ARIA'S POV The feeling of waking up makes me light for several seconds, like I am floating in the realm between life and death until I finally feel my consciousness slip back in. My eyes flutter open after that. I blink once, twice and some more when the vision in front of me doesn’t change into a familiar one. I sit up, expecting to see the dull blue walls of my room but the room I woke up in is painted differently in a brighter and warmer color that makes me feel relaxed to be here. Before I start to question the changes I am not used to, a fast train of memories slam into my mind and it all starts to make sense. Everything that happened from Grandmother’s funeral to me standing in front of the hotel, drained and desperate. From there, I remember nothing else. I must have fainted, completely blacked out and was brought to this strange place. I find it strange because it clearly isn’t a hospital room which I assume I should have been taken to if I fainted out of nowhere. The room
ADAM’S POV Three days–that’s how long it’s been since Aria worked up the nerve to walk out of our home. As a businessman, a few hours is enough for me to get over losses, as only a fool will continuously mourn a loss when he should be moving on to the next best opportunity to make up for it. It has always been like that with people too, I don’t care who leaves because in the long run, there is always someone better who can replace them. Yet, it’s been three whole days and I can’t get over this foreign feeling that tightens my chest each time I think of her. I can’t seem to attach my usual logic of loss and replacement to the one person I shouldn’t even care about losing. Unable to accept that the tight feeling in my chest means something, I resort to the ones I can actually cope with. I let the feelings of distress, anger, humiliation and total disrespect take root in my mind because really, those are basically the things Aria has done against me in the last 72 hours. The reasons f
ARIA'S POV My shock at Regis’s claim is evident, in the way my jaw slacks and the way my eyes go beyond their normal size. I stare at him and he in turn continues to stare at the key chain like he is just seeing it for the first time. Perhaps, the realization that he is familiar with the one it belongs to is the reason he is now looking at the key chain in a new light. I also discovered that besides the color of the jewellery piece, I know nothing else because I haven’t properly looked at it since my grandmother's death. The shock and the preparation for her funeral gave me no time to do so. So I wait for Regis to clear up the air about what he knows about the piece of jewellery adorned with rubies and emeralds. “Did you say your grandmother gave this to you?” Seconds pass before Regis finally hands the key chain back to me. I take it in both hands, nodding absent-mindedly at Regis while I take a proper overdue look at the memento. I discover there isn’t much to look at anyway, d
ARIA’S POV I take a step to the back when the man wheels himself forward again, getting even closer into my personal space than he already was. Looking to Regis for help in that moment doesn’t help one bit because he also has the same look of confusion written in clear lines all over his face. “I can’t believe it’s really you. Look at you, all grown.” He’s smiling through tears. When he grabs my hand out of nowhere, I yelp at the unexpected contact, backing away from him. It is exactly what Regis needs to break out of his confusion as he steps between us. I hide behind him, rubbing the hands the man held not too long ago. “Sir,” Regis says, “Is everything okay?” At Regis’ words, the man breaks out of whatever spell he’s been put in since he saw me. “Oh, how rude of me,” He says and then meets my eyes to continue, “I apologize if I made you feel uncomfortable. I just couldn’t help myself.” He chuckles at the end of the words. However, that isn’t enough to convince me to step out
ADAM’S POVSitting in my office, I feel like a donkey. This is the twenty-third candidate I am interviewing to fill in Aria’s position and none of them seem to fit in her shoes. I sit and ponder, why am I even searching for someone who will be literally just a replacement for Aria?She is gone from this company and I should at least search for someone who is different from her, but it seems that she has become a habit of mine. I realize that I shall never be able to get over her and now I feel weak. I, Adam Miller, who has always been above everyone, including Aria, seem to be at her mercy.I have still not heard from her after a week and I have been expecting her to come begging me to take her back, but until now, nothing! This is really frustrating. I keep asking myself if she has not found another man and forgotten about me completely.Ever since she left the company, I have had a messed up life. I was the CEO of Miller Corporation and to me, all employees should have the same stat
ADAM’S POV Sophia and I are finally at the restaurant. Frankly speaking, I do not want to be here, but I am compelled to. Sophia thinks that carrying my child means that she owns me and this is something I despise- when women try to take control of my life and me. Here is Sophia, sitting in front of me, in a revealing dress that makes her look slutty. How I wish that the management could have had a dress code and not let us in, that would have been great. This so-called date could have been avoided. Unfortunately, nothing like that happened. “I’m glad that we can enjoy this moment like the old days,” Sophia says. I just nod. I am unbothered by the past I have left behind and here she is, trying to take me on the same track. She is not stupid and she somehow feels that I am not into her for a long time but she is forcing herself on me. I love kids, but that does not mean that I shall be her slave. What she does not know is that I am capable of being a single dad and chopping her of
ARIA’S POV How dare he touch me and ask me about my private matters! Why is he acting like he owns me? He has never been this way with me. Why this sudden change? “Aria is still my wife and you have no right to interfere in my private matter, Uncle Regis!” Adam exclaims in anger. “You’re so funny, Adam! I still don’t get it. Why aren’t you letting me go? You should be happy that I am out of your life and now you can enjoy your Sophia, no?!” I say sarcastically. I am not letting him control me like he used to do. “I don’t need anyone! I need you,” he tries to approach her, but all I see is his uncle getting between us. “Need?! Since when have you started needing me?! Does a marriage strife solely on needs or love or respect?” I ask. I know that Adam believes that his uncle must be my new man and that he is taking very good care of me when it should have been him instead. Why would he be jealous now? “Aria… We can sort out our marital issues together in private, rather than stan
REGIS’ POV “I regret even stepping into this company and into Adam’s life,” I hear Aria saying. I understand how she feels but if she had not stepped into that company, I would not have been introduced to such a lovely lady as Aria. How could I forget that day when for the first time, I saw Aria? Walking in her black pencil skirt, mid-heel pumps, dark grey blouse and hair done in a ponytail, I went completely head over heels for her. Those lovely large eyes, her lovely smile, her melodious voice and her slender frame turned my world upside down. “Welcome to the Miller Corporation,” Aria had said in the lobby and shook hands with me. I just could not control myself at that time and I felt so drawn to her. She was so polite to me, especially when she asked me what I would like to drink. I requested for a Cappuccino, but her beauty continued to mesmerize me. However, as she handed me the cup of coffee, it accidentally spilled on my black suit. Aria was horrified and she kept apol