Ariana turned to him, but she still didn't look him in the eye.

She fixed her gaze on the quilt and mumbled, “It's just a routine check-up."

"Really? Is that all?" Theodore didn't believe a word of it. If it was just a routine check-up, she wouldn't have reacted so anxiously.

“Of course! I'm telling the truth!" Ariana's head jerked up to look at him and she explained, “I've been under so much pressure at work that I even started losing hair. So I went to the hospital and took a general check-up."

Theodore said nothing. He glanced at Ariana's head of thick and silky hair with narrowed eyes.

“And who said you could answer my phone for me?" she accused, changing the topic abruptly in an attempt to hide her guilt.

“I am your husband. I have the right," Theodore replied flatly.

Ariana was reminded of how Theodore's beloved lover had answered his phone once. She bristled in fury at the memory.

“It figures. After all, you're used to someone else answering your phone," she retorted with a wry smile.

“What do you mean?" Theodore asked, frowning in bewilderment.

"Nothing. Never mind. I'll go wash up." Ariana sighed. She was not in the mood to argue with him. She lifted the quilt off of her, sprung out of bed, and went to the bathroom.

Theodore watched the bathroom door close on her sullen back. He picked up his phone and checked his call log. Nothing was amiss about the call log. He wasn't sure what she meant. Only a few people would call this private number.

But Ariana's comment had already planted seeds of doubt in his mind.

At half past nine in the morning, Ariana took hold of the handles of his wheelchair and pushed Theodore out of the room on their way to have breakfast.

The elevator dinged as they exited and arrived at the dining hall on the second floor of the hotel. Ariana suddenly shoved her hand into her pocket and rummaged for her phone. She sighed.

“I left my phone in the room. You go find and wait at a table. I'll be right there."

Theodore took out the room key card and handed it to her.

“AIL right. I'll wait for you at table 12 in the A section."

“Okay." Ariana nodded obediently, her ponytail swaying as she did so.

Theodore's expression softened as he spoke to her and he said gently, "Go ahead."