Jealousy?

“Aria, come meet him!” Peter’s voice boomed with excitement. She forced a shaky smile and stepped forward, but that haunting spicy scent slammed into her like a tidal wave. Her body froze and rooted to the spot like a statue. The man turned and Aria’s heart lurched, nearly bursting from her chest.

Theodore’s eyes turned to daggers, pinning her with a stare that could shatter glass. From the moment he’d sat with these kids, all they’d yammered about was Aria. Her innocence, her quiet nature. He’d scoffed at the idea of such a pure soul existing in this rotten world. But hearing more, he’d felt a flicker of relief that his niece and nephew kept decent company. Now, seeing her, that flicker died.

“Uncle Theo was about to leave, but we insisted that he meet you too.”  Rhea chirped, her eyes glinting with mischief.

Aria couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. Sit at a table with her boyfriend and the man she’d slept with two weeks ago? Her legs trembled, but Theodore’s voice cut through her panic like a whip.

“Aria..Don’t keep standing. Come on. Sit here.” Theodore gestured at the empty chair before him. She looked extremely naive, but his experience told something else. Those eyes of hers—they wouldn’t even meet his. She was the same girl he’d fucked in that hotel room, and now she was fucking playing the saint? 

If she did not sit there, it would make others think she is rude. Aria went and sat on the empty seat right before Theodore.

"Hello, Miss Aria.." Theodore extended his hand to shake hers with a smirk that could curdle milk. Aria’s mind was blank. When she’d heard “Uncle Theo,” she had pictured some grumpy old man in his forties, not this dangerously handsome devil. Just a few years older than her, whose gaze could melt steel. Every inch of him screamed power, and she was drowning in it.

"Uncle Theo, she won't shake hands with you. We told you she's very conservative," Rhea said. “She doesn’t shake hands with strangers.”

“Oh really? You won’t shake hands with strangers?” Theodore asked sarcastically. “In a world where a girl recklessly prefers one night stands as their favourite sports, you are an idol of every other girl.”

Aria’s heart thumped when he mentioned that night. He had a grin at the corner of his lips. His tone was sarcastic but no one understood that except Aria. Her face turned pale.

"Aria, this is our uncle. You don’t have to worry," Rhea explained. Aria forced her hand out, shaking Theodore’s with a grip so weak it barely counted. His touch burned, and she yanked her hand back, eyes glued to the table. She didn’t speak, didn’t dare.

"Nice to meet you, Aria..." Theodore said with a smirk. Aria didn’t see in his eyes after that. She was silent all the time. Hardly spoke a word. Theodore’s stare bored into her, suspicious and unrelenting. This wasn’t the wild, reckless girl from the hotel. He needed to crack her open. He needed to see what game she was playing.

"So, did you all study together? In the same school, same class?" Theodore asked, his eyes repeatedly scrutinizing Aria. His gaze made her uncomfortable.

"Yes Uncle, We all studied in Universal college of finance and Aria was our saviour." Rhea said.

"Saviour?" He glared at Aria with a reluctant gaze. It made her squirm. She was not used to this much attention, so she grabbed a glass of water and tried to avoid Theodore as much as she could.

"Aria used to teach us an hour before the exam. She saved Peter from many of his backlogs." Rhea said.

Theodore was enquiring more about Aria, he wasn't ready to believe what kind of face Aria was showing to her friends. She wasn't exactly that type. She was pure seductress that night who begged him to fuck her. Who enjoyed the sex passionately.

Theodore never trusts anyone easily, especially a woman. Aria didn't say a single word since she sat on the table. Everyone was comfortable with that but not Theodore.

“Oh really? Which subject do you really teach them, Aria?” She fumbled when Theodore asked her directly.

“F.. F..”

As her lips parted, Theodores eyes fell on it. The way she screamed that Fuck word from her mouth that night flashed before his eyes. He swallowed the urge to do something unusual with her.

“How long do you know Peter and Rhea?” Theodore changed the question. Aria’s face turned pale, if Theodore told everyone about them, her friends would consider her promiscuous girl.

“Uncle Theo, You will scare her. She is not very talkative. She is a confined person.” Peter found Aria was more nervous than he expected.

Theodore recalled the moment her face grimaced with pain when he rammed into her. His dick twitched again. He realised something was wrong with him. He needed to get up right now.

"Alright, I have something urgent to handle right now. You guys have fun. Be comfortable.” Theodore started leaving.

Theodore left the area. Since that night, he had been feeling quite restless, and Now, seeing Aria made him even more restless. He thought she was playing a real dirty game with his nephew and niece while being nice to them.

"This girl is a threat for Peter and Rhea. I need to put her at her right place.”

Theodore thought and left the table.

Meanwhile, Aria was lost in a different world. She had come here to distract her mind, but after bumping into that man, she felt even more guilty.

Rhea and Vincent had gone to their room. Roman and Daisy went to swim. Nia was still on the table.

"What's wrong, Aria? Are you okay? You wanted to tell me something yesterday?" Peter asked Aria.

Maybe Aria would have told Peter everything yesterday, but now what could she say to him? She had a one-night stand with Peter's beloved uncle? That’t the worst than break up. Many relatiohships would fall apart

"Nothing... It wasn't that important." Aria said as she got up from her chair. Her brain was fogged. “I will leave first.”

She walked to the seashore, and stared at. the sun touching the horizon.

“What is written in my fate? Shall I obey my parents the way I always used to? I had no right to make decisions over anything. When Peter proposed to me, I thought this is the one decision I can take about myself. I thought I would have a happy family, happy life with him but destiny played a dirty game with me.” She muttered, blaming herself and her fate. 

Only thing she lack in her life was a loving family, but she realised things were already slipped from her hand like a sand. She was busy in her overthinking, suddenly she realised someone called her from behind. 

“Aria, what are you doing here alone?” Aria jumped out of her thoughts. “We are shooting. Come on.”

Aria smiled and joined them. She couldn’t refuse her. They arrived to place where everyone is trying to shoot empty wine bottles that placed on the wooden rack. 

“You should try it too..” Rhea handed her a gun. Aria had never used a gun; she was scared to even see it. It was a heavy metal gun. She pointed it at the bottle and pulled the trigger, but it went wrong. Khloe and Roman laughed.

“Aria, leave that. You are good at study and finance but not in this.” Khloe grabbed the gun and shot the bottle in one shot.

“Don’t get upset, Aria. I will teach you.” Peter held her shoulder. “Hold the gun straight.. Focus on the object. Pull the trigger, you have to release it when I told you to.” 

Aria nodded and held gun in her hand, peter helped her from behind. Her eyes sharpened as stared at the black dot in the middle. 

Theodore was lighting a cigarette in the gallery of his suite which was just close to the shore.

“Seemed like you have to marry Peter off before you, perhaps in the same altar as Rhea.” He taunted. Theodore’s brow furrowed at the sight before him. Aria’s back glued to Peter’s chest. Peter grabbed her waist from behind, Aria was so focused in the game that she had no idea Peter’s hands were sliding up almost reaching her curves.