Just as she was done reporting the comments, she received a phone call from an unknown number.

She quickly assumed it was Jasper calling. At this moment, she was in a very bad mood, so she decided to vent her anger on Jasper.

Ariana took the call and immediately started swearing without letting the other person speak.

"Jasper, you have absolutely no shame! You're like chewing gum on a shoe. Who do you think you are? If you have so much free time, spend it tending to your weak kidneys and don't bother me."

Ariana kept spouting insults and didn't stop until she was tired and out of breath. When she was done, Jasper said quietly, "Theodore's funeral is scheduled for Sunday."

Ariana froze, the words ‘Theodore's funeral’ echoing in her ears Like a ghastly wind. A sharp stab of pain throbbed in her chest; her breath hitched.

Theodore's demise was but an act and she knew that. Still, hearing his name associated with ‘funeral’ twisted a knife in her heart, it felt so terribly wrong.

A tumult of emotions churned within her, a blend of sorrow and anger.

Her chest felt constricted, and she found herself unconsciously soothing her belly with a gentle stroke. The baby within seemed to respond to her distress, a faint twinge resonating in her abdomen.

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she managed to rasp out, “Where is ite"

Jasper was quick to sense the melancholy shadowing Ariana's voice. A smug satisfaction found him; after all, Theodore was out of the picture now.

“East Cemetery, ten in the morning," he informed her, a smirk playing on his Lips.

Lost in her brooding thoughts, Ariana was barely present in the conversation.

Seizing the opportunity, Jasper attempted to sway her.

“No need to mourn so deeply," he coaxed, his words as slippery as a well-oiled eel.

“You're young; you should look ahead. There's a vast sea out there, filled with other fish. And you know, the Anderson Group..."

He didn't get the chance to finish his thought. Ariana, roused from her musings, abruptly ended the call, her face a mask of ice-cold determination.

After disconnecting the call, Ariana wrapped her arms around herself in a somber hug. Once her emotions had settled, she retrieved her phone and scrolled through her contacts, her fingers eventually pausing on Theodore's number.

She lingered there, caught in a moment of uncertainty, then finally hit dial.

An undercurrent of quiet anticipation buzzed through her as Ariana waited, hoping against all odds to hear a familiar voice on the other end.