Chapter 420


    Chapter 420


    “Thanks, they seem to really take a shine to you,” I said, feeling a tad awkward.


    From the corner, Ariana piped up again, “Yeah, Mr. Whitmore seems to be a real hit with kids. My son


    adores him too, even though they’ve only met a couple of times. He’s always going on


    about Mr. Whitmore.”


    As Ariana said that, she shot Neil a soft, almost coquettish nce.


    Why did it feel like she looked at every man that way? Gentle yet tantalizing, but certainly not the case


    when she looked at Ste and me.


    Yet Neil’s reaction was different from Mitch’s. He seemed not to hear Ariana’s praise, just turned and


    walked back into the living room.


    Ariana looked even more ufortable.


    I had just scolded her, and then she was being ignored by Neil. Talk about losing dignity.


    I didn’t bother with her. I just scooped up Serena and Brandon and carried them to the bedroom for


    some sleep.


    Ariana left tactfully, probably off to actually find the restroom she’d been searching for.


    I closed the door softly.


    Ste’s child gradually fell asleep. Once she had settled her child, she suddenly said, “Rena, I’m


    thinking about getting a divorce.”


    “What?” Her words took me aback.


    Sure, Mitch might have had some issues, but it surely hadn’t gotten to the point of divorce.


    “I said I want a divorce. I can’t stand this situation any longer,” Ste said, looking at the sleeping


    children. Her face reflected a mix of reluctance and determination. “You see me happy and content, but


    this suspicious and oppressive state has been going on for a while now. I’m mentally exhausted. It’s too


    much.”


    As Ste spoke, her voice choked up, and my heart ached.


    The more straightforward a person is, the less likely others are to notice their inner turmoil.


    Ste had not mentioned her struggles to our close friends, probably not wanting to worry us.


    But at that point, she must have reached her breaking point to disclose that finally,


    She had only been specting before, hearing Ariana’s name from Mitch’s mouth. Having witnessed it


    today, she felt she couldn’t bear it.


    Even though Mitch and Ariana hadn’t done anything inappropriate, it was hard to eradicate the seeds of


    doubt once they took root in her mind.


    “Ste, are you sure there’s actual inappropriate behavior between Mitch and Ariana?” I asked.”


    “No, but I can’t stand it. Not even a hint of flirtation. It disgusts me,” Ste said, her voice filled with


    bitterness.


    She had always been a person who couldn’t tolerate even the smallest bit of dissatisfaction, let alone


    when it came to her husband.


    As an outsider, I was naturally furious at Mitch for hurting Ste. But in the absence of any actual


    wrongdoing, I couldn’t rashly encourage Ste to divorce. That would have been too impulsive.


    Moreover, they had three children.


    “Ste, calm down. Let’s figure everything out before making a decision. Don’t say things you might


    regret in e heat of the moment,” I tried to soothe Ste.


    “I’m not being impulsive. I’ve thought about this many times, especially when I saw their chat records, I


    t betrayed, even though they never used any flirtatious words. I just couldn’t ept it mentally,” Ste


    sobbed. She used to take love lightly, but now she was very dedicated and deeply in love with Mitch.


    I handed her a tissue,forting her softly, “All right, if he really did something wrong, then get a


    divorce. I’ve been through it too. It’s not a big deal. Besides, we can surely afford to raise


    the children.”


    “Okay,” Ste said, her eyes brimming with tears.


    I couldn’t help but hug her, patting her head gently.


    She had always been loyal when it came to her friends’ matters but tended to tough it out when it came


    to her own. If I had argued against her getting a divorce, she probably wouldn’t have slept a wink that


    night.


    Someone knocked on the door, and then Mitch’s voice floated through, “Honey, do you want toe


    out and eat something?”


    “I’m not hungry. Rena, you go eat. It’d be a shame toe all this way and leave on an empty


    stomach,” Ste said to me. She didn’t want to see Mitch at the moment.


    “All right, I’ll bring you somethingter so you don’t have to see anyone who might spoil your appetite,”


    I replied.


    Ste just nodded.


    When I stepped outside, Mitch looked anxious as I closed the door.


    “Where’s my wife?”


    “Do you even remember she’s your wife?” I was fuming.


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    What in the world was going on? Mitch used to be decent. How did he end up like that over a woman


    like Ariana, who was much older, a divorcee with a kid, and causing problems with Ste?


    “Of course I do. I’ve never forgotten,” Mitch said, purposely loud enough for Ste to hear, indirectly


    stating that his heart hadn’t changed.


    But at that time, Ste needed more than a simple sentence to be pacified.


    I rolled my eyes at Mitch and headed directly into the living room.


    Neil was engrossed in a card game with Ariana and the other person.


    I didn’t know whose idea it was, but Neil usually wasn’t into those games. I’d only seen him y a few


    times with Mitch.


    “Sorry, Mr. Whitmore, I’ve got you beat!” Ariana flipped her card with a triumphant smile. “Pay up.”


    She then pulled out her phone. “Mr. Whitmore, let’s just add each other’s contact for easier transfers.


    Besides, it’ll make work-rtedmunication easier.”


    I sat quietly on the couch. My intuition told me that Ariana was a cunning woman, and her sights were


    set on more than just Mitch. Neil was likely another target.


    If


    f Neil added Ariana, it would have probably been Karina’s turn to worry next.


    “You’re on Mitch’s team. Any issues you have should bemunicated directly to him. There’s no


    need to bypass the chain ofmand,” Neil’s thin lips barely moved, his tone as cold as a gust of


    winter wind. It was hard to tell where it came from, but it had the ability to seep into one’s skin, making


    one shiver.


    Ariana was taken aback, her smile faltering just a tad.


    I couldn’t help but let out a snort ofughter. Was that not a ssic case of a gold-digger’s n going


    awry?


    I had to admit that Neil was quite sharp when he put his mind to it, hitting the nail right on the head. But


    the person who should be pleased about that wasn’t me; it was Karina.


    You’re right. Mr. Whitmore is a man of high stature. I, a mere minion, certainly shouldn’t bother him


    unnecessarily,” Ariana’s self-deprecating humor was spot-on and quite natural.