Horace's words lingered in Ariana's mind. She remembered how she had violently pushed Theodore's hand away in anger earlier, and the sight of a crimson bandage with reopened wounds.

Before that, in a fit of anger, she had forcefully pressed her hand against his palm.

A pang of remorse pierced her heart, and tears welled in her eyes. She blamed Theodore for hurting her, yet she, too, had caused him pain.

She hadn't anticipated her own aggression in that moment.

However, the memory of Theodore's deceit and surveillance sent a shiver down her spine. She felt lost, unsure of what to do next.