ARIANA’S POV
I could not make sense of the words Rob was telling me. They were alienating me again, making me out to the bad guy, tainting Nate’s love for me. He was going to come out of that hospital room thinking I abandoned him for an “important trip”. I didn’t deserve this cold treatment from all of them. What was wrong with Rob? He was the one who had distracted me! Why was he choosing to hurt me in this cruel manner?
“Don’t freak out, we can settle this in Chicago”, he told me now.
“You dragged me out here Rob…” I was trying so hard to stop the tears from falling from my eyes but it was really difficult because I was d
ARIANA’S POVI let him into the house feeling awkward and very self-conscious. Just a few days back I had berated Josh for showing up at my home because I didn’t want my memories with Rob tainted and yet I had called him here. What did I aim to achieve?I wished I could figure it out but I knew that there was something electric between Josh and I, I just was not ready to pursue it. His presence was a welcome distraction from the thunderstorms and lightning bolts and the heavy rain beating against the house.It was a relief to have someone in the house. To simply not be alone.He did not ask me any questions. Not why I was alone in the house or why I had called him. He simply sat down on the couch next to me and lifted my feet onto his lap and began to massage my foot. I had not known how tired I was or how drained I was until he began to knead every knot behind my toes and in the ball of my feet.I moaned from absolute pleasure and he chuckled.I giggled and then stopped. It was inapp
ARIANA’S POV I couldn't believe my ears. My mother was really telling me this. She was saying it without remorse and very carelessly. It did not even matter to her that her words would hurt my feelings. “I… I d…don't understand”, I stammered.My mother stood up to go now. “My lawyer will talk to you”.“Mother!” I said, shocked. “You can't be serious. I haven't done anything to Nate to deserve this.”She ignored me and walked away and opened the door and left. I was left standing there stupefied.My mother could not mean this. She was just pulling my legs. I was hurt not just because I would not get to spend time with Nate anymore but because my parents thought I was capable of not just murdering Flora but also harming her son.What kind of a person did they think I am? What was giving them this mindset?I collapsed on one of the chairs heavily depressed and weighed down. I stayed there like that for a very long time unable to move a muscle and too weak to go and get something to ea
ROBERT'S POVNate would not stop asking for Ariana and it was ruining everyone's holiday. Margaret had told me she was going to Chicago to get a restraining order against Ariana and we had argued for an entire night. I thought that was taking things too far. I was mad at Ariana and still could not forgive her. But a restraining order? Nate still didn't even know who we really were to him so it made no sense to just do that.Margaret was however adamant as always and I could not stop her.We had all agreed to leave the island a day after she got back and I was e
ARIANA’S POVThe pictures had leaked. There was no other explanation. I began to tremble from head to toe. I had dreaded this moment and had been hoping against hope that those pictures would not leak out.Joshua and I had not even ended our conversation on a good note. I had been furious at his suggestion that I leave my husband for him and I had stomped away in rage. The bubbly act I had put up in front of Rob was only an act and now, this.“What do you mean?” I asked him, when I infact knew what he meant.“You know what bloody hell I mean Ariana!” He yelled at me.I was taken aback. Rob had never yelled at me and he looked so angry it scared me.“We just went out to dinner”, I said, my voice shaking.I could tell that Rob was trying to control himself. He was moving about the room restless and talking and talking so loud I felt my ear drum would crack.“Rob, Rob, please listen to me”, I begged.“Why do you keep hurting me Ariana? You are putting our family at stake by constantly h
ARIANA'S POVI was confused and turned to my mother. She was telling me with her eyes to say yes and Nate was looking at me with expectation in her eyes.“Yes”, I quipped. “Yes I am Nate's mother”.“You trained your son to punch people's children? To hurt other people's kids?” Ms. Williams was raising her voice, obviously very angry.The headmaster tried to pacify her but she was having none of it and it was then I noticed that the other kid had a swollen lip and had obviously been crying. But my mother was here so why was I called and introduced as Nate's mother.Nate was talking now. “He was bullying me and calling my mom old.”“Your mom's old”, the kid said without missing a beat.“I'm not old”, I protested.Nate giggled joyfully.“I work in the city so Nate is staying with my mom for the time being”, I explained. “It makes it easier for him, commuting from the city to this place everyday would take a toll on both of us”.I draped my arm lovingly around him and he leaned into me. W
ARIANA’S POVI was taken aback by Rob's proposal. Doing it right would be a chance to wed Rob without Flora's love weighing heavily over us. It would be a chance for my wedding to not be ruined by my sister's death. But Rob was drunk. There was no knowing that he would even remember all of these by morning and it made me really sad. This should have been the ultimate conclusion of my day. Finally, happiness. But Robert Stone was under the influence of alcohol and I was going to take everything he said with a pinch of salt.How did he go from “stay away from my son” to “let's get married again”. No, no, I would be a fool to take him seriously.
ROBERT'S POVAriana did not know that I was starting to remember all that had happened last night. I remembered how she had cared for me and walked me up the stairs when I was drunk and probably heavier than a bag of flour.I could remember the feel of her hand on my body in the shower and how caring she had been. Ariana who made rooms cold. Ariana. She had been awfully nice to me. Had I said something about a wedding?Well.Now, she was bugging me on what questions Nate was asking. Where do I begin? Margaret had not been very chatt
ARIANA'S POVI began to hyperventilate. I did not know what was going on but it felt like all the organs in my body were squeezing my heart together. I experienced a feeling of deja vu. This was what had happened to me in the hospital after my miscarriage.It felt like time had stopped. Blood rushed to my head and I could hear the sound of blood in my ears. Everything around me became muffled.Was Rob going to answer Nate and put an end to the bubble of happiness Nate and I had found in each other? This was my last thought before I slumped and fainted.When I opened my eyes, the smel