CHAPTER FIVE

Aria Bennett Pov

A gasp escaped my lips when I heard what my so-called mother just said. I refused to believe that she would do this to me.

"What ?" Ethan shouted, making Mason jump from his seat.

"Calm down", I hissed at him gesturing to my son "you're scaring him"

I was surprised when he looked and his features softened visibly. He seemed to have taken a liking to Mason and I didn't think that was such a good idea. Not wanting Mason to hear more about my disastrous life I nudged Talia who was awfully silent and motioned to Mason.

"Could you take him out please?", I asked "I don't want him to hear this.

She smiled sadly at me as she knew that things were just getting started.

"Sure"

I pulled Mason to me, hugging him quickly. Pulling away I pushed him towards Talia.

"I'll see you in a bit Mas"

He smiled a toothy grin at me "okay mommy"

I watched as they left the room then I turned back around to face the two other persons in the room. There was complete silence for what felt like the longest time.

"What did you mean ?", I asked, my voice breaking.

She sighed, obviously dreading answering but knowing that now she had no other choice. She looked at Ethan who was oddly calm and just watching the both of us with a blank face.

"I got the photos", she spoke shakily "I created everything and sent them to Ethan's secretary, Sienna, she was in on the whole thing"

"I'm sorry", she cried "I really am sorry"

I just sat there not believing my ears. I always thought that your mother was someone who should always love and protect you. She should be the one to shelter you from all the hurt and pain in this cruel, cruel world. It's obvious that I wasn't blessed enough to have a mother, only someone who gave birth to me.

"How could you ?", I cried "why do you hate me so much that you tried to ruin my life ?"

"I didn't mean to", she screamed.

Ignoring her I turned to look at Ethan who still remained silent the entire time. I couldn't help the tears that escaped my eyes as I gazed at him. The man I loved with all my heart. He didn't have faith in me, he didn't trust me. He trusted pictures that could have easily been altered over me, his wife. I never gave him a reason to ever doubt me yet he still did.

"I'm so sorry for everything"

I turned to Ethan, not at all shocked at his words. In fact I expected it. He left me and now that he finds out that he was wrong he wants to apologize. Typical.

"You're sorry ?", I asked incredulously "after everything that had happened all you can say is sorry"

He gazed at me with regret clear in his eyes but I was too hurt to even acknowledge it.

"You called me a slut", I hissed "you called me a gold digger"

"You turned my friends against me"

"I was abandoned by my friends and forced to leave because of the things that were being said about me and all you can say is sorry"

I rejoiced in the way he flinched at my words. The words I spoke were intended to hurt and I'm glad I did just that.

"I'm sorry", he whispered taking a step towards me "forgive me"

I raised a hand stopping him from moving. Once again I faced my mother who was silently watching us.

"Why?", I asked

"Why what?"

"You're my mother, why would you do this to me ?"

I waited and waited and waited for her answer. I expected her to say that she was jealous or she thought I didn't deserve it but what she said hurt me even more than any other bad thing she could have said.

"I'm not your mother" I froze, tears streaming down my face.

Pain.

That's the only thing I feel right now. For the past twenty-six years of my life I thought of this woman as my mother and now she's telling me that I'm not her daughter. It hurts really, really hurts and despite the fact that she wasn't a good mother to me I loved her anyways even though it was painful I did love her. I couldn't believe that I refused to.

"W-what do you mean ?", I asked shakily.

"Don't ask this of me", she begged.

"Tell me the truth", I shouted, feeling myself getting overcome by my anger.

"Your not biologically my daughter"

"Oh my god....... Oh my God....... Oh my god"

"Aria calm down"

"Don't you dare call me that", I hissed at Ethan glaring at him, daring him with my eyes to say something.

Luckily for us both he had the good sense to listen to me and kept his mouth shut.

"It's a long story....your father said that he wanted to be the one to tell you"

"I can't believe this", my voice came out no more than a whisper.

She looked at me her eyes filled with regret and sadness "I'll give you some space"

I watched her as she all but ran out of the room. Her heels clicked on the tiled floor of the living room. She was like a little mouse running away from a big lion.

"Aria”

I faced Ethan with a scowl set on my face. I was hoping that my frown would get him to see that I wasn't interested in talking to him but the fool started talking anyway.

"I'm so sorry for everything.....I should have trusted you.....I shouldn't have let you leave"

"Let me leave", I laughed at that "you never 'let' me leave.... You kicked me out so don't act like this was an agreement between us"

He paled when he heard my words.

"You called me a slut and a gold digger", he sighed looking at me.

I turned to walk away from him but stopped when I felt a tug on my arm.

"Please give me a chance"

"A chance ?", I asked, shocked by his words.

"Yes", he breathes "a chance"

I started laughing and I couldn't help myself. Over four years ago he called me horrible things and treated me like I wasn't his wife. It's quite ironic that he didn't trust me then but he wants me now.

"Your an idiot if you think that I would want you back"

"What ?", he stood there shocked, not believing his ears.

"You heard me", I smirked at him slowly walking up to him to whisper in his ear "the Ariaalia you remember is long gone....I've changed"

I turned to step away from him, the smirk still evident on my face. I turned to leave the room when I was jerked back and into his arms. I didn't have any chance to resist before he crashed his lips onto my own.

I stood frozen in his arms as he kissed me passionately. The way he was kissing me brought back painful memories from my past that I would like to forget. His kisses would make me feel butterflies inside but now I just felt angry.

When he swiped his tongue across my bottom lip I bit on his tongue hard forcing him to pull away from me.

He cried out softly from the pain and quickly opened his eyes.

"Don't you ever kiss me again"

With that I walked out on a tense Ethan who was still shocked by my actions. I seemed to have been surprising him a lot.

I stepped out of the room as if I owned the place. I went about to find my son and best friend with a small smile on my face.

There seems to be secrets surrounding me.

Secrets that I will reveal.