Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 441

Having obtained Ariana's present address, Neil and I drove there, following the directions from the GPS.

It was a commercial apartment complex, with easy access. Once we located Ariana's apartment, we knocked a few times.

But there was no response, no sign of life within.

Could they not be inside? Had they checked into a hotel instead? I was resolute, if I caught them in any compromising position, I would document it and hand it over to Stella. Mitch, as the guilty party, would stand no chance in the event of a divorce suit.

I had previously thought that if Mitch hadn't made any substantial move, I would persuade Stella to give him another chance.

But now, my thoughts changed.

Neil dialed Mitch's number, and I pressed my ear against the door, hearing the ringtone echo from within.

He was certainly inside!

As I pondered how to get in, Neil showed me his phone. It was a message from Gregory, who shockingly knew Ariana's door code.

This made things easier. I punched in the numbers from the message, and the door clicked open quietly.

The apartment was a one-bedroom, one-living-room setup. The sound of running water echoed from the bathroom. Ariana was probably taking a shower, which was why she hadn't heard us knocking.

Suddenly, the water stopped, and Mitch's phone rang simultaneously.

Wrapped in a towel, Ariana emerged from the bathroom. She didn't glance towards the door but went straight to the bed where Mitch lay, snoring like a log.

She was turned away from us, checking Mitch's phone before answering the call.

"Sorry, Stella, Mr. Mitch is asleep..." Ariana began, and I knew instantly that Stella was the caller.

I walked over, snatching the phone from Ariana's grasp. She looked at Neil and me in disbelief, seemingly unable to comprehend our presence.

The call was still active. I picked up, and Stella was still ranting. I reassured her, "Stella, it's me. Mitch is drunk as a skunk and sprawled out on the bed, fully dressed. It doesn't look like anything has happened. Don't worry, I'll handle things here. You should get some sleep."

"Rena, how did you..." Stella's ranting stopped abruptly, replaced by astonishment.

"Don't worry about how I got here. Goodnight." I hung up and handed the phone to Neil. "Hold onto this."

In this tense atmosphere, Neil was smiling, his perfect crescent-shaped eyes full of amusement.

I wasn't sure why he was laughing. All I knew was that I wanted to tear Ariana apart.

"How did you get in?!" Ariana demanded, flustered yet trying to maintain composure.

"Have you no shame?" I shot back coldly, ignoring her question.

Ariana's face changed, her eyes darting around but avoiding my gaze. "I don't understand what you mean. This is my apartment, so please leave."

I pointed at Mitch, "He's lying on your bed, and you're asking what I mean? Ariana, stop playing games. You're only embarrassing yourself."

Ariana must have been very confident in her figure. But Neil's words were undoubtedly a blow to her ego.

"Mr. Whitmore, you and Mr. Mitch are close, can't you help him? There's nothing between him and me, you know that!" Ariana was starting to lose her composure, speaking with great agitation.

I started recording on my phone, "Don't bother getting dressed. Tell the camera, what was that call from his wife all about, huh?"

Seeing me recording, Ariana panicked, quickly picking up her towel and attempting to snatch my phone away, "You can't record this! That's illegal!"

"You better behave. Resign first thing tomorrow morning, and leave town within three days!" I threatened menacingly, "Or else, I won't care about legality. I'll release this video, along with everything you've done. In this age of the internet, how long do you think it'll take for it to reach your family?"

I didn't believe Ariana had reached a point where she didn't care about her reputation, or the judgment of her friends and relatives.

As expected, Ariana panicked at my threat, "Have you lost your mind? I haven't done anything wrong! I didn't sleep with Mr. Mitch!"

"Of course not, because you simply didn't have the chance," I sneered. "Now, you only have two options. First, resign and leave on your own. Second, I expose your dirty little secrets."

Ariana was trembling with rage, while Neil showed no signs of intervening, let alone supporting her.

Mitch, passed out drunk on the bed, was oblivious to what was taking place.

Ariana turned to look at him, her gaze filled with regret and resentment.

"Don't even dream of it. He will never be yours. Don't think for a second that he will be your ticket to the top. You really think you're good enough?" My words were sharp, but they were nothing less than the truth.