Elysia's POV:
As the article loaded on my phone screen, my curiosity piqued, and I began reading.
"In a surprising turn of events, the share values of Anderson Companies have witnessed significant and noteworthy fluctuations in recent trading sessions. Analysts are puzzled by the sudden and sharp decline, with the graph now sloping down at an artificial pace.
Amidst the tumultuous market activity, shareholders have been observed selling their shares en masse, further exacerbating the downward trend. Various sources report a growing sentiment of unease, with investors contemplating withdrawing their investments from the group.
While the reasons behind this abrupt downturn remain ambiguous, speculation abounds. Is this simply a temporary setback for the group, or has Anderson Companies inadvertently offended an anonymous big shot in the industry?"
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What was happening with Anderson Companies? And who was this anonymous big shot?
Scrolling down, I checked the attached links of stock prices for Anderson Companies. The fluctuations were striking, even to someone like me who had learned a thing or two as an assistant. Glancing at the dates on the chart, I realized the volatility had begun two weeks ago. Number of articles were published on the downfall that Anderson Companies was facing. According to the date, it started the day I was hospitalized, then I got busy with mom, I couldn't have known about all this until now.
I started analyzing the the graph which depicted sharp fluctuations that seemed unnatural, almost as if someone were toying with the fate of Anderson Companies. It felt like a cruel game—raising hopes with soaring share prices one moment, then dashing them with plummeting values the next. Whoever was behind this was pretty much making it obvious, without bothering to hide.
Could this be what Ronald wanted to discuss with Ares?
Was this why Aubrey was here today? To ask for Ares' help?
But most importantly, would he help her if she asked? Would he be willing to clash with the person, if there is any behind this?
"Did you like the surprise?" Ares' sudden voice startled me, abruptly disrupting my thoughts, causing me to gasp and jolt slightly.
Panicked, I hurriedly exited the article on my phone and spun around to face him. He was leaning against the doorframe of my office room, arms crossed over his chest and his feet casually crossed, watching me with evident curiosity.
"H-how long have you been there?" I stammered nervously, biting the inside of my cheek and discreetly holding my phone behind my back.
"Long enough to see you lost in your phone," he replied, causing my heart to skip a beat. "I guess I know what's there." He added calmly, but I detected a subtle gulp, betraying his calm facade.
Just now, he almost seemed... nervous?
My eyes widened as I processed his words. How could he possibly know I was reading about Anderson Companies?
"I...Um," I began, but another message pinged on my phone, interrupting me.
Instinctively, I glanced at the screen, freezing in disbelief. My eyebrows furrowed, and my lips parted in shock. Another notification from the bank:
"Notification: A deposit of £1,000,000 has been credited to your account. Please review your account balance and contact us if you have any questions. Thank you for banking with us."
But I hadn't opened a bank account or deposited any money. What was going on?
All my thoughts about Aubrey and Anderson Companies were pushed aside as my attention became completely focused on the message.
My confused gaze instinctively shifted to Ares' calm expression, studying him carefully.
No one could possibly open a bank account under my name and deposit one million pounds into it without my consent or signature, unless it's... him.
"I received messages from a bank stating I opened a bank account, and just now, someone deposited one million pounds into it. Do you have anything to say?" I inquired, my unwavering gaze fixed on him.
I noticed Ares heaved a subtle sigh before he straightened up from leaning against the doorframe, slipping his hands into his pants pockets. He silently watched me for a few moments before releasing a breath and nodding his head. "...I did."
"Why would you do that?" I stated defensively, narrowing my eyes slightly as I continued to scrutinize him. "I have my own money; I don't need yours." My voice came out sharper than intended.
Ares' hands slipped out of his pockets as he ran his fingers through his hair. I followed his movements as he stepped towards me, closing the distance until he was standing right in front of me.
I tilted my head back, maintaining my sharp gaze on him. His demeanor remained calm as always, expressions unreadable, looking deep into my eyes.
"I know," he said, his tone soft, as if he was addressing a child. I glanced down momentarily as he held my shoulders, pulling me closer, causing my breath to hitch. "I know you have your money and that you don't need mine, but you are my wife, Elysia. It's my basic duty to fulfill your financial, emotional, and physical needs as your husband," he stated quietly, moving his hand up to caress my hair.
My eyes lowered, heart drumming against my chest and head drooped as he spoke. "Providing my wife with money is my basic right as a husband. Can you please not take that away from me?" He requested, causing me to lower my head even further.
I had never considered this before until now. Being labeled as poor, unworthy, or cursed many times in the past had made me sensitive about my financial status and money. No matter how many times I tried to let go of the past, it isn't that easy.
"I...I'm not... used to taking someone else's money," I reasoned quietly. "I've never...asked for money from anyone before," I explained, feeling awkward expressing it like this, especially in front of Ares.
"I'm not letting you ask for money from me either, sweetheart. I'll make sure your account is always full without you ever needing to ask for it," Ares replied, his fingers brushing my jaw, tilting my chin up to look at him again. My amber eyes met his soft yet intense light brown eyes, my skin tingling wherever he touched. "And, I'm not just someone, I'm your husband," he added firmly, his words causing my heart to skip a beat.
"But...I have money, and I get a salary too," I stated softly, stuttering slightly, our close proximity affecting my thoughts. "I mean, you—"
"Save it," Ares interjected lightly, a small smile appearing on his face. "Keep your money; save it or do whatever you want with it. Your money is yours, and my money is also yours," he assured me. I subconsciously gulped, blinking and averting my gaze from his intense stare when he lowered his head, nearing my ear, and whispered, "Just like I'm yours..."
Just like I'm yours....
My eyes closed for a moment, overwhelmed by the intensity and firmness of his tone. His words echoed in my head repeatedly, causing my heart to race as if it might burst from my chest at any moment. My stomach churned with nervous anticipation, and my cheeks burned.
When I opened my eyes, I found Ares gazing down at me intensely, his face mere inches from mine. "T-t-this is the o-office. W-what are you saying?" I blurted out, my words stumbling over each other as I stammered uncontrollably. My gaze flickered to his lips for a brief moment before darting away, looking anywhere but him, unable to meet his intense stare.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Ares' head tilt slightly, followed by a deep chuckle rumbling from his chest.
Stupid Elysia, why did you have to blurt that out?
I gasped as his hand slipped down from my shoulder to my waist, encircling me before pulling me close. My palms instinctively landed on his firm chest as our bodies collided. Our gazes locked, his amused eyes meeting my panicked and nervous ones. "Just what did you think I was going to do, Mrs. Ares Knight?" His light chuckle reverberated through his chest, sending shivers down my spine.
"I...we, um, this...I, I mean—" I stuttered, my words faltering as he gently gripped my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze.
"Hm? Did I say something wrong?" Ares teased, raising his eyebrows playfully, his gaze filled with amusement. "Am I not yours?" His deep voice lowered, his nose almost touching mine. "The moment you signed our matrimonial papers, I officially became yours in every way. Isn't that right?" His smirk deepened, sending a shiver down my spine.
My lips parted slightly, and my breath caught in my throat as I found myself unable to break my unblinking gaze from his amused yet intense stare. It felt as though I was under a spell, drawn to him in a way I couldn't fully comprehend.
I know He had said he liked me before, but his words just now felt like a confession layered upon another confession, and not just mere liking.
It felt more than that...
Did he... feel more?
"Breathe, sweetheart!" Ares' voice cut through my foggy thoughts, jolting me back to the present moment but his words didn't quite process through my head.
"Uh?"
"Breathe, Elysia," his firm yet gentle voice commanded, snapping me out of my daze as I released a long breath I hadn't realized I was holding until now.
Ugh!!!
'Do you really have to be so obvious, Elysia? Acting like a lovestruck fool in awe...' a voice in my head scolded.
"Do I make you that nervous, sweetheart?" Ares teased again, his chuckle transforming into a deep laughter echoing softly in my office room.
There... He knows.
"I-It's not that..." I replied defensively, my cheeks burning brighter under his amused gaze.
'Great, just great, Lawson!' I applauded myself sarcastically inside my head. On one hand, I'm projecting an indifferent attitude towards his feelings, and on the other hand, I am actually gawking at him in awe and getting all nervous by his mere presence...
Let's just bury myself somewhere and never have to face him again?
"Okay, okay, I'll stop," Ares said lightly, his chuckle echoing in the room. "We wouldn't want you to faint inside the office, or grandpa would know what happened and assume I bullied you." His teasing tone brought back memories of a past incident when I fainted in school. With a playful gesture, he gently pinched my chin and nose tip with the knuckles of his index and middle fingers.
Before I could react or feel any more embarrassed, he spoke softly. "Should I take that as a yes then?" He asked, my eyebrows furrowed momentarily as he took my hand and placed a black bank card in my palm. "Would you honor me by using this from now on?"
My heart skipped a beat as I realized his intention. Swallowing hard, I stared at the card in my hand, feeling a mix of emotions surge within me.
Pushing aside the negative voices in my head, I took a deep breath and smiled, lifting my gaze to meet his earnest stare. My heart softened, melting under his gaze and words. With a deeper smile, I nodded in affirmation.
Surprise flickered in Ares' eyes before he broke into a grin, his tension easing and relief washed over his features as his muscles relaxed around me.
"Thank you," he said, moving his hand gently on the back of my head as he leaned in to place a soft kiss on my forehead before I could react.
My heart skipped several beats, a tingling sensation running through my veins as his lips met my skin.
"As for the other thing, I'll wait," Ares spoke softly against my head, his warm breath tickling my ear. "I'll wait for the day you walk down the path towards me and claim me as yours; as your husband in front of the world." His deep voice resonated within me.
My eyes widened slightly, meeting his intense gaze as he stepped back. "I'm down in my car, let's go for lunch," he stated, turning and leaving the office without waiting for my response.
I stood frozen in my spot for a few moments, replaying our entire encounter in my head. Cupping my flushed face, I fanned my cheeks, taking deep breaths to calm my nerves.
I never imagined the infamous cold, aloof, and rude Ares to be so talkative, playful, and tender.
Just a few days into being my husband, and he's already breaking through my defense walls, dismantling my guard like it was never there.
I knew myself... I knew I had emotional issues, but I never expected Ares to handle them with such ease, making me surrender to my innermost self.
I heaved a silent sigh, recalling that he was waiting downstairs. Glancing at the time, I hastily grabbed my purse before leaving the office and making my way to the parking lot.
****************
We sat in our usual spots at the nearby restaurant near our office. I settled into the chair diagonally across from Ares, watching him giving instructions as he discussed our order with the waiter, checking with me for confirmation.
Observing Ares closely, I noted the shift in his demeanor since we stepped outside my office room. The playful warmth that had briefly surfaced earlier was now replaced by his usual serious and composed expression, as if it had never been there at all.
Once the waiter left, Ares turned his attention to me, his gaze penetrating. "Are you feeling uneasy?" he asked, his tone serious, his eyes locked on mine.
Was it that obvious?
"Uh, no, no, I'm fine," I replied quickly, attempting to appear nonchalant as I glanced around the restaurant.
This was our first lunch alone together as a couple. Previously, during our lunches, Ares had always maintained a professional demeanor, and Maron had often been present.
"I'm not going to bite, Elysia," Ares remarked, a small smirk playing at the corner of his lips as he raised an eyebrow. "Come on, I'm not that much of a tyrant. Am I?" he added, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned back in his chair.
Despite his serious demeanor, I detected a hint of amusement and softness in his gaze as it met mine.
So, Mister knew he was a tyrant before...
"Quite self-aware, aren't you?" I muttered quietly under my breath, though the way his smirk deepened suggested he had heard me.
"And you think you're innocent?" He retorted, raising an eyebrow. I glanced at him, momentarily puzzled, until he leaned in closer to me.
In a swift motion, his hand slipped under my chair, effortlessly pulling it closer to his seat. My eyes widened in surprise as I noticed his foot holding my chair in place, preventing me from moving away.
His face drew nearer to mine, and my astonished gaze shifted between his light brown eyes. "T-Rex? Dinosaur..." His words left me dumbfounded. "What else was that invention?" Ares mocked, a smirk playing on his lips. "Yeah... Coldzilla, Grudgezilla? Is that even a word?" He scoffed playfully, raising his eyebrows as he looked at me.
He...He heard me calling him names?!
My jaw dropped in shock, my eyes widening as I stared at him. "H-how?" I stammered and blurted out.
A knowing, arrogant expression crossed Ares' face as he observed my reaction before responding in a light sarcastic manner. "My office buildings have a high-definition CCTV, Mrs. Knight. How else do you think I keep an eye on my staff?"
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Hey guys, sorry for the late update again. No matter how much I tried to write for you all, something happens in my life, always disturbing my mental peace and disrupting my writing schedule. Please, bear with me...
Do share your lovely thoughts in the comments. 😊