Xander walked into the mansion, ignoring Ariadne's warm smile.
"Hey Aria, sorry I came unannounced."Crystal smiled politely at Ariadne. "What are you doing here?" Ariadne couldn't hide her displeasure upon seeing Crystal with Xander. "I will tell you, but may I atleast enter?" Crystal kept her sweet smile and polite demeanor intact. "She came with me; be courteous to your guests." Xander's harsh and warning voice came from behind. "I am sorry, please come inside." Ariadne said finally. She didn't miss the faint smirk on Crystal's face before she entered the house. After some time, Xander, Ariadne and Crystal sat down to dinner. Crystal kept talking to Xander about some business matter, completely ignoring Ariadne. Ariadne's heart ached every time Xander used a gentle tone with Crystal. He never talked to her like this. "Xander! I got the Blue Mall contract." "Congratulations." "Thank you; I am very excited. This is my first contract as a CEO. I will come to you if I need help. You will not refuse me, will you?" "No." Ariadne knew exactly what Crystal was trying to do. She never failed to demonstrate her capabilities and how worthless Ariadne was in comparison to her. Ariadne was a worthless housewife living a luxurious life on her husband's money, whereas Crystal was a highly talented independent girl. A successful businessman like Xander, would prefer to have Crystal as his wife rather than Ariadne. "Oh, Aria, I forgot." Crystal blurted, which made Aria snap out of her reverie. "I have come here to invite you to my celebration party, as the new CEO of Miller group. As my sister, you must come." taking out an invitation card from her handbag she handed it to Ariadne. "I have already given Xander his invitation card." After taking the card Ariadne looked at it. However, the fact that she had given Xander a separate invitation card caught her attention. "You didn't congratulate Crystal on her achivement, Ariadne." Xander pointed out in a rough voice. Ariadne looked at him. She felt humiliated in her own house by them. "Sorry I forgot. Congratulations, Crystal. I will not miss it." swallowing the lump in her throat Ariadne uttered the words. "Thank you Aria." No one said anything after that. After dinner, Xander went into his study to retrieve a file from his desk. He was searching through the files when a soft voice came from behind. "Are you staying the night here today?" He paused for a moment after hearing the voice, gritting his teeth. "No." He resumed looking through the files. "Did you enjoy the food today?" Ariadne asked nervously. She spent a lot of time preparing his favourite dishes. "Yes." he replied absently. "I prepared them." "Why don't you stay the night here today? I will make your favourite breakfast tommorrow." holding her breath, she added as there was no response from him. He came here after a few months, so she was hoping he would stay. "I have plenty of excellent cooks in my penthouse and they can cook better than you." She felt dejected. She wanted to spend some time with him. She yearned to get to know him more and express her love to him. However, he had never given her the opportunity. "Since you don't come here very often, please stay tonight." she made another attemt. The desperation could be seen in her pleading. Xander paused. He turned around and approached Ariadne where she was standing. His abrupt act startled Ariadne. She stepped back a little. "Are you really that frustrated, Ariadne?" She gulped with fear. He stood very close to her. "Are you that much frustrated to spend a night with me, that you started to beg now?" He gritted his teeth. She shook her head, understanding what he meant by spending the night with him. Xander placed his finger on her lips just as she was about to explain. "I know what you want; afterall, we have been married for two years and I have not even touched you once." Ariadne's eyes widened with disbelief at how wrong he thought of her. He looked down at her body, from head to toe. Ariadne felt an unbearable pain and insult. "You are not bad, but not good enough for me." She stiffened. "You disgust me, Ariadne." he whispered into her ear. She shut her eyes, which were now moist. "But, since you are so frustrated, I have a suggestion for you." He moved closer. "There are plenty of men around; they might like you. You are not that bad and you are quite famous in that. Don't you?" he said before stepping back. Her voice got stuck in her throat. She had never felt so humiliated. Emma and Crystal spread many scandals to damage Ariadne's reputation. Some of them included men. What hurt Ariadne most was that even her own father believed them. Tears streamed down her cheeks as Ariadne openned her eyes to meet the man's gaze. Xander gently picked a drop of tear from her cheek with his finger and blew it into the air before turning and leaving the room. Ariadne stood there like a statue. She was too numb to move an inch. "Did you get the file?"came Crystal's voice from outside. "Yes." Xander replied. "Wait, where is Aria?" "Don't mind her. She is not coming. Let's go now, I will drop you." was their final conversation before the sound of the main door opening and closing was heard. ........ It's the day Crystal was throwing her celebration party. Together with Jennifer, Ariadne entered the venue. The place was exquisitely decorated. It's Blue Star hotel, one of Blake Corporation's high restaurants. They passed through the hallway while people stared at them. Ariadne kept her head low, avoiding the gazes of others. The guests were all well-known businessmen from Zavion City. Almost none of them knew Ariadne as she had not established herself in the business world or in any other field. Only a few of their family friends and relatives were able to identify her. However, Ariadne was well aware that everyone disliked her. They described her as a spoilt brat who used to waste her father's money and was now wasting her husband's money. They didn't consider Ariadne to be worthy of Xander as well. They believed Crystal was ideal for him. After they found a comfortable spot, Ariadne's gaze wandered around the hall in search of a particular person. It didn't take her long to find him. He was dressed in his usual business attire, a white shirt and a black coat and he looked attractively handsome as always. However, the presence of the woman beside him broke Ariadne's heart. Crystal was dressed in a stunning red gown and was speaking with some businessmen while Xander stood beside her. She looked stunning and Ariadne could tell that people admired her based on their comments. Xander's eyes shot towards Ariadne as if he sensed her gaze on him. They held eye contact for a moment before Xander looked away unbothered. Ariadne didn't have the courage to aproach him after their last encounter. "He didn't even give you a smile. How rude!" Jennifer whispered. "It's nothing new Jennie." "Hey, Ariadne, come on here." Crystal spotted them as well. She waved to them. Ariadne went hesitantly. Jennifer trailed behind her. "This is Ariadne, my sister." Crystal introduced her to the guests who were there. They said hello to each other. Xander didn't bother to introduce her as his wife to them. He looked unfazed. "Do you run the family business as well?" one of them asked Ariadne. "No, I am a house wife." "Oh, you are already married." "She doesn't have any interest in business." Crystal interjected. "Hey, You are Mr. Blake's wife, right?" a woman asked after examining Ariadne for a while. Xander pretended not to hear anything. She felt disappointed. "Yes." Ariadne replied. "Oh, I see." They stared at her with criticism in their eyes. It's obvious they didn't think she was deserving of Xander. "I have heard that you spent a long time abroad." the woman added. "I went for study." Ariadne furrowed her brows. She was interested in design and went abroad to study the subject. However, Emma and Crystal spread rumors that she went abroad to live a lavish life, away from her family's restriction. "Oh, what did you study?" "Design." "Oh." she said dismissively, as if it had made no impression on her. "You are the older daughter, and you are a talented woman with unrivaled beauty. I am surprised that Mr. Blake married your younger sister instead of you." the woman looked at Crystal. "Don't mind my words Mrs. Blake, I don't mean to offend you; I am just curious." "Why don't you tell them why I married you?" at this point Xander spoke. Ariadne looked at him, meeting his mocking gaze and faint smirk. She couldn't believe that Xander was attempting to embarrass her infront of all those people. "Grandpa had our marriage fixed when we were younger." she replied after sometime. Sweat began to fill her face. "Grandpa?" the woman looked confused. "Mr. William Blake." "Oh, that explains why." "You look stunning Miss Crystal. Mr. Blake must be regretting marrying your sister instead of you." The woman was Crystal's close acquaintance, so she must have known everything about them as she continued to insult Ariadne indirectly. "You are too much, Mrs. Garner." Crystal blushed and lowered her face. Jennifer rolled her eyes. Ariadne began to feel uncomfortable standing there. It's true that compared to her, Crystal looked more gorgeous. Ariadne used to be one of the most attractive girls of Zavion City. However, ever since she became Mrs. Blake, she had been depressed due to constant heartbreak. Sleepless nights had resulted in dark circles around her eyes. She also lost weight. She no longer resembled the Ariadne that she once was, either physically or mentally. "I am kidding, of course." the woman laughed. The people then engaged in their conversation, completely ignoring Ariadne. "Excuse us gentlemen." saying that, Ariadne left the group. She had enough of their nonsense. They overheard a lot of gossips as they moved through the crowd. "I have never seen Mr. Blake bring his wife with him to a public event. Look in this party as well. Mr. Blake is not with his wife, but with Miss Crystal and other guests." "I think the rumours that Mr. Blake doesn't love his wife are true." "Who could possibly love a girl like that?" "Take a look at her sister, Miss Crystal; not only is she gorgeous, but she is also a successful woman. She even assumed leadership of the company and extended a helping hand to her father. Mr. Miller must be proud to have such a daughter. She has made her parents proud." "She invited us to humiliate you." Jennifer was furious. "What does She think she is? Xander's wife?" "But Xander doesn't appear to be bothered by her antics. He is even supporting her." Ariadne sighed tiredly. "He should be with you, not her. He didn't even acknowledge your presence." Through the whole party Ariadne and Jennifer stayed in a corner. While everyone praised Crystal for her achievements, they didn't hide their dislike for Ariadne. However, nobody brought up the fact that she was the rightful heir of Aaron Miller as his only biological daughter. But her father gave the position to Crystal. It's true that Ariadne had never involved herself in the family business as she was not interested in business. Nevertheless, her family didn't even consider to let her know about their decision. It appeared that Crystal would have been given the position even if Ariadne had expressed interest. Thus, she didn't say anything about it.It's not long before Xander began to feel uneasy standing among the businessmen. 'It's hot' he thought in his mind while listening to the conversation. "This collaboration will produce excellent outcomes." one of them stated. "Yes, working with Blake Corporation is truly an honour." the other man expressed his appreciation to Xander as they carried on their conversation. Xander gave a small nod. He disliked these kinds of events, especially when there were lots of people gathered around him. He was only putting up with it for Crystal. As she became the new CEO, she requested him to accompany her to meetings with businessmen throughout the city. "We have no doubt that with Crystal, Miller Group will achieve greater success." a woman in a white gown interjected. Xander started to feel suffocated. He felt the need to freshen up and fresh air in a private area. It was packed with people here. "Are you allright?" Crystal asked, noticing his discomfort. "I am fine. Please
Ariadne awoke to the sound of a beeping machine. She opened her eyes only to be hit by a bright light, and immediately closed them. "Are you feeling better?" A voice came from nearby. She opened her eyes again, and saw Jennifer standing beside her bed. Looking around, Ariadne realized she was in hospital. "Why am I here?" her voice was hoarse. "You fainted at home, so we brought you to the hospital." Ariadne furrowed her brows as she tried to recall what had happened. She felt a wave of pain sweep over her as the memory struck her like a truck. She recalled being called by Xander's lawyer to inform her about the divorce. 'He wants divorce.' She repeated in her mind. She had been hoping for two years that everything would work out, but she was wrong and her worst nightmare had come true. Her eyes welled up with tears. "Hey, what happened? Why are you crying?"Jennifer sensed that something was wrong. "You are alright, there's nothing wrong with your health, don't cry,
"Did you tell him about your pregnancy?" Jennifer arrived at the mansion the following morning, after Ariadne had told her everything over the phone. "He doesn't want to hear anything from me." Ariadne said, as she sat on the bed, with the divorce papers next to her. "But you need to tell him, Aria. After all, he can't abandon his legitimate child for a bastard with a mistress." "He will always choose Crystal over me, Jennie. No matter what." Ariadne smiled bitterly. "But you should still try. Think about your child." "I am done thinking. And this time, I will do the right thing." Ariadne didn't sleep the entire night. She was thinking about their lives. "And that is...?" Jennie looked at her. "I will divorce him." This time Jennifer wasn't surprised. Deep down in her heart, she knew this day would come if Xander's behaviour didn't change. But she never imagined that Xander would be such a scumbag to cheat on Ariadne. "I am done fighting, Jennie. I have endured everyt
At Blake Corporation. Xander was in a meeting when Jose barged in and whispered something in his ear. Xander's face darkened, and he stood up. "Gentlemen, I have an emergency to attend to. I am afraid I will not be able to continue the meeting because my presence is required somewhere. Jose will continue the meeting on my behalf." He left immediately after making the announcement. When Xander arrived at the hospital he saw Emma and Aaron standing in front of a door that appeared to be the operating room. They also noticed him as he walked towards them. "Mr. Blake." Emma approached Xander. She appeared to have cried a lot. "Everything was fine in the morning, and now look what happened." She began crying again. "It's all because of that bitch. She never wants to see my daughter happy." "Calm down, Emma." Aaron held her in his arms. "I apologize, Mr. Blake. She is upset and not in her right mind." Aaron explained to Xander. "That's alright." Xander was not the type to bec
"Purple City." "What?" "I will go to Purple City." It was three days after Ariadne was discharged from the hospital. She had been staying in Jennifer's place. She didn't go to the mansion. Xander had given her the mansion, but she refused to accept. The mansion would only haunt her. And going to her father was out of questions, so Jennifer insisted on staying here. She even didn't go to the mansion to collect her belongings. Fortunately, she had all of her documents with her. Grandpa and Jennifer made the necessary arrangements for her departure. Only the place was not selected. After some thought, she decided on Purple City. It was a developed city, and she would have many career opportunities there. She needed to make a lot of money so that she could meet their needs. She had some savings from her online job. In addition, her mother had left her a fortune. She had kept it with her. She wouldn't take anything from Xander or her father. She also turned down Granp
"Xander, is Ariadne staying at your mansion?" It was the following day at Blake Corporation. Crystal had arrived to discuss the joint project of Miller Group and Blake Corporation. They were eating lunch together after finishing their work. "No." Xander answered while eating his food. "No?" Crystal learned from Cathy that Ariadne didn't return to the mansion after the incident. However, she pretended ignorant. She wanted to know if Xander knew where Ariadne was. "Do you know where she is? I have not heard anything about her since that day." "No. Why should I know about her whereabouts?" Xander became irritated by the topic. Crystal's lips curved in a sly smile at Xander's reply. "Oh, yes. I just wondered if you know. I am just worried about her." "You don't have to. She is not a child in the first place." "Yeah, I just don't want anything bad to happen to her." "It's her hometown, and she has lot of friends. She might be staying with her friends. It's good ac
"Have you talked about your marriage with Xander?" Emma asked. They had recently learned of Ariadne's departure from the city and they were overjoyed. Not that she was a threat to them now, even if she stayed, but still it was a bonus to them. Now Emma was becoming impatient about getting her daughter married to the Blakes. "No mom. He is been very busy lately. I didn't get to talk to him." Crystal informed her. Emma came to Crystal's room to have this conversation while the latter was getting ready for work. "Then ask him to take you on a dinner date and discuss the marriage. You need to put pressure on him and get married as soon as possible." Previously, Xander stated that he would take responsibility for the child in Crystal's womb. He did not want the child to be recognized as a bastard. He divorced Ariadne immediately after learning about the child and promised to marry Crystal soon. However, since the child miscarried in that incident, many things had changed
Ariadne sat in the receiving chair of Dr. Cook's room at Kind Hospital in Purple City. She held a report card that the doctor had given her. Tension was written all over her face as she reviewed the report. It was her son, Alexander's report card. "Don't we have other hospitals that can perform this surgery?" Ariadne asked the doctor, after reviewing the report. "The surgery is quite complicated. Only a few hospitals around the world have the resources to perform this surgery, and Grace Children's Hospital has the highest success rate. They have risen to become the world's best pediatric hospital, in recent years. It will be the best option for your son." the doctor explained. "How much time will it take for his surgery and recovery?" "It will take around a year if the surgery is successful." "One year!" Ariadne panicked. "Yes, after being admitted to the hospital, he will be monitored for a few days before undergoing surgery. He will need to stay about two months in
The maids finished serving, and everyone started eating. There was an awkward silence. Autumn and Adrian ate their food, lowering their heads, not interested in conversing with anyone. Xander watched them silently while eating his meal. "How are you, Margaret? It has been a long time." Mary asked, breaking the silence. "I'm fine, Mary. I've heard you're now the president of Autumn Collection." Margaret replied, looking at her. "Yes. You have heard it correctly." Everyone looked at them as they talked. "Do you know each other?" Crystal asked, surprised. Xander, too, appeared curious. "We were classmates in school." Mary replied. "Wow. I didn't know that." Crystal replied. "You don't know a lot of things." Mary shot her a sharp look. "Do you remember me?" Margaret asked as she looked at the kids, interrupting the conversation. Her expression suggested that she disliked the fact that she knew Mary and she didn't want the subject to continue. The kids looked at eac
"Go on. I'm listening." Tiara said lazily. Crystal shifted in her seat and looked at her nails. "I don't know what your relationship is with Aria. You aren't her friend. How did you become a member of her family? I'm curious." She raised a brow at Tiara. "I think that story is useless to you." Tiara replied in a boring tone. Crystal nodded. "Anyway... I like how you always protect her and her kids." she paused for a moment while Tiara stared at her intently. "I'm sure you're with her for your own benefit... after all she owns the Autumn Collection." "What do you want to say?" Tiara said, irritated. She wanted her to get to the main point. "I'm saying you're a lawyer and you will always see a profit. So why don't you switch to someone who can provide you with more benefits than Aria?" Crystal said, leaning into the desk. "Are you referring to yourself?" Tiara asked. "Of course." Crystal leaned back in her seat again. "I'm the CEO of Miller Group. I'm now engaged to Xander.
Ariadne didn't look at Xander as she entered the car that was waiting at the entrance. She felt ashamed of herself for thinking that ring was cheap. The ring held historical significance. As a jewelry designer, she was able to easily identify the quality of a piece. She was curious if he still had the ring. However, she chose not to talk about it as it was pointless at this time. Thinking about past mistakes would only bring pain. She brushed the subject off her mind. They both sat silently as the car drove away. "Where are we going?" she asked when she saw the car taking a different route. "To the hotel." Xander replied casually, looking outside. "Hotel? Why? Shouldn't we return to your jet?" Ariadne frowned. "We will visit their factory tomorrow. You will complete your first contract." "But.." "When you find a good partner, don't wait to finalize the deal. They will trust you if you demonstrate a willingness to collaborate with them." he said, cutting her off as he looked at h
"Mr. Hart can you handle things here for a few days?" Ariadne asked, as Mr. Hart entered her office. "I'm going out of town for a few days." she added. "O.. yes... don't worry.. I'll handle everything here." he said, placing a file in front of her. "Thank you." she smiled. "Let me know if you need anything." "Sure." Ariadne signed the documents and handed them back to Mr. Hart. "See you in a few days." she said. Mr. Hart nodded before leaving the office. Ariadne grabbed her belongings and left as well. ..... "How far is it?" Ariadne asked, irritated. "It will take another hour." Xander replied from his seat in the distance, where he was reading some documents. Ariadne signed and gazed out the window. They had been sitting in Xander's private jet for the past five hours. It was a six-hour journey. What irritated her the most was having to sit with him. Even though she sat away from him, she was still uncomfortable. Xander suggested her to take a nap in the jet's private room.
Xander was in a good mood after Alex addressed him as 'Daddy'. He put on a mask and followed them inside the restaurant. As they passed through, Autumn kept looking back at him. When Xander raised his brow at her, she looked away. They entered a private cabin. Xander looked around. It wasn't as cozy as the five-star restaurants, but it was still nice. Everyone took their seats. Tiara sat between the two kids, with Mary next to Adrian and Jose beside Autumn. Xander sat next to Jose. Autumn tugged on Jose's hand, causing him to look at her. "Why is he wearing a mask?" she asked. It was loud enough for everyone to hear. Jose looked back at his boss before smiling at her. "So that no one can recognize him." he replied. "Why? Are the police looking for him?" Tiara burst out laughing while Jose pressed his lips together to hold it in. Xander stiffened, embarrassed. His daughter thought he was a criminal. He removed his mask, without saying anything. "No. Your dad is the most fam
"You fool! What do you think you're doing?" William yelled from the other end as soon as Xander answered the call. He sighed and rubbed his brows with his fingertips. His head was throbbing. "Do you want your kids to grow up as orphans?" He frowned at his words. "You took them away from their mother and kept them in that mansion while you're still at your penthouse. What's the meaning of this? They have grown up without a father. You have now also separated them from their mother. If you can't stay with them, then why did you take them?" William continued to scold him, without giving him a chance to speak. "Grandpa I.." "This's the last time I've helped you." he cut him off. Xander paused upon hearing this. "You asked her to bring them back." he said. It was a statement rather than a question. "Yes." "Thank you." "But if you make another mistake... I'll never ask her to reconsider anything. Don't disappoint me." "It's only a few days, Grandpa. I'm still proces
"How dare you slap her?" Emma got up in a rage. Ariadne raised her hand, telling her to remain silent. Cathy put her hand over her mouth, shocked. She couldnt believe her eyes that Ariadne slapped Crystal in front of everyone. Crystal's nostrils flared up with rage and she covered her cheek with her hand. However, she composed her expression and changed it to one of submission. Her eyes welled up, as well. Xander sat, silently. "Who gave you the right to slap my daughter?" Ariadne yelled. Crystal looked at Xander helplessly. Xander's gaze was fixed on Ariadne. "Why are you not saying anything, Mr Blake? She slapped your fiancee." Emma looked at Xander. He was silently watching the drama, saying nothing. "Didn't you two come here on your own? Crystal even slapped Autumn to discipline her as an aunt. So, why should I interfere? Ariadne is her mother and has every right to be angry about it. Now, deal with it." Xander said, irritated. He didn't like that they disobeyed his
Later that evening, Xander called Cathy to check on the kids. "How are the kids doing?" he asked as soon as Cathy answered the call. Cathy moved to a corner and looked around. "The kids are quiet a nuisance, Mr. Blake." she replied, clenching her jaw. Xander frowned. "Did they cause any trouble? Are they trying to leave the mansion again?" "No, Sir." "Then what happened?" "Um.. I made them some healthy food, but they refused to eat. They became angry as I didn't let them eat junk foods... And Autumn broke a vase. When I scolded her, she began to cry. Adrian even got into a fight with me." she said in a tired tone. Xander sighed with relief as he heard this. He was afraid the children would demand to see their mother again. "Oh... They don't know you, so they will not obey you. Let Mary handle them. You don't have to do anything. Just make sure she and the children have everything they need." he instructed. "Okay, Sir... don't worry. I'll follow Mary's instr
"Oh.. Crystal. You're so selfless and kind-hearted. I'm proud of you." Emma said. Margaret still looked dissatisfied, but she said nothing. The three women made a mental note to deal with Ariadne and the kids in their own way. Aaron remained silent. "How is the third kid? What exactly happened to him?" Crystal asked, concerned. Xander sighed as he thought about Alex. He felt sorry for him. "His legs were disabled since birth, so he couldn't walk." he said. Margaret and Emma exchanged glances while Crystal wore a sad expression. "I'm sorry. It's very unfortunate." she said with a sad tone. "Yeah... but he has undergone surgery and will be able to walk after the treatment." Xander added with a smile. "Oh.. wow... that's a great news." Crystal said excitedly. "I will visit him." she added. Xander fell silent. "Can we talk in private?" he asked. "Yeah... sure" Crystal nodded and stood up. She took him to the first-floor balcony. "What's it? Is there any proble