As she wallowed in these thoughts, Reilly’s phone buzzed. He answered the call, and two seconds later, his previously calm face
contorted with shock. He roughly pushed Brielle away.
The voice on the other end of the phone relayed news of sudden police investigations into their family’s casino for various
reasons, alongside other business complications that demanded immediate resolution.
Struck by this unexpected news, Reilly broke into a cold sweat and hastily departed, leaving Brielle alone.
Brielle, who’d heard the voice over the phone, felt her heart hitch in surprise. Her gaze instinctively followed the direction in
which Theodore and Ariana had departed.
Could it be a coincidence? Or— The moment the thought crossed her mind, Brielle dismissed it.
Theodore, following the downfall of the Anderson Group, was considered a failure. Surely, this had to be a coincidence.
Upon entering the restaurant, Theodore’s attention was glued to his phone as he exchanged a series of messages. His face
betrayed no emotions.
Ariana, fretting over Theodore’s state of mind following Reilly’s incident, stole glances at him, uncertain about what to say. After
some time, she asked, “Are you okay? If something’s bothering you, you can tell me.”
Hearing her concern, Theodore let out a Light chuckle. Putting away his phone, he affectionately tousled her hair. “Small fry like
them aren’t worth my attention. The Anderson Group is exactly where I want them to be. We should be rejoicing.”
His relaxed demeanor made Ariana hold her tongue. Quietly, she reached out and placed her hand on his, yet a sense of worry
lingered.
Ariana understood Theodore’s hatred for the Anderson Group. However, his pursuit of revenge against Darian had led to the
group’s collapse and his subsequent downfall. And his uncompromising approach to business and propensity to leave no wiggle
room for others had earned him numerous enemies.
Ariana feared that now, with the fall of the Anderson Group, there would be an abundance of people like Reilly, eager to strike at
a vulnerable Theodore.
Suddenly, Ariana’s phone buzzed. She checked the screen and saw a message from Mitchel.
“Have you made up your mind? We’re running out of time. There‘s no room for delay.”
Theodore, catching a glimpse of the screen, asked, “What did ‘There’s no room for delay’ mean?”
Ariana’s heart pounded as she swiftly tucked her phone away, avoiding Theodore’s gaze. With a casual shrug, she said, “It’s
about a follow-up appointment for my foot. I haven’t managed to go recently.”
As if on cue, the elevator doors slid open. Ariana quickly stepped out, relieved that Theodore didn’t press for more details.
Distracted by Mitchel’s message, Ariana found it hard to focus on their meal.
She knew time was running short, but she hadn’t yet figured out how to break the news to Theodore. The unresolved matter of
the Anderson Group only exacerbated her fears, and Theodore’s seeming indifference was unsettling. If he truly didn’t want their
children, could she find the strength to walk away?
The deeper Ariana delved into her thoughts, the more her emotions tangled up. The food lost all taste to her.
A risk report about fetal weakness arrived from Mitchel, but she didn’t dare to open it. She buried her head lower and tried to
focus on her food.
Meanwhile, Theodore’s phone chimed with a notification.
With a calm demeanor, he opened the message. It was an instruction for Horace to collect Ariana’s prenatal examination reports,
encompassing all the documents from the beginning until the present.
As Theodore clicked on the most recent one, his expression abruptly shifted.
The report revealed that Ariana was pregnant with twins.