The guilt that had previously weighed on her was now replaced with a sneer.
âAre you seriously concerned about your wifeâs homecoming or her affection toward you? I bet youâre living it up all alone; your face is glowing.
You must be so popular that you have countless people taking care of you.
â
Despite her effort to conceal her jealousy, Arianaâs voice betrayed her true feelings, and the sharp landlady picked up on it.
With furrowed brows, the landlady carefully observed the pair, sensing that there was more than met the eye.
Theodore, however, put on a fake smile and tried to brush it off.
âI donât want my wife to worry about me, so I pretend to be okay.
â
Ariana seethed with anger, thinking to herself how shameless he was acting, fooling everyone around him with his facade of perfection.
A tense silence lingered among the trio, as Ariana purposely ignored Theodoreâs words, refusing to engage in any further conversation with him.
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The landlady intervened in a soothing voice.
âItâs not a big deal,â she said, urging Theodore to consider that perhaps there was some misunderstanding between him and his wife and that communication was the key to a healthy marriage.
âMarriage is run by both sides.
Itâs not that complicated, and not that simple, either.
You have to be patient.
â
But then Theodoreâs piercing gaze landed on Ariana, and he asked a provocative question.
âWhat if my wife wants a divorce?â he demanded.
Ariana was stunned and blurted out, âWhat do you mean?â
Her heart skipped a beat, and the panic on her face was impossible to hide.
Had he found out the divorce agreement she prepared? She couldnât help but wonder.
The landlady seemed to share her concern as she knitted her eyebrows together in distress.
âIs it so serious that you have to divorce?â she asked.
âIn that case, what do you think about it?â
Theodore hesitated before answering, âAs I said, I have no intention of divorce for the time being.
â
But the landlady was not convinced.
âYou can divorce her if you want.
What do you mean âfor the time beingâ? In my opinion, you are just being stubborn and thatâs why your wife feels disappointed with you.
â
Theodore was left speechless, unsure of how to defend himself.
However, Ariana felt righteous indignation bubbling up inside her.
She spoke up in support.
âI agree.
Itâs not rocket science.
Itâs your fault, just admit it,â she said with asmug smile.
Theodore massaged his temples with a heavy sigh, hoping to ease the mounting tension in his head.
He was just about to put an end to the discussion when the landladyâs unexpected question struck him like a bolt from the blue.
âDo you still love her?â she asked with a concemed expression.
Theodoreâs heart pounded against his chest.
He slowly raised his head and met Arianaâs eyes.
He saw a trace of expectation in her eyes.
It was as if she was hoping for a positive response.
Asilence descended upon the group.
Arianaâs heart was pounding in her chest.
She anticipated what he would say, but at the same time, she dreaded hearing the answer that would break her heart.
The landladyâs impatience began to show as she pressed Theodore to answer the question.
âWhatâs wrong? Is it difficult to answer this question?â she prodded.
âIf you love her, just express it.
How could she know if you donât tell her?â