Ariel was referring to the cooling–off period.

Jayson slipped one hand into his pocket and looked at her coldly. “I’ll let you know if I have time tomorrow.”

Ariel frowned at his answer.

But come to think of it, Jayson was even more eager than she was to get the divorce over with.

After giving it some thought, she said, “Please keep it in mind. I’ll remind you when the time comes.”

With that, she turned to leave.

Jayson glanced at the handbag she had left on the sink and called out leisurely, “You forgot your bag.

When Ariel looked back, he had already picked it up and was handing it to her.

11

Not far off, Nancy and Matt happened to be walking by. They caught the moment Jayson handed Ariel her bag.

Nancy frowned.

Even Matt hesitated for a moment, then blurted out, “Ariel’s not thinking… about getting back together, is she?”

It didn’t seem impossible.

Ariel trying to rekindle things with Jayson in private was totally within reason. After all, she had been crazy about him before. Maybe she wanted a way to patch things up after all the drama.

Nancy quickly composed herself. “She spends more time chasing men than improving herself. No wonder Mr. Hyde couldn’t be bothered with her.”

With that, she dismissed the whole thing and walked off.

Matt patted his mouth. His mouth really did work faster than his brain.

On the opposite side, Zach had just ended a call.

From his angle, he had a clear view of Nancy and Matt walking over just now and leaving shortly after with not–so -happy faces. This meant that Nancy had also seen Ariel talking to Jayson just now.

And really, what woman would be thrilled watching another woman cozy up to her boyfriend?

Zach frowned, feeling the whole thing was absurd.

On her way back to the garden, Ariel had to pass through a corridor. Just as she stepped through the archway, she ran into Zach.

She had no intention of acknowledging him.

Zach noticed her silent dismissal again and suddenly stopped in his tracks. A trace of mockery was obvious in his eyes as he said, “Ms. Walker, juggling multiple men must feel like quite an achievement, huh?”

Ariel hadn’t expected that.

This time, he wasn’t even bothering to hide his dislike.

When Zach recalled the scene he’d just witnessed, he sneered. “Aren’t you afraid you’ll slip up one day? Maybe when someone steals your man the same way you go after others‘, it’ll finally hit you how much it hurts.”

Ariel finally stopped walking. Her eyes were frosted over with indifference. “Do you think you’re some kind of moral crusader?”

Zach frowned at once.

Even someone as composed as Ariel didn’t bother staying polite anymore. “Did no one teach you that when someone clearly doesn’t want to talk to you, clinging for attention is just plain rude and annoying? Or are you just that desperate for love and validation?”

Zach had always thought Ariel seemed calm and mild, at least on the surface. So when she suddenly turned this sharp, he was momentarily stunned.

He hadn’t expected her to tear off the mask like that.

“Mr. Quinton, stop writing yourself into the story. That’s not righteousness. That’s just stupidity.” Ariel’s tone had been calm from beginning to end, yet every word cut to the bone.

She didn’t even look at him again as she turned and walked off.

Zach stood there, stunned.

Only after a long moment did it hit him. Did Ariel just scold him? How could she be so bold and confident like that?

He turned around with a stormy expression, only to be caught off guard by the cool, distant look in Liam’s eyes behind him.

It seemed Liam had been standing there for a while. He just didn’t interfere. (1

Zach paused for a moment, then asked irritably, “Liam, you saw that? What kind of woman even is she?”