5. What is not planned

Arya went over Ayden's rules, underlining the ones that seemed excessive and making notes on some of them. She knew there were things she had to abide by, like not eating raw seafood, or sushi. She loved sushi, and it was something she would miss.

Likewise, she spares no thought to leave the room, this one has its bathroom, so she showers before going to sleep. A message on her phone comes in just as she gets ready to lie down.

Ayden_ 11:23 p.m.

Are you awake?

The young woman rolls her eyes and with a towel on her head and the same clothes she was wearing leaves the room searching for the millionaire.

“Here I am,” she warns aloud as she steps out into the hallway.

The whole house lies in darkness except for a faint light coming from one room. The door to this one opens and out steps Ayden in sweatpants, shirtless and barefoot.

Arya has to make sure to keep her mouth shut when she notices how beautiful his body is. Well-worked biceps and belly are some of the things she notices. She feels her hands shaking and her heart racing as he gets closer.

“Have you finished reading the contract?” he asks, noticing that she has just bathed, and her erect nipples are translucent beneath the thin fabric of her blouse.

Arya notices the look on his face and puts her arms crossed over her breasts.

“Yes, I already read it all and made some notes,” she turns to go searching for them, Ayden walks behind her looking at her slender body and imagining her naked. “Here, I hope you will sincerely consider my proposals, remember I am almost a doctor and I know what can and will not affect the baby.”

“Ok, tomorrow we will go at ten o'clock for the first appointment at the clinic, my driver will pick you up” he indicates without looking at her, his sight lies on the papers she has just given him. “At least your requests are understandable. I'll let you know tomorrow.”

Ayden walks to the nearby wall, touching a panel, and it opens, revealing the entrance to a spacious closet.

“I told you would have everything you need,” he points inside, and Arya is amazed to see such a size of closet. “It's all yours, we'll buy what you require as time goes on. Dry your hair, it's wet and you might get sick.”

Arya doesn't know what to say, so she mumbles a terse, thank you. Ayden's pulse quickens as he sees her reaction, but he keeps it at bay. He leaves the room without waiting, but before he crosses the door, he manages to hear a “Good evening, sir” from the young woman's lips.

“Very kissable lips,” he thinks, and then returns to his room.

The next morning, while waiting for the doctor who will attend them, Ayden checks with his father about that night's appointment, both are nervous. He notices, for, Arya won't stop biting her nails.

“Leave your nails alone,” she asks, clenching her jaw. “It makes me desperate to see you do it.”

Arya stops doing it immediately and tries to stay calm.

“I'm anxious, last night I couldn't sleep well, and today I couldn't even taste a bite, what if your father finds us out?” she asks with doubts in her head and soul. “Am I afraid…?”

“Arya Harley?” asks the doctor's assistant, interrupting the young woman's comment. “Come in.”

The handsome man stands up, beside him the young expectant mother-to-be looks drained and disheveled. Even though she has put on jeans that fit her almost non-existent curves and a long sleeved coral colored blouse and low shoes, she still looks improper.

Ayden Emory's presence alone was imposing, not only because of her height, but because of her athletic yet slender build, as well as her character and beauty. She was an Adonis to anyone who dared to give her a good passing glance.

“Good morning, take a seat,” invites the doctor opening the clinical file received from Arya, “I see that the procedure to follow will be an artificial insemination, is that right?”

“That's right, we have all the papers in order and the contract has already been handed over to the legal area.” Ayden spreads a folder in front of the doctor, and the doctor opens it. “This is the letter of acceptance and legal approval.”

The doctor checks that everything is in order, then hands the folder back to him. The doctor tells them about the treatment and checks Arya's physical condition, after making her conclusions she warns them of some difficulties that may arise.

“As I told you, the artificial insemination may or may not be successful, but for that, I will put you on treatment, both of you,” she warns and extends a prescription. “Arya, since your menses is about to arrive, we will inject you with this medication that will make your eggs better recipients. And in your case, Ayden, you will take these hormones to strengthen the sperm. Follow the directions I've put there and I'll see you in three days. Oh, and Arya, I've prescribed some prenatal vitamins that will do you good.”

“Thank you, Dr. Packard,” Arya says, standing up to leave.

Ayden is the one who finishes the thanks and catches up with the young woman in the parking lot.

“Are you okay,” he asks, seeing her livid.

“Yeah, just overwhelmed, but I'm fine,” she lies and though he notices she says no more.

“Do you want something to eat,” he asks out of politeness. “Can you…?”

“I'm fine, go back to whatever you're doing, I'll come to your house.”

“He thinks, "Your house," and remembers that she is alone.

“Come on, let's go home,” he invites, opening the driver's door. “I have to tell you some things about my family, put you on notice.”

Arya climbs in, and he takes his place next to her behind the wheel. He starts the car and pulls out into city traffic.

“My father inherited my grandfather's company, and so I was supposed to inherit it,” he explains without taking his eyes off the streets. “However, my brother for a while now has been pushing hard and pushing for me to leave him part of it.”

“What is your family's company from,” the young woman asks curiously.

“It is of various products, makeup, creams, pharmaceuticals, perfumes… we have a wide variety of stock to offer, but my brother as a doctor wants to stay with the pharmaceutical area, he plans to divide the company.” Ayden exposes squeezing the steering wheel. “My father has told him that he has no children, no heir, he has told me the same thing, but well, the important thing you should know is don't trust him, he is my brother, but he is an unscrupulous bastard.”

“Okay, so you have a brother who is an unscrupulous bastard and a blackmailing and manipulative father, don't trust. Noted.” Arya makes a sign pointing to her temple.

Ayden laughs at the joviality with which she expresses herself and for a moment feels that life has been too long. She is only thirty-one, but feels as if she is sixty.

“Anything else you'd like to know,” he asks, being more accessible than usual.

“Your favorite food and dessert.”

“I like to eat lasagna, and for dessert…peanut butter. But my favorite dessert is chocolate strawberries…”

“Really?”

“What's wrong with it?”

“Nothing, I just thought it was curious. I really like sushi and for dessert, strawberries, and cream… you can poison me with that, and I wouldn't even notice.”

Ayden lets out a laugh-out-loud smile at Arya's expression. She is amazed to see him so relaxed, as she never thought she would see him like that. At least they had strawberries in common.

Before they know it, they are in the parking lot and walk up to the apartment. They spend the afternoon chatting until they get ready to go to dinner. Arya puts on a black ruffled v-neck dress, puts a few curls in her hair for volume, and discreetly puts on her makeup. As she leaves the room, Ayden waits for her in the living room and gapes at the sight of her.

“She looks gorgeous” he thinks to himself.

“Ready?” he asks aloud, and she nods with a blush tingeing her cheeks.

They are driven by Ayden's personal chauffeur to her father's home in Cobble Hill. When they arrive, the handsome millionaire comes down to open the door for her as they proposed. Despite his reluctance to touch a woman, he does. The two intertwine their hands, feeling their palms touch each other.

Ayden completely covers Arya's hand, they feel the electricity passing through their skin, and the touch of each movement causes flutters in her heart and stomach.

“Remember, as we planned,” Ayden repeats and rings the doorbell.

Old Gerard is the one who opens, he wasn't about to wait for his housekeeper to open to see if it was true what his son had said.

“Boys, welcome,” he greets as he opens the door. “Come in, your brother, Mark has already arrived.”

“Father, this is Arya, my bride.” they both let go of each other's hand, so she can greet her fake father-in-law.

“Welcome Arya, I'm pleased to meet you, I never expected this moment to come,” he says, hugging her, and she is surprised by the gesture.

“Thank you, the pleasure is mine. Ayden has talked a lot about you,” he comments even though he knows better, he has only told her the essentials. “I have brought a present for you. Directly from Cuba.”

The young woman hands him a small wooden box with Cuban cigars inside.

“You do know, girl, these are the good ones,” she warns, holding one up to her nose to smell it. “They smell… exquisite.”

Ayden watches the exchange of words, but knows all too well that politeness in her father comes through above his true intentions. As she enters the room, her brother Mark steps forward to introduce himself.

“Nice to meet you, Arya, I'm Mark,” he greets, extending his hand.

She recognizes that handsome runs in the family and makes sure it doesn't show that she has been overawed by Ayden's brother.

“Nice to meet you,” she greets, and though she reaches for the touch of Ayden's hand.

However, when she turns to see him, she notices how he lies rubbing his hand on his pants with the one he had taken her hand a few minutes before. She does not understand how one moment he can be such an attentive and even gallant man, and the next he wipes his hand from her touch as if he had soiled it. That saddens her, she thought he liked her despite everything, she would be the mother of his future son or daughter.

“Come, would you like a glass of wine, red, white or rosé, ?” Mark asks her, ignoring his brother.

“You can't drink,” Ayden points out, returning to the young woman's side and escorting her to sit down.

“Now you've taken to being domineering and controlling your partner,” her brother asks in a scathing tone.

Ayden is about to answer when she interrupts him.

“Not at all, he's a sweetheart to me,” she smiles complacently. “Only… Arya brings her left hand to her belly for extra drama. We're expecting a child.”

The faces of the three of them are a poem, Ayden's because they hadn't planned it, and it took him surprised, Mark's because he felt his efforts to keep the company vanish before him and old Gerard's because he didn't expect it, he would finally be a grandfather.

“Congratulations,” the old man says happily and walks over to them to hug them.

Arya stands up and hugs him, Ayden reluctantly does the same.

“I knew you wouldn't disappoint me,” he says to his firstborn. “Come, let us dine, this is to be celebrated.”

Mark offers his congratulations feigning perfectly, Arya believes his words, but Ayden does not. After he walks after his father into the dining room, he stops Arya and approaches her threateningly.

“You shouldn't have done that,” he mutters through gritted teeth, and then grabs her arm. “When we get home, we'll talk about this very seriously.”

“Let go of me!” she demands in a low voice. “You don't have to touch me if I disgust you so much.”

Arya breaks free from Ayden's grip and walks to her fake in-laws. Meanwhile, Ayden feels the tingle in his hand, although he was confused, he now understands why she thinks he is disgusted by her.

If only she knew the truth about him, she wouldn't get such ideas.