Ariana's soft-spoken words made Gerald furrow his brow. "Can you imagine how clever that kid was to give us nicknames?" Ariana sighed. "Then I started hanging out with Jody, and our nickname changed to 'the outcast trio.' At first, I didn't understand the meaning behind it all until I found out shortly after Tanisha's mother died, that chatty kid disappeared. I regret Tanisha's departure. Because by then, I already loved her. Honestly, I loved her more than I loved Karenina. There was something fragile and cheerful about Tanisha that made me adore her so much. Yes, I only understood it when I became an adult," Ariana continued. "I survived my school days by ignoring Lunara's mockery and her friends. You know? After Tanisha vanished, she turned into a queen." Ariana smirked. "Then years passed, and we were reunited in high school. An unpleasant surprise," she admitted. "And I disliked her even more. Even though I tried to avoid her, somehow, she always managed to find me," Ariana rol

"However, Caitlyn is already married to Brooks. And that indirectly makes Ariana Brooks' stepdaughter. As a good child, she should be able to uphold the reputation of both her parents, whether biological or not," Mrs. Isidora answered coldly. "What's the point of me doing that?" Ariana interrupted when Gerald was about to answer her mother's question. "For fifteen years, they never acknowledged my existence. And as Gerald said, I never enjoyed a single penny of that man's wealth. No need to calculate his wealth. At least if he considered me his stepdaughter, he could visit me and show me the same love and care he gives to Karenina. But the reality? You might know better, considering you're close friends with Mrs. Caitlyn." "You still refer to your mother like that?" Mrs. Isidora scoffed sarcastically. Ariana raised her eyebrow. "Then what should I call her? I've forgotten that I even had a biological mother for the past fifteen years. Did she ever mention my name in your conversati

Gerald kept his promise. He only slept in Ariana's room for about an hour, and afterward, he appeared refreshed and ready to resume his activities. Ariana escorted Gerald to the front door, an unusual gesture for her, but she did it reluctantly due to Gerald's insistence. She could only comply, furrowing her brow in the process. Upon returning to the room, Ariana found Adel already there. The young adult, always teasing, looked at Ariana. "Aww, aren't you two just being romantic," the girl said. Ariana rolled her eyes. "If you want to be romantic, don't do it in public. Some people might get affected." Adel glanced at Amber, who responded with a dismissive gesture. "But, Mba Amber, where have you been all this time?" Adel asked curiously, not one to hold her tongue. Despite the displeased look on Amber's face, it seemed like Adel intentionally wanted to provoke Amber further. "Adel," Ariana warned. Adel turned and closed her mouth tightly. "Have the others arrived?" Ariana inquired,

Ariana tilted her head as Gerald lowered his and began to kiss her lips. At first, it was slow, just a small peck, a first taste before the kiss turned into a passionate exchange that involved a battle of tongues. Their hands didn't stop touching each other. Ariana couldn't stop touching Gerald's skin, and vice versa. When they were completely undressed, Ariana wrapped her arms around Gerald's neck and her legs around his waist. They continued kissing as Gerald guided their bodies onto the bed. He laid Ariana down slowly, starting to explore her body with his lips. Kisses and sucks in places that made Ariana moan, groan, and writhe. Until Ariana couldn't hold back her desire anymore. She turned, pulling Gerald's body and flipping him onto the bed. Then, she climbed on top of him and began to unite their bodies. Time passed incredibly slowly in Ariana's room. The smell of sweat. The sound of their heavy breathing. Moans and even cries they couldn't suppress. Because Gerald knew, alt

Their conversation in the car was the last discussion they had that day. After that, Gerald was occupied with his work. Although he was filled with questions about where Ariana went and who she met, he couldn't possibly realize what was on Ariana's mind by asking her mother's assistant. He had to remember that Ariana wanted their relationship to be truly based on trust. Luckily for Gerald, he had to focus his mind on his work and endless meetings. At nine o'clock, Gerald decided to end his work. He drove to the restaurant in his private car, hoping that Ariana's mood had improved. He was quite surprised when he didn't find Ariana in the restaurant's kitchen as usual. "Where is she?" he asked one of the staff members, whose name Gerald didn't even know. "Ariana is upstairs," the employee replied nervously. Gerald just nodded and then walked past the cashier's table, not intending to greet anyone, and quickly moved towards the stairs that would take him to Ariana's room. Gerald suspec