The next morning, Asher and Theo were seen fishing, which now became a routine. Initially it was suggested by Aria, who thought that it would be a great idea for the father and son to bond. It's not like they are distant or something, but Asher is much closer to his mother than his father. Asher equally loves both his parents and respects them. But somehow, he ended up spending more time with his mom. So when Aria noticed this, she suggested this fishing idea when she realised that both the father and son love fishing. Initially it used to be awkward, but over time both Asher and Theo started to love this. "Dad, I feel that the Nester group is pressing too hard for our resources. They are trying to hire Aria as well by offering an outrageous pay" Asher shared with displeasure. Theo looked thoughtful. He retired after Asher took over the Morrison group. But still Theo and Nina are the shareholders and directors of the Morrison group. "They wanted to find out our company secrets b
"What?" she asked louder than intended. Her eyes which were droopy were now alert and wide. As the pill started to take effect, her head ache eased a bit, so his statement hit hard. 'No, did I really kiss him?' she thought with horror. "You kissed me, dear wife" Asher repeated once again for her sake. He stressed the word 'Dear wife', intentionally. It's true that she kissed him, but he is not offended. Not even a little bit. What more, he is teasing her. Their banter is the only thing that was keeping him happy after Chloe's episode. Aria is his happy pill. 'Do you know how many men ask for her number' he remembered what his father shared, this one more than the rest of their chat. Because he didn't like it. Other men hitting on Aria made him feel restless. So he intentionally told her about the kiss. Until that morning, he had no intention of telling her about the sweet mistake. "You are lying" she accused him with her hazelnut eyes wide and brimming with shock. He chuck
After that confusing Saturday morning, Asher's behaviour towards Aria took a subtle change. He is touching her more, and he kissed her twice again that weekend just because he wanted to. His family didn't miss the way he was treating Aria, and they beamed with happiness. A relaxing Saturday evening near the lake while swimming and boating followed by a relaxing Sunday. It's Aria who cooks the lunch on Sunday, but the whole family helps her with chopping, cleaning and arranging the table. While the ladies cook, men clean up after them. Everyone enjoys their family time immensely. No one makes Aria feel Inferior. What more, they ask for her input in everything. They smiled and laughed like usual, unaware that their family is going to go through some tough times soon. That Monday morning, everything started like usual. While Aria was arranging Asher's desk for the day, she noticed his mobile lit up with a call. When she saw the name of the caller, she froze with shock. Her breathing b
"Then why didn't you date anyone? You had so many admirers right? Then why didn't you find a boyfriend?" he demanded sarcastically.She was stunned by his question."Why would I date anyone when I am already married to you?" she replied without thinking about it. And it was the truth. Asher was the only one she ever loved, and she never thought about anyone else."Exactly, don't forget that I am your husband and you are my wife. I didn't go out and sleep my way with the female population of Nepolis because I am your husband. It doesn't have anything to do with someone who chooses their career over me" he replied with a hint of anger. He never raised his voice on her before. This is the first time.Aria's hands slipped down from his face and she took a step back."I didn't realise that I was holding you back. Our contract will end in a matter of weeks. Then you will not be married to me and you don't have to be loyal to me anymore. You can happily get back with Ms. Collins" she replie
"Ms. White, i think we might have to tell the boss" Natalie suggested to a very pale looking Aria. Aria's heart is pounding with confusion. Her mind is clouded with tension that she couldn't think straight. This kind of a blunder never happened before in her entire four years of experience with the Morrison group. Just then, the intercom on Aria's desk started ringing. Natalie answered it on behalf of Aria who looked very tense. "Miss White, the production department wants that as soon as possible. They are ready to start making the incense of the new perfume line" it's a call from the Admin department. He is the person who is coordinating between the production team and the Top floor. Natalie looked at Aria with uncertainty. "Miss White is in a meeting with the boss. As soon as she comes I will send it to you" Natalie lied, just to save the situation temporarily. Aria's mind is whirling with tension. "Aria, we have to tell someone about this if you think the boss would be
"Lift" she whispered with horror. Asher frowned with confusion. "What lift?" he inquired. A shudder ran down her spine just remembering the events of that day. He could feel how she shivered, because he was holding her. "Hey, what happened?" he asked with concern. Aria composed herself, as the incident at hand is crucial. "Last Friday, Pier pushed the files I was holding away because the files I was holding were blocking him from touching me. When he pushed, I thought a file must have slipped and fell inside the elevator and i didn't notice. I took that file along with the rest to the Admin department that day" she shared what she realised. Asher fisted his palms as the urge to strangle Pier became strong. What Pier did was unforgivable and he deserves what he got and more. No one should touch Aria, period. These days, Asher started to notice things which he never realised in the past three years. Somehow down the lane, Aria became someone whom he values both personally and p
"Asher" That voice which he last heard three years ago made Asher freeze. There was a time when he used to feel good when he heard that voice. But now, he felt nothing. Not even the familiarity of their past two years relationship. Slowly he lifted his head and looked at Chloe Collins. Standing in front of him is not his ex, it's a famous super model. Chloe used to look fragile and gentle back then. But he noticed her arrogance almost two and half years ago during one of her interviews. It's as if that fragile and innocent girl never existed. Now, the same arrogant super model who thinks the world dances around her is standing in his cabin. His gaze lost the warmth from earlier. What surprised him was, he felt nothing for Chole. Not even the anger which he used to feel in the beginning after she left. With that thought came a realisation, that Chloe means nothing to him. "I hate people who enter without knocking. I think Ms. Collins forgot her manners" he commented in a blan
Aria entered Asher's cabin with a professional smile, as if she is not at all affected by what happened just now. "You called for me?" she asked with her smile. Her smile is deceiving. She looked unaffected and as calm as ever. When Asher found that she is not at all affected by his close proximity with Chloe, he felt a pang of disappointment in his chest. He doesn't know what he was expecting to happen. He cannot explain why he was assuming that she is sad. The fleeting look of sadness in her eyes felt like a Mirage. He is now questioning himself whether he saw it or was it his wishful imagination. "I just called you to ask if you found the file" he lied. Aria was holding a hope inside her heart, thinking that he might have called for her to explain about Chloe. But when he didn't, her disappointment was deep. But she hid it well. This was the moment when they both started to hide their feelings from each other. "Yes, i found the file without any issues. I handed i
"She fed you lies. You don't know what kind of a woman she is" Stacy insisted. Asher glared at her coldly, while Aria was stiffly standing in his arms. Just their mere presence is evoking fear inside her. If there was ever a time in her life when she found herself helpless and scared out of her mind, then that would be with the Smith family. Nancy was better when compared to these people. She used to make Aria work, and that is that. If the work was done, then Nancy never used to bother Aria. But the other members of the family are not the same. "Enough, don't forget that you are talking to a Morrison. And you are insulting the mistress of the Morrison family. If you value your life and status in Neopolis, I suggest you to keep your tongue in check. One more word against her, then you will dissappear without a trace" he threatened Stacy, who immediately turned pale. Even Bianca looked scared. Even though they envy Aria's good fortune, they cannot afford to offend a Morrison. "I
"Who is your sugar daddy?" Stacy sneered. Aria is breathing heavily, looking wildly around her. She is expecting Bryan to pop in at any second and demand that she go home with him. She is barely listening to their taunts by this time. Asher forgot his mobile in his car, so he went to fetch it after confirming that she would be fine on her own. But little did Aria expect that she would have to face the people from her past one after another. "You ditch, how dare you? Can't you hear that we are asking you something?" Bianca became extremely angry when Aria immediately did not reply. Just then, all the patrons of the mall suddenly rushed to the glass railing of the mall from all the sides, waiting for something which they would know would happen then. Aria was left alone as Stacy and Bianca rushed to see what it was. Aria turned to run, but a loud announcement in the microphone stopped her dead in his tracks. "Today, we are excited to announce that a very special poster from th
"Bryan Smith? I know there was a Smith family in that town. And only an elder lady used to live with an adopted young girl. I remember this particular family because the details you have given me matched perfectly with this particular family. But only one important detail didn't" the PD, James explained. He is the PD whom Asher hired to investigate a man named Bryan whom Aria once mentioned to Asher. Her details were vague and she didn't give him much except for that name. She was a bit tipsy after one of their Friday ladies night out. That night, she witnessed someone abusing a woman and that triggered a section of her past. She mumbled something that shocked Asher to his core. He tried to pry more information from her, but she didn't give him much. The next morning he tried to ask her about Bryan, but she brushed it off as if it's nothing. But Asher remembered her reaction from the other night, so he knows that it's not nothing. But he didn't pry. He hired a PD and gave him as mu
'Don't you trust me Aria?' When Asher asked that question in a tone filled with pain, Aria felt extremely sad and guilty for making him feel that way. It's not like she doesn't trust him. "How can I not trust you, Asher? You are the person whom I trust more than anyone else" she shared softly. He looked at her with surprise. He was under the impression that she might not trust him enough to share her problems with him. But her confession made him confused. "If you trust me, then why hide everything from me? What happened the day before yesterday? What triggered your emotional breakdown? What happened back there? What made you think that leaving me would make everything better?" he inquired softly. He never wanted to intrude into her personal life and make her feel uncomfortable. But things changed between them now. He is protective of her like always. He wanted to be there for her. Aria looked at him feeling like an imposter. To Asher, she was always a confident and inde
"No" Bruce refused to believe that Aria, his Aria is already someone's wife. He refused to believe the possibility. He has been searching for her for years now, but to no avail. After so many years, he refused to accept that she turned out to be Asher Morrison's wife. "Are you absolutely sure that the woman who was with Asher Morrison is Aria? I have seen his assistant and the woman who was said to be his wife. She doesn't look like Aria at all. They look completely different. You might have been mistaken" Bruce recollected Natalie and then seeing Aria's back in that party. There is no way the scared and clumsy Aria he was searching for is the hot and confident woman he saw that day. Lance was still following after Asher and Aria. The former is seen behind the wheel while Aria was seen sitting beside him in a daze. "I might not be the who lived with her under the same roof, but I have seen her while growing up. She is the same Aria, but different. The woman beside Asher is mor
"Ash, I was so scared" Aria whispered while hugging Asher tightly. The fear, unbearable pain, the feeling of being lost and lonely, and the desperation and guilt that followed as soon as she saw that dead body when she mistaken that for Asher's was too much to bear. She realised that it's not as easy as she thought it would be to leave Asher. It would be like losing herself along with him. She might not be able to survive a day without him. The image of Bryan sent chills down her spine. But her fear over Bryan felt like it was nothing in front of the feeling of losing Asher. She lived under the same roof with both the men. One of the scares the hell out of her, and she cannot live without the other. She realised that leaving Asher means losing her life. "I am fine. Don't worry" he rubbed her back, soothing her fears. This close, he could feel her heart still pounding loudly. She just confessed that she loves him too, and he still remembers the way she looked at him that morning.
Aria found herself sitting anxiously behind her desk. It's been more than a few hours since Asher went out on some work. This is the first time she didn't ask him where he was going and the first time since he left without informing where he was going. It's after eight in the evening, and Aria couldn't stop worrying about Asher. She refused to go home without him. Almost everyone left for the day, but she stayed back waiting for Asher. 'What is taking him so long?' she wondered for the nth time. Her finger kept hovering over his number, but retreated again reluctantly. She cares for him, but she doesn't want to show him that she cares. The only way to force him to let her go is pretending not to care. But who would tell her anxious heart to calm down and he will return soon. Just as she was putting her phone away, her mobile rang. She looked at the caller ID and noticed that it is Abel Anderson. "Mr. Anderson" she answered the phone quickly. After Abel's visit after their s
After their argument that morning, things remained tense between Aria and Asher. She didn't speak to him at all, and he is upset with her to talk about anything. He wanted her to tell him what happened and why she was so scared. But she is not trusting him enough to share anything with him, which made him feel upset. After yesterday's event, their photo shoot was posted to that day. And Abel wanted to finish the photo shoot first thing in the morning. As Aria couldn't do anything about the contract and she couldn't think about a way to leave Asher, she followed him to work. But she looked distracted at best. Today she is wearing a red dress. It has drop sleeves that are full with sheer lace fabric, leaving her shoulders and collar bone bare. This dress has lace detailing near the bodice. It hugged her frame till her waist before flaring down and reaching above her knees. Pairing it with red shimmer heels, she looked gorgeous. Her hair is pulled up into a high ponytail, showing off
"I Fu*king Love you" Those words made Aria freeze. Never in her life did she imagine that he would love her and even confess it like this. She hoped that he might one day start liking her more than a friend, and wished how wonderful it would be to be on the receiving end of his love. But to be able to hear those beautiful words come from his mouth like this felt like a dream. She almost turned to tell him that she loves him too. More than he could ever imagine. But Bryan's face that flashed in her mind made her freeze. 'You are mine' his Psychotic words made her fear about Asher's safety more than ever. 'No, i cannot let Bryan find out about this. I cannot let him hurt Ash. I cannot' she thought as fear forced her to stick to her plan. "Ash, you are being emotional. Let's think about this camly. I should go" she insisted. Asher gritted his teeth. She is not making any sense. This is not the Aria he knows. And the woman standing in front of him felt like a stranger. She is