"Gerald..." Ariana unconsciously moaned the man's name. Gerald froze for a moment. He straightened up instantly. Looking at Ariana with propped up on both elbows without releasing his grip on Ariana's hands. Ariana's face had turned red, and the girl's breathing seemed labored. And Gerald knew why because he felt the same way. They both want each other. "Ariana..." Gerald repeated the girl's name hesitantly. But that what he saw on Ariana's face now made him step back. "Don't..." Ariana said softly. Her eyes turned red, and Gerald could see an unmistakable glint there. Ariana cried. And Gerald now really got up from his seat. He felt angry and humiliated at the same time. 'Does he look so disgusting in front of Ariana?' she asked herself. Gerald moved backward, although he did not leave the bed. And Ariana also sat on the bed. "I'm tired." Ariana spoke up. Gerald turned and saw Ariana like a child hugging her knees. Gerald tried to understand. He stared at the girl in silence.

With a quick motion, Gerald turned off the television and stood up from his seat. Now, Ariana could clearly observe the man. Gerald was still dressed in his work attire: a long-sleeved white shirt that he had folded up to his elbows and black trousers. His tie had been loosened, and the top two buttons of his shirt seemed deliberately undone. Normally, such a sight would remind Ariana of salesmen for household products who typically went door to door selling their goods. Or it would bring to mind new interns who could be seen in various stores and even some offices. You know, their typical new employee attire, black and white. However, for some reason, seeing Gerald dressed like that made him look even more charming to her. Ariana couldn't quite understand her own thought process. And the man's jacket hung on the single sofa not far from where Ariana stood. Seeing his personal belonging in her room, he acted as if the room belonged to Gerald alone. Normally, this should have made A

Ariana opened the door to the balcony, and instantly, the cool air rushed into the room, tousling her hair. The scent of damp earth wafted into her nose. Ariana stepped outside. The balcony was spacious, very spacious. Some parts of the floor were covered with wood, while others were covered with Japanese grass that tickled anyone who walked on it. A wooden swing was on one side of the high glass balcony railing. On one side of the balcony, there was a long chair that looked comfortable to sit on. In the middle, there was an empty area that seemed deliberately left unfurnished. "We can camp here," Gerald said casually. He was already sitting on the swing, cross-legged, his eyes fixed on Ariana. "You like camping, don't you?" he asked again. Ariana just turned towards him and shrugged. "Back then, you went with that jerk," she muttered. Ariana smiled. Was he jealous of Chris now? She wondered to herself. "Do you even have camping gear?" Ariana challenged. Gerald just shrugged. "If

Gerald rose from his seat, pushing the table aside that had been separating them and moving it to the farthest corner. He then slid his chair closer to Ariana. "I'm not someone who has to be served all the time, Ariana," Gerald began. "But I can't deny that gradually, I have become accustomed to all of this," he confessed. "Once, I was an independent man, just like you. I lived abroad relying on my own body and mind. Although I don't deny that financially I depended on my father, but when I was a teenager, I found my true identity. "I stood on my own feet. I started everything from scratch. I mingled with people whose situations were far below mine. "So don't think that I can't socialize with carpenters, gardeners, or even rickshaw drivers. I mingled with them much longer than I have with socialites these days. "You need to know, all the socializing with socialites, it's not something I genuinely desire. It's just a demand of the role I'm playing right now. "Socializing is essen

"Are we going to start everything anew?" Gerald returned to his initial question. They had finished the fried rice Ariana had made, and now they were watching a TV show that didn't fully capture their attention. "I don't know," Ariana replied softly. Gerald raised one of his legs onto the sofa. He deliberately turned his body toward Ariana. As he had done before, he played with a strand of Ariana's hair and tucked it behind her ear. "We can give it a try," Gerald made the decision for both of them. Ariana looked up at him, staring at him intensely. "We can give it a try," Gerald repeated with confidence. "Me, you, and Axel. We can be a simple little family. I won't ask much of you. I'll give you my loyalty, and that's all I ask for in return," Gerald requested. "I won't force you to cater to me as a 'husband' in the bedroom," he said jokingly. "I'll wait until you're ready to give yourself. Well, with a sprinkle of spice, as usual, seems fair enough," he continued, teasingly. Re