ARIANA
Woken up by a tightness in my waist. Ashton's arm was tightly wrapped around my bare waist under the sheets. How did he have so much energy, even in his sleep.
How did I abandon all my principles and sleep with an engaged man...even after rejecting him.
Last night was another mistake.
Betrayed by my own feelings and emotions... God knows how long I've waited for this moment.
It seems so wrong....but I can't help feeling it's so right.
Tracing his outline and physique...this man's charm hasn't changed. He's sleeping so soundly, like he hadn't slept peacefully for days.
Trying to free myself from his grasp was pointless, his hand didn't even move.
I wanted to run away before he woke up.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Just my luck! He was already awake.
"To the office, I need to go to work" I tried to come up with an excuse....but he wasn't buying it.
"Between the both of us, in the business man, but I'm not in a hurry" his voice was full of sacarsm.
"Do you want to run away again after sleeping with me, you have to take responsibility" he continued to say.... pulling me closer than I already was.
"It was a mistake.....just let me go and we can forget this ever happened, like two sensible adults" I replied.
"I don't think so. I wonder what your new boyfriend and everyone else will think after they find out about this" he said.
What was he trying to imply? Would he tell on me, if word came out that I was sleeping around with an engaged man, it will surely be the end of me.
"Ashton, what do you want from me?" I asked, laying still beside him.
This is what he always wants from me, to be so obedient....after threatening me. With his power and influence, he won't hesitate to ruin my life, just to make me stay by his side.
"Now you're talking... Ariana, you rejected my marriage proposal..ok, if not wife..then be my woman" his words continued to surprise me.
What was this man thinking?
"Your woman? Don't be ridiculous..."This must be a joke.
I'd be his kept woman if he was still engaged and a mistress after he got married.
"Ariana I'm dead serious" he replied. This wasn't a joke.
"Ashton, what do you think of me....do you seriously see me like that, lowering my standards to that level" this pissed me off.
"You're not some saint... we've slept together more than once, you'll have everything you want by my side...money, status, power"
This hurt coming from him, maybe if he'd insisted more about marrying me .. I'd have agreed, but this... being his woman, he'd just used me to fulfill his sexual desires, nothing else.
"I don't need all that, it's such a disgusting thought coming from you Ashton... I will never be your kept woman on the sides, I don't care what you do, once the project is done.... you'll never see me again"
I've heard enough of this nonsense.
"You love playing hard to get, but still remember what I told you...this is not over, until I say it's over" with that he left me hanging.
What did he mean by that....What was he going to do next?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After...
"Mr Ashton, I arrived as soon as you called me, I'm so glad you're fine" Tobe said, handing him some gift bags.
He was worried about his boss.
Ashton had given him the address to bring him somethings and pick him up.
Ariana watched them both from upstairs....she had plans of escaping from Ashton....but her clothes situation wouldn't let her.
"Thank you Tobe, you can wait in the car" Ashton's mood was better than before...he didn't even lash out at him for being late.
"Anytime boss" he replied before he walked back to the car.
"Dress up" Ashton told Ariana, forcing her to hold the gift bag....
"I don't need this" she was still resisting.
"Unless you want to leave here looking like that" her clothes were in ruin, she couldn't go out looking like that...
She didn't want Tobe to find out about their relationship either.
She had no choice but to change into the new clothes he'd bought for her.
They fit her perfectly...he still knew her size well and the clothes she liked.
She came out from the changing room, and Ashton couldn't keep his eyes off her. She looked stunning...in the white office dress that reached just slightly above her knees.. exposing her slender legs, accompanied by the black heels.
"Thank you for the dress" her voice brought him back to reality.
He approached her with slow footsteps... until he was inches from her. He removed the strands of hair that had fallen on her face...she was glowing, even without makeup.
Seeing the pitiful look on her face just turned him on, she made him so crazy for her with just one look.
Memories of the past night kept on playing in his head....he couldn't stop thinking about it.
He'd become obsessed.
"Ariana....be my woman" he said softly.... caressing her face.
The look in his eyes, he'd never look at someone else with that same affection.
He knew what he wanted, and it was the woman before him...no matter how much she pushed him away.
"We've already talked about this.... Ashton, there's nothing more I have to offer, please...stop making it hard for the both of us" Ariana replied.
"I'm with someone else now" she whispered the last sentence.....if she didn't keep using Samuel, he wouldn't stop.
"I won't give up, I'll make you come back to me, no matter what" Ashton said, his voice filled with anger.
Ariana walked away from him,with nothing left to say.
She was the only woman capable of doing that....rejecting him, yelling at him,teasing him, walking away from him..... without hesitation.
So many women would kill to be in her place... and become Ashton's woman, but she had no interest in it at all.
Ariana had to put up with him because he was her boss, if not...she'd have hit him long back...how could she accept such an offer that would only bring her nothing but problems in the end....and another heartbreak.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At Golden Empire~~~
Claris's office
"Ma'am, the CEO and the Assistant CEO are both not around...a meeting right now won't be possible" Claris' secretary informed her.
"What do you mean they aren't in the office?" she asked confused.
"After yesterday's meeting, the Assistant CEO left, but no one knew where she went.... the CEO also wasn't around to begin with" the secretary replied.
So many things were happening without her knowledge, she was his fianceé...but Ashton treated her like a nobody.
She knew they were together.
She envied Ariana.
"You can leave now" she dismissed her secretary.
Once again, she threw the things that were on her desk to the floor in anger. For the past four years, she was by his side, did everything for him...but he only thought about Ariana....who was so far away from him.
He'd never look at her the way he looked at Ariana, he'd never treat her the same way he treated her.
He never even wore the damn engagement ring she gave him.
She came from a wealthy family, their relationship was nothing more than a forced one on his side.
With a background like hers, no wonder Ashton's mother arranged a marriage between them, but that didn't matter to her. Even if it was arranged, she loved Ashton very much...and was willing to enter a loveless marriage with him...just to stay by his side.
Did she have to first get rid of Ariana just for Ashton to even notice her presence?
Or better yet, ridicule her in front of everyone just to grab Ashton's attention?
It was about time that everyone in the industry knew about their engagement.
She called back her secretary and asked her to arrange a press conference, as soon as possible.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile...
Ashton's car~~
Ariana sat silently in Ashton's car, but keeping a big distance between them. She squeezed herself against the door as if he was some kind of virus.
She wouldn't be in this situation but he used his authority as her boss and forced her to ride with him.
Ashton's focus was on the iPad in his hands, while Tobe watched them both from the rare view mirror...it was the first time he witnessed his boss sit calmly in his car with a woman.
"Something is definitely going on between them" he thought to himself.
"What are you doing?" Ashton asked as soon as he saw her....
He put down his iPad and all his attention was now on her.
"I.... I.. uh..nothing" she replied.
"What are you doing all the way that side, come closer" Ashton said...before he grabbed her hand and pulled her close.
"I won't bite" he held onto her hand tightly.
"This isn't really necessary.." Ariana replied, trying to remove her hand from his.
"Stop struggling...or else I'll make my move and you won't like it" Ashton whispered in her ear... between the two of them.
The driver and Tobe seated in front didn't dare say a word even though what they saw came as a surprise to them.
More like a shock!!
"Ashton, don't do this" Ariana desperately replied.
"Then sit quietly close to me, nothing will happen" Ashton said, intertwining his fingers with hers.
"I'm not your fianceé or your woman to do this to me" Ariana shot back at him.
"I'm my eyes,you're my woman... nothing will change that" Ashton said, with a satisfied look on his face, tightening his grip on her hand.
But who knew that was too good to be true. Tobe's phone rang....and his face expression changed the moment he got off the phone.
"Boss, sorry to interrupt....but something happened" he turned to face Ashton...with a worried look on his face.
"What happened?" Ashton asked.
"You need to see it for yourself" Tobe switched on the news on his phone.....and handed it to both Ashton and Ariana.
The news was trending....it was a hot topic. Claris was on the news.
"Ms Claris, is it really true?Are you the fianceé of the well know business tycoon, Ashton Kaur?" a reporter asked.
"Well you didn't hear it wrong...it's about time that you found out. Yes, Ashton Kaur and I are engaged, soon to be married" Claris replied.... showing the engagement ring she wore on her finger.
This left both Ashton and Ariana watching the news dumbstruck.
Claris had dropped the bomb in front of everyone and what she just said was exploding the entire internet.
She was sure, after he this, Ashton would definitely come running to her.
Ariana knew this would happen sooner or later...but it still stung deep in her heart. Now that it was allover the news, she knew she was going to lose Ashton....forever.
"Stop the car!" Ashton angrily ordered his driver.
As soon as the car stopped, he got out and slammed Tobe's phone to the ground. He was furious again....and least expected things to come to this.
Ariana got out of the car as well, trying to calm him down...but stopped herself.
What right did she have now to even get close to him? He belonged to someone else...
"Won't you say anything?" Ashton asked her.
"What should I say? I have no right to say anything" Ariana was sad, but had no more tears left to cry.
"It's time that you get yourself together Ashton, forget about me and focus on your own life with Claris" Ariana turned to leave....but Ashton ran and hugged her from behind.
"I can't forget you Ariana... please don't turn your back on me and leave me... please" he pleaded with her.
As much as it hurt her, Ariana had to let go....their relationship was already over from the start, there was nothing she could do now.
"Ashton let me go, I don't love you anymore" Ariana had no other choice but to say it.
Ashton froze the moment he heard her say it...but he didn't believe it.
He made her face him, but she avoided eye contact...her eyes would give her away..and he'd know she wasn't telling the truth.
"Liar, you're lying to me...you can't even look at me while saying it!!" Ashton spoke in anger.
"I don't love you!!"Ariana gathered the courage to look him in the eyes.
"It's over between us" Ariana continued to say, putting an end to it...before it could even start again.
That was the last thing he needed to hear her say....that it was over.