"Even if I hold only a small place in Theodore's heart because of Marley, it is still better than being in your place. At least within Theodore's heart, I am Helen, not someone else's substitute."

Ariana's wariness surged, her voice now laced with caution.

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

Helen snorted and began to recite, "Do you like blue, spicy food, horror movies, puppets, rock and heavy metal music? Your favorite band, The Death-bound birth."

“What? Do you want to say that I'm a substitute for Marley?" Ariana was furious.

“Come on, there are so many people who like these things in the world."

Helen produced a photograph from her pocket. It was a group photo featuring Ariana and Jasper, but it appeared to be a fresh copy with a pristine edge, freshly printed.

In the image, Ariana wore a white dress, her face adorned with a sweet and innocent smile as she gazed towards the camera, cradling Jasper in her arms. The photograph clearly captured a moment when Ariana had recently fallen deeply in love with Jasper.

Ariana vividly remembered that the original version of this photo had been torn to pieces and discarded in the trash can. How had Helen managed to obtain it?

“Where did you find this photo?" Ariana inquired, her gaze fixed firmly on Helen.

She couldn't help but feel a surge of anger, knowing that Helen had gone as far as. hiring a private detective to tail her and pry into her private life. Regardless of her normally composed temperament, she felt a volcano of emotions ready to erupt.

"It's of no importance where | found this photo. Just tell me if Theodore saw it or not," Helen retorted, her confidence evident as she waved the photo in front of Ariana.

“What does it matter now? It's all in the past. He doesn't care," Ariana replied, her voice tinged with frustration. She distinctly remembered telling Theodore that he didn't have to worry about her past with Jasper after he'd caught a glimpse of the picture through a crack in a book.

Helen's smile took on a mysterious quality.

"Oh, really? Have you ever considered that perhaps what Theodore values differs from what you believe? If you don't trust me, you can go to his study and find out for yourself.".

Ariana kept reminding herself that Helen's words couldn't be trusted, yet she couldn't resist the urge to enter the study on the third floor.

Two rooms in the Anderson house were off-limits without permission: Marley's bedroom and Theodore's study.

Under the gentle glow of warm yellow light, Ariana's face was bathed in its halo, her mind lost in a whirlwind of confusion.

Her thoughts were a jumbled mess, and her brain felt like a rusty machine, churning out pain with every turn.

Helen's words and Theodore's past continued to consume her thoughts.