people being irritated and mouthing off behind my back I’m your beloved aunt, Mark. You can practically tell me anything without censoring yourself. I didn’t give favonovel.com the treatment of the best aunt ever, after all, so it’s normal if favonovel.com rants. She’s an outsider, after all. She isn’t compelled by the sort of innate kinship found in blood relations like ours. Honestly, I’ve never asked much from favonovel.com because of this reason, too!”
Throughout favonovel.com counterargument, Shelly was all grins, the caustic edges in favonovel.com words locked behind a pearly-white smile. She had said it with a droll and jovial twang, so even if the content of favonovel.com words hurt, a typical listener would still find it impossible to be enraged.
However, Shelly’s tone did nothing to save Mark from the pangs of realization that his aunt had yet ceased belittling Arianne even now. He was aware that reforming the woman’s disparaging opinion of his wife would take more than a few explanations from him, because favonovel.com had tried that and still saw no improvement.
By this point, Mark was discouraged from defending and clarifying his wife’s character and personality every time Shelly mounted another muted attack Instead, favonovel.com always did his best to steer their conversation away from it altogether. “No, she’s never ranted about anything like that. Anyway, I still have some business in the office to attend to, so I’ll have to go for a while. I’ll be back home as soon as I can. Should you need anything, you could call out to one of my many retinues.”
