Thank you for reading. ❤️❤️❤️ If you enjoyed the chapter, please leave a review and gems. Also, share your thoughts. They are very helpful to me in writing the next chapters.
The next day, news channels aired photos and videos from Xander's engagement party. However, Xander and Ariadne's dance drew the most attention. "What sort of nonsense is this?" Crystal was furious. She immediately called Xander. "Have you seen the news?" she blurted out as soon as he answered the call. "What news?" Xander hadn't seen the news because he rarely saw anything other than business-related news. "From last night. It's all over the news channels and social media." "About our engagement? What's wrong with that?" "Nothing is wrong with our engagement. But instead of our engagement, your and Ariadne's dance has become the hot topic. Everyone is making stories out of it as she was your ex-wife. They're even questioning our relationship. Why did you have to dance with her?" Crystal appeared frustrated as she vented her rage. "You're overreacting, Crystal." Xander said, massaging his temple. His head was aching from drinking last night. He didn't sleep well eit
"After one week, we will begin the therapy." Mr. Wright said looking at Alex's reports. Everyone was overjoyed at the news. "Yeeee. I'll be able to walk." Alex exclaimed with joy. Ariadne hugged him. She couldn't hold back her tears. "Yes, baby. You will walk like your siblings." she kissed his temple. Autumn clapped excitedly while Adrian smiled. They were all in Alex's room at the hospital. The entire family visited the hospital. The children were overjoyed as they had the opportunity to spend the time with the entire family after a long time. After a while, Ariadne and Mr. Wright left the room. "He's doing well. He has already begun to move his legs." Mr. Wright said as they walked out of the room. "Thank you Mr. Wright. It's all because of you and the doctors." Ariadne smiled. Alex was able to move his legs now. He was overjoyed the first time he moved his legs. But he couldn't bend them. Doctors had told him not to move his legs any further because they were stil
At Blake Corporation... "Xander, did you sell your property on the market place to Ariadne?" Crystal asked while sitting in Xander's office. She was furious after hearing the news. She had come to meet him. "How did you find out about it?" Xander asked, his attention fixed on the documents in front of him. "Um...I know your property manager's secretary. She told me." she replied hesitantly. Xander only nodded, saying nothing. "I'd asked you to give me that property. I was even willing to give you a big share. But you declined." Crystal added. A few years ago, Crystal started her own clothing line. She wanted Xander's property for her clothing line. However, Xander denied her because the Miller Group already owned a few properties in the city. "You don't need that property. I've already told you." Xander said casually ignoring her displeasure. "But, Xander..." "I sold the property for the partnership." Xander cut her off. "What? You and Ariadne have become partners!" Cryst
Toby took the lift to the second floor. When he arrived at room 18, he was surprised to see two bodyguards outside. They weren't ordinary guards. They were the Blake family's bodyguards. They worked for William. "What are you doing here?" he asked them. "We're here on duty, Sir." one of the bodyguards stated. "What duty?" "To protect the child inside the room." "Did old Mr. Blake send you?" "Yes, Sir." Toby frowned, unsure why William would want to protect Ariadne's child. "Okay. Is the child inside?" "Yes. But, there's an order that no outsiders be allowed in the room." the guard informed him. Toby became more confused. "I'm not an outsider and this's Mr. Blake's order." he said. As Xander's most trusted men, Toby and Jose had authority over the other employees. Others obeyed their orders. "Okay, Sir." Toby entered the room, closing the door behind him. However, when his gaze landed on the child in the bed, he stiffened. ... Xander arrived at the construction site. H
Xander was deep in thought as he walked out of the room. Toby and Jose trailed behind. Xander had provided his samples for testing. He was still denying that the kids could be his. "We will know the results tomorrow." Toby said. They returned to the room. It was already evening. "You both return to the penthouse. I'll spend the night here." he added. Toby would stay and ensure that the test was conducted correctly. Xander sighed before nodding. . Tiara arrived at the hospital in the evening. "Hello, Alex." she said as she entered the room. "Hello, Tiara." Alex smiled at her. Tiara approached the bed and hugged him. She sat on the couch as they broke their hug. "Have you brought my favourite cookies?" Alex asked. "Yes. Mommy has prepared these for you." Tiara took out a small box full of cookies and gave it to Alex. "Yeeehh... mommy is so sweet!" Tiara smiled at his enthusiasm. "I'm going to Purple City today. So I can't stay. Aunt Bella will stay with you. Okay?" "Ok
"Where to, Boss?" Jose asked as he sat in the passenger seat. Xander had already sat in the back seat. "To the mansion." "Okay." The car drove away from the Watson Group's premises. . Linda helped Ariadne stand and led her to the couch. She brought her a glass of water. "Drink it, Madam." Ariadne took the glass and drank the water. Her phone began to ring on the desk. Linda brought the phone for her. Ariadne noticed it was a call from Mary. "Hello." she answered the call. "Aria, the kids are not in school." Mary's worried voice came from the other side. "What?" Ariadne stiffened. She checked the time and realized it was time for school to end. "When I asked the teacher, they told me that someone from the family came and took them a few hours ago." Mary informed. "I'm scared, Aria." Ariadne fell silent. Someone picked them up from school. It must be Xander. She didn't expect him to act so quickly. Sweat had covered her face. "What happened, Aria?" Mary
*((FLASHBACK))* "Are you going to meet that girl?" Margaret asked. "It's none of your business. I'm not attending the family dinner... and that's final." Xander replied. He stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his hair. Margaret was angry as she wanted him to attend the dinner. However, she was enraged more by the fact that he was going to meet Ariadne. She was furious when William arranged Xander's marriage to Ariadne. She didn't like that girl at all. She argued that she was unworthy of Xander. However, neither William nor Xander listened to her. She couldn't understand what they saw in that brat. "I'm your mother. You will talk to me respectfully." she warned him. "You forget that you're my mother sometimes." Xander remarked as he sat on his bed and put on his shoes. "I don't like that girl. She's not worthy of you. There are many beautiful girls from the Royal families. You can choose one of them. Your grandfather will not object." "Why don't you like her?" "Th
It had been two days since Xander had taken Adrian and Autumn. Ariadne hadn't seen them in person. She was a little bit busy these days, and couldn't go to school to meet them. She could meet them at the mansion, but she didn't want to go there. That mansion was her worst nightmare. She communicated with them through video calls. She was wary of Crystal's next move and had warned Mary about Cathy. That woman was a backstabber. Mary informed her that she hadn't tried anything until now. However, Ariadne was aware that it was only a matter of time before they acted. Tiara still hadn't returned from Purple City, so Ariadne spent the nights in the hospital. Xander had arranged for another nurse to stay with Alex. However, at night, Ariadne dismissed them. Xander, on the other hand, was dealing with the accident on the construction site. He didn't go to meet the kids. These days, he remained silent and met nobody. Crystal had tried to meet him, but he had told her that he wouldn't speak w
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