Chapter 3
1893 Words
ARIANA
I stared at the card in my hands, specifically at the phone number there, and sighed heavily.
I knew what I was about to do, was going to go against everything my parents believed in, but I had no choice. It was either this, or we were doomed... That is, if it was going to even work.
It had been exactly seven weeks since the incident at Natalie's house, and to say the whole family had been plunged into a world of chaos, was to say the least.
All we had been facing from that day forward, was one crisis after another.
I could still remember the look on Gabriel's face when I had turned around to find him in the doorway, just staring at Natalie. It was the appearance of a completely broken man. And I had felt so ashamed at that moment, that it had all been my sister's fault.
If there was one thing I knew that day, it was the fact that Gabriel really loved my sister Natalie. Something she had thrown away all by herself due to her messed up life, which she rightly blamed my parents for. I, on my part, never saw things from her perspective prior to our exchange. I used to think Natalie and Gabriel were both on the same page until that moment.
But the look on his face when he had raised his head to look at me, just before leaving, was etched in my mind forever.
I had never felt so threatened and afraid before.
Gabriel had silently told us that it wasn't over. It was all in his reaction.
And I hadn't understood till the very next day, when investors had suddenly started to withdraw from our company.
From that day onward, we had started to lose literally everything.
Natalie was nowhere to be found, leaving just me and my parents to solve the problem. And considering the rate at which we were going downhill, there was nothing I learned at Harvard that could save us.
The only person we had left, yet to pull away from us, was Gabriel Fernandez. No one else but him. And he had refused to communicate with us, or react to any of the news in the media.
Nobody in my family was talking about it, but I knew we were all having the same thoughts.
Gabriel was waiting for the perfect time to strike.
And as it was, we were already neck deep in debt from paying back the money investors had put into the project. Something I couldn't understand, since it was now obvious why Gabriel had invested in the company.
Now, having used Gabriel's money to settle the others, we ended up being indebted to him. And it was no small debt.
With my mind finally made up, I picked up my phone, and dialed the number on the card, inhaling and exhaling nervously as the line began to ring.
Once the person on the other end answered, I made arrangements for the appointment that was either going to make, or break us.
GABRIEL
I was a bit.... nervous.
I mean, they had played right into my hands, just like I intended, but the person who had made the move had caught me completely off guard.
When my secretary had come to inform me of the appointment just like I had asked her to, I hadn't been expecting to hear from Ariana herself.
I had been expecting to hear from one and only Richard Livingston. But once again, he had sent his daughter to do the job for him. Just like he had done all those years before. But this time, I was ready. And I definitely wasn't going to be playing into their hands anymore. It was time for my own hands to do some playing.
Ariana Livingston.
Hmm...
They just didn't know what was coming yet. They didn't.
As if on cue, there was a small knock on the door, before it opened to reveal the woman who had somehow, always found her way into my subconscious mind, for four whole years.
I said nothing, and just watched as she walked into the room, looking as graceful as ever, in her cream coloured pants, and black top that was revealing enough to give me a perfect view of her cleavage and bare arms.
Who wore that to an office without a crazy motive in mind?
I forced my gaze away from her bare shoulders and focused on her face.
Damn. That was a mistake too.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Fernandez." She said, looking straight at me with a face devoid of any emotion.
I couldn't help but wonder how much her parents had prepared her, before she came to see me.
I cleared my throat and nodded, gesturing to the chair in front of me for her to sit. "Good afternoon, Ariana." I answered, which to my enjoyment caused a little twitch to her very poised expression.
Good. I wasn't going to play the game of being formal with her. I simply didn't have that time. But first, I needed to know what she wanted to say.
"I know there is no need to beat around the bush. So I'll just go straight to the point." She said, sounding feisty as hell. Which I liked.
"Go ahead then." I told her, leaning back in my chair and resting one hand on the armrest of my chair. I had a feeling that I was going to enjoy what this meeting was going to bring.
Ariana exhaled and inhaled visibly, before speaking. "Listen, I know that my family has wronged you in so many ways. More ways than we can apologize for. And we do owe you an apology... We really do."
Her voice was soft as she spoke, sending little pricks of awareness down my body, but i shut it out.
"I am here to apologize, on behalf of my sister, and my family too." she said, and just stared at me. Although this time, there was a little look on her face that showed remorse.
I shook my head and just stared back.
"Ariana Livingston. Don't you think it is a little too late for that?" I asked her not because I cared for an apology, but it had been about seven weeks since the whole shameful incident, and no one had cared to apologize all that time. And now, just when my plan was starting to fall into place, they decided to send another daughter to do their job.
I wanted to laugh out loud, but I didn't want to beat around the bush anymore.
I leaned forward in my seat and placed my hands on the table before me, looking her square in the eyes.
"Listen, I am not going to pretend like I don't know why you are here, Ariana. But I am going to spare you the stress of explaining and apologizing to me about something that cannot be undone." And then I paused and watched as the expression on her face changed to that of sadness. "My answer is a no to anything you could possibly say. I know your parents have spent all of their money trying to repay all they owe. I know they have no one left, but me. I know all of that, Ariana. And in a few hours, I would be pulling out too, and there is absolutely nothing they can do about that." Even to my ears, I knew I sounded so sinister, but I didn't care. They deserved what they were getting. Every one of them.
Especially Natalie and her dear parents. It was such a pity that Ariana had to get involved. If only she was not a member of that pathetic family.
The look of shock on her face was priceless.
To my surprise, she just nodded and stood up. "Fine then. I guess it is pointless then, begging you. I can already see how vicious you are. You are no different from the way you are described by the media." She hissed, and made for the door.
Her words seemed to echo through my head, pissing me off.
Before she could fully open the door, I had shot out of my chair, and placed myself between her and the door, effectively stopping her and shutting the door with my legs.
"What did you just say to me?" I asked, in a very low voice that was meant to instill fear.
What in the world?
ARIANA
I almost screamed out loud as Gabriel took me by surprise, blocking my exit. But that was not what bothered me, not even his question. It was the fact that we were standing so close to each other that I could almost touch him if I had just leaned forward a little.
I could literally feel the warmth radiate from him. I swallowed nervously, wanting to take a step back, but finding myself unable to do so.
"Gabriel... please..." I found myself saying, unable to think of anything coherent to say.
He c****d his head to the side, causing me to raise my eyes to his face. He had such beautiful honey-coloured eyes that I could literally stare and get lost in them.
And his lips..
Damn...
I wasn't supposed to be thinking about this at all. That wasn't why I was here.
I was here to.... Why was I here again?
"Please....what, Ariana? Don't you get it? I'm going to make the life of you and your family a living hell...and I'll show no mercy..." His words were harsh...so was his voice. But the sexiness that oozed from it, caused heat to pool in my stomach.
I licked my lips as my eyes dropped to his, which were so pink and ..plump...
Get yourself together, Ariana! A voice in my head scolded.
I was finally able to tear my gaze from his lips and take a step back. "Gabriel.... please..." I begged, knowing the words he said well all true.
Instead of answering immediately, he raked his gaze over me, scrutinizing me from head to toe, before smirking.
"Actually, Ariana. I do have a proposal for you." He said, sounding suspiciously too casual for my liking, but at his words, I was suddenly alert as I wondered what he wanted to say.
"What proposal is that?" I asked carefully.
I mean, the man was threatening to destroy my family financially. If he wanted to propose something that would benefit all of us... But I was surely not ready for the words that left his mouth next. If only I knew, I would not have come to his office in the first place.
"Marry me, Ariana Livingston. Marry me, and I'll make sure all is well and good with your family." He said, shrugging as he looked at me through hooded eyelids. He didn't even let me speak, before he was throwing the next bomb. "And if you don't want to, then that's fine and good too. But remember what I said earlier." And just like that, I saw Gabriel for who he really was... The freaking devil himself.
Shock fired through me as I digested the nonsense he had just said to me.
Was I dreaming, or had Gabriel, my sister's ex-fiance, just asked me to marry him?
- Writer
