Aira downed down the remainder of her cup motioning to the middle-aged barman for a refill as her eyes -Heavy lidded, scanned the colorful content of the glass bottles lined up before her. There was a slow hum around her that she hadn’t noticed before and the atmosphere around the hotel bar seemed to be nice enough. If only she hadn’t come there to drown her sorrows at the bottom of a bottle, she would have probably enjoyed the atmosphere. Aira’s memory went back to her father’s face when he had admitted that he had lost most of the family’s fortune. And she downed the next glass back in one go hoping that the kick of the alcohol would help her forget the unsettling memory. It did not… She’d never seen her father so defeated, so helpless and miserable. Aira looked down at the ring on her finger and sighed. This was her father’s last gift. Probably the last bit of his fortune, and he decided to give it to them as a sign of his undying love and support. She felt a glimmer of
“Why were you drinking alone tonight?” Vincent asked Aira leaned back on her seat closing her eyes and trying to fight against the fogginess that came with being drunk. This was bad, she really did drink too much. “I’m pretty sure you can guess why,” She answered not bothering to open her eyes. “I’m sorry you had to hear about it like that from me,” He said and Aira opened her eyes to look at him surprised at how sincere his voice sounded. He was looking at her with those steely green eyes his unwavering gaze seeming to gleam regardless of whether his face was cast in light or in shadows by the discontinued street lights. “Now you’re apologizing?” She said with a slight smirk which he returned. “I know I must have been a bit too blunt with you. But I have my reasons and you seemed like the perfect person to solve this dilemma. I didn’t want to let the chance that practically fell on my lap go.” Vincent said and in Aira stored his words knowing that her drunk mind wouldn’t
Aira opened her eyes. Then she closed them Again. Did she leave the curtains open yesterday?She tried sitting up her head pounding, then she heard it.“Sweet dreams, Aira, I will see you tomorrow,” Those words, that voice….No, there was no way that she…She looked around her room. Everything seemed as she left it. No sign of another person.But there definitely was another person here yesterday. A person she was trying hard not to remember right then.Getting out of bed, she made her way toward the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.Don’t think, Don’t think…“Seriously, just how trashed you must be to be saying this,”“Are you going to do it or not?”Water sprayed out of her mouth as she choked on the remaining drops.No! NO NO NO NO!That didn’t happen! She couldn’t have been with Vincent yesterday! She wasn't supposed to meet him!“Jeez, just when I think you can’t get any cuter. My only regret is that you may or may not remember this when you wake up tomorro
“ You’re here,” Vincent said as he stood up to greet her leaving the document on the desk and going around it to reach her.“Glad you could make it,” he said pressing a kiss to her cheek and reminding Aira too much of what she had been trying so hard to forget.“Hi,” She responded simply before taking a seat on the couch with him settling in beside her,“You look awkward,” He said with a small smile,“Of course, I would be awkward after last night,” She answered and Vincent chuckled, “Let’s get straight to the point, there are two things we need to be clear about before talking about going through with your plan,”“What are those things?” He asked his focus on her,“First, it probably would be for the best not to think too much about what happened yesterday. I mean, this is already complicated enough, and if we add that to the mess, I’m afraid our relationship wouldn’t make it,” Aira declares ignoring the voice inside her head who wanted more and more.“I would rather have you as a fr
Aira signed the last spot on the contract and her lawyer smiled at her. “Great! Now all we need to do is take send it over to them and get a copy,” Her lawyer said with an enthusiastic smile and Aira smiled back at him.After a few small talks, she made her way of his office. She was going to marry Vincent.Oh god! She was going to marry Vincent.Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself down as she made her way toward her car. She needed to get home and get some work done before it was time for her to have dinner with Vincent tonight.As soon as she started the car, her phone started ringing and she pilled her AirPods out to answer it.“Hi, mom. How are you holding up,” Aira asked“Good, honey. You don’t need to worry about us,” Her mother said, “Your dad and your brother are already in a business meeting with a potential investor. Hopefully, everything will be okay soon.” “I hope so, mom,” Aira responded knowing that it wasn’t going to work out with any investors. That fami
“W-what compa-” Aira cut herself off as she glanced behind vincent who was practically framing the door for someone who was trying to tell her that there was someone else there.“Hi, Dane! How are you today?” She asked as she sidestepped Vince to talk to her neighbor who was holding a wine bottle, clearly heading toward her apartment.“Hi! I’m fine. I was thinking about inviting you to drink with me. I got my hands on a good bottle and thought we could share it.”Vincent was immediately behind her his hand on her lower back. Not so much for not wanting to intimidate her neighbor.“Oh, sorry. We were just going out,”“Yeah. Maybe another time,” Dane said with a cocky smile,“Yeah, maybe all of us can get together. All of us,” Vincent responded instead and Aira wanted to groan. He was playing his role too well.“Oh, right! How can I be so rude!” Aira exclaimed, “Dane this is my fiance Vincent. Vincent, this is my neighbor Dane.”“Vincent Valory, nice to meet you,” Vincent said leaning f
“Okay. Something is going on with you tonight,” Vincent said “What?’ Aira asked “You seemed down since I picked you up earlier. Is everything okay?” He asked,Aira looked down from his steady gaze. Was he concerned about her? She wondered if she was being this obvious all the time. To the point that he could see that she was concerned about something.“I didn’t realize it was that obvious,” Aira responded “It isn’t. I just noticed that you’re a bit preoccupied this evening.” he answered, “Is it something that you can’t tell me?”“No. Not at all. It’s not something worth mentioning that’s all,” Aira respondedVincent reached out across the table and took her hand in his squeezing a little bit.“If it’s enough to make you worry then it is worth mentioning,” He said with a soft tone that made her heart melt, “Aira, we’re going to be partners for the next three years. If we can’t stand by each other in times like this, it’s going to be much harder to deal with everything that we’re go
“Hi mom! Sorry for calling this late. I just wanted to talk to you as soon as I heard the news!” Aira said as soon as her mother responded on the phone.Okay. That wasn’t her high-pitched voice on the phone with her mom right now. No way!“It’s wonderful honey! Your father was so happy when he came back home. Ian is over the moon too. Poor thing must have been feeling guilty,”“That’s great! But, is it a done deal? I mean, is it sure that they won’t change their mind?” Aira asked.She was not able to bring herself to ask her mother the question she’d been wanting to hear from her.“Yes! They signed the papers and everything this afternoon. Although I wonder if it’s going to be okay with you, honey,” Her mother said“Why wouldn’t it be?” Aira asked her heart falling.What was going on?!“Well, your father’s new business partner is someone you know,” Her mother stalled,“Who is it? Jace?” Aira asked“God no!” Her mother said immediately, “We would never do that to you, honey,”“Then who