CHAPTER 6: A Storm Brewing

Aria sat across the boardroom table, poised in an emerald green suit that accentuated her commanding presence.

Her hazel eyes flashed briefly over the paperwork in front of her as the executives of Livia Cosmetics, one of the most coveted up-and-coming beauty brands, whispered among themselves in quiet marvel. She was making waves, and everyone in the industry knew it.

Just not Ethan, not yet.

This was the third deal she had closed in two months quietly, efficiently, and with an elegance that belied the storm brewing underneath her skin. The Aria Whitmore from the past life would’ve called Ethan afterward, giddy with pride, seeking his praise. But now, the very thought made her sick.

“Congratulations, Ms Whitmore,” said the CEO of Livia Cosmetics as they shook hands. “With your investment, we believe our global expansion will be smoother.”

“Only if you deliver,” Aria said, her voice smooth and cold. “I don’t invest in empty promises.”

As she walked out, Ryan joined her at the elevator, holding a coffee cup.

“You’re building an empire faster than even I expected,” he said. “Should I be worried?”

Aria smiled faintly. “Only if Ethan finds out how much of his future I’m rewriting.”

Meanwhile...

Ethan stood at the window of his office, watching the clouds gather. There was something symbolic in the darkening skies. Things have felt off lately.

Aria was different.

Not just her clothes or the way she spoke but the way she looked through him now, as though she had already mourned him and moved on. She no longer brought him coffee in the mornings. She no longer asked how he slept. And when he leaned in to say something playful at breakfast, she simply blinked and returned to her emails.

Cold, unreachable, dangerous.

“What are you looking at?” Selena’s voice cut through his thoughts.

Ethan didn’t even glance at her. “Nothing you’d understand.”

Selena gave a dry laugh. “Still trying to figure out why your little contract wife is suddenly Queen Iceberg? Maybe she’s seeing someone else.”

That got his attention.

He turned slowly, his eyes narrowing. “Don’t talk about her like that.”

Selena paused. In the past, he never corrected her. “You used to beg me not to mention her at all.”

“Things change.” Ethan walked past her, signalling the end of the conversation.

Later That Evening…

Ethan waited by the entryway, checking his watch. Aria hadn’t returned yet, and the dinner he’d carefully arranged was going cold. He had planned it himself – no catering company, no private chef, just his own clumsy attempt at learning her favourite dishes. Spaghetti primavera, garlic bread from scratch.

“Maybe she’ll be surprised,” he had thought earlier that day. “Maybe she’ll smile again.”

But hours passed, no smile, no Aria.

When she did return, it was nearly 10 p.m. She walked in with her heels in one hand and her purse slung over her shoulder. Her silk blouse clung to her, soaked slightly from the rain.

Ethan stepped forward.

“I made dinner.”

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the table. Neatly set, candles, wine.

A memory flashed in her mind. Six years ago, she had tried to do the same for him. He had come home late and furious, tossing the meal aside without even tasting it.

“I’m not hungry,” she said now.

“It’s your favourite.”

“I know what it is, Ethan,” she replied, walking past him. “But I’ve already eaten.”

The silence that followed was sharp and painful.

He followed her down the hallway. “You’re always working. We never spend time together.”

“We’re in a contract, Ethan. We’re not friends. We are not lovers; we are business partners, temporarily.”

“I’m not asking for romance, Aria. I just… I want to talk.”

She turned slowly. “Talk?

Now you want to talk?” Her voice rose, quiet but intense. “What happened to all the times I sat waiting for you, cold dinners and broken promises?

You never once asked to talk then.”

“That was... different,” Ethan muttered, guilt slowly creeping in.

“No, Ethan. I was different. I waited, I hoped, and I loved you so much it made me blind. But I’m not that woman anymore.”

He stepped closer, his voice almost a whisper. “I’m starting to think… I wish you were.”

Aria blinked at him, expressionless. “You should be careful what you wish for, Ethan Blackwood. The old Aria loved you. The new one? She’s here to win.”

She walked into her room, closing the door behind her.

Next Morning: At Blackwood Corp.

Ethan's jaw clenched as he reviewed the latest reports. Whitmore Industries, Ryan and Aria’s firm, had just signed a collaboration deal with an international luxury brand Ethan himself had been pursuing for two months.

“How the hell did they outbid us?” his CFO asked.

Ethan didn’t answer; he already knew Aria.

His Aria, or rather the version of her that had now become his fiercest rival.

Just then, his assistant entered the room. “Sir… Your wife is downstairs.”

“Send her in,” he said quickly.

When Aria walked in, she was dressed in a pale blue pantsuit, her hair swept up in a tight bun, her face unreadable.

“You’re expanding aggressively,” he said, leaning back. “You knew about the Zurich contract. You undercut my offer.”

“It’s business,” she said simply. “I thought you respected ambition.”

“I do. But I also remember when you used to protect me.”

“I used to protect someone I loved. That woman is dead.”

Ethan felt a sharp pain in his chest.

He rose slowly and walked around his desk. “You’re playing dangerous games, Aria.”

She met his eyes, unwavering. “So are you. The only difference? I’m not afraid of losing you.”

He watched her leave again, and this time, the slam of the door sounded like an ending.

That night, Ethan stood on his penthouse balcony, drenched in rain, a drink in his hand. Behind him, the untouched dinner still sat on the table.

“She’s really gone, isn’t she?” he muttered.

And for the first time, the man who had never feared losing anything felt afraid.