Chapter 7

When they entered the company, each and every pair of eyes looking at them some with excitement, some with jealousy . Mary was waiting for her boss to come since she came to the company, when she saw them entering through the main entrance she swiftly ran towards him,

“Sir … Mr. Hudson is waiting for you in your office.”

“When did he come?” he inquired Mary while walking to the lift area. “45 minutes ago sir” he nodded and entered the lift followed by Ariana and Mary joined them too. He sensed that Mary Wanted to tell something. While he turned to ask Mary he heard Ariana’s voice,

“Your father?” Ariana asked in a curious, he arched his one brow with a questioning look on his face.

“Ms. Steele said Mr. Hudson is here, it must be your father, right?” he shook his head with a smile.

“No dear it’s my grandfather” last night he decided to show her his love without hesitation, there he started to call her by using endearments. Mary heard it too but she acted like she didn’t. She thought ‘May be the news was not a rumor’

Ariana recalled by which name he called her ‘Dear’ she was utterly baffled with his endearment.

 ‘What has gotten into him’ her thoughts disrupted by lift sound.

“Ariana, you may go to your cabin, I will call you once I am done talking to my grandfather” she nodded and went inside her cabin. She saw a man sitting on the sofa, she cannot see his face but his back. She went near the glass wall and closed the blinds to give them privacy.

In the corridor

“What is it Ms. Steel? , speak out”

“Sir you have been spotted by a reporter”

“Is that a big issue? ”

“Not only yourself sir along with Ms. Jonas, and they have posted few pictures with a caption saying as,…” she have no courage to say what is in the news so she showed him the news on her tablet,

 ‘Mr. Hudson, who took over the Hudson group of companies two years ago has been spotted by our reporters with a girl entering a five star hotel at dinner time but exited morning, are they staying overnight, is she his girlfriend or one night stand? Stay tuned for more updates’

He looked at the screen with a blank face with no expression. “OK you may go” saying that he entered his office before even he takes few steps Ariana came rushing into his office, she didn’t even bother to knock on the door, she completely forgot about the man sitting there. Zane panicked and asked in a soft voice,

 “What is it Ariana are you alright? , why are you looking frightened?.” She shook her head in sideways as no

“Sir the…. The news.. We…. My photos….” She was stammering in fear he could say if she continued, soon she will get a panic attack instantly he started to rub her back even Zane forgot about the other soul inside his office

“ Breathe .. Breathe… did you take your pills this morning?” she shook her head as no, she calmed down with his words,

“Wait I am going to get you your medicines”

he started to walk to her cabin she held his hand to stop him walking further. “That’s not important now sir, the news…..”

“Calm down Ariana I will handle it” he tried to calm her down when they heard a deep voice

“Are you sure you can handle this mess” only then the couple realized they were not alone. He is Henry Hudson or call it grandfather Henry. By seeing him no one could say he is 67 years old.

Both of them can sense that he is fuming in anger, Zane knew his grandfather better than anyone, he is afraid that his words or actions may hurt Ariana so he asked her to go back to the cabin and don’t come until he call her. When she turned to go back she heard him roaring like a lion “I dare you to step out of this office before giving me an explanation” she was startled and scared. Zane instantly pulled Ariana to his back as he is a armor protecting her.

“Grandpa you are scaring her” he half yelled at Henry.

The old man tilted his head to see his grandson his eyes were red he was furious. He stood up and walked few steps forward.

“What is your relationship with this girl?” he didn’t yell but his voice is enough to stop one’s breath in fear.

“Grandpa this is my Assistant Ariana” saying he tried to move aside but instantly she held his suit tightly as telling him not to move. He understood her fear and didn’t try to move. Henry stretched his wooden stick and pushed Zane to aside to see her face, Zane didn’t stand stiff so Henry easily pushed him. His gaze fixed to the petite figure standing beside him to be dumb for few seconds, he couldn’t talk, his words stuck inside his throat, he knew her.

 ‘This girl, I have been searching her for two and half years, what is she doing here? , how come I didn’t notice her in this office until now’ his thoughts distracted by Zane’s voice,

Zane noticed his grandfather looking at her intensely, Zane walked to stand beside Henry and said “ I know she is epitome of beauty but stop glaring at her, she is my girl”

 ‘His girl what is happening here’ he was getting shocks continuously. Soon his anger in his eyes replaced by care and concern

“Ayla ” she was staggered to hear that name, only then she raised her head to see the man. The way he said her name reminded the man saved her three years ago even though she doesn’t has a clear image of that man but his gentle voice is so familiar.

Zane was baffled for few seconds by his sudden mood change, when he heard Henry calling her with some other name

“No grandpa not Ayla her name is Ariana”.

“Grandpa hen” he nodded swiftly. She ran into his embrace with tears and started crying hysterically he hugged her back. Zane was dumbfounded after he recovered from the shock soon he pulled her into his embrace.

 Ariana had no idea whom she was hugging at that moment she thought she was in Henry’s embrace. After he took her in his arms with in few seconds she stopped crying the whole office room was in pin drop silence. Trio sat in the sofa, Ariana sandwiched by both men.

“OK now can anyone answer my questions?” he have no patience at the moment.

“What you want to know hunter?”

“First question, how do you know her?

“I met her in California three years ago not exactly… three years and two months, when I went to attend a wedding of one of my friend’s grand daughter”

“Hm fine.. second question, why do you call her by a different name?”

“That’s her original name I have no idea about her name you used when you introduced her” he turned his head to see Ariana whereas she was busy staring at the floor.

 ‘sigh’ “OK Third, why you look stunned when you saw her, if you are familiar with her then you should be happy but no you were shocked to hell and I haven’t seen that type of reaction till my birth to now on this face of yours”

“I thought she is dead. Because….. I saw… ”

“ You saw what grandpa?”

“ I saw the Graves of her and her parents.”

“What the fuck?” he yelled

“Language, Hunter” Henry said in a stern voice.

“Am sorry for my word grandpa,” after a pause “Then why were you shocked to see her now, I am sure you have seen the news that’s what made you come here and her image is all over the news channels and social media”

“That’s because I didn’t see the news but I heard it from one of my security guard. I was furious so I rushed to see you here and got a shock and surprise at the same time” Zane noticed Ariana didn’t even utter a single word.

“Do you want to say something?” she didn’t give him any response.

“I think you are done with your inquiry, come here” Henry dragged Zane to a corner and asked “ now answer my questions Hunter, first, what do mean by she is your girl?” there is no smile on his face. Zane thought for few seconds, answered boldly by looking at her face,

“I like her grandpa” he confessed with seriousness. Henry knew Zane was serious because he haven’t been with girls before, he is not a playboy as well, he takes relationships seriously.

 “Since when you know her?”

“Three … three days” he stuttered, when Henry opened his mouth to say something, Zane spoke in a haste “ I am not joking I am serious about her.”

“How serious are you about her?”

“As serious as to spend the rest of my life with her” Henry smiled and patted his shoulder.

“Did she know your feelings?” he shook his head in disagreement.

“Do you think She is also interested in you?” he thought for few seconds and said

“Maybe a little, but soon I will be the center of her world”

 Henry thought for few seconds and dragged Zane by holding his hand,

“Hunter we have to go come with me”

“Sweetheart come with us”

 Henry asked Ariana to follow him, both of them Ariana and Zane exchanged looks before following him. After they settled inside the car, Henry asked Ariana for her address before commanding Zane to drive to her house.

They reached her house in 45 minutes, she pressed the door bell, Eva opened the door to get a surprise and shock at the same time.

“Mr. Henry, oh my God Mr. Henry come in, Colin.. Colin come and take a look who is here” she had tears in her eyes. Colin rushed to the living area he also had the same expression.

“How are you man?, I thought I lost three of you forever”

Henry and Colin hugged each other. Then he noticed Ariana and a young man beside Henry.

“This is….” He pointed his finger towards Zane.

“My grandson Zane”

“Hello Mr. Zane, nice to meet you, oh come on sit, Honey make lunch for all of us” Henry wants to know every detail but He cannot because of Zane’s presence.

“How did you met Ariana, Mr. Henry?”

“She is working as Zane’s assistant”

“Ohh”

“Colin i have something important to discuss with you”

“Yes Mr. Henry tell me”

“I feel a bit hot here why don’t we go for a walk”

“Yeah sure Mr. Henry, please wait I will be back in a minute.”

“Hunter go and spend some time with her” he nodded with a wide grin.

They both had some random conversations while walking to the playground.

“Mr. Henry, you said you have something important to discuss with me, tell me what is it?” after leaving a heavy sigh Henry began to speak,

“OK, Colin I have no idea what happened after I returned to New York. I tried to contact you for more than three months but I couldn’t, I thought something was not right so I came to check on you guys, but I only got to see three Graves. I was shocked. But my heart kept saying that you three are fine and happy somewhere in this world so I have appointed some people to search for you guys in California even now the searching process is on. You have no idea how happy I am to see Ayla and you people alive. If you are comfortable you can tell me what happened after I returned to New York, and what is that Ariana when she has a beautiful name?”