"So, have you heard about Mia Donovan's gimmicks? She's acting crazy for crying out loud! Now, do you see what I meant? It escalated pretty quickly and now they're questioning your ethics as a ballet dancer." I massaged my temples as I read the news online. I wasn't really wrong about Mia's thinking. She's trying to humiliate Jessica in the worst way possible. It's enough that she received prejudices from Mia's twitter followers, but to cry in front of everyone and question Jessica's character? She's really doing her best to ruin a talented girl's reputation.
Jessica's hands are trembling while holding onto her red Karl Lagerfeld purse. It seems to me that she's really starting to feel the weigh of her foolishness. Ethan remained seated beside her and looking calm as he try to comfort his fiancée. His eyes are glued to her and speak subtlety. How can he be this gentle when he almost assaulted me at his office back then?
Love hurts; love scars.
Ooooohhhoooohhh... love hurts.
I remained standing and leaning against the wall while thinking about our next move. First, she thought Mia was just being brat, then she also assumed it's gonna die down its own and lastly, she never took her SERIOUSLY. This girl is digging her own grave.
"I am so sorry, Atty. Park. I never thought this would happen. Is there any way we can fix this? I already apologized." Her tears keep on falling and her hands continue to tremble. I reached a paper cup and poured her some water.
"Thanks." She said.
"Now, this is what happens when you don't believe in me. I came from Lindbergh College of Law and I finished seventh in my Bar exams. I know what I'm talking about. I just want to save your ass so we can move on from our lives. That's good, right? But you apologized very late. I told you, you should've apologized the same week it happened."
She sniffed. "I didn't expect her guesting at Good Morning America. It was... too fast and now the anchors already have a bad impression towards me. Goddammit! Now, whole America thinks I'm a bad person. She's not a saint, so why?" She stood up and started walking back and forth in her Gucci heels. Her body hugging nude knee length dress is perfectly showing her good physique. Her pale is skin looks amazing in her red lipstick.
"You're a prima ballerina and you're supposed to be on top of your game. Think about this and come back to me if you think you can handle it. I'm not the enemy here, so please listen to me. Be a good girl, dress cheaply and smile more. Jog in public places and eat burgers in diners. You need to show humility. Stop acting like a princess. That's all, and you can leave for now, thanks. I have a meeting with a producer from GBS so you can have an interview. I suggest you dress cheaply, lessen the cateye and gloss. I will tell you what to wear once we settled, are we clear?" She sniffed again and Ethan stood up. He held her hand and I saw how it perfectly interlocked.
Another stab in the heart is made.
"Yes, Atty. Park. God, you are so smart and my dad's right. I should've at least 10% of your brain cells. I feel incredibly stupid and ludicrous right now. I realized that I don't have any substance at all. Ballet is my life. I worked hard for it since i was very little. I can't just throw it away." She sniffed again and wiped his eyes. His tears became black from heavy mascara and eyeliner.
"Just rest for now, continue ballet practice and start acting humble in public. Quit wearing expensive heels and wear sneakers. Stop flaunting your Hermes bag and wear something the public use, okay? Have you seen how Kristen Stewart was captured in paparazzi pages? Copy that."
"I will, I promise."
Then Ethan cut her.
"Jess, wait for me in the car. I have something to speak with Atty. Park. I just have something to consult." I rose an eyebrow.
"I have a meeting at 2 PM and I haven't had lunch yet, Mr. Jennings. Please, just go." He ignored me and led Jessica out. I saw her riding the elevator. Ethan remained and went back inside my office. He closed the door and walked towards me. I felt like my heart is going to pop any time soon and all I can do is hold onto the fountain pen with the law firm's logo.
I sighed. "Now what, Mr. Jennings? I'm doing my best for her." I rolled my eyes and sat on my swivel chair. I took out a cigarette and lit it. It's not like I don't care but I feel nervous right now. It's like my intestines are pulled out of my body and it feels weird. I have never been nervous since I became a lawyer and even if there are times that I'm dumb, confidence helps me a lot.
Ethan sucks the confidence in me.
He sighed. "Why does it seem like you hate her? Are you in any way jealous of her? I hope not because you act like it." I stood up and crushed the cigarette in the ashtray.
"No. Have you seen how I treat Jenna our receptionist? Have you seen how i treated your secretary? I'm normally like this and if you can't deal with me, then let go. Let me go and move on... to another case. I don't have any ill feelings towards Jessica Miller and I don't think it's appropriate for you to ask me that question. I'm a firm believer of professionalism, so please stop acting like a goddamn child." I felt my knees wobble. Ethan has no idea how much I love him until now. He has no idea how much I worship every fiber of his being until this very moment. I want cry and run to him. I want to tell him everything but Jessica happened so I can't.
"Do you think it's me acting like a 'goddamn child'? Are you sure it's not you? How can you be so sure? You aren't always bright, Aria. I know how you tick. Stop denying. You can't just slap in our faces how smart you are. I know you're far intelligent than us. I know everything." He said and I felt my hands grip on the chair really tight. You don't know everything Ethan, not one bit of it.
"I am bright. I am very smart, Ethan. You of all people, should know how smart I am. I have nothing to explain to you because this conversation is done. I don't care whatever you say." I said while looking at him with intense stare. I'm just praying so hard right now to keep myself okay. I can't be weak.
He cleared his throat. "You just lied. Just this once Aria, be true to yourself. Yes, you did a very big mistake and I hate you for it. Honestly, I can't get that hate out of my heart." Then he looked at me again, this time with eyes full of pain. He can't be in pain because he loves me. He probably thinks I'm a big burden for him to carry or maybe an obstruction to his perfect relationship. Maybe... maybe.
He walked out and i don't know what to do. I just collapsed on the floor and cried my heart out like I'm dying.
God, I should've died that day.
=-=-=-=-=-=
Ethan is currently reading his thesis while I'm sitting on his lap. He loves it when i do this, especially when I'm only wearing my lace panties from Victoria's Secret. I know he can be perverted at times but he loves me and i love him too. We make our relationship work and it's the way we are. His perverted thoughts somehow just makes me laugh.
I never told him about my eerie meeting with Andrew Fox two days ago. He will definitely beat the sht out of that psycho. He's definitely a psycho and a bastard for openly asking me for sex. God, that guy is rotten. He reeks of arrogance and filth. I hope to never see him again but the again, I promised Ethan we would attend the party Monica Sinclair arranged at her boyfriend's club.
"I think this will be a game changer. I worked gard for this and tomorrow is my presentation. I promise to buy you an expensive strawberry wine once I finish with it. My mom missed your chicken pie." He said and of course I agreed.
"My chicken pie is the bomb. No one beats my recipe, Jennings. You have to bear that in your perverted mind." He laughed and I kissed him on the cheek.
"Don't you have any tests to study for? It's rare to see you in my lap like this, Park." I giggled.
"I aced my tests yesterday. You know how Asian discipline can do to tests, right? Our study habits are more effective." I stood up and reached my laptop.
"Sheesh, i know that very much Park." I love it when we call each other by last names like it's a normal thing. People see that as weird.
"So, winter break is coming up and my sisters are very much excited with our ski trip. They already bought gears and my dad was in pain to see everything in pink. I was already out of the picture because appa knows that my favorite color is navy. He bought me one as well." He reached for his coffee and took a sip.
"I booked four tickets to Vancouver so we can at least appreciate the trip. Canada is a good place to take a good rest." I smiled and planted a kiss on his lips.
"You are the sweetest guy ever." He smiled.
Then suddenly he closed his laptop. "Andrew, Monica's boyfriend told me they are also planning on going to Vancouver this coming weekend. That would be so good. At least it's now group outing." I froze. Because I was so surprised, I clumsily spilled tea on the carpet causing me to panic and completely drop the cup and saw it shatter to pieces.
Ethan quickly responded and checked if I am hurt. "Lemme check your feet." He lifted my feet and saw blood on the side near the heel. I winced at the pain and I saw how the blood spread on the floor.
"It's bleeding, Aria." He took out some wipes and disinfected it immediately. He looked worried.
I don't know how to tell him what Andrew Fox said to me. He's clearly not lying and for me to see him there at the ski resort is pure damnation. He will definitely do things. I hope he won't. I'll just have to avoid him. My sisters are there and I just have to stick by their side.
"I'm fine, Ethan. Go back to your Thesis, okay? I am completely okay." He smiled and put a band aid on the cut.
"Jesus, Aria. You're not okay. You were bleeding and clumsy. You were never clumsy. What's bothering you? You have to tell me so I'd know. I know how you tick." He knows how I tick. I can't tell him that his friend just offered me an indecent proposal. That guy is probably out of his mind.
"I swear, I'm fine. I just felt tired."
He sighed. "Okay, no sex tonight so you can rest. You're pale and i don't like you looking pale. We need to hit the beach again this summer."
I smiled. "I agree."
"When you get sick, I feel sick. You have a very weak body, Aria. You have to take good care of yourself if I'm not here. You have allergies, so be careful of what you eat. You have to remember all these things." I smiled. God, I must be the luckiest girl on earth to have this amazing man in front of me. He's delivered with a big red bow on top of his head.
"I know." I pouted and he gave me a peck on the lips and went back to his thesis.