The reply rolled off Ariel’s tongue smoothly.

    Neither of them gave an inch.

    Jayson just stared at her for a long moment. The silence was heavy and unsettling.

    Finally, he nodded his head. “So you think we’re suitable for each other?” 3

    Ariel looked at him in bewilderment. That was what he pulled from that?

    Still, she couldn’t deny some of Jayson’s words.

    Back when she was with Lucas, he constantly used his brother status to control her, interfering in much of what she did. He was quick to anger and nitpicked over everything, to the point that she had grown used to asking herself if Lucas would approve and if this was the right decision before doing anything. 1)

    She knew Lucas had helped her a lot when she was younger, but she also knew his care cameced with possessiveness and control far beyond what their rtionship should have been.

    But in those years with Jayson, she never felt that same difort.

    Jayson was different from Lucas. At the very least, even when things between them had soured, she never felt worthless in front of him.

    He had taught her that she mattered, that she always had the right to say no, and that being herself

    wasn’t impossible. 1

    But when Nancy appeared, everything shattered.

    That was why Ariel had no intention of clinging to Jayson or humiliating herself.

    “That’s not the point.” She exhaled softly and started toward the kitchen.

    Jayson’s gaze followed her as he asked casually, “When did you move on from Lucas?”

    Her steps froze at that question, and her memories became clearer.

    Her feelings had always been muddled before. It was only after marrying Jayson that the distinctions became clear to her. Family love and romantic love, dependence and attachment, were worlds apart. In the end, she felt herself slowly butpletely overtaken by Jayson.

    Ariel had never been great at expressing herself. But those years with him, she had loved him with everything she had.

    It was just that many things hadn’t gone as she wished, and everything was no longer the same.

    “Once your phone’s charged, you can call Arthur toe get you.” Ariel dropped the subject. O

    Their rtionship was long broken. There was no point digging through ashes. It was better to keep

    boundaries.

    Jayson didn’t look away. “That profile picture isn’t a matching photo,” he said suddenly. 1

    Ariel blinked, surprised. That sounded like… an exnation? A look of confusion flickered across her

    face.

    No matter what Jayson’s intentions were in saying this, Ariel said truthfully, “Mr. Larkin, exnations

    and truths thate toote don’t matter anymore.” 2

    They had been divorced for so long. Feelings left unnoticed or unresolved at the time were meaningless

    to bring upter.

    But Jayson felt oddly at ease. Despite the earlier chaos and his injuries, there was a strange lightness in

    him.

    Unbothered whether she wanted to hear it or not, he continued, “Hers is AI–generated. Mine’s hand-

    drawn. The styles arepletely different. You can’tpare them.”

    Ariel just looked at him without a word. She honestly didn’t know what he was trying to say.

    But…

    “Cheatinges in different levels now?” she retorted. 1

    The result was still the same.

    Jayson finally rose to his feet.

    Ariel had always been alone in this house, and suddenly having someone else there–especially someone tall and imposing like him–was overwhelming.

    He stepped up behind her and retied the apron at her waist where the knot hade undone.

    “Ariel, you loved the wrong person. I didn’t. That makes me luckier than you.”

    Ariel wanted to turn and look at him. His words were too much for her to process at the moment.

    But Jayson pressed his hand lightly against her head, stopping her.

    “I’m grateful tonight. You helped me make peace with a few things.”

    Jayson’s tone stayed the same as he continued, “Consider this a heads–up. You’ll be seeing me more often from now on. But tonight, I’ll let you be.”