Marry Me

Aiden slammed his foot on the accelerator, cutting Aliya off. Aliya, heart leaping with a desperate hope, rushed towards the car, only to be met by Aiden's looming figure. His embrace felt less like a rescue, more like a cage.

"Let go!" she cried, her fists pounding against his hard chest. "Let me go!" 

He scooped her up effortlessly, depositing her into the car like a sack of grain.

From a distance, Ryan watched, the scene blurry. He only saw a struggle but didn't see that it was Aliya, he thought that it was probably a lover's quarrel.

The drive back to the Manor was a silent war waged with glares. Aliya's eyes burned holes in Aiden's back.

They arrived in the living room and all the guards had already assembled as they had been told that Aliya had been found. Aliya was amazed at the number of guards that were gathered. If looks could kill then she would have been shredded into pieces by Tessy's glare.

 "Get out!" Aiden roared, his voice a whip cracking through the air. The guards scattered, bowing low.

He turned to Aliya, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "I underestimated you. You managed to escape all this surveillance." His voice dripped with a chilling sarcasm.

I overestimated you though. I didn't realize you would turn out to be a scumbag who abducted people.

Aiden's laugh was a low, menacing growl. "I won't hold you against your will anymore . I will leave you to come to me… on your own accord."

"That's never going to happen," Aliya spat, her voice trembling with defiance.

He tossed some documents onto her lap. 

"What's this?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

He remained silent. Aliya's eyes widened as she scanned the document. It was all confidential files related to the Finch Corporation's financial ruin, information that could destroy her father.

"How… where did you get this?" she choked out, her voice laced with horror.

"It's not for you to know, Miss Finch," he said, his voice cold as granite. "Just know that I can destroy your precious family with just one phone call."

Tears streamed down Aliya's face. "Why? Why are you doing this?"

Aiden's gaze was predatory. "Perhaps you should ask your family."

Aliya fought back the tears, her voice regaining its steely edge. "What do you want?"

The words hung in the air, heavy with menace. "Marry me."

"What?!" Aliya gasped, her voice a mix of disbelief and outrage as the words resounded in her ears. "Marry you? Why would I ever do that?"

"It's your choice, Miss Finch," gave you forty eight hours to make a decision, he said, his tone unchanged. The chilling indifference sent a shiver down her spine.

He gestured, and Miguel appeared, his face impassive. "Take Miss Finch home." Aiden retreated up the stairs, his back ramrod straight.

Aliya watched him go, the sweet, accommodating Aiden she once knew vanished, the Aiden who would move mountains if she asked him to, he was no longer there. This Aiden was nothing but a cold and unfeeling stranger. A wave of confusion and hurt washed over her. Why? she wondered, her heart aching. What happened to him? Why was he doing this? What could he have possibly experienced?

Miguel's voice broke through her thoughts. "Miss Finch," he said softly, "I'll take you home."

Aliya sat in the car deep in thoughts until the car came to a halt at the Finch residence. She got out of the car and walked in looking exhausted.

A servant first spotted her and raised an alarm. "The young Miss is back"

Her shout attracted the attention of the others and they all rushed out.

Dorathy Finch, Aliya's mom hugged her daughter tightly crying.

Oh my baby, you've suffered so much.

Welcome home princess, Edward said.

Aliya just hugged her mom back, consoling her and assuring her that she was fine.

What happened to you? Her father asked.

This is no time for questioning, we have all the time later on to do that. You go upstairs and freshen up then come downstairs for dinner then you can tell us what happened.

Okay mom, Aliya disappeared to her room.

The mansion became lively with more food being prepared and everyone getting busy.

I will call Ryan to inform him that Aliya is back, Edward said.

Yea, you should do that, call Jeremy too while at it.

Aliya was dressed looking at herself in the mirror recalling everything that happened in the past few days. Aiden kept insisting that her family was no good. Could her family have been involved in the Hendrix massacre eight years ago? She needed answers from her parents and she was going to get that. She headed down for dinner.

They all sat eating, Aliya was really hungry so she ate quite a lot.

What happened sweetie?

She's still eating, her mom interrupted, we'll talk when she's done.

Dinner was finally over and the three of them sat in Edward's study, the silence heavy with unspoken anxieties.

"Sweetheart" her mom began, her voice soft. Why do we have to have this conversation here?

"Do you know who abducted me?" Aliya said her voice low and steady.

Who's that? Her mom asked, leaning forward.

Give me the person's name and I'll make them suffer ten folds of what you had suffered.

Aliya looked at her parent's eager eyes. It was "Aiden"

Aiden? Edward said, his voice a low rumble of confusion. Who is that?

Aiden Hendrix.

Realization dawned on the couple as they processed who Aliya was talking about. Aiden Hendrix, a name that resonated with both familiarity and a growing sense of dread.