Ariana buried herself in work, her hands moving quickly as she typed on her laptop, barely lifting her head. In contrast, Darin sat nearby, restless and bored, drumming her fingers on the desk.
"Come on, tell me," Darin urged, leaning closer. "What happened with your husband after you confronted him?"
Ariana sighed, pausing for a moment. "Nothing changed," she said flatly. "He came back late that night, as usual, cold and distant."
Darin rolled her eyes. "And what about hannah divorce?"
"She's just waiting for the paperwork to finalize," Ariana said, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Once it's done, she'll be free, just like he wanted her to be."
Darin tapped her chin thoughtfully, then hesitated before asking, "Okay, I have an embarrassing question."
Ariana raised a brow. "What is it?"
"It's been three years. How come you two never had a child?"
A flush of embarrassment crossed Ariana's face. "Nothing ever happened between us," she admitted quietly.
Darin's jaw dropped. "What?!" she exclaimed. "You're gorgeous, and he's… well, a man in every sense of the word. How could you live together and… nothing?"
Ariana's face reddened further. "It was my suggestion," she mumbled, looking away.
Darin gasped in disbelief. "You're insane! You're telling me you never tried to seduce him? Why didn't you make a move? There's no way he loves someone else!"
Ariana shrugged, trying to brush it off, but Darin wasn't convinced.
"I don't think he loves Hannah as much as he says," Darin declared firmly. "I think he's chasing the memory of an old love, something he feels he missed out on. Or maybe… maybe it's about his pride, proving himself after she left him."
Ariana didn't respond immediately. Deep down, she wasn't sure if Darin's words were comforting or just another weight added to the confusion she already felt.
Liam entered the room with his usual confident stride, interrupting their conversation with a slight smile.
"I'll cut in for a moment," he said. "I'm hosting a party tomorrow at my house to celebrate my older brother's thesis publication, and I'd like to invite you both."
Darin lit up immediately. "That sounds exciting!"
Then Liam turned to Ariana. "What about you, Ariana? Will your husband agree to you coming?"
Ariana hesitated briefly before replying, "I'll try to make it. He's traveling anyway."
She thought to herself, I don't even know when he'll be back.
After Liam left the room, Darin turned to her with a knowing grin. "Didn't I tell you he's interested in you?"
Ariana shook her head, brushing it off. "No, he's just being polite."
Darin rolled her eyes dramatically. "You're blind, Ariana. It's so obvious!"
After a long day at work, Ariana and Darin decided to take a break from their routine. Darin suggested, "How about we go to a nearby restaurant for a light meal? We need to change the atmosphere a bit."
Ariana agreed eagerly. When they arrived at the restaurant, they chose a table by the window overlooking the street and began to talk.
"You know," Ariana started slowly, her eyes distant, "I've been thinking about my school days today. I really miss those simple times… and I miss my dad so much. He was always my rock."
Darin gently placed her hand on Ariana's. "I know how much your dad meant to you. Losing him must've been incredibly hard."
Ariana nodded, letting out a soft sigh. "It was harder than I ever imagined. And things only got worse after I married Leonardo."
Darin turned to Ariana and asked, "So, tell me about your husband. What's he like?"
Ariana hesitated for a moment before answering, "Leonardo… he's a businessman. You might have heard of him—Leonardo Moretti."
Darin's eyes widened in recognition. "Leonardo Moretti? Of course, I know him! He's worked with my father on a few business deals. My dad always mentioned how sharp he is in negotiations."
Ariana gave a small, bitter smile. "Yeah, he's definitely sharp. That's part of what drew me to him initially. He always seemed so impressive, so put-together. But…" She trailed off, her expression darkening.
"But what?" Darin pressed gently.
"But things changed after we got married," Ariana said with a sigh. "He stopped seeing me as a person and more as someone who could fit neatly into his life—an accessory, really. And to make it worse, I overheard him telling his mistress that I was a materialistic woman. Can you believe that? After everything I sacrificed for him…"
Darin's brows furrowed in sympathy. "I'm so sorry, Ariana. I can't imagine how hurtful that must have been."
Ariana nodded, her tone resolute now. "It was, but it made me realize something. I need to take control of my life. I'm done being in the shadow of a man who doesn't respect me. I'm going to focus on my goals and build something for myself. And I'm going to divorce him. I won't let him or anyone else diminish me again."
Darin smiled, reaching across the table to squeeze Ariana's hand. "Good for you. You deserve so much better than this. And I'll be here for you, no matter what."
"Thank you," Ariana said with a soft smile. "It means a lot to know I have someone in my corner."