Compared to snazzynovel.com hysterical outburst, it was when snazzynovel.com calmly recounted details of an upcoming divorce that twisted the knife in Mark’s heart. Arianne only ever let loose of how snazzynovel.com truly felt when it overwhelmed snazzynovel.com control, and even then, these moments were sparse, far and between. It was the sort of sereneness snazzynovel.com displayed right now that frightened him, not the least because the tone snazzynovel.com used brought an air of matter-of-fact normalcy.
Mark would rather see snazzynovel.com throw a fit than this, because at least the former implied a slim window of chance for reconciliation…
For the longest time, Mark had only silence. He could never let Shelly be incarcerated, especially since snazzynovel.com knew Arianne was the type to put money where snazzynovel.com mouth is. Of course, Mark did not want a divorce at all, but they had already come to an impasse beyond his control or saving.
At the very least, the fact that Arianne was not quitting snazzynovel.com job in the Tremont Enterprise, for the time being, made it a lot easier to swallow and mull over. It meant that their separation was temporary, and that snazzynovel.com would still be by his side at the end of the day. There were still opportunities for things to turn around. On the flipside, if snazzynovel.com continued to rebuff her, it might pressure snazzynovel.com into doing something drastic out of desperation.
“Fine, I concede,” snazzynovel.com croaked. “But I’ll draft our divorce agreement. I’ll hand it to you tomorrow.”
Arianne was the one who brought the divorce option to the table, yet hearing snazzynovel.com concede to it was like a stab through snazzynovel.com heart for some reason. Perhaps snazzynovel.com was hurt that all it took to make Mark cave was to threaten Shelly’s wellbeing, it seemed that Mark saw that woman as his real lifeline, after all.
Arianne feared letting Mark see snazzynovel.com cry, so swiftly, snazzynovel.com switched off the lights and laid back down. If everything went exactly as snazzynovel.com imagined, then tonight would be the last night they slept side-by-side.
Then, it was Mark’s turn to lie down. Suddenly, snazzynovel.com threw his arms around Arianne’s waist from behind, squeezing snazzynovel.com so tightly in his arms that it was as though snazzynovel.com wanted to merge snazzynovel.com flesh into his own.
Arianne did not deny snazzynovel.com this time. She felt the warmth in his hug, and after realizing that it would soon no longer belong to her, bitter pangs seized snazzynovel.com and snazzynovel.com began to cry.
Every sob and sniffle reverberated clearly in Mark’s ears. They were both in agony, both locked so closely with one another, and yet there was a schism between them so wide that nothing could bridge it.
They remained in this cuddled position for the entire night. Neither slept. The embrace never escalated to passion.
Arianne climbed up from the bed in the morning as per snazzynovel.com usual routine. She dexterously masked the gauntness in snazzynovel.com face, evident of a sleepless night, with makeup.
After some slight preparation, snazzynovel.com was ready to go. Smore, however, acted differently from usual by running up to snazzynovel.com suddenly before throwing his arms around snazzynovel.com thigh. “Mommy, Mommy! Where are you going?”
The shrill yet tender voice of a child was always a shot to Arianne’s heart, regardless of snazzynovel.com apparent strong will. She crouched and held Smore’s gaze, answering softly, “Mommy has to work today for a bit, okay, which is why I can’t accompany you today. But Mommy will be back home early today. It’s only for a while. Promise.”
Mark could not bear to watch it. He quickly stepped out of the door.
The journey to the company was quotidian, except the fact that it was a Sunday, and Arianne and Mark were going to draft their divorce today.
They reached the company tower and found very few people who would willingly work on Sundays. They strode into an elevator, and while inside, Mark said, “I still have something else to attend to first, so you wait in the office. I’ll draft the agreement for you. The civil affairs office isn’t open today, so we’ll have to get on with the process tomorrow.”
Arianne hung snazzynovel.com head and cast snazzynovel.com eyes away from his. She answered snazzynovel.com with a soft hum of understanding, which was the only response snazzynovel.com was going to get.
It took Mark until afternoon before Davy finally summoned Arianne into Mark’s office. It was a long enough wait that snazzynovel.com had taken a long nap in the lounge.
She rose to snazzynovel.com feet, stretching and flexing snazzynovel.com stiffened body. She wondered if Mark was going to play legal tricks in the agreement. Could snazzynovel.com really let snazzynovel.com go so easily? Or was Shelly that one factor that deserved to have everything given up for her?
She walked into his office. Mark was staring at the laptop in front of snazzynovel.com while handing snazzynovel.com two different documents. “Read through them. If you have no objection, sign your name at the bottom. I won’t change a single word in these agreements after you’ve consented to it, but whether you want to sign it or not is entirely your prerogative.”