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"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.
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
In a garden, a well-dressed and handsome boy was standing in a corner, hiding one of his hands behind his back. There was a birthday celebration in the middle. His eyes were fixed on a cute girl dressed in a blue princess dress, surrounded by a few kids of her age. They were chatting and laughing. The boy didn't approach them as he didn't know anyone except for that little girl. He was silently watching her with a smiling face and affection reflecting in his eyes. Suddenly, another little girl, dressed in a pink princess dress, appeared from nowhere and approached the boy. "Hi, what are you doing here alone?" the girl asked. She had been watching the boy for some time before she approached him. The boy felt uncomfortable being seen in such an awkward moment. The girl peeked behind his back and noticed the gift he was holding. "OMG. You brought a gift for me!" The girl almost jumped in excitement. "Thank you." she tried to take the gift from the boy's hand, but he
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
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
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 words
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 had everything they needed." he instructed. "Okay, Sir... don't worry. I'll follow Mary's instructions. T
"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
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
*((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