Helen realized there was no way to postpone it any longer. She bit her nails, sinking into a state of anxiety and tension.

No, she had to find a way to sabotage the surgery. She couldn't afford to lose Theodore!

Two days later, the gate of the manor in the southern suburb of the city finally opened. This was the first time this had happened since half a month ago.

‘A dozen cars were parked along the driveway. Horace was waiting dutifully in front of one of the cars, an exquisite black Rolls-Royce. He glanced down at the watch on his wrist.

Horace looked up quickly when a man slowly exited the manor.

“Why have you come out two weeks earlier this time around, sir?" It was rare for Horace to be unable to discern what his boss was thinking. In the past, after the anniversary of Marley's death, Theodore would lock himself up in the manor for a month and cut himself off from others. This was the first time he had come out in advance.

Theodore didn't know how to answer. He had no one he cared about before. The manor had become a place for him to escape and hide from the world.

If it weren't for the sake of his revenge, he might have stayed inside, away from the world, for the rest of his life.

But this time, he found himself too restless to calm down, and he couldn't stop thinking about a certain someone.

When he caught his mind straying, he felt shocked and despaired that he wasn't able to control his thoughts. With time, he came to a realization. The world without Ariana was as boring as hell.

“What has she been up to these past few days?” Theodore asked Horace, turning to him.

Horace knew exactly who he was referring to, so he answered almost immediately, “Mrs. Anderson has been working with the crew recently, but I'm not entirely sure because you told me not to monitor her this time. So I didn't keep an eye on her."

Theodore nodded in response. He got into the back seat of the Rolls-Royce.

“Where are we going, sir?" Horace turned around from the front passenger seat and asked.

"BRD Group."

The car engine rumbled to life. Theodore patted his forehead, his mind a mess. All he could think about was Ariana.

It bothered Theodore that he wasn't aware of what she was doing when he was away. Did she miss him? Or was she living a happier life without him?

Theodore's eyebrows furrowed at the thought of it. No, he couldn't let that happen.

He couldn't let her get used to living her life without him.

He began to bitterly regret agreeing to give her space. Sometimes, the calmer she was, the farther she would drift away from him.