"Who do we have here? Isn't it the woman who helped my brother steal the contract from me?" Kelvin's voice sounded as he walked into the house. He smirked evilly. Aviana looked up immediately, startled. If she said she was expecting to see Ethan's brother here, then she would be lying because she really didn't expect to see him. Infact, he was the last person on her mind. And….. She frowned. "I didn't help your brother steal your contract, Sir. I only helped him get back what belonged to him, simply," she said stubbornly, with raised shoulders. "Oh okay? You know, you're so stubborn? I love it," said Kelvin, smilingly before he moved to sit next to her. Aviana moved away from him. She was still cautious given what happened at the office. She did not trust him at all. "Come on, I'm not gonna bite you," he laughed, seeing how cautious she seemed to be around him. "What do you want?" she asked sternly. She wasn't really comfortable with him sitting with her. Kelvin didn't say
The dishes were soon brought to the table. Old Mr Urkel slowly approached the dining room and took his seat at his usual position. Kelvin and his mother, Susan as well, walked in together, and took their position at the table. Ethan and Aviana were the last people to show up at the table. He walked in front of her and pushed a chair for her to sit down. Everyone's eyes at the table were fixated on the two, especially on Ethan, and shock was the only expression on their faces at the moment. This was another side of Ethan that they never thought he had. Aviana looked down as she sensed their intense gaze on her. She slowly approached him before she sat down. Ethan took his seat just next to her, afterwards. The maids were still bringing more dishes to the table, so everyone present remained silent and no one dared to make a sound. Aviana continued to look down and didn't dare to raise her head, out of fear that she might accidentally come into eye contact with Old Urkel. The silence wa
Ethan remained silent and continued to eat as if he hadn't heard the question. Susan continued, "She is your woman?" It was more like a statement than a question. "What about Chloe? Isn't she your fiance too? You were engaged to her since childhood? I heard what she did to your current woman, and how her brother sent her to Japan? Weren't you supposed to do something about it?" As she pushed out those words, her gaze was on Aviana. Ethan was quiet. Aviana, on the other hand, continued to look down and pretended she wasn't listening to anything that the older woman was saying. But, in reality she heard everything. She wondered why the woman was bringing up the supposed childhood friend who was engaged to Ethan. They were a noble family, and noble families weren't supposed to talk while at the dining table. Atleast, she had an idea about how noble families were supposed to behave, even though she wasn't from a noble family herself, unlike the older woman. She couldn't really voice ou
Ethan paced around the corridor. He seemed to have been waiting for Aviana because he strode over to her as soon as he looked up and saw her head in his direction. "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly while his hands held onto her shoulders. Aviana smiled reassuringly as she spoke, "I'm fine, Ethan. Do I look like someone who is not okay?"Ethan sighed. She was at it, again. She was pretending to be okay, like nothing happened, and for what? Just to make him happy? If this was another day, he would choose to remain silent. However, he had witnessed everything that took place at the table. He saw how his step mother insulted her. "I know you're lying, Avi. The tears on your face is clear evidence that you have been crying," he said. "Really?" Aviana faked a frown as she spoke. "Oh, now I get it. I just washed my face, I guess it's the few droplets of water that was left while I was wiping my face." She moved to wipe the corners of her eyes as she pushed out those words. She was ly
After the meal, Ethan and Aviana were ready to leave. However, Old Mr Urkel stopped them and asked Aviana to follow him to his study room before he slowly aped up the stairs with the aid of his walking stick. Aviana stood there, in shock while she stared at the Old man as he walked away. It was a while before she finally came back to her senses and uttered, confused, "Uh?" Old Mr Urkel turned around instantly and said indifferently, "Are you deaf? I said you should follow me to my study room, now! Do not waste my time!" After he was done pushing out these words, he continued to walk ahead until he disappeared into his study room. Aviana released a long, deep sigh before she turned to Ethan and said, "I'll go see your father. Will see you at the car." Then, she turned around ready to walk away. However, Ethan stopped her immediately. He said simply, "I'm coming with you." He took hold of her hand and wanted to go with her. Aviana pulled her hand back, stopping him abruptly. "No, E
"I'm not going to beat around the bush, I'll just go straight to why I summoned you here," said Old Urkel. "I want you to stay away from my son" he said sternly. The way he said those words, it didn't sound like a request or a plea. It sounded more like a command, and he was giving no room for little hope to her heart. Aviana wasn't surprised at all, either. He never liked her from the beginning and he never hesitated to show it. But, she could not denie his words suddenly crushed the little hope she had remaining in her heart. She continued to look down while she bit at her lower lip as she faught so hard the urge not to cry. When she didn't say anything, he continued, "I'm not all that bad, so, I'm willing to compensate you with a large sum of money or assets, whatever you want. Just name your price." Her attempt to keep her tears from falling was in vain as they flowed endlessly like a stream of water. In other words, he wanted to pay her off in order for her to break up with E
Half an hour later, Scarlet arrived at the mansion. She walked straight to the sitting room and slumped her whole weight on the sofa. She looked exhausted. She rested for a while on the sofa before she stood to her feet, again. Yawning, Scarlet dragged her feet on the way to her bedroom. Her eyes drooped shut with each step. Lately, she had been working herself up towards winning over Aaron's heart. Most of the time, she would stay up all night on her phone. Not that she would be playing with it, or doing something that isn't meaningful? She would spend the time on her phone and searching through the internet on ways to win over a man's heart. She would mostly sleep for three to four hours, which isn't good for her health, but she kept encouraging herself that it would be worth it in the end. Everything was all new to her since she had never been in love with a guy before, making Aaron the first guy to fall in love with. She practically had no idea where to start, in the end, she r
Beverly HillsMeanwhile, Jayden was busy working on his laptop when his phone started ringing. He casually glanced at the ID caller, and saw that it was Rufus, the bodyguard he had assigned to keep an eye on Chloe while at the country. He wasn't willing to pick it up, either, so he tossed it back on the sofa and immediately went back to what he had been doing. Rufus often called him on daily basis to report to him about Chloe's daily activities, where she goes, whom she has been talking to, and all? However, most of the things he reported to him about Chloe were unimportant. The previous week, he called him on phone to inform that Chloe had gone missing. At that time, he had been in the middle of an important business meeting when he answered the phone. "Hello, Rufus. What is it?" he asked impatiently. "What about Chloe? What did she do this time?" he questioned. "What? Chloe is missing?" he shrieked, startling everyone in the room. He lowered his voice immediately, frustration tak
Ethan walked into "The Intoxicated" Entertainment clubhouse, the familiar buzz of energy and laughter wash over him. He spotted Alex and James who were already seated at their usual position. “Hey, look who finally decided to show up!” Alex called out, a playful grin spreading across his face. His eyes twinkled with mischief as he leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. James, ever the composed one, merely raised an eyebrow but offered a smirk.Ethan shrugged nonchalantly, but inside, he could still feel the residual warmth of the passionate encounter he’d just had with Aviana. The slightly disheveled state of his hair and the faint trace of lipstick lingering on his collar were the only signs that might give him away, but he hoped they would go unnoticed. “Traffic,” Ethan replied coolly, sliding into his seat with an air of indifference. He could see the knowing glimmer in Alex’s eyes, the way he leaned in just a bit closer, eager for any hint of a story.“Right,” Alex said, chuckl
Aviana walked into the house, her blouse still partially buttoned, a telltale sign of the passionate encounter she’d just had with Ethan in the car. As she fumbled with the remaining buttons, trying to regain some semblance of normalcy, a small, curious voice called out from the living room.“Big sis!” Hayden appeared around the corner, his bright eyes wide with curiosity. He was clutching a toy car tightly in one hand and staring up at his sister with a mix of innocence and suspicion.Aviana, momentarily flustered, straightened up and tried to smooth her disheveled appearance. “Hey, Hayden,” she said, forcing a casual tone. “What’s up?”Hayden’s gaze remained fixed on her, his little brows knitting together as he took in the scene. “You’re home pretty late, Big sis. And why are you buttoning your blouse like that? Did you and Uncle Ethan have a... uh, fun time in the car?”Aviana’s cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. She froze mid-button, her mouth slightly open as she tried to proc
Aviana lay in Ethan's arms, their bodies intertwined in a comfortable silence that spoke volumes of their deep connection. The room was quiet, save for the soft rhythm of their breathing and the occasional contented sigh that escaped their lips.Ethan gently brushed a strand of hair away from Aviana's face, his touch tender and filled with affection. He couldn't help but marvel at how natural and right it felt to have her in his arms, to feel her warmth against him.Aviana shifted slightly, her head resting against his chest as she looked up at him with a soft smile. "You know," she murmured, her voice tinged with a hint of playfulness, "you have a way of making everything feel so... perfect."Ethan chuckled softly, his heart swelling with love for this woman who brought so much joy into his life. "I'm just glad you feel that way," he replied, his voice gentle. "You mean the world to me, Aviana."Aviana's smile widened, her fingers tracing lazy patterns on his chest as she gazed up at
Ethan looked up, his face flushed and his posture stiff as he tried to hold Aviana close. His usual aloof demeanor was completely absent, replaced by a flustered and panicked expression. “Faith! I—I didn’t expect—” he stammered, his words tumbling out in a jumbled mess.Faith couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight. Ethan, the ever-composed boss, was now visibly flustered, with his shirt slightly askew and a look of sheer bewilderment on his face. Aviana’s cries were still unabated, adding to the hilarity of the situation.“Uh, Sir,” Faith said, trying to suppress her laughter as she walked over to them. “It looks like you’re having a bit of a rough time here.”Ethan, still holding Aviana, glanced at Faith with a mix of frustration and embarrassment. “Faith, I... I don’t know what to do. She’s... she’s crying because I figured out something too quickly, and then I made it worse by saying I got help from Scarlet. I don’t know how to fix this!"Faith’s eyes twinkled with a mix of amuseme
Ethan stood outside Aviana's office door, his mind racing with thoughts of how to approach her. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves, then knocked gently."Come in," Aviana's voice called from inside. Ethan entered cautiously, finding Aviana seated at her desk, engrossed in reviewing some documents. She looked up as he entered, her expression neutral but her eyes betraying a hint of wariness."Avi, can we talk?" Ethan asked softly, stepping further into the room.Aviana leaned back in her chair, her expression cool and composed despite the underlying irritation. Ethan stood before her, unsure of how to break through her icy demeanor."What's there to talk about, Ethan?" Aviana began, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she tapped her pen on the desk. "I don't expect you to have figured out the reason I'm mad at you already. It might take you a day, a week, or a lifetime to figure it out. Who knows?"Ethan blinked, taken aback by her blunt honesty. "Avi, I—""Nope," Aviana cut in,
Scarlet grinned at Aviana's comment about Milo, nodding in agreement. "He definitely does. But speaking of being kept on your toes, how's my brother treating you these days, Avi?" Scarlet asked playfully, raising an eyebrow teasingly.Aviana's smile faltered immediately at the mention of Ethan, her mood shifting drastically. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself before responding. "Ethan?" she replied tersely, her voice edged with irritation. "He's... he's fine."Scarlet sensed the change in Aviana's tone, her playful expression fading as she picked up on the underlying tension. "Uh-oh, trouble in paradise?" she asked cautiously, eyebrows raised in mock concern. Aviana scoffed, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "Paradise? More like a roller coaster," she muttered, her hands gesturing animatedly. Scarlet sighed dramatically, leaning back in her chair as she looked at Aviana with exaggerated concern. "Okay, spill the tea, Avi. What happened between you and Ethan this
Twenty minutes later, Scarlet arrived at the office, her steps purposeful as she made her way to Ethan's office. She knocked lightly on the door before entering, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern."Brother," Scarlet greeted warmly, her voice tinged with a hint of apprehension. "You sounded pretty serious on the phone. What's going on?"Ethan rose from his chair to greet her, grateful for her presence. "Hey, Scarlet," he began, gesturing for her to take a seat opposite him. "Thanks for coming."Taking a deep breath, Ethan recounted the events of the morning's meeting with Aviana. He described Aviana's distant demeanor, his attempts to understand her mood, and the abrupt end to the meeting after confronting her.Scarlet listened attentively, her brow furrowing with concern as Ethan finished his explanation. "So, you think Avi's mad at you, but she won't tell you why?" she summarized, her voice soft with empathy."Yeah," Ethan replied, running a hand through his hair in frust
The boardroom was set for the meeting with the marketing team, and Aviana, with her usual efficiency, had everything organized meticulously. As they settled in, Aviana took her seat beside Ethan, her posture erect and her expression composed. However, her eyes betrayed a hint of icy reserve that Ethan couldn't ignore."Good morning, everyone," Ethan greeted cheerfully, attempting to lighten the atmosphere. Aviana responded with a polite nod but remained focused on the agenda in front of her.The marketing team leader began presenting the new campaign strategy, and Aviana listened intently, jotting down notes and occasionally exchanging professional remarks with the team. Each time Ethan tried to engage her with a comment or question, Aviana responded curtly and kept her interaction strictly business.Ethan, increasingly uncomfortable with Aviana's cold demeanor, shifted in his seat, trying to catch her eye. "What do you think about the demographics for the new ad placements?" Aviana
Aviana stood in Ethan's office, a stack of documents in hand, ready to brief him on the day's schedule. Despite their personal relationship, she maintained her professional demeanor, a testament to her dedication as his personal assistant."Good morning, Ethan," Aviana greeted, her voice carrying a blend of warmth and professionalism. "Here's the rundown for today. We have a meeting with the marketing team at 10 AM to discuss the new campaign strategy. Then, you have a lunch meeting with Mr. Johnson from Capital Investments at 12 PM."Ethan, leaning back in his chair, flashed a playful grin. "Sounds riveting, as always, Avi. Did you make sure they're serving my favorite dessert at lunch?"Aviana rolled her eyes playfully, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. "I believe they're more interested in discussing investments than your sweet tooth, Ethan."He chuckled lightly, enjoying the banter. "You never know, Avi. Dessert is a serious business."Aviana continued with her briefing, detai