When Santiago woke up, it was after five in the morning. He got up from the couch, looked at the time on his phone, frowned and rubbed his temples.
It had been a long time since he had slept, and last night he slept well.
Normally he would have been in a good mood today, but for some reason he was still tired and his head hurt a little, which was particularly unpleasant.
He removed the blanket and got up, went to the bathroom to wash up and left a note for Natalia before quietly leaving the living room.
As soon as Santiago left, the door to Natalia’s room opened, she looked at the couch where Santiago had slept and smiled.
***
When Santiago came downstairs, he was upset. He originally planned to rest for a while, but he fell asleep.
He didn’t return during the night, and Ariana would definitely be worried.
He didn’t mind the messy coat and walked briskly. He had just stepped out of the hallway door and was about to drive home when a voice he was very familiar with suddenly sounded behind him.
-Santiago!
The voice was soft and a little indifferent.
Santiago’s body stiffened and his face went pale, he slowly turned around and looked at Ariana.
-Ariana?
Ariana didn’t have a good expression on her face and nodded her head.
-Same one.
Santiago was nervous. After a long time, he asked in a hoarse voice.
-Why are you here?
“This place was nowhere near where I lived, and the direction of Albina’s house was completely opposite. Why did Ariana show up here early in the morning?”
Ariana walked over to him, frowned as she looked at the creases in his white shirt and reached out to help him smooth it out, but to no avail.
She sighed.
-Santiago, why are you asking me such a silly question?
As she said, Ariana looked at him, there was no emotion in her eyes, not even anger.
-Apart from you, I have no reason to come here.
As soon as he heard this, Santiago became more nervous, his fingers were cold and he licked his dry lips.
-What do you mean?
-After you left last night, I was worried, so I called Umberto -Ariana explained patiently.
She looked at Santiago with a complicated expression and sighed.
-Santiago, you’re smart, why didn’t you choose a better way to lie to me?
Santiago’s face suddenly turned pale.
“Ariana already knew I was lying to you from the moment I left?”
“No wonder she wasn’t answering my texts last night…”
Santiago’s eyes were slightly red and he held her hand anxiously.
-Ariana, listen to me. I only slept here one night, I didn’t do anything…..
As soon as he said this, he felt it was weird and quickly said.
-No, it’s not sleeping, it’s just….
He had always been eloquent, but when he was in front of Ariana and looked into her eyes, he couldn’t say anything.
-I…
-Don’t talk -Ariana interrupted him, looked back and lifted her chin.
-Someone came for you.
Santiago turned around and saw Natalia coming down the stairs with hurried steps, still wearing pajamas.
Her clothes were a little disheveled, her arms were exposed and her hair was disheveled.
With a tie in her hand, she called out to him.
-Santiago…
As soon as he spoke, as if he had just noticed Ariana’s existence, he whispered.
-Doctor Santiago, your tie.
Ariana watched his movement and laughed softly, tears in her eyes.
Santiago’s face was somber and he looked at Natalia fixedly, he really wanted to kill her right now.
She was such a troublemaker.
Ariana’s laughter reached his ears, Santiago clenched his fingers tighter, he was distraught and continued to explain in a hoarse voice.
-I had nothing to do with her, I was too sleepy last night and I was afraid of upsetting you if I came back. I couldn’t drive, so I slept on the couch, I didn’t even take off my coat. Ariana, you have to believe me.
Santiago’s family was well-to-do, his career was good, and he hadn’t begged anyone except Umberto, he even dared to refute the elders in his family.
He looked at Ariana’s expression, tears covered her eyes, he was really anxious.
-Listen to my explanation, Ariana,” he prayed again and again.
Seeing him like this, Natalia hated her so much, Santiago was such an arrogant person and he was not afraid of anything, why should he humiliate himself in front of Ariana?
She commanded her mood, and pretended to be surprised.
-I’ve seen you before. You went to the wrong ward at the hospital before,” Natalia said and looked at Santiago, “Do you still remember that when you brought breakfast that day, I told you that a beautiful girl went to the wrong ward?
Santiago was stunned when he heard this, he looked at Ariana and asked bitterly.
-So, that day, did you already know about Natalia’s existence?
He remembered the day he went to Albina’s house from the hospital and saw Ariana’s red eyes when the door opened, and then she suddenly asked to see his ex-girlfriend’s picture.
Putting these things together he was able to come up with this message.
Ariana didn’t hide it and nodded indifferently.
Her face was devoid of emotion, she was wearing a white dress, delicate and light makeup. The morning breeze blew, lifting her hair.
Santiago suddenly had the feeling that maybe after today, Ariana would be like the wind, and he wouldn’t be able to catch her.
His heart ached at the thought of that possibility.
-The night I was almost splashed with acid, you were with her in the hospital. At the end of the video, I heard a woman’s voice,” Ariana said with a smile. You also know I’m a suspicious person. I looked for the news of the day, found the hospital and also saw the person you had been taking care of all night.
He seemed to think of something and looked at Santiago.
-I also saw you bringing her food, joking and entering the room. In addition, I also know that Natalia joined your clinic and became your subordinate and colleague. When you said you were busy over the weekend, in fact, I was accompanying her to see the house, and what happened last night….
She twisted her fingers and counted them one by one.
Santiago saw her say this calmly, as if she were talking about other people’s business.
If he were Ariana, knowing these things would be like stabbing himself in the heart with a knife. Now that she could say this calmly, it was evident that she had long endured the thrill of breaking down and getting upset.
Santiago never thought Ariana would not love him, he had had so many girlfriends and knew whether others liked him or not. Ariana, a person who was so wary of love and so repulsed by marriage, must have taken a lot of courage to choose to be with him.
But he did so many things that misunderstood and upset her, and he never took the initiative to explain it to her. He clearly knew how sensitive Ariana was, but he thought she wouldn’t know if he didn’t tell her.
-I confess, Natalia was my first love in college, but I lost my feelings for her a long time ago.
Santiago looked at her seriously.
-When I met her that day, she had a car accident and I couldn’t leave her alone. She came to my workplace for an interview because her skill was sufficient, and she said she wouldn’t have any thoughts about me. I accompanied her to find a house because she was not familiar with Sogen City and only knew me. Last night, someone followed her on the road in the middle of the night. She wanted to be with me again when she was in the hospital, but I refused.
Ariana looked into his reddish eyes and smiled indifferently.
-Then why did you refuse? If you care so much about her, just stay with her. I have nothing to say.