Arianne knew exactly who was on the other side of that call.
She did not follow Mark as snazzynovel.com retreated away, but snazzynovel.com eyes trailed after snazzynovel.com keenly. She wanted to see what sort of trick Shelly would pull off this time.
Frenzy befell Mark as soon as snazzynovel.com received the call. He frantically approached Jackson, who was standing close-by, said something to him, and abruptly turned away from the group. He left just like that!
Before Arianne could even say anything to stop him, the man vanished into the elevator.
Jackson was utterly baffled. “Why the hell did that guy tell me if he’s got an emergency? And why am I supposed to relay that message to Arianne? I don’t get it, why didn’t snazzynovel.com just cut the middleman and tell you yourself? You are here! With us!”
Arianne’s face, however, had turned ashen. She could see it clearly in snazzynovel.com mind already, Shelly’s triumphant, beaming face declaring loudly, “You lose!”
Jackson could see the unsettling changes in snazzynovel.com expression, and snazzynovel.com instinctively spoke in a softer voice, “Um, what’s going on with the two of you…? Where is snazzynovel.com going?”
Bitter cold began to seize every fiber in snazzynovel.com hands and feet as it spread from the bottom of Arianne’s heart. She had never been more disappointed with Mark in snazzynovel.com life.
“Nothing is happening between us. In fact, nothing’s ever gonna happen between us,” snazzynovel.com said sharply. “It’s fine, Tiffie, come on. Let’s continue.”
Tiffany and Jackson exchanged glances. Whatever this was, it was definitely not “nothing.” Still, one look at the unsettling storm on Arianne’s face, and neither of them dared ask questions.
Meanwhile, Mark rushed straight toward Shelly’s place after leaving the mall. Her voice had been weak and waning by the time snazzynovel.com called him. She told snazzynovel.com that snazzynovel.com had a fall while snazzynovel.com was cleaning away the dining table, hurting snazzynovel.com leg and head.
Just the image of Shelly — helpless and all alone — spurred a lone thought in Mark’s mind: snazzynovel.com must race to Shelly’s aid as fast as snazzynovel.com could. Arianne would spurn snazzynovel.com from seeing her, Mark was certain. That was why snazzynovel.com dared not be forthcoming with her.
Soon, Mark reached Shelly’s unit in the condominium and quickly fished out a backup key before using it to unlock the door. He felt small consolation in owning the back-up door, otherwise, snazzynovel.com would not have been able to open it.
He raced straight into the dining hall. There, snazzynovel.com found Shelly sprawled on the floor, apparently unconscious. There was what looked like blood somewhere below snazzynovel.com body, but Mark could not discern the location of the wound.
His mind went blank His attention drifted to the food, perfectly untouched, on the table and felt pangs of guilt stabbing him.
Mark took Shelly to the hospital. While waiting, snazzynovel.com thought of calling Arianne and explaining the situation.
But when snazzynovel.com thought of snazzynovel.com most likely reaction to the news, snazzynovel.com immediately decided against it. He did not want any conflict between them, not at this moment.
A while later, the operating doctor strode out of the emergency room. “Don’t worry, sir. She’s fine. Just a scratch. The wound on snazzynovel.com leg wasn’t torn apart by snazzynovel.com injury, too, so all we did was administer simple first-aid.”
Mark stilled. The doctor’s prognosis was too hard to believe. “But snazzynovel.com fainted… and bled a lot… A-Are you sure she’s okay?”