"What a pleasant surprise. What brings you to my humble abord?" Alex teased Aiden.
In these past years, they became best friends.
Aiden rolled his eyes at Alex's words.
"Since when did you become a drama queen?" Aiden sat in the chair opposite to Alex.
"Me? Drame queen, you are not at all fun" Alex said playfully.
Aiden shook his head at Alex.
"You are changing" Aiden muttered.
Alex laughed out loud at that comment.
"Ya, I guess I am" Alex admitted.
"So tell me, what brings you here?" Alex asked seroiusly, back to bussiness. All traces of humour gone from both of their faces.
"Noah" Aiden muttered his name as a curse.
Alex is shocked by Aiden's declaration.
"What did he do this time? You met him or something?" Alex asked with concern.
Aiden sighed heavily.
"I didn't meet him. He found Aria" Aiden revealed.
Alex knows Aiden loves Aria and she is no where to be found. She dissapeared two years ag
"If you wanted to order from our chef, then you can do. You don't have to eat if you don't want to" Aria said hastily.She should have asked him before she decided to cook something. Aria is feeling Embarrassed after realizing that.Aiden shook his head."No no, I like eating home-cooked food. It looks delicious by the way" he complimented her so that she could feel better.Aria beamed at his compliment.They both finished their dinner in comfortable silence.Aiden understood something is bothering Aria. He doesn't want to force her. If she feels comfortable enough to share with him, then he would be glad to help her out, if she needs it.Aria didn't know if she should share everything with her friends or not. She is not sure how they will take it.Moreover, it's Aiden's home she is staying at and he might not prefer sharing about his personal life with anyone. It would be better if she takes his permission before sharing about h
But Aria will not do the same mistake twice. This time, she will keep her heart guarded."I didn't forget anything Adam. I remember every second of it. I will not repeat the same mistake twice" Aria tried to assure him.But Adam is her best friend and he wants her to be happy. He was the spectator of her misery for the past two years.She struggled with her memories and failed miserably to forget about him.So he is not liking the fact that she is staying with him again. He believes that Aiden will hurt her again."Aria, mistakes are called mistakes because they are not planned. They just happen. Even if you don't want to repeat anything, it might happen again. You cannot predict the future. I don't want you to stay with him Aria. I want you to call a cab and come straight to our house" Adam demanded that she comes back right away from Aiden.Aria is torn. She actually thought about that when Aiden offered to take her in. But like he p
Aria looked at Aiden with wide eyes. She was not expecting him to listen to everything. But it's her mistake that she was talking with her phone in speakers.She is embarrassed to face him. If he heard everything, then he must have heard what Adam thinks about him as well. It's not her intention to insult him like this."I am sorry" she whispered with embarrassment."No, I am sorry," Aiden said with guilt.He heard what Adam asked her.'Did you forget the last two years and the reason behind it?' Adam pointed out.Aiden can understand he hurt her too much with his words that she suffered badly. That is where Adam's anger is coming from.Adam looked at Aria in her best and the last two years must be her worst. So like a good friend that he is, he is trying to protect her from so much heartache once again.That is why he is hell-bent on separating Aria from him. Because he doesn't want to see her in pain again.Aiden is
The next morning, Aiden is already gone by the time Aria woke up. She bathed and got ready and hurried to work as well.Aiden is already working by the time Aria found him."Sir, do you need some coffee?" Aria asked politely."No, I already drank two cups since this morning. You go and check the details for today's event. Bob must have already started his work for the day" Aiden answered, not looking at her once.Aria's face fell."Ok sir" she whispered and left his office.Aiden lifted his eyes from the laptop screen and looked at the spot where she stood just now.'It was hell living without knowing where you were for the past 2 years, Sweetheart. But it's agony ignoring you when you are in front of me' he thought sadly.But she is better off without him in her life, he decided.On the other hand, Adam cooled down enough to think properly. He realized how wrong he has been and he even hurt Claire in the process.
In Ari hotels, Adam came to meet Aiden.Adam looked at the reception area for Claire, but he didn't find her."Hello, I have an appointment with Mr. Knight. Where can I find him?" Adam asked another lady in the reception deck."Sir, you turn left from here and the first door you find is his office. Have a nice day" the nice lady greeted polietly.Adam nodded his head and smiled at her politely and followed the directions she gave him.Like she said, he found a door and he knocked on it."Come in" Aiden called.Adam opened the door and stood in the threshold.Aiden looked at the man who came to see him, and recognised him as Adam. The same one he firat saw in a Texas bar."Adam, please come on in" Aiden invited Adam inside his office.Adam is spell bound after looking at Aiden."So you are really the Aiden Knight" Adam muttered to himself.Aiden chuckled when he heard that comment."Ya, I am the
Adam and Aiden remain quiet for some time."So this Noah is the one who killed your father?" Adam asked.Aiden nodded."How did you know for sure? Do you have anything against him to prove that he is the one?" Adam asked."No, he confessed it himself. It's around the same time when I hurt Aria. I was shocked, confused, and angry. I didn't know how to deal with that kind of revelation at that time. I confronted him, and he agreed that it's him who is behind all this" Aiden revealed."If it's him, then why don't you complain against him?" Adam asked."It's not that easy. He comes from old money. His father was a very reputed and powerful man. Noah used his father's contacts to erase every little detail that proves him as the culprit. But if I still complain, Martin is the one who would be behind the bars as soon as the investigation starts. Noah made sure that the Accident video popped up whenever someone started investigating my father's death" Aid
After Adam's revelation, both Aria and Claire are stunned with surprise."Did I hear wrong, or did he said what I think he did?" Aria asked looking at Claire.Claire too is shocked by Adam's change in behavior."Yes, he said what we heard" Claire confirmed.'One meeting with Mr. Knight and Adam changed his tune to a 180. Is Mr. Knight a magician?' Claire thought."What made you change your mind?" Aria asked Adam.Adam chewed the food in his mouth slowly, before he answered Aria."Mr. Knight explained what kind of a person Noah is. I understood why he thinks Noah is dangerous. I agree with him. It would be better if you could stay safe and away from trouble" Adam advised Aria.Aria nodded her head with her mouth agape.'Is it true or am I dreaming?' Aria thought.Claire too is in a state of shock.'Last night we both tried to make him understand. But he didn't listen to either one of us. But now he listened to Mr. Knig
Aria rushed to 5th floor and found the work is already under progress. She greeted Bob with a broad smile."Great Aria, come I need your help with the decorations. Help me arrange this flowers" Bob is flustered, as he has to make everything ready with in a few hours.Aria didn't waste any time. She immediately got to work. She started arranging flowers in the way Bob wanted them.After that, the bunched flowers would go to the decorations. The banquet hall looked like, it just saw a hurricane.The floor is littered with the reminants of the decoration pieces and stems of the flowers, a few leaves, ballons which are blown and a few which are ruined.It's dosen't look like, there would be a party going on there, in just a few hours time. Aria can understand why Bob is flustered.The flower delivery was delayed a couple of hours than they were supposed to arrive. That delayed everything, pushing everyone to rush untill the very last momen
The next morning, Aiden's mom Sarah was cooking breakfast in the kitchen when Aria came down.Aiden is still sleeping, but Aria couldn't sleep at all after what happened last night. She is on edge and itching to go out of the room for some air.When she came down, she saw Sarah, Aiden's mother cooking breakfast. With everything that happened after she came the previous day, Aria couldn't talk to her properly. She seems to be like a nice woman."Do you want some help?" Aria offered tentatively.Sarah looked behind her and smiled at Aria."Oh hello dear. Good morning. No dear, I am just about done. I couldn't sleep at all with everything that happened last night. So I decided to prepare some pancakes. Martin too likes pancakes. I stress cook a lot" Sarah agreed sheepishly.Aria smiled at that comment."Ya, I couldn't sleep too. Everything is too much to digest" Aria too agreed.Sarah switched off the flames and turned to face Aria.
On that very same night, at 2 am in the early morning hours, 10 masked men entered Aiden's beach house, through the back door.Everyone in the house was sleeping, unaware of the danger they are in.Those masked men started to climb the upper floors as if following a plan. They entered Aiden's room and found Aria and Aiden sleeping beside each other.One of them removed his mask, and Noah's face appeared."Not for too long," he said through clenched teeth.He indicated his men to go and get the girl, but when they were about to touch Aria, Aiden opened his eyes and looked at those men with shock."Who are you?" he asked loudly, alerting Aria beside him."What's happening?" Aria asked with confusion and fear looking around the bed at the dark-clothed masked men.That's when Aiden heard Noah's chuckle.He snapped his head towards his old friend and enemy."Oh, it's you? I should have guessed" Aiden said lazily, getti
Martin and Aria sat outside on the porch, talking about everything that happened since the moment he was forced to move out on them."I made a mistake Ari, I shouldn't have drunk so much and driven my car. I did both. I was so drunk, I accidentally crashed into Mr. Alexander. I panicked and left him on the road to die. I found out later that he was not dead then but was killed by Noah. He began to blackmail me with that video of me crashing into Mr. Alexander. I was forced to do everything he wanted me to. First, he wanted me to leave you and your mother. And then, he made me marry Sarah, that was the point I began to feel hopeless and helpless. Then, everything began to go out of control. Then your mother died and you contacted me for help. I know Aiden is a good man who wouldn't let you suffer alone. So I made you come here to protect you in the only way I could" Martin confessed, making Aria's eyes tear up."We missed you so much after you left us, dad. Mostly mom,
Aria and Aiden lay on the bed beside each other naked, and they have a very content smile on their faces."I never thought this day would come so soon. I thought I had to wait for another year for you to forgive me, or even more" Aiden confessed.Aria smiled at his statement."I guess I loved you since a long time. It's easy to forgive you" Aria said.Aiden smiled at her statement.That's when Aria remembered something Natasha said that day."Is is Noah behind everything that happened at that time?" Aria asked.Aiden stiffened."Yes, he instigated everything and I got carried away. It's my mistake as well. I cannot throw the entire blame on him and tell you that I am innocent. I am not" Aiden confessed."What happened?" Aria asked softly.Aiden sighed and began to explain everything since the moment her father crashed in to his father and then Noah killing his father and blackmailing Martin. And then Noah send that vi
Aiden instructed a bell boy to bring him the paper which Aria intended to give him after she left.He unfolded the paper and found her words.'I love you too' it read.He smiled softly and looked in the direction which she left.He pocketed the paper and left to attend his meeting.Aria on the other hand is disappointed. She tried to tell him how she feels for him, but luck doesn't seem that be on her side.'Now he is going for a meeting and who knows how long it will be until he comes back' she thought with a sad face.The day passed by slowly, but without a sign of Aiden.Aria is feeling restless. She regretted not telling him what she feels when she had the chance. Now she fears that he might misunderstand that she doesn't feel the same about him."What are you going to do?" Claire asked her."I have to do something and let him know how I feel about him. That too today itself" Aria told Claire."Hmm, then you
After Aria composed herself, she rushed downstairs to share this news with her friend Claire and Adam.She was receiving weird glances from the employees around her. That is making her feel uncomfortable.She rushed towards the reception area and found Claire talking to her colleague."Claire" Aria called to attract her friends attention.Claire looked over and found Aria. She looked excited and happy.She exused herself and went to Aria."Hey you, what is making you so happy? I thought you wouldn't come out of that office for the rest of the day. What are doing here anyway?" Claire wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.Aria blushed furiously."Claire" she said looking here and there."Come" Aria pulled Claire away from ear shots and towards the garden outside."Hey, where are you taking me?" Claire complained."Don't worry, I am not planning to kidnap you" Aria assured.Aria let Clair
'Touched my heart the way Aria did' those words kept repeating in her head.Aria looked at Aiden with a shocked look.'Did he just said what I am assuming he did? Or, am I assuming too much?' She thought with shock.But she couldn't wipe out the hope she is feeling.'This means, does he have feelings for me as well?' She thought.Even Claire has a huge grin on her face.But it was not the case with Natasha. Tears are pooling in her eyes, making her feel sad and hopeless."I thought loving you is enough for you to love me back. But I think it is not" she whispered sadly.Aiden couldn't do much for her, except being pityful."I can guess who is behind all this what you did now. Stay away from him Natasha. He is dangerous" Aiden warned her off of Noah.He can easily guess it's Noah who is behind Natasha. Noah is using her for his end goals. If she takes his warning seriously and stays away from him, then it's well and go
Aiden heard some commotion just outside his office.'What is this noise?' he thought.He decided to go and check it himself. But the moment he stepped outside, he stopped dead in his tracks.Aria is on the verge of crying and Natasha has a smug expression on her face. There is a small group of people around them.Claire is glaring at Natasha and is looking at Aria with concern."What the hell is happening here?" Aiden asked angrily.The moment he saw Natasha, he knows she is here to cause trouble.The hurt expression on Aria's face is proof.When Aria saw Aiden, the tears she was trying so hard to control began to roll down her cheeks.Natasha on the other hand is not so happy to see Aiden there. She thought she would have some time until he would notice that there is something wrong. By that time, she thought she could drive Aria away.But he appeared earlier than she wanted him to appear.'Shit, he would ruin
"Oh, so you are really back? When Aiden told me you came back, I thought he was joking. I came to say hi to you myself" Natasha behaved as if she is close to Aiden.Aria is lost for words.'Aiden told her? But last night he told me that he is not with Natasha. Are they friends? But she proposed her love to him last night. Were they friends before that? But according to Claire, he didn't like her that much. Then what is she trying to prove here' Aria doubted Natasha's motive.But she didn't comment anything. Just looked at Natasha with a doubtful gaze.Because she clearly remembers Aiden saying that, he hates women without self-respect. According to what Claire just told her, Natasha clearly lacks self-respect.If Aiden drove her away time and again, but if she is still coming back, then that means she doesn't have an ounce of self-respect.But the question is, why did she come here today? What did she want?Aria still remembers w