Chapter 13 Nancy had a drone pilot certification , so controlling it was effortless for her . She won round after round of cheers . She was really confident and outstanding . No wonder Jayson had fallen for her at first sight . A woman like her certainly had the charm to captivate men . Objectively speaking , Ariel had to admit that Nancy had a certain charm . She was gentle , poised , and had been raised with care since childhood . Being smart , ambitious , and undeniably beautiful , she naturally became the center of attention wherever she went . But everything Nancy had was stolen . Nancy's mother , Sarah Moore , had once been friends with Elena . Sarah had come from an underprivileged background . Back then , Elena had paid her tuition and helped her through graduate school . But in the end , Sarah had stolen the academic paper Elena had spent two years painstakingly researching and published it under her own name . She had trampled over Elena to climb the ranks and change her social status . After getting pregnant , she moved abroad and married a wealthy man there . Now , Nancy was dazzling and untouchable . She didn't have to lift a finger , and everything meant for Ariel was effortlessly hers . Ariel's gaze darkened , a bitter sense of irony settling over her . Nancy's performance was impressive . As soon as she stepped off the stage , reporters swarmed in , eager to interview her and Jayson . Ariel happened to be standing in the middle of the crowd . As the reporters rushed past , she was shoved multiple times . A nobody like her didn't even have the chance to step aside . Stumbling , she felt a sharp pain in her ankle but managed to steady herself . Then he heard a reporter ask , " The vibe between you two feels different . Are wedding bells around the corner ? " Ariel instinctively looked up . Jayson had his arm protectively around Nancy , shielding her from the press . His sharp features held an unmistakable authority . " Please don't touch her . " The female reporters practically swooned . " Mr. Larkin , you treat Ms. Stanton so well ! Are you two planning to get married ? You're a perfect match ! " For a moment , Ariel thought Jayson's gaze flickered toward her . She wasn't sure what it meant . Was he warning her to stay in her place ? Ariel clenched her teeth against the sharp pain in her ankle . A dull ache spread through her abdomen as well , making her stomach feel tight and heavy . She bit her lip and forced herself to stand , ready to leave . Just then , a hand grabbed her arm . She looked up and met Perry's wary eyes . " What do you think you're doing ? You better not make a scene . It's just an interview . Don't go smearing Nancy's name and 1/2 Chapter 13 making things awkward for everyone . " Ariel froze . Then , realization dawned . +25 BONUS Did he really think she'd rush over , break them up , and start spouting nonsense in front of the cameras ? Her pale face turned cold , and she yanked her arm free with force . Her eyes were icy , sharp enough to pierce through him . She didn't even bother to say a single word to Perry . She just turned and walked away . Her slender figure looked stubborn . Perry stood there , stunned . He watched her leave for a long moment , then glanced down at his hand that she had just slapped away . The softness of her skin remained on his skin , making his throat inexplicably dry . But that look in Ariel's eyes was pure disgust . For the past three years , Ariel had always been accommodating to Jayson's friends . She had been easygoing and eager to please . But now ? For a split second , he felt like he didn't know her at all . Was he seeing things ? Or had Ariel finally lost her mind ? " What are you staring at ? You look completely entranced . " Matt walked over and gave him a pat . Perry shook himself out of his daze , furrowing his brows . He clenched his fingers slightly . " Nothing . Let's go . " That was probably just Ariel's new trick . Ariel retrieved a small bottle of unmarked pills from her bag and swallowed one dry . The bitter taste made her frown . As the pain in her lower abdomen intensified , she could only curl up slowly to endure it . Thankfully , she hadn't driven today . She sent Chad a quick message before leaving the venue . The domestic medication was losing its effectiveness on her . She needed targeted drugs from abroad to stabilize her condition . After confirming her prescription with her doctor , she took another painkiller and buried herself under the blankets . She slept through the night and into the next afternoon . What finally woke her was the urgent ringing of her phone . She glanced at the screen and saw Betty calling . After making sure her voice didn't sound weak , she answered , " Yes , Grandma ? " Betty sounded cheerful . " Ari , how was your day at Quillan's Peak with Jayson ? " " Quillan's Peak ? " Ariel was confused . BIG SALE : 3500 BONUS FREE FOR YOU ! Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!