Chapter 7

Exactly the same!

Ari's heart thumped loudly against her chest as she took in the face before her unbelievably. After seventeen years, Andrew didn't seem to have changed one bit, except for looking a tad more mature, his smoothly pale face that one would think was carved out of stone looked exactly the same. There was still that slightly arrogant smirk that was always plastered on his face and he smelled exactly as she remembered. A dark, deliciously musky scent that she used to enjoy taking in, and even smelled so herself after they had hugged and cuddled for long.

'An.. Andrew' her voice was croaky from shock, she didn't want this to be true.. there were so many painful memories that she had managed to lock up and seal tightly for the past seventeen years.

After they had got over their initial shock and Andrew had gone to get a fresh cup of coffee for Ari with 'plenty of sugar and cream’ , just the way she liked it, they sat facing each other and sipping coffee. Andrews eyes roamed over her body without a hint of shame.

'You look beautiful, Ari, more beautiful than ever before.'

Ari knew that he wasn't supposed to be giving her compliments and her cheeks weren't supposed to go hot when he did but she blushed a bit anyway. He still had that charm, that magic that could keep people mesmerized and enamored of him.

'Thank you' she said silently and memories came rushing to her. She thought of that day in high school, seventeen years ago, when he had told her in the same tone, eyes burning with desire, that she was the most beautiful girl in the world. She was eighteen and naively trusting. Andrew wanted to marry her after all so there was no possible harm. She had enjoyed it as he planted small kisses on her forehead, ears, eyelids, nose lips and chin. She remembered shivering gently when he nibbled gently at the nape of her neck and slowly took her nipple his mouth. She had held on to him as he thrust into her virgin hole and the pain gradually died down to a sweet throbbing pleasure. She had defied every voice of reason and had allowed him give her lessons in pleasure on the chemistry laboratory floor, over and over again. Until she got pregnant and things fell apart when Andrew denied the pregnancy. Cold...

'Ari, look I'm sorry about everything' he ran an anxious hand through his hair, 'I was just young and stupid, very stupid.'

Ari grunted in response, bringing the cup of coffee to her mouth as her eyes got teary. She remembered the cold, harsh denial as he looked at her incredulously after she had thrown up in class and had been confirmed pregnant in the school clinic. Andrew had declared to the principal and his parents that they were just friends and he had never had done anything sexual to her. She had to leave school to have Lima, struggling afterwards to keep a job while attending a night school. Now the bastard comes to say he's sorry. So what?

"How's my baby?" Andrew asked when it was obvious Ari wasn't interested in his apology.

Perhaps it was the personalization that that pronoun 'my' brought about that angered Ari, or perhaps it was the easy, flippant manner in which he said it but at this point, anger gave Ari the courage to blast him with words.

"What do you mean 'your' baby? A baby you denied fathering? Andrew when it comes to my child, tread carefully. Seventeen years since you last saw me, you denied me completely without even trying to support financially. Do you know how I survived with a baby and no home? do you? and now, you here calling my child 'your' baby.

'I'm really sorry' Andrew was flustered, he hadn't expected such an outburst and people around were beginning to stare 'I meant no harm, really. I just want to know, how is he? he must be about sixteen years old now right?

"She. She's a lady now, sixteen years old." Ari's face glowed as she thought of her beautiful, smart daughter who grew up too fast.

'Oh, a daughter! wow, what a fool I've been. Can I see pictures of her?'

Soon he was huddled closely beside Ari, checking out pictures of Lima, laughing and making remarks with pride as if he had contributed in any way to her being such a brilliant, amazing girl.

'This was her primary school graduation, we went for a vacation in Paris here ...'

Ari was cut short, frozen as she felt Andrew's lips on the nape of her neck. He kissed her neck ever so gently that shivers rippled down her spine and she couldn't as much as react for the first few seconds. When she came back to her senses, she stood abruptly, mustered all the courage she could to look him squarely in the eye.

'Andrew, I know our bumping into each other was a coincidence and I'll appreciate it if we just stayed clear of each other until the conference is over.’

Andrew had a disappointed look on his face.

'Ari I understand you but I was only trying to apologize'

'By pecking my neck?' Ari scoffed, she knew Andrew quite well.

'Ari listen,’ he came closer and held her forearms tenderly 'I'm terribly sorry for that happened but can we let sleeping dogs lie? let's just leave the past in the past.'

Ari was so furious that if not because they were right in the launge with about hundred other Anderson International workers, she would have sent a vicious slap across his face. Instead she sputtered angrily.

'You think you can waltz into my life and ruin me again right? I'm never going to allow that happen. In case you don't know, I am happily married' At this point, Ari lifted her palm and wiggled her ring finger at an astonished Andrew. She began to walk away from him and towards the series of staircases that would lead to her room when she heard Andrew's steely voice.

'You don't have any right to cut me off, Ari Wader.' He began calmly in his typical arrogantly confident tone. I am the father of our child and now that I have found you, I'm not letting go again. If you try to be stubborn, I'll take legal actions and demand custody of Lima!'