Vincent felt his anger rise as Aira spoke about the reasons they shouldn’t be dating. She didn’t want him, not in the way he wanted her.“So what is it? You don’t want this?” He repeated his voice harder than he intended it to be,But there was nothing he could do to repress his feelings. There was nothing he could do to stop his hurt from transforming into anger.“It’s not that I don’t want to…” She said her voice trailing off her eyes defiant as she looked at him,“Then what is it? You want us to be?” He asked, “You want us to be fuck buddies? Is that all you wanted?” He asked.Her eyes widened for a moment before she pushed her plate and leaned back on her chair. Vincent realized then that he screwed up big time. He should have waited for her to have feelings for him to take this step. But his horny member and his desire addled brain had to go and speed things up like this. Now he had to deal with the situation as it backfired on him.“We should have never done this,” She said with
After the day Vincent and Aira fought and made up, they’d barely seen each other. Vincent worked his normal office hours as Aira led meetings with Carter every day from their townhouse and retreated to her workshop after that and didn’t leave until it was too late in the night to look for him or hope he was awake.She would be lying if she said that she wasn’t avoiding Vincent, especially after the night they had and the conversation they had after that. But it wasn’t entirely true either, because she had a feeling that he was avoiding her too.She was used to him coming to seek her at some point during the day whenever he came back but he didn’t do that these days. And she wondered whether it was because of what had happened between them.Her thought wandered to what Nathan would say about him, and how the media portrayed him as a one night stand kind of man. Which made her wonder if that’s actually what it was about. A one night stand to satisfy his curiosity and kill the raging des
Vincent made his way through the hallway sighing as his phone dinged one more time. He swore under his breath as he put it back in silent mode before entering the meeting room.These days he somehow had been more stressed than before. Even though his workload lessened quite a bit, he felt like he was working as much as before if not more than that.Since the day when he and Aira did the deed and ended up fighting and making up, he had barely seen her face. At first, it was because she worked with both Carter and her job and she seemed to be busy whenever he was around. But he also couldn’t go up to her workshop like he used to. He felt too awkward to do that right after what had happened and after that, he kept delaying the task until he ended up really avoiding her.He knew that she was probably avoiding him too. But Aira’s avoidance was a defense mechanism and he was quite used to it. But his avoidance was plain cowardice. Maybe he should stop being such a jerk and go see her tonigh
Aira sat there staring into space when a cup of coffee appeared in her vision. Looking up she found Ian standing beside her with his own cup in hand.“It tastes like crap but it will help you keep it together for a while. The bad taste is a bit useful in this case,” he said and she smirked unable to muster the energy for more than that in her worry.“Did you call everyone?” She asked,“I called mom, she and dad are away on a trip abroad, they won’t be here until tonight,” he told her as he sat down beside her.“Another business trip?”“No, this time it’s one of mom’s impromptu inspiration trips. She suddenly wanted to go to to Italy and you know how dad is with her. It seems to be worsening as they age,”“Is that why Grace is staying with Nathan?” She asked.“Yeah, dad put his foot down on that one,” Ian said, “he knew Nathan would visit her there anyway so he gave her a choice, either with me or with Hannah,” “They could’ve just sent her to us,” she said wondering why they didn’t as
Vincent shifted carefully on his seat to take the cup of coffee that Ian was handing to him. Mindful of not waking up Aira who leaned against him sleeping soundly.“Thanks man,” he said with a smile.“Don’t mention it. I will be heading out now, call me if there’s anything,” Ian said and Vincent nodded watching him leave.As soon as he heard about what happened, he knew that whatever the result was, Aira was going to be in a bad state. As soon as he looked at her, he knew she had been holding back on account of her brother.He wasn’t sure that she was going to let him comfort her though, after what happened with Carla, he thought that she would be reserved around him. But she still went into his arms as if it was the most natural thing in the world and he felt like he held the whole world in his arms in that moment.Aira shifted a little beside him and he knew that she was awake. She didn’t move much in her sleep, as he came to find out. Back when he held her in his arms, she could s
Aira felt herself being lifted off the ground and pressed against the wall with a small thus as Vincent kissed her passionately. She felt his leg between hers when she slid down the wall from his hold and realized that she was trapped in his embrace but that still wasn’t enough for her, so she circled her arms around his neck and pressed against him as she kissed him back as passionately as he was doing.“You’re going to drive me crazy,” He murmured against her lips and she smiled in amusement only to have him bite her lower lip resulting in a wave of pain and passion that made her moan.Gasping she closed her lips shocked at the voice that came out of her mouth. Vincent pulled back looking down at her for a moment shocked, then he smiled as if he discovered a gold mine.“I love that voice,” He said as he nipped behind her ear, “I want to hear it more,” He added as he nibbled the lobe of her ear making her gasp.“Ah. Stop teasing me,” She whispered,“I’m not…” He answered as he press
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Paul asked for the fifth time as he helped her pack her clothes and Aira sighed,“I’m sure, Paul. Grandma needs me.” She said with a calm tone trying not to get too annoyed at her cousin.“But, what about Vincent?” He asked,“Vincent is a grown-up, Paul. He can take care of himself,” She said“It’s not what I’m talking about and you know it,” Paul said and Aira paused before sighing and sitting on the bed lifting her tablet and showing him the article before speaking,“As you can see, I need time to think for myself,” She said.“This can’t be true,” Paul said as he looked into the picture.“I don’t know. He swore that it was not what it looks like but I’m more worried about how I feel about all of this right now. And it happened so soon after we…” She paused wondering how to ward it.“You made love?” Paul asked and she glared at him,“Hey! That’s great news,” He said, “Or… it isn’t?”“I don’t know. The last time we did it, he was gone in the morning
“You need to make a more gentle stroke there. It’s your face, don’t you know what your own face looks like?” Aira’s grandmother nagged as Aira sat beside her working on the huge painting that was supposed to be her own wedding gift.Aira sighed and redid her stroke looking at her grandmother.“No, grandma. I don’t stare at my face in the mirror all day long, so I can’t just paint it out of my memory,” She said.“You painted your husband’s face well enough though. I bet you stare at him long enough to paint him out of your memory,” Her grandmother retorted.Aira sighed and put the brush down,“Alright, that’s it. Your time allowed in your workshop is up. You should be heading back to bed,” She told her grandmother who sighed not having the strength to protest against her.It showed how much her grandmother still hadn’t recovered from her stroke. She was still weak and would get tired after spending less than twenty minutes out of bed. Most of her time is spent either napping or trying
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