She was surely testing Theodoreâs patience now.
As silence filled the space, Horace grew uneasy.
Years as Theodoreâs right-hand man hadnât prepared him for this.
Despite his usually steel-like nerves, he was filled with apprehension.
He knew Theodoreâs temperament well, and he was aware that the storm of his wrath was not something one wished to weather.
Theodore tucked away the report after some time, his face betraying nothing, void of any emotion.
Yet Horace, attuned to his moods, could sense the storm brewing under Theodoreâs icy calm.
Swallowing hard, he asked, âWhatâs the next step?â
âYou can leave for now,â Theodore replied curtly before exiting the vehicle.
Watching his retreating figure, Horace let out a deep sigh.
âAriana, youâd better pray.
â
âs
Theodore, in his steely calmness, headed towards the elevator.
As he reached for the door of Arianaâs apartment, his hand wavered in the air.
A split-second decision made him pivot towards the emergency exit instead.
Propped against the wall, Theodore fumbled for a cigarette.
Under the faint glow of the emergency exit, his trembling fingers struggled to ignite the flame.
His usually placid face betrayed his frustration as he failed to Light the cigarette.
It was only after a few fervent tries that the cigarette flickered to life.
Taking a long drag, he let the smoke fill his lungs before releasing it, his mind slowly settling down.
He thought back on Arianaâs recent changes, her odd behaviors.
It was all because she was pregnant.
And here he had naively thought sheâd gained some weight.
This realization filled Theodore with a profound sense of sadness.
Ariana had made several trips to the hospital, but her condition had remained undetected.
Clearly, someone had been aiding her in this deception, and Ariana had been insistent on having Mitchel as her physician, so it was safe to assume he was her accomplice.
Why would she try to hide her pregnancy from him?
A piercing headache sliced through Theodoreâs thoughts.
He stumbled, clutching his forehead, an internal voice amplifying his agony.
The voice screamed in his mind, âShe intentionally hid this from you.
Sheâs planning to leave you! Every signal pointed to that! She was testing you, waiting for your reaction.
The minute you showed disinterest in the child, she would vanish without a second thought!â
The echoes of the internal voice rang in Theodoreâs ears, exacerbating his distress.
He Leaned on the wall for support, gasping in pain.
Ariana had been Lingering in the room, yet Theodore hadnât returned.
Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updatesâ¦
Anxiety crept in as her messages to him went unanswered.
Had he taken off again without a word? Arianaâs heart weighed heavy.
The memory of his previous disappearance, where he had duped everyone into believing he was dead, had left her scarred.
He had said he was merely heading downstairs, yet his silence was puzzling.
The worry gnawed at her, spurring her to descend and search for him.
Just as she neared the elevator, a soft noise echoed from the direction of the emergency exit.
She traced the sound to its source, revealing Theodore slumped against the wall, a Lit cigarette in hand.
His energy seemed drained.
Discarded cigarette butts lay scattered around his feet.