CHAPTER 6

ARIA'S POV

Adam hands the flowers over to one of the maids, asking her to put it in a vase or whatever. He clears his throat, trying and failing miserably to hide his embarrassment in front of his mother, his sister and the maids.

“The flowers weren’t for you.” He says, voice hard as he stares at me for a brief second. I barely even feel anything when he says that because I genuinely don’t care anymore, I just want to get the hell out of this house and never return. I don’t even care about the rest of my things which I am yet to pack, I just want to turn my back on this horrible life already. I hear Eva sniggers.

Adam seems like he wants to say something to me but then he decides against it and turns to his mother instead.

“Mum, please return the bracelet to her.”

She snorts and shakes her head stubbornly, “I am not letting her leave with it.”

Adam grunts, a sign that he is slowly losing his patience, “ I have never seen that bracelet mother, it belongs to Aria. Please, give it back.”

Adam’s mother doesn’t immediately move to do as she is told but the moment she does, it is with an annoyed huff as she tosses the bracelet at me. I catch it in my palms while she heads back to sit in the same position as earlier when I first walked into the living room.

I fall to my knees by the mess the maids made out of my clothes and then I begin to arrange them again, rushing through the process so I can get out of here fast to stop the repeated sting of humiliation. Adam standing there and just watching me clean up his mother’s mess without as much as an apology from either of them only adds to the rising level of humiliation.

Once done, I stand and face Adam squarely, taking in the same clothes he wore to the cemetery earlier and getting reminded of all the reasons why I am making the best decision of my life.

“As  I said before, it is over between us. The divorce papers and my resignation letter will find their way to you soon.” I say, ignoring the way his face twisted, “Goodbye, Adam.”

I turn around before I can even hear his response. I don’t want to look at Adam, not anymore. I walk away from him, going straight for the door and turning its knob for what I hope is the very last time.

I have barely taken a step outside the door when Adam’s strong hand grabs my upper arm and twists me around to look at him. I have worked with him for seven years, four of which I was just his secretary and that was enough for me to know the kind of man Adam Miller is. He is usually composed  with a blank expression that shows how in control he is.

Right now, Adam is neither composed nor in control. He seems like he has lost grip of it and the meaning of those words don’t even matter to him anymore as he holds my arm in a tight grip. I struggle to break free of his hold.

“Let me go.” I snap at him but Adam only narrows his eyes at me, his anger burning past his blue eyes.

“You can’t just leave, Aria.” He growls.

“You can’t tell me what to do, Adam. At least not anymore. Let me go!”

“Does this even make any sense to you!” He yells in my face as he lets go of my hand to run his hand through his hair, “ You can’t just spring this kind of shit on me.”

“It’s not springing if we have both had it coming from the very moment we shared our vows which you have already broken. We both know this marriage should have never happened so cut the crap and let me leave.” I say, practically fuming before turning around in another attempt to leave.

“What about grandfather? You are taking such a big step without talking to the old man who set it all up anyway. The man who has been nothing but good to you.”

I turn back to face Adam, hating his attempt at making me feel guilty. My thoughts go to his grandfather momentarily and I try to imagine the old man’s reaction to me filing for a divorce when he cares about me so much. However, I don’t waver. I refuse to let those thoughts come between me and my freedom. I refuse to put the wish of another over my own happiness.

“I will talk to grandfather. Believe me, you have nothing to worry about.” I say and make another attempt to leave but of course, Adam doesn’t give up as he speaks again.

“I won’t sign it Aria, I won’t sign the goddamn papers!”

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I yell out my frustration, “Why won’t you just let me go?”

He stares me down, eyes burning stubbornly, “I won’t sign the papers and I won’t accept your resignation either. The company has rules you have to follow and you can’t just decide to resign without prior notice especially when there is a lot of work at the office which I pay you to do!”

I scoff, unable to believe his nerve. Unable to get over his selfish thinking and absolute lack of remorse for the things he has done.

“You have Sophia, don’t you?” I shoot at him and his brows furrow.

“What does that even mean?”

“Everyone adores Sophia. She is smart, beautiful and can get your work done for you and oh, don’t forget the fact that she is also pregnant with your child! How perfect is that?”

Adam’s mother springs up, surprise evident in her features. Clearly, she is just learning about her coming grandson.

“Adam, is what she says true? You have a child on the way?” Eva asked excitedly.

Adam’s expression don’t give anything away and he doesn’t even spare his mother or sister a glance. He is still looking straight at me.

“Aria, what happened between Sophia and I wasn’t intentional, it just–”

“Don’t you dare make excuses for her! Who cares what she thinks? Sophia is who you have always deserved. The only woman who actually deserves to be my daughter-in-law.”  Adam’s mother cut in while making sure to give me a nasty look that doesn’t even surprise me anymore.

I shrug at Adam, a way to show him that I was right. Everyone wants Sophia, including him and he can’t even bring himself to deny it. He continues to ignore his mother.

“Aria, it was an accident.” He says again and I nod, like I am agreeing to his words.

“Three years ago, you didn’t think the same way. You didn’t think you accidentally slept with me but instead believed I had gone as far as drugging you to sleep with you. What changed, Adam? Because all I see right now is a bloody hypocrite and a coward who would rather blame others for his mistakes.” 

When I turn my back to him this time, I don’t stop walking. I don’t turn around.

“Aria! Aria, get back here while I am still being nice. Aria, I swear to God if you walk out that door, I won’t take you back even if you go on your knees. You need me, Aria. You can’t survive without me!”

Adam yells after me but I don’t stop walking as his arrogant words only fueled my desire to get away from him as fast as I can. I block out the rest of his words as I open the door and welcome my peace and freedom.

I am never going back to that sad reality.