Chapter b14 /b

b“/bbYou /bbdon’t /bbknow/bb?/bb” /bBetty immediately caught bon/bb, /bher voice sharp with irritation. “I booked a two–day retreat at Quin’s Peak

for byou /band bJayson/b! When I asked him yesterday, he said he’d already given you the tickets.”

Ariel was stunned. Jayson hadn’t mentioned a word to her.

Clearlyb, /bhe had no intention of going on a trip with her and had simply told Betty what she wanted to hear.

b“/bGrandmab, /bI had somethinge up, bso-/bb” /b

“It’s the weekend! What could be so urgent? Don’t cover for that brat. Listen to me. Head over there now. bI’ve /balready made all

the arrangementsb. /bI’ll give him ba /bpush.”

Ariel tried to stop her. b“/bGrandma, actuallyb, /bJayson and I-b” /b

b“/bWhat about byou /btwo?” Betty’s tone softened again.

It was obvious that she had no idea that Ariel and Jayson were about to get divorced.

Jayson hadn’t informed his family yet?

Otherwise, why would Betty still be nning a couple’s getaway for them?

Ariel felt a headacheing on.

Betty had unstable blood pressure and a heart condition. Was Jayson waiting for the right moment to ease her into the truthb? /b

If that was the case, then spilling everything now might send Betty into a health crisis. Ariel didn’t want to be responsible for

that.

The divorce papers were already signed anyway. All that was left was making it official. There would be time for Betty bto /b

bept /bit.

After a moment of careful thought, Ariel said, “It’s nothingb, /bGrandma. I’ll go now. He already told me about it.”

bAs /blong as Betty was reassured, that was enough. She had no intention of actually going.

bBut /bBetty wasn’t giving her a choice. “I’ll arrange for a car to take you. The driver knows the way. Young couples need fresh bexperiences/b! Use this trip to rekindle byour /bbond. Maybe by the end of the year, I’ll have a chubby great–grandchild to bhold/bb!/bb” /b

Her voice was filled with hopeful anticipation.

bBetty /bbdidn’t /beven give Ariel a chance to refuse. She hung up and immediately started making arrangementsb. /b

Ariel rubbed her forehead, feeling a headacheing on.

She bknew /bbexactly /bwhat Betty bwas /bthinking.

bThree /bbyears /bof marriageb, /bband /bbanyone /bbcould /bsee that Ariel’s rtionship with Jayson had been lukewarm at bbest/b.

Especially bsince/bb, /bin ball /bthat timeb, /bthere had bbeen /bno children. bFor /btraditional eldersb, /bthat was hard to ept.

This was whyb, /bbfor /bthe bpast /bbthree /bbyears/b, Ariel had bused /bbthe /bexcuse bof /bbcarrying /bbon /bthe Larkin family line bto /bbsleep /bbwith /bbJayson /bduring her ovtion period every bmonth/b.

The rest bof /bbthe /btime, he had no binterest /bbin /btouching her.

Jayson was bin /bbexcellent /bhealth. During bthat /bone week each monthb, /bbtheir /broutine was bset/bb–/bbthree /btimes a night. bEvery /btimeb, /bbhe /bsted buntil /bbte /bbinto /bbthe /bbnight/bb. /b

She could barely keep up with that intensityb. /b

And yet, she had never conceived.

At first, she had thought it was due to an old injury bto /bher uterus that made pregnancy difficult. She had believed bthat/b, with

treatment, things would eventually work out.

But nowb, /bafter her endometrial cancer diagnosis, any hope she had waspletely crushed.

Betty worked quickly.

The driver contacted Ariel before long. She gave him a pickup location near a convenience storeb, /bcarefully avoiding revealing the fact that she and Jayson were already living apart.

She had no idea what Jayson’s ns were regarding their divorceb, /bso she decided to y it safe for bnow/b.

bOn /bthe ride there, Ariel didn’t bother informing Jayson.

She figured if he hadn’t told her about the trip, it meant he had no intention of spending it with her. He probably wasn’t beven /b

going.

So, she might as well go alone for a couple of days to appease Betty. Plus, it’d be a good chance to bunwind/bb. /b

Quin’s Peak had a high–altitude resort with cozy lodgings, a ski area, and breathtaking views of the sunrise over the

bmountains/b.

After checking in, Ariel pushed her suitcase toward her room, only to freeze at the sight ahead.

Jayson and Nancy had just returned from outside, walking side by side, chatting about somethingb. /bNancy’s eyes crinkled in

Ariel’s eyes flickered. This scene hit her like a p in the face.

Jayson’s gaze darkened slightly when he saw her, but his face remained emotionless.

Nancy, on the other hand, smiled, as if she found the whole situation amusing.

Ariel felt a wave of humiliation rise in her chest.

What were they thinking of her right nowb? /b

“Jayson, where’s the room bkey/bb?/bb” /bNancy didn’t greet Ariel, nor did she feel the need to.

Jayson handed bNancy /bthe key. She walked straight into the adjacent room, leaving the door bopen/bb–/bclearly an invitation bfor /b

him to follow.

They were sharing a roomb? /b

bJayson /bbturned /bto Ariel b“/bGrandma btold /bbyou/bb?/bb” /b

bAriel’s /bbvoice /bwas steady. b“/bbYes/b.”

b“/bbMaybe /bbyou /bshould switch rooms.” His bgaze /bwas cold like bice/b.

It bwas /bphrased like a suggestionb, /bbbut /bthe tone was undeniably bassertive/b.

Ariel understood immediately.

bHe /bband /bbNancy /bbwere /bbstaying /bright bnext /bbdoor/b. If bthey /bwanted bto /bbdo /bbanything /bintimate, the idea bof /bbher/bb–/bbthe /bbstill/bb–/bbofficial /bbwife- /bbbeing /bbjust /bba /bwall baway /bbmust /bbdisgust /bhim.

Ariel came here all the bway/bb, /bbbut /bshe was the one being inconsiderate.