Chapter 43
Arianne barely had a wink of sleep last night. She woke up later than usual. Her body resisted the morning, heavy with interrupted sleep.
It took her great effort to leave the twins’ bed without waking them. Looking at the clock in the twins’ room, it read eight in the morning.
She sighed and closed the door carefully, not making a sound. She then went to her own room to freshen up before starting her day.
When she went to the kitchen, she found Franz and Aunt Estella having breakfast. Franz lifted his gaze to look at her, then gestured for her to join them at the dining table.
A servant came forward and placed a plate and silverware as soon as Arianne took a seat next to Franz.
“Did you get some sleep?” he asked.
Arianne rubbed her temple and shook her head. She doubted what she had last night could be considered sleep or even a nap. Every time one of the twins moved, it woke her up.
“I’ll take a nap later once I finish reviewing the documents,” she replied.
Franz lowered his utensils.
“I decided to reschedule my meeting with my manager for tomorrow. He’ll be coming here instead of us meeting at the company,” he paused, then looked at her. “I should have asked for your permission first p>
Arianne waved a hand.
“You don’t have to report every single thing to me,” she replied. “I trust you would have done your part properly p>
They ate in silence, allowing Arianne to enjoy a light meal and a cup of brewed coffee.
A few minutes later, the twins came down. Leo’s eyes were a little swollen from all the crying he’d done the night before, while Lily looked at Arianne with uncertainty. They were still dressed in their pajamas, with Leo clutching his lion doll in one arm.
Aunt Estella stood from her seat and served the twins their breakfast. Arianne watched in silence as Lily barely touched the food on her plate, while Leo looked lethargic in his seat.
“Seems like we’re going to stay at home today,” Arianne commented.
Franz raised a brow in question.
“They aren’t in the best condition to attend school. If this problem persists, would you mind if we put them on homeschooling for the meantime?” she asked.
“Homeschooling,” Franz repeated. “But I heard kids around their age need to socialize and interact with others. Keeping them at home might cause problems in the future p>
“Franz is right, Aria,” Aunt Estella chimed in. “Lily and Leo would have to make friends and play with other kids p>
Arianne nodded, not pressing the issue further. Some decisions, she knewm needed time before they could be revisited. She had mastered several skills over the years, but child-rearing wasn’t one of them.
After finishing her meal, Arianne stood and was about to go to her study when Leo jumped from his seat and tugged at her sleeve. She looked down at the young boy and gently touched his head.
“What’s wrong, little one?” she asked, but as usual, Leo didn’t say a word.
Instead, he glanced at his twin sister, as if asking her to explain for him.
“I think Leo is afraid you’ll leave,” Lily said after considering what her brother wanted.
Arianne lowered herself to Leo’s eye level and patted his head.
“I’m going to stay home today. I think your uncle doesn’t have any plans either. Why don’t you play with him? Aunt Aria needs to finish some work before I can join you,” she suggested.
Leo stared at her. For a moment, he looked hesitant, but eventually nodded.
Franz tried to lighten the mood by asking the twins what they wanted to play. Arianne gave them one last look before turning on her heel to get to work. Gio was already in her study, waiting for her.
“Can you push back my schedule today?” she asked Gio as soon as she took a seat behind her desk. “I’ll finish the paperwork and rest by the afternoon p>
Gio checked his tablet and nodded.
“You don’t have any urgent tasks today,” he said as he scrolled through her weekly schedule. “I’ll make some calls to push back the meetings, but you already delayed two video meetings last weekend p>
“I know.” Arianne could feel a headache forming. Whether it was from the lack of sleep or the relentless pace since becoming Interim CEO, she wasn’t sure.
Arianne worked continuously, even skipping lunch to finish the paperwork. Hours blurred together, marked only by the steady turn of pages. Aunt Estella brought her snacks and refreshments, but she barely touched them, her focus fixed on the documents spread across her desk.
When she was done, Arianne checked the time on her laptop. It was two in the afternoon. Having finished reviewing the documents and contracts, she stood and moved to the couch in her study.
The couch could accommodate three people seated, but because of Arianne’s height, she had to curl slightly to fit. She lay on her side and closed her eyes, deciding to take a power nap before Gio arrived with more papers.
Arianne fell asleep almost immediately. She didn’t hear the soft knock on her door when Leo came looking for her.
When Leo gently pushed the door open, he found Arianne asleep on the couch, facing him.
The young boy stood there, watching in silence as Arianne breathed steadily.
A moment later, Leo lifted Arianne’s arm and carefully squeezed himself beside her. The arm he moved settled over his small body.
Leo blinked sleepily before drifting off beside her. A small smile curved on his lips as he slipped into peaceful dreams this time.
This was the scene Franz found when he went to Arianne’s study to ask if she had seen Leo. They had been playing hide-and-seek when the boy disappeared and never returned.
Franz stopped at the doorway.
He didn’t step inside. He didn’t call Leo’s name.
He closed the door quietly and went back down the hall.