Chapter: 751
It was clear to her that Darian and Jasper were blind to this fact.
Otherwise, they would have been suspicious of the body’s identity and would not have flaunted their joy
in front of her.
Furthermore, the timeline Darian had constructed of the event seemed faulty to her. He said the tragic
accident happened two days ago, early in the morning. But Theodore was right next to her, sound
asleep at that time.
It appeared that neither Darian nor Jasper knew about Theodore’s secret trip to the town.
A phrase, echoing in Ariana’s mind like a cryptic mantra, was Theodore’s consistent “wait a little
Longer.”
He spoke these words as if they were a promise of an approaching resolution. Had this been the end
he had hinted at? Now, looking back, she realized these words were seeds of something bigger;
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtTheodore was orchestrating a plan.
He had certainly staged his own death, but Ariana was left grappling with the question of why, still
uncertain of the grand scheme he had plotted.
Ariana was in the dark about who was in on Theodore’s secret plan and who was clueless; she didn’t
even know if she could trust Horace.
This uncertainty stoked a fire of anger within her.
Theodore’s cavalier attitude, not caring whether or not she bought into his staged death, irked her.
Even if she wanted to disassociate herself from his ploy, she was too entwined to do so. Theodore had
left her in the lurch, clueless! Was he confident in her resilience, or did he doubt her ability to play along
convincingly?
With a huff, Ariana pushed the bowl of chicken soup away and absent-mindedly massaged her belly.
The identities of Theodore’s cohorts remained a mystery, and she couldn’t afford to gamble with trust.
She had to put on a mask of devastation and heartbreak.
Her gaze fell on the abandoned chicken soup; she felt a tinge of reluctance to waste it. But someone
grieving couldn’t be seen enjoying a hearty meal. If she had to play a part, she would have to go all in.
A wave of indignation and helplessness washed over Ariana as she thought of Theodore’s audacity.
His plan probably didn’t account for their unplanned rendezvous in town.
She was now a wild card that could potentially expose his charade. Yet, he had plowed on with his
plan, leaving her none the wiser.
Did he not worry that she might impulsively spill the beans upon realizing the truth? That she might
proclaim to all that the body in the morgue wasn’t his?
Did he trust her to keep her emotions in check, or did he trust her ability to feign despair?
Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps broke her train of thought. In an instant, Ariana painted
herself into a picture of despair, lying down wordlessly, her gaze lost in the distance beyond the
window.
Ariana realized she couldn’t let her guard down, unsure if any of Theodore’s foes were watching her
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmunder the radar. Whenever others were around, she had to put on a convincing act.
A nurse walked in, gave Ariana a once-over, and then left the room.
Ariana exhaled in relief, although she stayed alert. The entire day passed in a haze of worry for
Theodore, leaving Ariana tense and restless. It was hard to catch a wink of sleep, which only added to
her frazzled appearance.
Ariana mulled over her next steps. The hospital was a busy place, and security was Lacking. Perhaps
discharging herself was the smarter move.
Just as she was toying with this idea, her phone began to ring. In her surprise, she answered it without
thinking, only to be met with Donna’s furious rant.
“Ariana Edwards! Where on earth have you disappeared to? It’s audacious of you to ditch work without
even taking a leave of absence! Get back to the office immediately!”
Donna’s furious roar echoed through the phone, causing Ariana‘’s brows to slightly furrow, and she
swiftly ended the call.