Dangerous Love: You Are My One and Only Bride novel Chapter 1677

That same night, Melanie invited Arianne to have dinner at the Smith Estate.

She accepted the invitation and attended alone. It had been a while since the friends chatted with one another, so their ensuing conversation quickly turned into a pleasant, lively one. Revisiting the topic about the plagiarism scandal around the dining table, Arianne once again reaffirmed her disbelief that Robin was the one behind it.

Melanie agreed. “I don’t think it’s her, either. I’ve talked to that girl before; I’ve got nothing other than good things to say about her. Someone must have hijacked her computer at work and used her account. Poor girl; she’s still shouldering blame that was never hers to begin with without knowing what has really happened! Good thing you’re a force of reason, Arianne. Otherwise, there really isn’t any other way but to have her kicked out, and that will definitely impact Sylvain, too.”

Alejandro, who had been reticent to comment throughout the women’s exchange, suddenly sniggered. “Hmph. It still reeks of Mark’s beloved aunt.”

Arianne was immediately galvanized. “Oh? Why’d you say that?”

Melanie nudged him gently. “Hush, don’t go around fanning flames of conspiracies, you. You already know how testy the relationship between your brother and his aunt is, don’t you? If you get this wrong, well! What do you suppose might happen? ‘Leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment’, so said Ben Franklin. Isn’t where they are good enough? The case is over. Arianne and the Tremont Enterprise are both unharmed.”

Alejandro shrugged, clearly abandoning his piece. However, Arianne’s curiosity had been so effectively hooked that she felt compelled to pry it out of him. What if Alejandro’s two-cent was the exact breakthrough she needed?

“Why did you think so in the first place, though?” she asked again, before adding, “It’s alright, Melanie, there’s no one else here but us. I don’t see any problem letting his state his piece for giggles. We’re basically just chattering around whatever we like right now. As long as everyone knows not to take things too seriously, yea?”

It was too late. Arianne’s mind was already experiencing a cataclysmic shock as Alejandro’s explanation sank in.

“I don’t give a damn how Shelly plots against me, but to use the people around me as her fall guy? Goddamn it, that’s just low and wretched!” she remarked hotly. “I buy Alejandro’s explanation, that’s for sure. But don’t you worry, Melanie. I won’t act recklessly. Instead, I’ll slowly trick whoever that scumbag is into exposing themself. After that, all we have to do is to pry information right from the horse’s mouth. Frankly, I don’t see why I’d be wrong to do that. She brought this upon herself.”

Consternation shadowed Melanie’s face. “Arianne, with all due respect, I urge you to reconsider. She’s Mark’s aunt, isn’t she? If you wage this full-blown, all-out war against her, any victory will only be a Pyrrhic one where both sides suffer heavy tolls, isn’t it? I agree that she has really crossed the line by forcing you and Mark to split, but I’m also worried that Mark will end up letting things slide simply because she’s family to him… you know, again. You’ll be utterly crushed, right? There will be an unscalable wedge between the two of you because of it, too, and well… It’s just not worth it. If I may suggest… How about you turn the other cheek for this one?”