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Fifty-Three
Last Updated:
2023-06-07 19:00:52
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Fallen Apart Fifty-Four
ARIA'S POVMy face which has been drained of color with swollen bloodshot eyes stared back at me as I stood in front of the mirror still in the outfit I wore to work yesterday. After hearing the news, I cried to the point that my tears gland were tired of secreting more tears.Waking up this morning, I prayed that everything was just a nightmare but the broken screen on my phone was a reminder that it was all reality. It fell from my hand after my brother dropped that shocking news on me like an atomic bomb. I couldn't believe they were gone and never coming back. The door opened and I turned to see Lena stepping in. Her eyes widened at my appearance and I couldn't blame her for being shocked. I looked like a zombie."The guys would be here soon, you should get dressed," she said and I raised my eyebrows in confusion. Understanding my predicament, she explained, "I called Nixon and told him what happened, so he and Dave are on their way here to take us to Pittsburgh." I nodded and
Last Updated : 2023-06-08Fallen Apart Fifty-Five
ARIA'S POVStanding inside the mortuary with my brother beside me, a sob escaped my mouth as they drew my parent's bodies out of the freezer. Xavier wrapped his arms around me as I buried my face in his shoulder."Why did they have to leave so soon? They did nothing wrong to deserve this." "I know." He caressed my back. "I will find whoever did this to them and let them get the punishment they deserve." I nodded as I raised my head from his shoulder and wiped my tears. We stepped out of the room to meet the doctor waiting outside. "I'm sorry for your loss, Miss Stephenson," he said and I nodded at him before he turned to my brother. "When are you going to be having the funeral so we can prepare the bodies?""That won't be happening for now," Xavier replied, making me turn to him with a confused look."What are you talking about? Do you want their bodies to remain in that cold place?" I said with my voice an octave higher. If it were up to me, I didn't want them to spend another da
Last Updated : 2023-06-09Fallen Apart Fifty-Six
XAVIER'S POV"He sure knows how to clean up his tracks," Nixon muttered as we watched the CCTV footage from the place of the incident.We already knew that the footage of my parent's incident has been removed but I had demanded to see it, hoping we could find some clues from it."But some other drivers would have seen it, right?" I asked."I'm not sure about that," Officer said as he took a sip from his coffee. "That road is a shortcut out of the city but drivers stopped using that route because of the damaged road. And also there's no way to find out if anyone witnessed the incident except they report it to us.""Is there any chance that the residents might have witnessed the incident?" Dave asked from behind me.Officer Wimms placed the cup on his desk before he replied, "Most of the residents moved out because it has been desolated by most people due to the damaged road. There are only four families left in that neighbourhood and we already questioned them on the night of the incid
Last Updated : 2023-06-11Fallen Apart Fifty-Seven
XAVIER'S POVTears of joy clouded my eyes as I held my flesh and blood in my hands. The feeling of being responsible for bringing that innocent soul to life was beyond magical. "Oh my God, she's so cute," Aria cooed beside me. "I'm so glad she looks nothing like you." She chuckled.As Savannah predicted, we had a girl. She was a carbon copy of her mother except that she took my hair. I stared in wonder as her eyes were closed and tiny hands were together on her chest.Savannah's mom sat on the chair next to her bed. "How are you feeling, dear?" "I'm good." She smiled as tears gathered in her eyes. "You don't how happy I am that you are here. I thought you both hated me and never wanted to see me again." "Why don't we give them some privacy?" Aria whispered to me as Savannah began to cry and we all walked out of the hospital room.Lena took the baby from me and sat on the chair while I rested my back on the wall, gazing at my baby in her hands. When Savannah's parents arrived, I noti
Last Updated : 2023-06-12Fallen Apart Fifty-Eight
ARIA'S POVHeavy rain poured down on us just like the tears in my eyes as I watched my parent's coffins being lowered into the rectangular holes that were dug beside each other. My brother wrapped his hand around my shoulder pulling me closer to him as Lena, who was standing beside me, wiped her tears that wouldn't stop falling. After the funeral was over, my parent's friends, colleagues, and acquaintances offered their condolences before leaving. When they all dispersed, I sat on the moist ground in front of the tomb. "Mom, Dad, you are not mad, are you?" My voice cracked. "We are sorry we couldn't catch the person who did this to you, but I promise we will soon and make him suffer for his evil deeds." I placed my hand on my mom's tomb and sniffed. "Until then, rest in peace."Two hands rested on my shoulder. "Let's go, Aria," Lena said as she lifted me. I wiped my face with the back of my hand before turning to her. "I thought you were leaving with your mom." "Not anymore." She t
Last Updated : 2023-06-15Fallen Apart Fifty-Nine
XAVIER'S POVA bright smile appeared on my face as I knelt beside the crib, watching my baby sleeping peacefully. She smiled in her sleep, making her cute face shine like a thousand sapphires. Savannah walked into her room where I was with our baby. She sat on the bed behind me that was covered in blue sheets and tapped her feet against the wooden floor. "Are you okay?" She asked. I stood up and turned to her with my hands shoved deep in my pocket. "To be honest, I had been out of it since the funeral but seeing her was enough to lift my mood." I swerved my head to look at Aurora with admiration in my eyes. "Aria must be in pretty bad shape." She sighed. "I wish I was there to support her.""You don't have to worry about her. She has Lena to look after her, just focus on yourself and the baby," I said, and she nodded, looking down at her fingers that we're intertwined on her lap. "Is your dad still busy?" "Yes, but he'll be out of his study in the next few minutes." I bobbed my h
Last Updated : 2023-06-17Fallen Apart Sixty
XAVIER'S POVI stood outside the interrogation room, resting my back on the wall with my eyes staring at my feet. The sound of hurried footsteps approaching made me raise my head to see Lena and Aria running toward me."Is it true?" Aria asked as she stopped in front of me.I nodded in response as my eyes strained on the door that led to the interrogation room. Even though I still didn't believe that the man in there was the true culprit, I thought it was best to make Aria believe it so that her heart would be at peace for getting justice for our parents. That way she might be able to heal faster from the pain their death had caused her."Have you seen or spoken to him yet?" This time it was Lena asking."No." I shook my head. "He has been in the interrogation room since I arrived." They sighed in unison and took their positions on each side of me. The door was shoved open, making me push my back off the wall. Officer Wimms came out with another office holding an average-height man w
Last Updated : 2023-06-19Fallen Apart Sixty-One
ARIA'S POVLena drove into the parking lot of Styles company and we climbed out of the car before making our way into the building. Xavier had insisted that we return to Chicago because I would continue to dwell in the sorrow if I remained in my parent's house. I had refused to leave because I didn't want him to be alone but he assured me that Savannah and Aurora would be back to the house in two weeks, so he wouldn't be alone. Though he didn't tell me about how things went with Savannah's family, I could tell that they had agreed to let them be together since they already approved of her to continue living with him.Upon stepping into the office, Summer stood from her desk and enveloped me in a hug. "Mr. Garret told us about what happened. I'm so sorry for your loss." "It's fine." I hugged her back.She pulled away when Celestine and Michelle came to stand next to us."How are you feeling now?" Celestine asked. "I'm trying to be good." I forced a laugh, ""You can take a few more
Last Updated : 2023-06-23
Latest chapter
Fallen Apart Part 2: Chapter Twenty Five
I took her view and entered the room. The view that my eyes chanced upon, a woman sitting at the brink of the bed and burying her face in her hands, had revved up my heartbeat; she lifted her head and looked at me. There was surprise as well as confusion in Aria's gaze."Dave…what are you doing here?" she asked, tremulous her voice.I stepped closer to her, and my heart went out to her. "Aria, please, don't do that. We have to talk. You had to know how much I love you, and we have got to do this together. Please don't make this mistake. Don't decide without you talking to me," she said.She stared into mine, her own already welling with water. "I don't know if I can do this, Dave. I'm scared… so scared."."I know you are," I said, my voice cracking as the emotions spun their way inside of me. "But I'm scared too, Aria, scared to death of letting go of you and our child. We can face this together. I love you and will be with you no matter what. Please just allow us a chance."She tremb
Fallen Apart Part 2: Chapter Twenty Four
DAVE'S POVThe reports lay on the desk as my eyes looked at them without really seeing. It was two weeks ago—the night that had unleashed all my emotions with Aria. She hadn't been returning my calls or texts, and every time I tried to find her, the doors closed in front of me.It was as if that had been such a welcome distraction from the growing pit of dread deep in my stomach—one which it was easy to leave my focus on. Therefore, I just thought that probably Aria needed some space and time to think, and I gave it to her. But the days were beginning to slip into weeks; the chasm between us began to feel impossible to cross.I was just about to get into the other useless read-through of the reports when the shaking of my door broke with a knock. Before I could get a chance to answer, Nixon walked in, a sad look across his face."Dave, we have got to talk," he said, shutting the door.I rose to my feet; missed a beat in my heart. Nixon never did drama so whatever his news was, it had
Fallen Apart part 2: Chapter Twenty Three
Returning to Chicago was very much like stepping into the storm all over again. The city was the same—booming and ruthless; only I was different now. The sojourn at Pittsburgh had poured in a new perspective and a brief sabbatical from the storm that life was getting transformed into. Onwards, as I pushed open the doors and jumped into the office of the magazine, all my lugging from the past came back and sat on my shoulders again.I virtually wore the broadest smile ever as I greeted colleagues around, with their eyes to my back, and whispers trailing down the hall. News about Jax did travel fast, and however much I wanted to act like I did not hear the murmurs, they were impossible to ignore."'Did you see him? Jax is still in prison…Isn't she the one who used to go out with him?"Yeah, apparently she's trying to steer clear of any more drama. Who can blame her?"The two prattled on, voices droning in my ears as I looked down, burying myself in my work. I had the art of evasion of
Fallen Apart Part 2: Chapter Twenty Two
Xavier had spent most of the next fortnight within the confines of the house with his baby daughter, little Aurora; mankind could attribute getting associated with the atmosphere of normality amidst these crazed minds in and around people. They made one feel slightly better, anyways. The bright spot in my life was Aurora, Xavier's baby. Her laughter and innocence diverted my mind from that hurricane inside my guts.And Xavier, he never stopped showing up. Either waiting to hold me with all of my words, many, or sitting wordless with me when my words failed. He had wars of his own, his own aches: waiting for Savannah to return, raising Aurora on his own. But it never crossed him from how he was acted at that it was of much miracle to be noble, he quared each new day with that kind of fortitude. I saw and wished I could find it in myself.And suddenly it was one of those evenings where one sat in the porch with the sunset overhead, and this very question was coming alive inside me since
Fallen Apart Part 2: Chapter Twenty one
ARIA'S POVAnd there was the sun, first off, up close, shining warmly but in an absolutely singular, discreet design, wringing and bright out through the blinds and all over my bed. For one moment all was also right in my world; this was just some stupid nightmare. For a brief second, there was a sense that everything in the world was also just fine; it was all just some ridiculous nightmare. But as the fog of sleep thinned, I could see the face of reality coming creaking down upon me.There was the weight of a body beside me and the familiar scent of Dave's cologne in the air. Dread consumed me as my head turned to his, slowly, heart in the throat, lying beside me, still asleep. His face really looked peaceful, quite unlike the trouble that I knew was dwelling underneath.Panic surged through me at the full force of what I had done. As soon as I lay in Dave's bed, in full nudity and all the sheets, it all came back, the way that I kissed him. I had let myself fall into the biggest t
Fallen Apart Part 2: Chapter Twenty
DAVE'S POVDarkness had passed as I finally drove the old Civic through the winding city streets, my brain swirling with thoughts that snaked into a cocktail of feelings, triumph and unease. The news of Jax spread like a wildfire through the grapevine, and much as I loathed to admit, somewhere deep inside me, the thought of his downfall came with a bit of joy. That definitely had to be said: he had it coming. Not half of me, though—there was another that couldn't see past Aria's face in my head when she discovered all that she had been told. What would she do? Didn't she see this as a way to get rid of him and finally turn back to me? Or would she retreat into herself as she had retreated before, only this time even more broken?It was with all that running through my head that I pulled up outside Aria's apartment. I parked the car, opened the door, and let the cool night air do little to settle the restlessness in my chest. I came to her front door and knocked, waiting for her to an
Fallen Apart Part 2: Chapter Nineteen
ARIA'S POV Long before the fallout hit. My phone started going off and never stopped, vibrating out of its cradle the second the story broke. Friends, colleagues, reporters—everyone wanted a piece of the madness. I ignored them all as my heart raced, scrolling through the headlines; each one landed in my gut like a gut punch: “Jax Grayson's Secret Life Exposed!" “Exposé in the Fashion World: The Unimaginable Reality of a Fashion Giant!" "Jax Grayson Probed for Money Laundering!" I felt like throwing up. My stomach somersaulted with the words of the allegations. They had to be wrong. Simply wrong. Jax was one of the good guys, sweet …How in the world could he have held something like this secret from me? From everyone? My hands were shaking as I fumbled with that bar of digits to call Jax, hoping against all odds that there was some kind of explanation; a way that maybe this could all just be a horrible, horrible mistake. But when he picked up, his voice came flat, resigned.
Fallen Apart Part 2: Chapter Eighteen
DAVE'S POV I crossed through the doorway into my office, started pacing, and wondered how to deliver this piece of dynamite to Nixon. My office was quiet except for the humming of air conditioning. Inside my head was a no-man's-land. What I was doing, I felt, was walking a tightrope. One wrong step and everything could come crashing down. But at that moment, thinking of her in Jax's arms, of her being able to smile again the way she used to smile at me, made it resolute, and somehow, I knew I had to go through it. This morning, Nixon was extremely caught up. He had one meeting and call after another, so he was active. Still, I knew that at least I had to try and speak to him before going any further with the plan. He wasn't just a friend; he was my brother-in-law, partner in crime, the one man who could talk me out of any crazy idea I came up with. I inhaled slowly, then walked into his office. The door swung a bit wide, and behind the desk, I could see him buried in some paper
Fallen Apart Part 2: Chapter Seventeen
ARIA'S POVMy phone buzzed, it must have been for the hundredth time that morning. I didn't need to look, though all texts and notifications seemed to come down to the same thing. Well, the rumour mill hadn't stopped since Jax and I got together, but today… Today felt different. You could feel it in your bones, like a storm about to hit just out of sight."I rather reluctantly opened my phone again to scroll through the scores of messages, tweets, and posts flooding my feed. I looked up sheepishly to see what adorned every major gossip website: "New Power Couple: Aria Stephenson and Jax Grayson Romance Heat Up!" with pictures of him and me leaving that wedding together last night.". The photos had captured everything—how Jax used to hold me close and how I'd look at him.But the captions only distorted everything, making what was such close, personal time between the two of us into a public spectacle.The anxiety mixed with impatience surged, upped by apprehension in my chest. This
