Phosphorescent - Song for Zula
Some say love is a burning thing
That it makes a fiery ring
Oh but I know love as a fading thing
Just as fickle as a feather in a stream
Next morning, they were curled up in bed together.
"You should go, Ari. It's time to open." She said groggily
"Do you want me to leave..???" he asked.
"Nope." She answered quickly.
"Then I'm not leaving.... How about..." he was saying but got cut off by a knock on the door.
"See, your loyal customers are ready to barge in for a cup of coffee." Brianna giggled.
"Wait here...." he aid in a serious tone. Ari picked a baseball bat. Before he opened the door. Brianna quickly wore last night's dress.
"Can I help you." She heard Ari say.
"Where's my sister ." 'Brandon..???'
"Who, I don't know..." Aria said.
"Bran, what are you doing here." Brianna said, staying behind Ari.
"There she is... I told you she was with him. " Julian said in accusatory tone.
"Let's go down and talk." She took her brother's hand and took him downstairs.
Marion was leaning to her car, enjoying the family drama unfold.
"That's it. I can't marry her. She's cheating on me. " Julian shouted, bouncing on his heels. His overacting was evident.
"Marry...???" Ari asked, puzzled.
"Yes, You rascal. You have been banging my fiance. I followed her last night." Julian shouted, a few passer by stopped to watch the drama but Ari's glare sacred them away. Julian was looking for a chance and he hit the jackpot when he decided to follow Brianna.
"Is this true." He asked Brianna, sadly.
"It's not like that. " Brianna pleaded.
' Says every cheater.' Julian muttered, pretending to be heartbroken.
"Brandon, you tell him I did this for you." Brianna cried and begged her brother to speak the truth for once in his life. She can't leave Ari , She .. She loves him.
"I asked you if you agreed. If you didn't want to be with him You should have said something, Bri." Brandon said, shaking his head in disappointment.
"You liar." Brianna screamed. She lunged at him but Ari pulled her back.
"Lets go Brianna. I don't need any explanation." he said giving a warning look to Julian. And that loser stepped back.
"And who would you be.?" Brandon asked.
"I am the man who loves your sister. If you love her too, then you will give us your blessing. We'll come in the afternoon to take her stuff. She's moving in with me." Ari declared.
Brandon didn't answer him. He pretended like a sad brother who had failed his sister. He had to make a show in front of the Bell cousins. On the other hand, Marion didn't even want to be here. In this place, she considers to be as filthy as a dumpster. If she broke off with Brandon that would be a 4th failed relation. Invitations are sent already. She can't back out now. Plus, It's not everyday you can find a man like, Brandon. Marion is only true of heir and she does not have what it takes to be in charge. Brandon is the perfect puppet, The man even agreed to take her surname.
Ari took Brianna's hand asked her in a hushed voice. "Is he the reason you were walking alone in this area when I met you the first time ." Brianna couldn't understand why Is he asking her that now. When he should be asking if she is engaged or not.
"Yes." She whispered. Ari moved quickly and punched Julian in the face, the latter fell flat on the ground "Thanks man." Ari said.
The three of them left , smiling on the inside. They all are getting what they wanted.
"Ari, trust me. I wanted to tell you ... It was all pretend ." Brianna began to ramble but Ari shushed her.
"Shush, Brianna. You accepted me for all my flaws. And I believe you, darling. I Love You." he confessed
"I Love You, Too." Brianna answered and kissed him.
"A year later, he proposed to her. They got married according to Italian tradition. The cafe became so popular, people far across from here came for my father's Italian dishes and mom's desserts. and 6 years later I came."Her eyes are teary. But I stay quite because I know she has more to say. So I give her time.
"You know why I am telling you this now? Sure I wanted to tell you before. But..."
"Arianna, I'm sorry...."I say bending my head down in shame. I have misunderstood her since the very moment I met her. For what, naming her cafe after herself. The cafe, Ari and Brianna named after their daughter. I just hate myself completely. I am an idiot, no doubt Liam fooled me so easily.
"No, Axel. It's alright. When mom moved with dad, she didn't know the place would be such a success. She believed in herself and her husband. My whole life, I tried to become the person Mr. Finley told me, my parents were. I believe in you, Axel. Don't leave me, Let me be with you too."She implored.
"I'm sorry, baby. I thought it was for the best. I was wrong, I was so wrong."I hug her. Once again, I proved such a fool I am, thinking she would be better off without me. We need each other. We complete each other. History is repeating itself.
"Do you know, Where he proposed to her." She asks me looking at their grave.
I think about it, And I remembered. "Central park....???" I gasp.
"Bingo."She beamed. She has been there a few times only, but she wanted to go with me. She trusted me long before I realized.
"What happened.?"I ask her, I want her to get it all out. So She doesn't have to worry about it anymore. Maybe I'm doing wrong. But I want to know everything about her. I don't want to hurt her unintentionally because I don't know the whole story.
"I was 5. We were in a car accident. They died on spot. But I was stuck in the back seat for 3 hours. My arm was broken and I caught pneumonia too. Because of the cold from the broken windows. I...I..." She sobbed in my arms.
"What Am I doing, I shouldn't have asked." I say, looking at her parents grave. If they were here they would have never let me near their daughter.
"No I want to, I only talked to three people about it, Mr & Mrs. Finley and Jennifer. Because of the trauma and my young age, I actually forgot everything. For me, Brandon and Marion were my parents and Jessica my sister."She said laughing.
"Were they good to you?"I ask, taking her to an iron bench in the corner. I already hate them even more, now that I know they were talking about her late mother, when they called Brianna a whore. Brandon Bell said that about his own sister. That pathetic excuse of a man.
"It wasn't not a Cinderella situation. But I always knew something was wrong, Jessica went to a over-expensive boarding school. While mine was average, comparatively. Birthday parties were more for a show. Nobody ever asked them questions about my birth, Judging by my parent's remarkable history.... If you know what I mean. They must have just assumed."We both chuckled at that. My father even at this age,keeps Marion at a hand's distance. Him agreeing for this marriage,actually shocked me.
"When did you find out."I ask.
"I was 10. Jessica always threw some tantrum to get their attention and she always succeeded. So for a change I also tried and that's when Marion told me. It wasn't sunshine and rainbows but I have seen other people getting treated like garbage from the own parents. So I'm good."She did not tell me that Marion must have shouted on her face that she is an orphan. She is watering down the story and I respect her that she is a grateful person with a big heart, Who is not bad mouthing people who sheltered her.
*****
When we went back to the cafe. She said, "You know how I found this cafe, About my parents.?"
"I have a guess, You fairy godfather, Mr Finley." She laughed.
"Yes It was him, I searched on the internet,I was 16. I found an article about their... about their accident...."I squeeze her hand lightly. "I wanted to see the place.... So I came here. It was closed, the closed shutters had graffiti, The iron staircase was rusted. The more I stood there, the more I remembered them, Their faint voices. You know the place Where I store boxes, I remember they had a small partition there. It was my room."
"Mr. Finley was going home, When he spotted me. He immediately recognized me, He said I have my mom's eyes. Him and Mrs. Finley told me everything about them."I kiss her to ensure her I am not leaving her. I am done being a coward. I want to be the man who is worthy of standing beside this strong girl.
Next day
I helped her in the cafe the whole day, Doing very much everything. Sure,I was not allowed to cook. But I poured coffee. Arianna has went down to cook us dinner, while I am checking the books of her cafe. I was hesitant Since the last time made a mistake, But Arianna encouraged me that I have learned my lesson and won't make the same mistake.
I found that she has been paying Jennifer really well from the start regarding the profit percentage. But lately her salary has been steady.When She came back, I ask her after dinner.
"I noticed that you have been paying your parents every month. What is that about."
"My parents had a partner. And he is not selling so every month I have to give him his profit percent as per the deal my father made."
"Did you try to talk to him, If he wanted to sell."
"He doesn't want his identity to be known. Maybe he was in a gang too."
"No Arianna, This is shady. He is no angel investor, Why would he keep his identity hidden. And after everything you have told me about your father. I don't think he would do business with any of them."
"I talked to a lawyer but he was asking too much. So I just saved money to match his bid. Jenny is helping too. We are going to partner up, After I buy It."Something is not right.
"I will talk to your parents, legally. They are no longer in charge, You are old enough to inherit the property. "
"About that... I.. don't get me wrong."She is breathing uncontrollably.
"Hey hey hey, breathe, calm down. I am not giving them some court order. I'll just talk to them officially."
"I was supposed to receive full ownership by now. That was my condition for marrying you, that they would buy the cafe for me... I said that I wanted the papers before marriage, But they kept stalling."
"I was selfish too, Arianna. My father threatened me actually. I'm glad he did. Now about the papers. I'll talk to them tomorrow."
*****
The next day, I directly went to Bell Corp. I am notorious now. So they wouldn't want someone like me Sitting in there for long. It worked, Brandon Bell invited me in. When I asked him about the ownership papers, he started behaving like the nonsense idiot he is. So I took the lawyer's help, who was previously helping me with the case.
When I got back home, To Arianna. I helped her do the dishes, She told me, Finley's invited us for dinner today.
*****
"It is delicious, Mrs. Finley."I tell her.
"Thank you my boy. It was my recipe but you see I'm in no condition to cook so our help made It."she said. It's sad looking at her when she is so helpless.she used to be a neurosurgeon, She helped guiding the resident doctors till the very end. But when her health deterred more, She finally put her sword down.
After dinner, Mr. Finely asked me to join him outside. "I see she has told you."
"Yes Sir and I can't thank you enough. She told me how much you helped."
"Do not mention it, Son. You know my wife and I, we don't have children. Bri and Ari were really kind to let us spend time with Arianna when she was young.Do you know I gave her that name.... Yeahhh.. those were days. I wish we could adopt her after her..."
"Adopt..??? then why didn't you. She would have been happier with you."I couldn't hide accusation on my tone.
"We tried son. We tried. But we were not blood relatives. When Brandon came to take her, I thought his concious woke. But that man has no soul."He said muttering a string of curses after.
"Arianna told me, well..she watered down the story. But she did. I met Brandon today to get the ownership papers of the cafe, He was beh...."
"Papers, you say...??? What about it." he says sitting straight. He is looking confused. I debate telling him because Arianna said she didn't want him to know. Otherwise, they surely would have come to her aid and help her financially too.
"The cafe isn't in her name. There was some partner who isn't ready to sell. Brandon and Marion promised to give it to her as a wedding present but they're stalling and I smell something fishy..."
"Nonsense..." he shouted "... There is no partner. Ari inherited it from his grandparents. He was the sole owner." he said.
"Maybe he needed money."
"Bullshit, Axel. He was the owner. And Arianna inherited it on her 18th birthday."
"That means they were robbing her. Brandon and Marion were robbing her off for years now."They obviously didn't do it for money, It was for their own personal fun. Watching her suffer.
"Thank you so much Mr. Finley. And don't take her wrong, She knew you two would come to help, if she told you."
"I know son. She is just like her mom and dad." he sighed.
That night, I called the lawyer to tell him about my change of plans. Now, we will sue the Bells for fraud.
*****
Namaste, reader!!! I hope you liked the chapter. If you did then please don't forget to VOTE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave your precious COMMENTS behind.
I would love it if you check out my other stories, 'Aurora's Aura' 'Mafia & Miss Honey' 'Becoming Romeo' 'Violet Hues' & ''His Captive'. The story link is on my profile.