Aira stood there as she waited for her father to come up when Grace popped her head inside.“May I come in?” She asked“Of course. God, you look beautiful!” She said upon seeing the dress her sister was wearing.“I know,” she answered naturally, “I had my doubts when Paul insisted I wear it, but, I can’t believe it looks like this.”“That guy is a genius when it comes to things like this. Look at my dress!” Aira said and Grace looked at her and gave her a soft smile.“You look beautiful. Vincent is going to lose his mind when he sees you,” she said“Thank you,” Aira said“I’m going to miss you,” Grace said,“Why would you miss me? It’s not like I’m moving out of town,” she told her.“I know but, it feels like you’re going to be Vincent’s from now on. And we won’t be able to share you with him,” Grace said and Aira sighed mentioning for her sister to come and sit beside her."Listen to me carefully," She said taking her sister's hand in hers, "Never think that anything or anyone is goi
Vincent's POV "They say the ones who fall last fall hard. No wonder you wouldn't settle down for anyone before you met her," Said one of the two women who stood before him carrying their bags and placing them into the trunk of their cars,"Was Aira okay?" He asked worried that they might have told her something. It wasn't the best idea to have two of his exes take care of her makeup and hair on their wedding day. But this was his way of showing her what kind of life he lead and that he wasn't a heartbreaker as everyone seemed to think her was."She's more than okay. Vince, your wife is a masterpiece," Lanna said as she winked at him"You didn't touch her did you?" He growled at her,"Of course not, her friend was watching us like a hawk. She wasn't fond of the idea of bringing us there. Not that your wife seemed to mind. She's super cool. I wouldn't mind having some fun with the two of you if you're down to it,""And this is why I didn't want to bring you two here, seriously go away b
As Aira was walking down the aisle, the only thought on her mind was to get to Vincent. She clutched her father's arm as closely as she could and tried to put one foot after another.That nervousness had lasted until she saw Vincent standing there his eyes only on her not leaving her as she slowly walked toward him to the beat of the music. His eyes couldn't hide the passion in them as he looked her up and down and she felt a shiver go down her spine then her cheeks redden in embarrassment. She looked down and then up at him to find him laughing as he kept his gaze on her .She kept walking until she reached her husband who waited for her father to give her a kiss and a hug before handing her hand to him."Take care of my daughter, Valory," He told him"Dad," Aira said with a smile,"I will cherish her with my life, sir," He said looking at Aira with a soft smile and she smiled back at him.Then he took her hand up to his lips and softly kissed them then and there in front of everyone
“I heard he got her a vintage car…”“Didn’t they recently remodel his townhouse, they’re going to live there,”“That dress was made by Paul… Can you believe it? After he refused to make that actress’ wedding dress. He did it for his cousin,”“They say Vincent Valory fell in love with her in his dreams and kept looking until he found her,”“Did you see how he was looking at her earlier? I wish my husband would look at me like that from time to time,”“I heard that Gina Lee will give them this manor as a wedding gift. After all that mess with her ex’s family because she refused to let them marry her. Gina had probably been vying on someone like Valory to marry her favorite granddaughter,”Aira sighed as she leaned against the wall stretching her legs out to rest them from standing on high heels for too long. Was this recaption ever going to be over?“My. there really are all kinds of rumors out there. And the way Vincent actress during the wedding earlier didn’t help to tone them down o
"You must have met your husband right after you met William. Poor Will didn’t stand a chance against the CEO it must have been an easy pick for you…”Aira remained silent as she watched the woman talk her lungs off to them. Vincent on the other side, couldn't let it slide and he stepped forward."Excuse me?" Vincent said.The impertinent woman looked back at him with an attitude that didn't match her ridiculous argument."What I'm saying is that she didn't hesitate to move on from my brother to you. But now I can see why. Although my brother could buy you a vintage car, there's no way that he would be able to afford to make this kind of wedding for you," She said."First of all, ma'am. The vintage car you're talking about is one that I chose for Aira because she was too busy to go pick another car with the insurance money from her previous car crash. And this wedding is something that we both made, just look where you're standing and think about it a little bit more. This is Aira's g
Vincent stepped back awkwardly as Astrid, Aira’s cousin, made another attempt to feel up his arm. Aira was beside him again trembling while trying ro keep a straight face.She was wearing a long light grey dress that had long stylish sleeves and an uncovered back. She looked gorgeous.Throughout the evening, Vincent got to slowly introduce her to his familly members while her familly members attacked them on eccentric artist after another.While she’d acted exactly like she should have with his familly, being courteous and entirely distant as if their status was far beneath hers.Which it was in terms of money and power dynamics in this city. Aira rarely showed it, the day he met her she’d acted so normal and down to earth that he though she was really just a normal girl from a middle class familly. But when he had her background checked he realised how wrong he had been, and he had been impressed.Women with Aira’s status and power, people like her who had trust funds that would las
Aira looked at the huge room before her in wonder. It was a huge room occupying most of the third floor with a panoramic view looking into the city.“What do you think?“ Vincent asked behind.She turned around to look at him with a bright smile and found the hotel manager who personally showed them to their room looking at her expectantly. “I love it! The view is wonderful. And the decoration, I love how personalized everything is,”“I’m glad you like it, Mrs Valory. Mr Valory prepared this room, especially for you to suit your tastes,” the manager told her and she looked at Vincent who gave her a wink,“Do you like it, Mrs Valory?” He asked grabbing her waist and pulling her to him.“I like it very much, Mr Valory,” she said smiling and lifting her hands putting her arms on his shoulders. “O will take my leave them. Please let us know if you need anything,” the manager said as he stumbled outside.Aira waited for him to close the door behind him to chuckle leaning to the side to loo
Aira sighed as she patted Vincent on the back."Can you look up for a moment?" She asked and he mumbled a response that she couldn't hear,"What?" She asked gently as she stroked the back of his head as it rested on the brook of her neck."I want to stay like this," He mumbled"We can't stay like this the whole night," She told him with a sigh and he finally leaned back from her neck and looked at her."Do you hate it?" He asked"No, I don't..." She answered honestly and he smiled and leaned forward again with her still in his lap and pressed his forehead to hers. "You're driving me crazy, Aira Valory," He whispered,"As you do... Vincent Valory," She responded, "But we need to be careful around each other. We have to make this work for the next three years and this could complicate things a lot," "I know..." He answered, "I know, Aira," He said with a deep sigh as he leaned forward into her making their position even more intimate. There was nothing sexy about this, nothing seductiv
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