Elysia's POV:
I took a deep breath, steadying my nerves before slipping my phone back into my purse. Turning around, I faced Aubrey with arms folded across my chest, meeting her gaze directly.
"What are you doing here?" I inquired calmly, despite my tensed nerves. Ever since our encounter outside the restaurant almost a month ago, I knew this day would come sooner or later.
Aubrey scoffed mockingly. "Come on, is this how you treat your best friend?" she remarked sarcastically, "Oops, ex-best friend, I mean," she corrected herself, chuckling with feigned humor.
"Why are you here, Aubrey?" I asked again, choosing to ignore her abrasive tone.
Never in our school days did I imagine we'd be standing against each other like this years later.
Aubrey's chuckle faltered for a moment at my tone, before she scoffed again, her sarcasm dripping. "Why, you ask?" she taunted, "Of course, I'm here to show you how shameless you are being right now, trying to hook up with a married man."
"Are you sure we're not talking about you here?" I replied evenly, maintaining my composure.
Surprise flashed in her eyes before Aubrey gritted out. "Don't think I don't know about how you're trying to climb the ladder to get out of the dirt."
This is what I feared people may say when they find out about Ares and my marriage, Aubrey wasn't any different.
"I'm not ashamed of my roots, unlike you, Aubrey," I replied firmly, refusing to let my calm facade waver in front of her. Stepping forward, I continued, "If you're here just to talk nonsense, then please leave." With a gesture towards the exit, I turned away from her, intent on going inside the building.
But Aubrey's mocking voice stopped me in my tracks. "Do you really think you can compete with Silva Princess?" she taunted. "Can you even compare to his wife?"
Silva Princess?
Ah, so like many others, Aubrey also assumed that Ares was married to his fiancée?
Of course...
I wasn't bothered by it; Ares had already explained that it was his Grandpa's doing.
"At least I was once his lover. Who are you?" Her words echoed in my mind, stirring up memories of the days I used to watch them from afar, always just staring at their backs. Even after so many years, those memories were still vivid in my mind, as well as the ache in my heart that it made me feel.
I clenched my jaw, taking a deep breath, suppressing the ache in my heart, and swallowed a lump in my throat. "A lover who cheated on him...?" I stated coldly, steeling myself and turning to face her, locking eyes with her. "A friend who betrayed her best friend?" I continued, my voice steady. "A girl who did nothing except use others?" Aubrey's arrogant and mocking expression melted away, replaced by anger and fury. Yet, there was something else flickering in her eyes; guilt? But perhaps that could be just my imagination.
"Why, Aubrey?" I shook my head, stepping closer to her. "For years, I've wondered why you did what you did." I paused, searching her eyes for answers that never came. "I asked myself countless times what went wrong between us? What made you turn into a person I didn't even recognize? What made you hate me? But I never got an answer... Why?"
I had never truly understood her motives for harboring such animosity towards me. I had never wished ill upon her, so why did she feel the need to tear me down?
Aubrey glared at me, her eyes reddening, teeth clenched in hatred. "All because of you..." she spat, her voice dripping with venom. "I did everything because of you!" Her words hit me like a slap, catching me off guard, and I flinched at her outburst, my fingers subconsciously tightening on my sleeves as I tried to keep my calm facade. "You always take the one I love away from me, and now you're here to steal him again."
My eyebrows furrowed, anger bubbling up inside me at her accusation. "I stole him from you?" I shot back, my voice laced with sharpness. "If you truly loved Ares, you would never have cheated on him in the first place!"
"We don't betray the people we love, Aubrey Anderson!" I declared, my tone firm. "When you truly love someone, you would rather die than ever think of hurting them. Go and learn what love is before blaming your own mistakes on others."
Aubrey's expression twisted into fury as she stepped closer, locking eyes with me. Then, she grinned in a taunting manner, her words cutting like knives. "You're right... I never truly loved him." Shock reverberated through me at her admission. "I was just interested in him because you liked him. Did you think I never noticed?"
...What?
An audible gasp escaped my lips as I stared at her. Aubrey stepped forward, coming face to face. "It bothered me, seeing you so happy like an idiot. I was jealous, seeing a poor, naive Elysia always smiling at Ares' back, so I thought I should give you a jumpy ride. Did you like it?" Aubrey laughed mockingly, her demeanor resembling that of a triumphant victor.
Her words hit me like a physical blow, causing my breath to catch in my throat. I stumbled backward, as if pushed by an unseen force, my gaze frozen on Aubrey's mocking laugh, unable to comprehend what I was hearing.
I had once considered her my best friend, and despite everything she had done to me, I didn't know why my heart was trying to find excuses for her, until now.
She had once again shocked me to the core, making me feel like an idiot for never seeing past her facade.
She never really loved Ares, but she had used him simply because she knew I harbored feelings for him?
She had manipulated his sincerity and toyed with his emotions out of... a damn jealousy?
I was so stunned that not a single word escaped my lips after her revelation. Could someone truly be this cruel?
How could she? How could she hurt him like this?!
Ares' bloodshot eyes flashed before me, the pain, hurt, and disbelief I had seen in them that day.
Before I could even process my own actions, my hand shot up in the air, delivering a hard slap across Aubrey's laughing face. The sound rang around us in a loud echo.
Aubrey's laughter abruptly ceased, her hand flying to her cheek in shock as she stared at me in disbelief, frozen in place.
"You've really changed..." I murmured, my gaze fixed on her face, which bore no resemblance to the sweet girl I had once known. "Or maybe you were always like this, and I just didn't see it..." I added, shaking my head in disbelief.
"Selfish, full of hate, consumed by jealousy, manipulative..." I listed, my voice steady despite the turmoil within me. "I feel sorry for you, Aubrey," I admitted quietly. "Carrying so much hate within yourself has only destroyed you. It's pitiful..."
Aubrey stared at me in shock, my words sinking in slowly as her eyes blazed with a mixture of disbelief, hatred and fury. "You...You, How dare you!" she stammered, still reeling from the unexpected slap.
I knew she hadn't expected the slap, especially not from me. But I felt no regret for it. She had no right to hurt him the way she had. Ares is my bottom line, and she has crossed that boundary...
Suddenly, I caught a subtle movement behind Aubrey, followed by a rush of air that brushed past my ear.
My eyes barely registered the movement before a hooded figure materialized behind Aubrey in a lightning-fast motion. With a swift, fluid motion, she leaped into the air, her body twisting as she executed a high kick aimed at Aubrey's jaw. Her boot connected with a powerful impact, sending shockwaves through the air.
Everything happened so quickly that I had no time to react. Before I knew it, Aubrey was sprawled on the floor, blood trickling from her head, nose, and the corner of her mouth. The force of the kick had sent her colliding with the wall beside us, adding to the source of her bleeding.
I stood frozen in shock for a moment, unable to comprehend or process what had just unfolded before my eyes. The sight of blood made me feel slightly lightheaded, but I shook my head, forcing myself to focus on the situation at hand.
In a panic, I shifted my gaze to Esme, who slid her hood down from her head and crouched, poised to strike at Aubrey again. Acting on instinct, I rushed towards her, my voice trembling with urgency as I called out, "Beastie, no!!!" I exclaimed, reaching out to grab her arm.
This was the reason I never told Beastie about meeting Aubrey again. I had a feeling Esme would react like this, and I was right. She didn't hold back at all with that one kick, and I shudder to think what else she might have done if I hadn't intervened...
Without regard for my attempt to restrain her arm, Esme swiftly extended her other arm and seized Aubrey's collar, forcefully pulling the disoriented woman towards her. "God! Beastie, no!! Let go of her!" Esme's gaze snapped towards me, her eyes blazing with fury when I exclaimed in sheer panic, desperately trying to pull her away, but her grip was unyielding, like iron.
Esme's glare intensified, her voice low yet filled with rage. "I have waited for this bitch for more than ten years, and you want me to let her damn go? Have you forgotten what happened?" she gritted out, her icy stare boring into mine. "Have you forgotten your hand, Elysia Lawson?" I gulped subconsciously when she called my full name. Esme continued, her words cutting through the air like knives. "Have you damn forgotten that it can never be the same?" Aubrey, still disoriented and now visibly frightened, trembled in fear, her face drained of color.
As Esme's words pierced the air, my gaze instinctively drifted towards my right hand's ring finger. While it wasn't visibly deformed, the subtle differences in its structure were apparent to me.
I knew all too well that it would never be the same as it once was. Despite the injury having fully healed, its lingering effects had left their mark. As a designer, I had accepted that my right hand would never function as it had before. I had labored to regain my skills, learning to wield a pencil with my left hand for years, which is how I got to where I am today.
My right hand gets strained quickly, especially when I'm doing detailed work like designing or drawing structures. But aside from that, it's okay.
"Beastie, please..." I requested softly, shaking my head. "What has happened, has already happened. Please, let go of her." I tugged her arm, feeling a lump forming in my throat.
"Please...She's not worth it." I whispered, giving her a pleading look. Esme seemed furious at me and clenched her teeth, but her hold on Aubrey loosened slightly before she jerked her away.
"I-I will...re-report you," Aubrey stuttered as she landed on her butt on the ground.
She just can't shut up, can she?
Esme smirked, her expression darker than usual as she raised an eyebrow at Aubrey's comment. I tugged Esme's arm, pulling her back with me before Aubrey could face the consequences of her actions.
"Do whatever you want Aubrey, just leave, or trust me, I will not stop Esme again." I declared sternly.
My words likely reminded her of Esme's earlier kick because Aubrey swallowed hard and stumbled as she stood up from the ground. Her glare was fixed on both of us, but there was more fear evident than anger at the moment.
Aubrey backed off, stumbling and rushing out of the building. Honestly, if the situation wasn't this grave, I would have probably laughed at the way she was scurrying away.
I sighed softly, watching her retreating figure. "Can you toughen your heart up for once, Elysia? Not everyone deserves to be spared every single damn time," Esme remarked, her voice cold, and without waiting for my response, she walked past me into the building.
"Beastie, wait..." I rushed after her, clinging to her arm, knowing too well that it would take time to convince her after this.
It wasn't like I cared about Aubrey and that's why I stopped Beastie. It's just... I'm not that kind of person who solves things with violence, while Esme and Sven both are the violent ones; they talk less and act more.
Esme ignored me for a while and went to the balcony of our apartment. Still, I clung to her arm, softly stating my reasons.
"Beastie, it's not about her, it's about me. If we answer cruelty with cruelty, what's the difference between Aubrey and us?" I remarked in a low voice.
Mom always says that those who do wrong will eventually face their downfall, even if we don't play a part in it. They will pay for their own sins, so there's no need for us to stoop to their level in order to punish them.
Esme glanced at me and shook her head, "There is a difference between being downright cruel for no reason and defending against someone's misdeeds." She argued, her voice still emotionless.
"I know, I know... I just...don't want to see or use any violence; it tortures my mind." I explained truthfully. I didn't see any meaning in violence, and furthermore, I felt like my heart couldn't take it.
"It's not your mind, Ely. Just admit you have an overly kind heart for your own good..." Esme commented and sighed. Maybe she was right, but my heart was the reason I was at peace, not holding hate or grudges within.
"I know..." I admitted softly, wrapping my arms around Esme, clinging to her side like a koala as I felt her demeanor had softened. "Okay, let's forget about it, I love you..." I grinned, giving her my best smile.
Esme glanced at me and turned her face away to the other side. I quickly changed position, clinging to her other side to see her face. "Beastie, I love you," I repeated, giving her a cheeky smile and kissed her cheek.
Esme rolled her eyes, her gaze softening as she tried to stay mad, but a snort escaped her lips when I continued my blabbering.
"Fine, fine! Stop now..." Esme said, her voice amused and light. "I can't take it, you're cheesy!"
I laughed and remarked, "Just admit it, cheesy or not, you love me!" Esme and my parents were probably the only ones I could act like this.
We both chuckled, strolling back into the living room when Esme inquired about why Aubrey came here, so I briefed her about our conversation.
"Ares is stupid then, falling into her trap like an idiot..." Esme commented seriously after listening to everything.
"Don't say it like that... He didn't know anything. It's not his fault that he fell in love with the wrong person." I defended, heaving a silent sigh.
Esme didn't respond to my comment about Ares, but she seemed lost in thought. "Would you tell him about this?" she asked.
I shook my head. "Unless it's necessary, I don't see any reason to tell him. It would only reopen old wounds and cause him more pain."
Ares seemed to have moved on from that phase of his life, so bringing up Aubrey's heartless reason to accept his confession would only serve to remind him of past hurt.
Esme nodded quietly as we continued our conversation. "Where's that troublemaker been lately?" I remarked after a while. "He hasn't been hanging around with us much. He couldn't be that busy, could he?" I checked my recent messages from Sven, who had mentioned that he had some matters to attend to at his father's company but would join us on the weekend.
"Hopefully, he isn't planning to cause any trouble, right?" It wasn't a secret that Sven's relationship with his father was complicated.
"I'm not sure," Esme answered thoughtfully. "Let's just wait until this weekend as he said. If Sven ditches us again, I'll just knock him out and drag him here for interrogation." She added seriously, causing me to shake my head.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk... Can you two be normal for once?" I interjected, clicking my tongue in disapproval.
I've lost the count of how many times I've seen Esme dragging a knocked-out Sven by his collar, but he still doesn't stop provoking her, knowing too well that Esme has literally no tolerance for any nonsense.
Esme shrugged, removing her black jacket and hoodie, tossing them onto the couch beside her and leaned back comfortably. "He asks for it."
Sighing, I chuckled lightly, lying comfortably on the couch as well. "Okay, let's see what he has to say about himself this weekend then." I nodded my head in a thoughtful gesture. "Oh, right! Mom will be discharged this weekend too. Let's plan a small celebration at home," I suggested, hoping to bring us all together again as we continued making plans and I needed to discuss something important with both of them as well.
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"Why...are we here?" I blinked ahead, dumbfounded, taking in the sight of the vast hall, nestled on the 7th floor of a luxury building. Its black and white walls provided a stark backdrop to the professional boxing and martial arts equipment neatly arranged throughout.
I didn't know where we were going when he asked me to be ready, and Ares hadn't given me any hints either. Now, I could guess why...
"Why are we in a martial arts training hall?" I asked again, hoping it wasn't why I thought it was, as we stood in the entrance.
"You're going to learn self-defense," Ares replied. I felt him step forward, his warmth close behind me, his breath brushing against my face. "I'll train you myself."
My breath hitched at his words near my ear, sending a shiver down my spine, rendering me speechless momentarily. "No way," I mumbled, stunned, and gulped softly.
"Yes way," Ares responded firmly.
I turned around sharply, fully intending to argue, but the moment I met his light brown eyes fixed on my amber ones, not a word of complain came out, my confidence flew out of the window, and my defiance vanished.
I looked away, cursing myself inwardly, damning my confidence and arguing skills, they seemed useless in front of him.
Instead, my gaze flickered to the exit gate behind Ares. I began planning my escape.
"Now get in," Ares commanded, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
Glaring into his eyes, I quickly averted my gaze, feeling overwhelmed. With a begrudging sigh, I turned towards the hall and stepped forward. But as soon as Ares moved ahead, I seized the opportunity to turn back and make a break for the exit.
I'll deal with the consequences later...
However, before I could take more than a few strides, the collar of my trench coat was gently grasped from behind, and I was pulled back with surprising ease.
"You're quite getting rebellious day by day, eh?" Ares remarked, his voice tinged with amusement. I lifted my head to meet his gaze, finding him standing beside me, his hand firmly holding the collar of my coat from behind, as though he caught a child stealing a candy jar, his eyebrows raised in mock reproach.
I attempted to wriggle free and take a step forward, but his grip remained steadfast, and the weight of his stare silenced any retort I had planned.
"It's...rude to hold someone's collar. I'm your wife," I muttered under my breath, my voice almost a whisper instead of a firm tone which I truly intended.
A smirk tugged at the corners of Ares' lips as he pulled me closer, our bodies brushing against each other. Leaning down, he whispered in my ear, his breath and addictive scent sending my heart soaring to the height of the Burj Khalifa, "So, you're admitting you are my wife now?"
Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I stammered, "I-I didn't say t-that. You heard wrong," pulling away from his embrace, though his hold on my collar remained firm.
"You can't p-push me to f-fight," I protested, glancing nervously towards the hall.
"Yes, I can..." Ares' response was simple yet firm. "It's self defense, not a fight, and I can do a lot more than just to push you."
Before I could process his words, I felt his hand release my collar, and in the next instant, his strong grip encircled my thighs, causing me to yelp in surprise as he effortlessly lifted me off the ground, carrying me over his shoulder.
"Eek— W-What are you doing?" I exclaimed in a mixture of panic and shock, my hands instinctively clutching onto his shoulder for support as he scooped me up with his one arm firmly wrapped under my thighs.
"Just pushing your limits, as you like to say," Ares remarked casually, striding into the hall as if he weren't carrying a woman who weighed a hundred and ten pounds on his shoulder.
...Just what?!
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Next chapter Ares and his secrets! Do share your lovely thoughts in comments... 😉