'Pudding, come here! Come on! Come on!' Gingerly called Aria, the small furry ball whose members were still too short to walk properly, making his pace unsteady, and even causing the plump body to sway from side to side.
At her beck, the puppy immediately trotted in her direction, delighting her that he listened to her call. But of course the gluttonous Pudding would listen, how would he not, considering Aria had in her hand a treat for him.
'Come on!' She called again, to make sure the puppy would not get distracted by other things and change his direction.
He was just about to reach her, he was at such a small distance away that he had already opened his snout intending to take the snack away, when he honorably fell just before reaching his destination.
Seeing the fluffy dog sprawled on the cream colored woolly rug made a good camouflage, as the two blended with each other, so Aria could have barely discerned there was a dog on the floor, if it were not for his black spots.
It was truly an amusing sight, causing Aria and the servant girls unable to contain their laughter, making the living room as lively as it had ever been, caused by the several bell like voices.
'Mistress!' The butler called Aria, seeing the laughter finally settle down.
'Yes!' Aria acknowledged, reluctantly looking away from the antics of Pudding, as the latter had already gotten up and greedily took over his treat.
'The master called. Unfortunately he will not be coming home today!' Apologetically informed the butler, and was also about to explain more, afraid that Aria would misunderstand the master, but could not continue as she spoke.
'Alright!' The beautiful woman affirmed, then looked again at her small puppy, resuming playing with him.
The butler sighed resigned. The mistress was too detached about the master's schedule and affairs, and never asked more about him. She just took the information at face value, and returned to her normal routine, the one she had before Zane had disturbed it the previous week.
The only question Aria asked him on Monday, when Zane had called and told them he would not return, was if Zane still had a cold. Once the butler informed her that Zane was alright, Aria had not asked him more, even though he had informed her for five consecutive times already that Zane would not return. She did not even ask to speak to Zane herself.
This was perhaps his mistake, as he had told her when she first arrived from the hospital that it was normal for the master to be gone for weeks at a time, so now when Zane was once again away for five days, she did not question his absence, and just took the information as it was. He would dare think that for the mistress the absence of Zane was akin to the news that were at this moment playing on the TV in the living room, just background noise.
Busying herself with the puppy who was circling around her as she sat on the carpet, Aria payed no attention to the news, having the TV on only because Pudding had found the remote control and stepped on it. Surprised by the sudden noise and images, the dog had growled a bit and even barked at the TV, so finding his reaction cute and amusing she had kept it on.
The butler waited a bit more, still wanting to know if the mistress would ask more about Zane, but even after several minutes passed Aria did not, so he had no choice but to turn around and walk away. How could he give more explanations to someone who did not want them? It would only make the master more pitiful.
Not to mention, he did not understand why the master had started to avoid the mansion again. Things were still alright the previous week. Zane had even return on Saturday night, even though he had informed them he would not return that night. Seeing him still coming back to sleep, he felt assured that the master was now thinking about Aria's wellbeing more. But how did the situation change? Why?
When he asked Ann, the servant girl that remained by Aria's side as she played with Pudding, the latter had said that Aria was not even awake when Zane returned. So obviously she had not talked with him, and thus had no chance to argue with him about something. Not that he thought Aria was capable of fighting with someone. Also the master had even carried Aria to her bedroom that night, something he would have never done in the past.
At first he had thought Pudding was the problem, but he had subtly asked the master how his allergy was, and the latter said he had checked it out and it would be alright after taking some medicine. He had even asked a servant girl to help him look on the internet, and it was not an issue for an allergic person to live with a dog.
The old man was beginning to ponder again. If something could be done for the master to return home again, it would be good, but unfortunately he did not know what he could do. Moreover, as a butler, the things he could say were few.
'The previous night, the owner of the largest conglomerate of our country, mister Zane Black, was seen in the hallway of the Noblesse hotel at the arm of the most popular actress at this moment, miss Faye. The two were momentarily spotted together, before entering the lift going up to the VIP rooms. Unfortunately, as that area is highly restricted, our reporters were not able to follow them.
We have asked miss Faye for an interview regarding the news, but the latter has declined to comment on them.
The legal representative of mister Zane Black has denied the news, but with miss Faye's neutral stance regarding it, one can only wonder what the truth really is.
Next on the news...'
Hearing the news as loudly as possible, as Pudding chewed on the remote control and inadvertently turned the volume up, the butler froze in his steps and turned towards Aria.
'Pudding, don't chew on it. If you swallow some of the plastic you will get a tummy ache. Let it go!' Aria immediately took the remote control from the furry ball who was already regarding the inanimate object as though it was his worst enemy.
'Mistress! That...' The butler tried to say, thinking of denying the news for his master, but as Aria still had a smile on her face as though she was uninterested of what she had just heard, it would be even more awkward if he said anything. The reporters had already said that the master had denied the alleged news. It would appear that he was trying to justify Zane's actions, were he to try to also negate them.
'What is it?' Aria asked, when the butler still did not say anything, even though he was clearly wanting to inform her of something.
'The cook wanted to know... would you like something specific for tonight's dinner.' The butler said, after thinking quickly.
'He can cook whatever he wants. The food is always delicious, I have no preference!' She replied with a smile, then looked towards Pudding again, who was just in the middle of falling down.
The butler sighed, before walking away.
Aria focused again on playing with Pudding, after turning off the TV. She had heard the news loud and clear, but she was not the true wife of Zane, so she did not feel entitled to comment or have an opinion about it.
It only felt a bit odd... having accustomed herself with his presence, his absence made her feel like something was missing. But the butler had explained to her in the beginning that Zane would be mostly away. So if anything, his absence should be considered normal, and his presence a rare occurrence.
Moving her head from side to side as if shaking the thoughts away, she giggled at the small Pudding who was cuddling near her belly making the boys kick her from the inside. It seemed they were already on the path to becoming the best of friends.
'Sir. The master called again.' A maid quickly informed as she approached the butler, when the latter went towards the kitchen.
'Really? I will take the call immediately. You can go back to your work.' The butler ordered the maid, as the latter had already nodded and went away.
Taking the phone from the small table in the hallway, the butler put it near his ear.
'Yes, master Black!' The old man spoke. He was surprised that Zane called again after not even half an hour had passed since his last call, so he listened more attentively. It could be something very important.
'Aria?' Zane's hoarse voice could be heard on the other end of the call.
'She is playing with Pudding in the living room at this moment. Should I get her for you?' He offered immediately. Zane had asked about how Aria was faring the last time he called, so he could only assume that the master was asking to speak with her.
'No. Tell me how she is.' Zane denied.
'She is alright sir. She has no visible problems that I can tell of. Do you wish for me to ask her expressly?'
'No... Does she watch TV in general?' Zane asked after a moment of silence, avoiding his real question. The news should be broadcasting by now, he had tried to impede their airing, but one TV post that belonged to a rival company had still showed it on the news.
One channel out of a hundred or more, surely it would be too much of a coincidence if Aria saw it, but he still called to check for that 1% chance that she did. It could be even a smaller chance than 1%, if she did not watch TV at this hour, but if ...
'Mistress Aria does not watch the TV in general. But just now Pudding accidently switched on the remote control, and the channel was at that time airing its news.' The butler also avoided replying to Zane's real question, but the reply was more than enough for Zane to understand Aria had seen the news regarding him.
'Did she say anything?' Zane once again asked, trying to appear calm.
'Mistress is currently joyfully playing with Pudding at this time.' The butler answered honestly.
It was clear as day for Zane, Aria had seen the news, but did not show any interest towards it. Making him having mixed feelings about it. He should naturally feel happy that Aria was not upset, and it would also be good for the children, as the agitation could affect them. But a little bit this fact pricked his heart with a tinge of sadness. For some reason it even irked him.
That heartless woman was the same without him, her usual beautiful smile still adorned that cute face even without his presence. Even though here he was, feeling his heart ache again just for thinking of her as heartless.
'Alright. I will call again.' Zane stated and did not wait for the butler's reply, before briskly ending the call.
Leaning on his chair, he closed his eyes, as if he was trying to rest his mind, but unfortunately his mind would not rest, no matter what.
Since he had kissed Aria last Saturday, his mind had been in a chaotic state.
Removing his lips from her tender moist ones, Zane was shocked to realize that all his symptoms immediately acted out. The feeling her kiss brought him, was a feeling he had never felt before, even though the physical closeness with the current Aria was almost nonexistent, as opposed to the previous her. He had never felt that way with the Aria from the past, although they had even conceived children.
The realization that Malcom had been right felt as though it had strengthened the feelings for her, making them occupy at once his whole heart, and those feelings... the feelings he had no choice but to acknowledge had made him run away. He wanted to spend some time apart from Aria, he wanted to recollect himself, but it had already been a week, and he still could not find it in himself to return.
The more time he was away from her, the harder it was to go back to her side again. Even though he thought incessantly about her.
He had been so calm near Aria in the past, he had been as natural as he ever was. Previously he would even laugh a bit at her nervousness caused by him, but now he only felt the joke would be on him. He could not remember what acting normal around her was anymore... would she also make fun of him?
Really how did he go from recollecting and recomposing himself at the start of the week, to worrying about her laughing at him at the end of it? He thought.
And these thoughts were not even the more concerning ones, the ones which concerned him more were the ones about the woman he was having such feelings towards.
When Aria had first regained consciousness, the first worry in his mind had been whether she could remember the contract, making it easier for him to take the children from her. But now the biggest fear in his heart was what would happen if Aria did regain her lost memories. Would she return to the woman she was before? Would he lose the one he had barely fallen in love with?
For him, the matter of Aria regaining her previous personality was akin to the death of the innocent Aria, the Aria inside his heart.
Such thoughts had surged inside his mind each day, it had even made him unable to have a decent appetite again, although eating with her, every day of last week, breakfast and dinner, he had gradually gotten to a normal appetite.
As if reminding him of the problem his lack of appetite could bring forth, his stomach once again started to burn him from within, causing him to feel an acute pain.
It was his fault that he had abstained from eating, but he truly could not eat. Even when he forced himself to take a few bytes, the feeling of wanting to throw up would follow.
'Sir are you alright? Should I call the doctor?' Asked the worried assistant as soon as he entered the office.
Zane, at this point, was clutching one hand over his stomach, feeling as though the pressure he applied would lessen the pain. But of course it wouldn't do anything about it, in fact it made the pain even stronger, so he had already taken his hand away.
'It's alright. I will call him myself if I need to. You can go back for today.'
Ryan nodded and did not insist with his opinion. Zane was a fair albeit stern boss, but he would usually not listen to the advices of others. If the latter had said he would call for a doctor when he deemed fit to do so, he wouldn't listen to him and change his opinion.
Leaving some documents on Zane's desk, he bid him goodbye then turned around and left.
But although he did not say anything more to Zane, Ryan still had a hard time understanding his boss's actions. At least in the past his boss was a routine oriented person. If he had a schedule he would stick to it for years. The change in schedule that occurred for the period of last week was unexpected, as Zane returned home each day earlier than ever before, and this more relaxed schedule showed evident changes in his disposition and appetite.
But for this week, Ryan could not say that Zane had resumed his normal schedule. His appetite was worse than ever before and now he would return to his apartment even later than in the past.
Well, it could also be attributed to the latest project Zane was in the middle of developing, so he would have a valid reason to be so preoccupied, but for some reason, Ryan doubted the project was what Zane had burdening him.
As his thought trailed, Ryan stopped in his tracks just as he was about to enter the lift. How could he have forgotten? The last file that he gave Zane for inspection was not the final changed one, that file was still on his desk.
Relieved that he realized it in time, he immediately went to his office, and searched for the file, before returning to Zane's office.
He knocked on the door, but no one answered even after several time passed. He knocked once more, and not hearing any words of acknowledgement from inside, pushed the door open and entered.
'Sir!' Ryan called alarmed, as his eyes immediately spotted the tall man on the floor unconscious.