Elysia's POV:
Taking a few moments to steady my nerves, I finally made my way back to my mom's hospital room. As I entered, I noticed Esme already seated on the couch, her expression calm and stoic as she stared off into the distance. For now, I pushed aside thoughts of Ares and the conversation we had earlier, focusing instead on being there for Esme.
"Where's Sven?" I asked softly as I settled into the seat beside her, my gaze briefly flickering to my mother, still asleep in the hospital bed.
Esme sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "No idea," she replied, her tone was as usual cold as always but I could sense worry in her voice. "He said he had something important to take care of and would be back once it's done."
I nodded understandingly, but couldn't shake the feeling that Sven was keeping something from us, we both can tell. There's something he isn't telling us, we just need to figure out what's going on in his mind.
"Ely..." Esme's hesitant voice brought me back from my thoughts. Her eyes remained fixed on mom, but I could see the unease in her distant gaze, as if deep in thoughts. I knew her enough to know that it must be something very important for her to hesitant. "I think I may need to lea—"
Before she could finish her sentence, the door to the hospital room creaked open, and we both turned to see Ares entering. My heart skipped a beat as our eyes met, memories of our earlier conversation replayed in my head. I quickly looked away, unable to withstand the intensity of his gaze.
Ares approached us silently, nodding in greeting to Esme, who responded with a subtle nod of her own. His voice was low as he addressed me, his gaze again settled on me. "I'm leaving for the office," he said, his words tinged with a hint of reluctancy. "There's an important meeting with a client. Do you want me to drop you home, or will you stay with your mom?"
I glanced at Esme, who quietly nodded her head, her expression unreadable. Turning my gaze back to Ares, I noticed his calm demeanor; although his face was stoic as always, but his gaze, his voice, his aura, everything about him looked much more calmer than I saw earlier in the morning. He seemed to be in a pretty good mood after his talk with Dr. Finn.
"I'll stay with mom," I stated, rising from the couch with a lightness I didn't feel. "Let me walk you back to the car," I offered, inwardly patting myself for saying a sentence to him without stuttering and attempting to mask the flutter of nerves dancing in my stomach at just even the thought of being alone with him again.
Ares nodded silently, his movements fluid as he turned to leave. But as he walked away, I noticed a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips, almost like a ghostly smirk. My heart raced at the sight, my nerves on edge as I followed him to the parking lot, my gaze fixed on the ground to avoid tripping over my own feet, and my fingers fidgeting with my clothes nervously at my sides.
There was something important I needed to discuss with him, something that weighed heavily on my mind. I hoped it wouldn't jeopardize the fragile bond that had just started to form after our marriage.
A crisp autumn breeze greeted us as we reached the parking lot. I glanced around instinctively, finding the area deserted, save for the whispering leaves and the distant hum of traffic. The silence enveloped us, punctuated only by the crisp chill in the air. Approaching Ares' car silently, my steps faltered as he turned to face me. I discreetly swallowed, trying to conceal the effect he had on me as he enveloped my cold hands in his large, warm ones. Looking up at him in surprise, I felt a rush of warmth flood through me, accompanied by electric sparks that danced along my skin at his touch.
"Elysia, there's something I need to discuss with you," Ares began, his usually stoic voice softened. "There are things I want to share... about myself, about you, and about us."
My heart fluttered nervously in my chest. "What is it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, feeling the warmth of his hands seeping into mine, like a warm embrace.
Ares shook his head, his expression serious. "Not now, not here, like this," he replied gently. "I have a meeting. But I'll come back for you, and then we can talk, okay?"
I nodded, a mix of apprehension and curiosity swirling within me. "Okay," I agreed, biting my lip nervously before summoning the courage to speak. "Um... I also need to talk to you about something," I added quickly, relieved to finally voice my concerns.
Ares' eyebrows lifted in a silent question as he gently squeezed my hands, his voice a soft murmur of encouragement. "Tell me," he urged, his tone gentle.
Inhaling a deep breath, I reluctantly withdrew my hands from his grasp, sensing the crease that formed between his brows. I interlaced my fingers behind my back, fidgeting as I gathered the courage to speak.
It was now or never, Elysia...
"I... I don't want anyone to know about our marriage yet," There...I confessed, the words tumbling out in a rush of anxiety. My heart pounded erratically in my chest, my fingers trembling as I nervously chewed the inside of my cheek.
Admitting the truth felt like a weight lifted from my shoulders, yet simultaneously filled me with anxiety. Everything had happened so quickly, especially my marriage to Ares. I needed time to process it all before facing the unavoidable scrutiny and judgment from others.
Maybe, it was selfish of me to want to keep our marriage a secret for awhile, but the thought of confronting the media and people, filled me with unease and dread.
Ares' expression shifted, his features clouding with confusion and disbelief as my words sank in. He blinked, his gaze searching mine with furrowed brows. "You don't want anyone to know that we're married?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.
I nodded quietly in response to his question, unable to meet his gaze as I stared at the ground. In the next moment, I sensed Ares step back abruptly, the sudden distance between us spread the strange feeling of emptiness within me. My heart sank as I looked up to find his familiar frosty demeanor greeting me, his features hardened into the stern facade he wore in business dealings.
"Are you... ashamed of me?" Ares' voice was tinged with a hint of hurt which he was trying to mask behind that cold and stern business-like posture. I stared at him in shock, his words striking a chord deep within me.
"I know..." He began, his tone faltering slightly. "I know it's difficult for you, Elysia. Adjusting to this... relationship, accepting it... It's not easy. But..." He paused, averting his gaze, his jaw clenched in tension. "But don't treat me like a dirty secret. Don't think of our relationship like a burden," his voice remained cold, yet I could feel the turmoil beneath that tone.
I had never seen Ares like this...
Like, vulnerable...Lost...
His emotions laid bare for the first time in front of me. Ares Simon Knight, the person who was unreadable; he was always the man of control, his emotions always restrained behind a carefully crafted mask, only displaying what he wanted to. But today, that mask slipped, revealing the raw, unfiltered pain my words have caused him.
I hesitated, opening and closing my mouth, uncertainty gnawing at me as I struggled to find the right words to soothe the hurt I had unintentionally caused.
I don't know what has caused him to misinterpret my request and the reasons behind it.
I never intended to treat him like a dirty secret or burden. Instead, I simply needed some time to process everything. While Ares wasn't entirely a private person, the thought of our marriage becoming public knowledge was daunting and overwhelming. I needed space and time to come to terms with the reality of our marriage before facing the scrutiny and attention that would inevitably follow.
"I..." I began, my voice faltering as I met Ares' cold gaze, my own eyes downcast with remorse.
Before I could articulate my thoughts, Ares' voice cut through the tense silence, his words were steely. "I won't announce our marriage, as you wish, Elysia," he stated, his tone rigid and controlled. "But I won't conceal the truth either. I will not hide the fact that I'm married." he added through gritted teeth, his jaw clenched in frustration. "Rest assured though. No one will know you're my wife, just like you wish." His voice was frosty, and his words sounded like a taunt.
I stood frozen in place, unable to utter a single word as he climbed into his car without another glance in my direction. The engine roared to life, the tires of his Audi screeching against the rough pavement as he sped away from the parking lot.
*******************
I stood before the towering skyscrapers of Knight Group, my gaze fixed on the interconnected towers rising high into the sky, as the imposing structures loomed over me. I shifted on my feet, hands clasped nervously in front of me, hesitating to step inside.
It had been five days since our last conversation in the hospital parking lot. Ares had left in anger that day and hadn't reached out since, neither did he return that day to talk about the matter he said he wanted to discuss. Despite the urge to explain myself, I found myself hovering over my phone countless times, fingers poised to send a message, yet something held me back.
I don't know what's going on with me anymore...
Just yesterday, the news of Ares Simon Knight's marriage had spread like wildfire across the country, sending the media into a frenzy. As the most eligible bachelor, Ares' striking combination of handsome looks and the reputation of an unbeatable businessman, coupled with the infamous Knight surname, made him a prime target for entertainment media scrutiny.
However, just like Ares said, there was no mention of me. The media and netizens were abuzz with curiosity, concocting wild theories about Ares' mysterious wife. Many assumed he had wed his fiancée, the heiress of the Silva Group and granddaughter of Aaron Noelle Silva, according to previous reports. Yet, the Knight Group remained silent, offering no clarification to quell the rumors.
The assumptions people were making shouldn't bother me, yet I couldn't shake off the annoyance and disturbance they caused. It was unsettling to think that everyone presumed Ares, the epitome of wealth and success, probably married a rich heiress, not an average assistant like myself.
What would happen when they found out the truth?
With a silent sigh, I pushed aside the troubling thoughts and focused on the entrance of the North Tower. Should I go to my office and face Ares, or retreat to the South Tower's design department to avoid him?
'Running away wouldn't do you any good, Lawson, you're married to the cause...' A voice chided in my head.
With a resigned sigh, I stepped through the building gates, heading towards the entrance of the North Tower. Despite the uproar caused by the news of Ares' marriage, there wasn't even a soul lurking around the Knight Group buildings. Presumably, Ares had strictly ordered to keep the paparazzi at bay.
As I neared the building entrance, the glass door abruptly swung open from the inside. Startled, I took a step back in panic, assuming it was Ares. Cursing my own cowardice, I instinctively hid behind a nearby pillar, as the person rushed out of the building with quick and sharp steps.
My self-reproach ceased abruptly as I caught a sight of the person rushing out of the building, and shock coursed through me. Short blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders, her blue eyes ablaze with rage and contempt. It was none other than Aubrey Anderson, stomping towards the exit, muttering curses under her breath.
Why was Aubrey here?
Does she frequently visit his office?
But I haven't seen her here before in my previous months of working...
My eyes followed her departure, as unease settled in the pit of my stomach and I pondered the implications of her presence, unsure of what it meant.
My thoughts were in disarray as I walked towards the building, my gaze briefly flickering back to where Aubrey had departed. As I reached the glass door, I noticed the guard at the entrance shaking his head, frustration evident in his heaving sighs.
Driven by instinct and unsettling anxiety within me, I approached the guard. "Morning, Mr. Graham," I greeted politely, my tone shifting to a more professional demeanor. "I couldn't help but notice the girl leaving in such a hurry. Is everything okay?" I inquired, a hint of concern coloring my words.
The guard noticed my approach and stood straight in polite respect. "Good morning, Ms. Lawson," he greeted courteously, his attention following mine to the door before returning to me. "I don't know who she is, Ms. Lawson. I only have her name and Mr. Knight's orders that Ms. Anderson is not allowed to enter the premises under any circumstances," he explained professionally, gesturing towards the main gates. "She tends to cause trouble for me, insisting on entry and making empty threats before eventually leaving. I don't understand how she manages to bypass the main building security every time."
As he spoke, a strange weight lifted from my chest, and I visibly relaxed, a relieved sigh escaping my lips involuntarily.
So, Ares doesn't even meet her; she simply showed up on her own accord.
"I see. Are there others you have to deal with like this?" I asked politely, curiosity piqued.
'Already behaving like a wife, when you, yourself wanted to hide the fact of being married to him, Lawson?' A voice in my head taunted, imitating Ares' sharp tone, which I instantly pushed to the back of my head.
The guard, Mr. Graham, shook his head. "No, Ms. Lawson. Luckily, she's the only one for now. Though I do have a list of two people who are not allowed entry, but the second person never showed up," he replied, reaching for a file from the table drawer. Flipping through the pages, he showed it to me.
I intended to simply glance at the names, but my head tilted in confusion when I noticed a sketch instead of a list. My eyebrows shot up in surprise, and my hands instinctively reached out to hold the file as I inspected the drawing.
It was a rough, handmade sketch of a man in his late forties, but there was something oddly familiar about his features.
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion until my gaze shifted down the page, clearing up my bewilderment. My eyes widened as I read the lines repeatedly.
"Sven Neve Damaris... A joker with an ear piercing. Strictly. Not. Allowed. Entrance."
My mouth hung open in disbelief as I looked back up at the sketch, realizing it was none other than Ares himself who had drawn it, accompanied by a note in his distinctive handwriting. I glanced back and forth between the sketch and the note, and suddenly, laughter bubbled up from within me.
The guard looked at me in surprise as I struggled to contain my amusement.
I couldn't even utter a word as I continued to stare at the sketch, each glance sending me into another fit of laughter.
Ares had drawn Sven's face himself, and it looked like something out of a kindergarten art class. If I hadn't read the note and name, I would never have guessed the person in the sketch.
It seemed like Ares had intentionally made Sven look exceptionally ugly and aged, because even a blind person could tell that Sven doesn't look like this. Considering Ares' artistic skills, he could have done much better.
Barely able to control my laughter and amusement, I returned the file to the guard before excusing myself and heading towards the elevator, the image of Ares' crude sketch still making me chuckle.
I can't believe this man...
Shaking my head in amusement, I momentarily forgot my earlier unease and anxiety. However, as the elevator pinged open and I stepped onto the executive floor, my body jerked in surprise at the familiar loud, deep voice emanating from the conference room. It was accompanied by the sound of files crashing and something heavy hitting the floor.
"Is this how you all are working? Do you have any idea how important that deal was?!" Ares' frosty and stern voice echoed across the floor, sending a shiver down my spine.
My startled gaze remained fixed on the conference hall door as Mr. Ronald abruptly emerged, his phone pressed against his ear, his expressions haggard. He didn't notice my arrival yet, his attention diverted to the phone call, while glancing inside the conference room.
"Send another batch of cell phones, similar to previous models," he ordered into the phone before hanging up with a frustrated sigh. "It's the seventh cellphone he's smashed in the last five days..." he muttered, shaking his head, as Ares' chilly voice continued to reverberate throughout the floor.
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