Hey guys,
If you love books and book related stuff then please do follow my instagram account @_theardentreader_. I post about my book collection, short reviews and other bookish posts. Would appreciate the follow! Thank you!
Dalton walked into his private elevator with breakfast for him and Ariella. He had gone for a run this morning. He thought back to last night and smiled. After he had confessed to her she had simply placed a hand on his chest and smiled at him. They didn't say a word to each other after that.
He hoped this didn't push things between them towards the awkward side.
He stepped into the foyer and placed breakfast on the kitchen island. He turned around and cursed.
Jayson was sitting in the living room, reading a newspaper.
"Hello Dalton" Jayson said as he kept the newspaper aside and unfolded his body from the couch.
"Seriously, dad?" Dalton muttered as he removed his t shirt and headed towards his room.
"Hello to you too son and for Christ's sake, at least don't wear signs of your nightly shenanigans on your body especially when you are living with the woman you love" Jayson said eyeing the red scratches on Dalton's chest.
Dalton winced at that messed up accusation and was about to contradict when Ariella walked into the living room still in the bathrobe.
"Oh, Mr. Reynolds...Hi" Ariella blushed crimson and turned on her heels, rushing back to her room.
Dalton rubbed his temples and faced his father.
"Really?" Jayson said smirking
"No...nothing happened..."
"Really?"
"Dad"
"Seriously?"
"Okay fine, we kissed."
"And?"
"And what?"
Jayson smirked and raised his eyebrows.
"And I told her I love her"
Jayson laughed and patted his son on the back.
"She looked happy"
"No dad. She is still grieving. I am not going to push her"
"As you say. Anyway, I came down to discuss some details you asked me to find. Go freshen up" Jayson said as he walked back to the couch and picked up the newspaper.
Dalton shook his head. Only his father could walk into a room and own it.
"Dalton" Ariella called out to him just as he was about to enter his room.
Ariella was mortified for walking out like that in front of Mr. Reynolds.
"I am sorry about that..."
"Don't worry."
"I just wanted to tell you that my dad called. He is going to be here by noon and he asked me to come to lunch."
"I will inform Paul" Dalton said referring to the driver
"Alright thanks"
Dalton nodded and entered his room. He hurriedly showered and dressed.
"Let's go to the office" Jayson said as Dalton came out knotting his tie.
"Yeah. Let me just tell Ariella"
Ariella looked up as Dalton entered the room. He looked really good in his black suit with crisp white shirt and crimson red tie with a crooked knot.
"Your tie"' She said as she got up and walked to him.
Dalton stood still as he watched her approach. She had showered and dressed in a simple black t-shirt and light denims, making her legs look like heaven.
Ariella reached up and undid his tie. Dalton looked down at her face as she knotted his tie.
"Thank you" Dalton cleared his throat and stepped back. "I am leaving now for office. I will inform Paul. What time are you leaving?"
"Around one"
"Okay. Take care and call me if you need anything"
"Sure" Ariella smiled.
She walked back to her bed and opened her laptop which had a folder open. It contained all her pictures with Kaden, starting from them together as toddlers to recent most.
Her hands shook as she selected the whole folder and dragged it to the recycle bin. The folder icon hovered over the recycle bin. She took a deep breath, holding back tears.
He had no right over her tears. She would not cry for him anymore. She needed to move on. She pulled back her finger and the folder disappeared into the bin. She then maximized Google chrome and stared at the recent picture of Kaden with the woman who was glowing with his child. Her heart pained so much looking at it, that it was a physical pain, making breathing a task but she refused to let a single tear slip.
Kaden looked so happy. His eyes were hidden behind aviators but the way his arms were slipped around her growing belly possessively, his lips turned up in a smile as he leaned from behind her and whispered something in her ear. She had her head thrown back against his shoulder, laughing, her blonde hair tied in a messy bun. She was wearing a red bikini.
Ariella shut down the laptop. She reached under her pillow and pulled out two rings, one was the promise ring and other the engagement ring. She couldn't will herself to get rid of them. It had been an effort to remove them from her fingers. She sighed and slipped them back under her pillow.
Dalton entered a conference room and closed the door after Jayson walked in.
"You were right about the woman" Jayson said as he sat down. Yesterday night after they found out about the segment, Dalton had called up his father and told him his doubts and what all he wanted to know.
"Her name is Alice Wellington." Jayson continued and Dalton closed his eyes.
He knew this woman. He had seen her on several occasions with Kaden. He had even asked him but he had said they were working on a thesis together. He had let the matter go as Kaden never introduced them.
"She is Kaden's classmate." Dalton said as he pulled her file towards him. If this timeline worked then it meant that Kaden had started cheating on Ariella from the moment he started his masters and cheated on her for almost two years.
"So you know her?"
"Yes but haven't met her, just saw Kaden with her"
"Are you going to tell her? I mean this all means he was cheating on her for a long time"
"I don't know. I don't understand why Kaden would do this? I mean he was crazy in love with Ariella." Dalton tried to recall any change in behavior, any tell tale signs but it was nothing but Ariella for Kaden. He planned everything around her.
"What about Kaden?" Dalton asked
"Gone. I had people look into that place, they found the hotel they were staying at and several locals recognized their pictures but there was no trace of them there" Jayson said.
"I...this is messed up. What the hell is he doing?" Dalton muttered.
"I want to ask him the same thing. He was a great kid growing up. I don't know why he has thrown it all away."
They sat in silence for a few minutes and then Jayson got up.
"I am going to leave now. I need to get back to New York. I have told the PR people and they have the issue here handled. Take care son"
Dalton got up and walked his father to the elevators.
"I will keep tabs on this whole situation."
"Thanks dad"
Ariella stared at her father, his words ringing in her ears.
"Two years?" She whispered.
"Sweetheart, this is what can be derived from the information we found. She was his classmate during his grad school. They have known to be spotted together over these two years"
"He was cheating on me when I was with him staying there. He was with another woman."
"Ari" Aaron reached out and grabbed her hands. He knew this was hurting her but she needed to know so she could process this and move on. She needed to know that Kaden was not whom she thought he was. She needed a reason to move on.
"I want to go back home"
"We can go today. You pack and we will leave right away"
"Dad...I meant Dalton's place" She realized she had called it home.
"Oh...alright"
"Are you staying?"
"No, I need to get back. Dante is taking this hard but I will stay if you want me to or your mother can come down" Aaron looked at his daughter. She looked shell shocked but a not a single tear had made its way out of her eyes.
"No dad, I will be okay. I just need...time to think this out."
Later Aaron dropped her at the penthouse. He hugged her and placed a kiss on the top of her head. How he wished she was still a five year old and this whole situation was just a knee scrap and he could apply a band aid and promise her it would be fine in a few days. However this time her heart was broken and Aaron didn't have a large enough band aid nor a timeline he could give her.
"I love you sweety. Just call alright?"
"Yes dad. Thank you and I love you too"
It was almost seven in the evening by the time Dalton got back home. He had to deal with the media along with PR executives and then he had a few deals to handle.
The elevator door slid open into the foyer and he walked in, half expecting Ariella to still be out with her father.
"Dalton" He stopped when he watched her step into the living room.
"Hey, you are back early..." He stopped when he saw the expression on her face.
"Dad told...about Alice..."
Dalton dropped his suit jacket and folder on the floor and rushed to her. He gathered her in his arms and carried her to the sofa.
"I am so sorry" he whispered
"I can't be this strong. I am trying but each time the blow becomes too hard for me to handle. Sooner or later this is going to push me over and I will fall." Ariella whispered, her head nestled against his neck.
"Don't worry; I will be there to catch you."
Please do vote and comment!