Mark did not give an immediate response. He slowly rose to his feet.
Arianne’s mind was in a mess, she dearly wished that she could drag Jackson back and punch him in the face. She composed herself and calmly said, “No need. Goodbye.”
Mark reached out and grabbed her wrist, “I’ll drive you.”
She frowned. “No need.”
“I said, I’ll drive you,” he insisted.
Arianne surrendered in the end. She got into Mark’s car but sat in the backseat.
The cold air in the car was a world away from the scorching heat outside. Arianne stared out the window at the buildings passing by. Her mind was blank. She could not understand why she did not hold her ground. Why did she get into his car? If she did not decide to keep Tiffany company, she would not have to eat with him.
Suddenly, Mark broke the silence and said, “About that night. I’m sorry. I had too much to drink.” His tone was apathetic, and it was difficult to hear any form of sincerity from his voice. However, it was an apology at least.
Arianne did not want to think about that insufferable night. She replied in an equally indifferent tone, “I know you had too much to drink. It’s alright, but don’t let it happen again.”
He paused before he said, “Next time, I won’t visit you when I’m drunk.”
Was he saying he was going to see her when he was sober?
Unable to help herself, Arianne quickly said, “I hope you won’t come looking for me when you’re sober either. Don’t come looking for me unless it’s to talk about divorce. Understand?”
The car stopped when they reached a traffic light. As she watched the countdown clock on the traffic light, Arianne was seized by an urge to get down from the car and walk back on her own. Unfortunately, the car doors were locked, and she did not want to make a scene.
After ten seconds, Mark finally spoke up, “I can accept starting over, but I won’t accept a divorce. You can use whatever way you want to vent your frustrations but don’t draw a line between us.”
He sounded like he was begging her. Was she mistaken? This was not like him… She was able to adapt to whatever nastiness he threw at her, but she was not used to this at all.
At the end of the ninety-second mark on the traffic light, the car was on the road again.
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