“ So, how come you’re on a date with someone you don’t seem interested in?” Vincent asked as the waiter left their table to place their orders,“It’s a blind date. Something my mother had been pushing on me since I broke up with my ex,” Aira explained wondering if the situation could get any more confusing,She was having dinner with a man who wasn’t her blind date, but her client from work whom she had met in a car accident and who might know about the embarrassing scene where she found her cheating fiance.“Oh, sorry about your break up, by the way.”“Yeah, it happens,” Aira added not wanting to talk about that more than she already did.“Were you here on a business meeting?” Aira asked“More like a talk with a family member,” He said with a smirk, “ If we can call each other that anymore…” He muttered under his breath and Aira wondered what he was talking about.“I heard that Valory Developments is a family company. Must be interesting to run such a huge business with family member
“W- What?” Aira stuttered wondering what her, so far, perfect date partner was saying.It sounded weirdly close to the M word…“I have to get married within the next two months for various reasons. I’ve been thinking about it for a while and you’re the best candidate that I could think about,” He repeated simply as if he was talking about arranging a second date.Not that this was their first date for god’s sake!But no! The man was going straight from their first non-date to marriage! Wasn't talking about marriage on a first date taboo or something? Her brain raced, was he some kind of believer in matrimony? Marriage before dating…Or was it just her luck to be meaninglessly proposed to every time she starts dating someone?Hell, she just broke her engagement with her cheating ex. And the way THAT prick had proposed looks exactly like what this guy was doing here.Although perhaps less flashy and minus the ring and the audience…Wait a minute, didn’t he say that he needed to get mar
As soon as the taxi departed with Aira inside, Vincent took his phone out and dialed a number. “Do you have any idea what time it fu**ing is” Came Carter’s answer after a few too many rings, He took the phone away from his ear and looked at the time, “It’s still too early for you to sleep. Why are you being grumpy,” Vincent said “Well, for your information, some people actually have a life other than working for you. As astounding as that may sound to you,” Carter responded and Vincent thought he heard him grunt as he moved. “You okay over there?” Vincent asked wondering what was up with his friend, “Actually, no. So get this over with so that I can hang up and take care of things,” Carter said sounding even grumpier, “Alright, sorry to interrupt,” Vincent said with a mock tone, “Good to see you finally decided to take care of that nonexistent… life of yours,” “Seriously, I’m hanging up.” Carter threatened and Vincent had no doubt that he was going to do it. So, he took a deep
Two Weeks Ago “What’s the meaning of this?” Vincent asked with a calm voice as he looked at the employees surrounding him in the conference room. They were all top-notch efficient employees who were the best in their fields. At least, that’s what they were supposed to be. Now they all seemed like cowering chickens as they looked at him with fear. “Why do I have an email here from ‘Moon’ politely refusing to take part in our project? Can someone explain this to me?” Vincent asked There was silence in the room except for the sound of persistent typing from beside him. Vincent turned toward Carter who was typing on his laptop as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Carter stopped typing when Vincent sent him a glare, adjusting his glasses like he wasn’t responsible for making his annoyance rise up a notch. “Sir, please don’t get too worked out, it’s bad for your blood pressure,” He whispered into his ears making Vincent want to punch his friend and personal assistant right in the
Vincent’s POV 2 “Carter, I never thought about it this way, but, you really are a control freak,” Vincent said, “No one would think that seeing your apartment,” “I’m not a control freak,” Came Carter’s voice through the car’s speakers, “I just want to make sure that there’s nothing wrong. It’s her first time organizing an event, and she didn’t even spend a week in the new post,” “She probably has more experience than you do in that area,” Vincent said, “Didn’t she say that her family runs an event planning business?” “But, still! This is an art exhibition. And the artist’s first at that. Just her agreeing to let us host it as a marketing plan is more than we could ever ask. If we ruin it, it’s going to be a huge problem,” “That’s why we let her best friend do the job. She’s the closest person to the artist and she could freely arrange things the right way,” Vincent added, “Besides, she should be running everything by you before making any decisions so where’s the problem?” Car
“You’re injured!” Vincent exclaimed seeing the blood running down her arm purposefully and soaking into her dress. She looked at the blood running down her arm and turned her eyes back at him calmly while giving him a reassuring smile. “It’s okay, just a scratch,” She answered, She was reassuring him instead of worrying about herself. Was she in shock because of the accident? No, she was having a normal conversation with him. That wasn’t it… “Of course, it’s not okay!” He said as he pulled his handkerchief out and tried to put pressure on the wound. But she flinched. She was really hurt and judging by how she wasn’t moving her arm, it must hurt a lot “Oh, sorry,” he said trying to be more gentle. “It’s okay, It’s just a little scratch,” She repeated with a smile as she looked at him. “Still, we need to stop the bleeding,” He answered intently putting pressure on her wound “ Hold this for a bit,” He reached for his necktie removing it and bandaging her arm with it, relieved to
They say one doesn’t know about the matter of hearts until his heart experiences love. Vincent wasn’t a teenager, he’d had his fair share of relationships. But, the more he looked, the more difficult it was for him to understand his friend’s situation. As he sat in his office watching Carter through the glass as he stole glances at Meghan, he wondered why the hell his friend was so hesitant. She was there before him, so why wasn’t he reaching out for her? If the person he wanted was before him like that. He would grab them and make sure that no one would ever take them away from him. Looking at Meghan he thought about Aira again. It had been a week since she’d locked herself up in her apartment. Maybe finding her cheating fiance like that was a bit too much… But when he’d asked Carter, the man had laughed saying that he shouldn’t worry about that. It’s true that the scumbag was using her to get to her grandmother’s trust. But, maybe Aira loved him… The thought didn’t sit well
“Well, if there are two men more pathetic than the two of you, I would pay to see them,” Sia said as she came into the office where Carter and Vincent were busy reviewing the latest piece of paper that had been handed over to them by the ex CEO of this company. Vincent’s uncle. It seems like this particular piece of paper had been ‘Forgotten’ when the transfer was occurring five years ago… “That damned old man. I’m gonna kill him someday,” Vincent muttered under his breath. “Take a spot, I was there loooong before you,” Sia answered casually as she picked up the document and flipped through it, “Isn’t this your father’s will?” “Seems so,” Vincent answered, “Ugh, that sucks. When was your thirtieth birthday again?” “In three months,” Carter said helpfully, “You have three months to find a bride…” Sia said, “Hmm, interesting. Otherwise, you shares are going to go to your mother and brother,” “We all know that they will harass them until they sell their shares and they will have
Vincent pressed Aira against the door kissing her face and neck frantically and she chuckled upon the contact her melodious laugh making him relax and smile back at her as if she was the most precious thing in the world. "Are you really here with me?" He asked cupping her cheeks and she smiled up at him and nodded. "I really am here with you. Vince. I'm not going anywhere," She said looking him in the eyes and he nodded his eyes looking vulnerable, "This feels like it's another dream," He said and she circled her arms around his waist leaning into him. "Did you have a lot of those? The dreams I mean," She said and he simply nodded. "Since the very first day that I met you. I had been dreaming about you since that day," He said looking at her with a serious look in his eyes making her wonder if that was really the truth. It can't be... He must be pulling her leg. Before she could think about anything, she felt Vincent pull her up against him and kiss the daylight out of her as he
Aira stood at the side and watched as the crowds all dressed in lavish black, circled around the huge gallery. She was standing to the side wearing a tight-laced black dress and black string high heels which made her feel both exposed and a little bit uncomfortable.There was something about dressing like this while attending an event alone. It made her feel as if she was being followed around by the gazes of any man hoping to get an easy lay tonight.Her only consolation is that this was a family event. A memorial for her grandmother.She wanted to laugh at that. This was more like a full-blown exhibition. The exhibition of the century.Her mother had went and outdid herself again with this event.Both her grandmother and Paul had been working nonstop on this. They even employed interior designers and event planners to coordinate everything to make sure the event was what their grandmother had hoped for.The woman sure had a fancy taste.Aira had been mostly working on the painting m
"It was believed that the legal battle between The CEO of Valory groups and his uncle was going to go on for years before the score is decided. But a sudden turn of events makes us wonder if that assumption is going to be proven wrong.Today, Warren Valory had been arrested for no disclosed reasons closing the chapter of a long battle that had been going on for years since the young CEO took over the company in his early twenties being one of the youngest entrepreneurs to reach such a position at such a young age.In answer to our questions this morning, Vincent Valory revealed that his uncle was only getting what he had always deserved. He said that the days when he would cover up for his uncle because he was family were gone and that the limit was set at hurting other people and committing real crimes.Other sources revealed that the real crime Mr. Valory was talking about was the attempt his uncle had made to harm his beloved wife in a hit and run causing her car to almost roll up
Aira sat down beside her mother and looked at the members of the family around her.Her uncle sat back on his chair looking as if he still believed his mother would walk into the room and announce that this was a joke. His wife sat quietly beside him as he clenched her hand in his offering him all the comfort he needed.Grace sat on the other side of the sofa leaning against paul her eyes red-rimmed and Paul held her close gently patting her shoulder while Ian stood be her side looking down at her from time to time looking worried.It paid to be the youngest member of their family.Her father on the other hand stood behind her mother his hands on her shoulders comforting her the best way he could.Aira on the other hand sat there alone as everyone wondered where her so sweet and loyal husband went at such an important moment.They were about to know why.The lawyer who sat before them cleared his throat as he pulled a piece of paper out of the envelope that he had been holding linking
There was one thing about goodbyes that Aira knew very well. And that it was a form of closure that people seek in order to make peace with the person they were never going to see again. And also with the part of them, that was attached to that person.Aira now was saying goodbye to both. And she knew that it was going to be hard, but she didn't expect it to be this hard.Standing before the coffin and away from it enough for her not to see the insides of it she remained rooted in place for a while fear gripping her heart like a vice.Her mind was like a rollercoaster of emotions and thoughts and she even started trembling again.But then she remembered."I am proud of you." That's what her grandmother had said back then.As if her mind calmed down all of a sudden from the turbulence of a storm to the calm of a sunny morning by the beach, Aira slowly stepped toward the coffin where her grandmother was laying peacefully looking like she was simply asleep. And maybe she was, but her sle
A few days later, Aira sat down in the second row as she watched her mother present her eulogy. She felt drained and cried out. In the three days since her grandmother died, Aira had been doing very little.Other than painting or staring at the painting, she spent half the time crying and the other half trying to suppress her tears. Her family was grieving and each time she found her mother sitting in a corner crying by herself, she felt her heart break a little more as she went to try to comfort her.She was tired. So tired that she felt like she was going to sit anywhere and fall asleep as soon as the funeral was over.She felt a hand sneak around her waist and pull her sideways against a muscular chest. Grateful for the support, she didn’t tell Vincent anything. She didn’t need to.He had been hovering over her since that day but she couldn’t say that his presence bothered her. Sometimes she barely noticed his presence but most of the time, he would always be in the right place at
Aira opened her eyes after a few hours from her nap feeling rested and peaceful for the first time since she discovered what Vincent had done.Jumping out of bed, she could barely fight the urge to take the brush into her hands. So without stopping to think about anything and like a lunatic with an illusionary fire chasing after her, she changed into her jeans not bothering with a new shirt, and made her way toward the workshop.Opening the door. She headed toward the untouched painting left as she had left it before the butler had come to get her.A bang in her chest sobered her but she still made her way toward it and stared at it for a few moments before she picked up a new brush and started mixing the colors and preparing for everything.After a while, she was already painting the rest of the painting unaware of what was going on around her.Vincent came barging into the room at some point and she looked at him absently wondering why he looked so worried. Then he sighed in relief
Vincent stood by the door and watched as Aira’s family fussed over her. Her mother and sister were hugging her tightly as they cried and her uncle stood away awkwardly as her father spoke to him clearly giving him a piece of his mind about what he said to her.“Thank you for finding her,” Ian said as he came up to stand beside him, “Amongst all of us, she is the one who has the hardest time.” He said.“I know. They were pretty close together,” He said with a smile his eyes never leaving her.“They were. Which is probably why she sold the mansion to you. She wanted Aira to have it one way or another.” Ian said and Vincent remained silent for a while not bothering to answer that comment.“She told me that you had a fight. She seemed upset over it, I was wondering if she would agree to come with you.” Ian added and this time Vincent looked at him.“I was wondering the same too. To be honest, I screwed up pretty badly this time and I wouldn’t have been surprised if she had refused. I had
Aira stood there in front of her mother and uncle staring at the table.“Honey, I know how hard this-““No. You can’t do this to me,” she muttered.“You have no choice, Aira, you’re an artist, you need to finish that painting. It was her last wish,” Her uncle said in a hard tone.“No!” She screamed and they were both taken aback, she took a step back startled at her own outburst.“No… I- I mean…” she stuttered taking a few steps back feeling stares on her piercing through her skin.Suddenly she felt overwhelmed, dizzy, and out of air. She wanted to throw up.“Aira, honey, are you okay?” Her mother asked looking at her with concern Aira took another step back when her mother reached out for her.“Don’t touch me…” she said dazed and her uncle stood looking at her with confusion.“Are you like this because we asked you to finish the painting?” He asked and she felt the mocking tone in his voice.“Don’t talk to me,” she gritted out glaring at them, then she turned around to find everyone l