Chapter one ~ "Unexpected Outcome"
1164 Words
"Can't handle anymore?" Henry said teasingly. This was there fourth round, and he was unleashing all the built-up passion from his week-long trip.
"I've got a blind date tomorrow," Ariana confessed, while she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Huh," he murmured, his lips instantly seeking hers trying to reach for another heated kiss while His hands gripped her waist, eager for more.
Expect on this day, Ariana was not so bent on their usual make-outs
"If it works out, I might settle down," Ariana revealed, the bitterness could be felt creeping into her words and Just as she expected, he didn't seem to care.
"Marriage plans?" His hands paused, this time he too effort to look at her and tried searching for something deeper in what she was saying
"I'm hitting 30 soon, and time's running out," she whispered, her gaze dropped to the floor, she was hiding in her feelings.
“That’s good. Your husband will be a lucky man,” Henry remarked nonchalantly.
Ariana felt like cold water had been splashed on her face.
She thought he would react or become jealous but his face did nothing to betray his emotions. If he was affected by her words, he did a good job at hiding it. Or maybe, he just didn’t care.
To him, she was just a s*x pet.
“Are you ok with it?” Ariana asked.
“Yeah… all the best in your marriage plans,” Henry stated calmly as he hid the sarcasm dancing on his lips, Ariana missed the smirk on the man's face as he abruptly withdrew. Suddenly, the room flooded with harsh light and Ariana quickly snatched her torn dress, and held it tight to her chest.
On the other side of the room, Henry slumped on the bed's edge, lighting a cigarette. His trousers remained crisply pressed, top buttons of his shirt undone.
Ariana's eyes flickered to the cigarette, then involuntarily to the extravagant engagement ring adorning his finger, adding another twist to her inner turmoil.
Three years back, Ariana was just another hardworking employee, freshly promoted to CEO’S Assistant. It was when she had been assigned to accompany the esteemed Henry Griffin on a business trip, which they grew close. She didn't resist. After a night of passion, their secret entanglement deepened over three years.
Ariana played dual roles in Henry's life: his devoted assistant by day, and his eager lover by night.
If she had to point fingers for her poor decisions, she'd blame her youthful infatuation from her student days.
With Henry's impending marriage, Ariana aimed to preempt the fallout by ending their affair. She couldn't bear the thought of public ridicule as the other woman in what seemed like a perfect match between social elites i.e Henry and his would be wife.
As hard as accepting that her lover was bound to be married to someone else was, Ariana resolved to be the one to walk away. It was better to leave on her own terms than to face the humiliation of being cast aside like a worthless nobody.
Avoiding his gaze, she quietly made her way to the door to retrieve her overnight bag. She always brought spare clothes for their rendezvous, just in case.
She knew her place – no overnight stays, let alone at his side.
Before Ariana could even reach for her bag, his grip seized her other wrist, sending her pulse racing. There was always something about his touch that made everything make sense
"One last time," his voice growled, more of a command than plea.
This time, he pushed her beyond her limits. When he finally released her, he gripped her jaw, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Cancel tomorrow's blind date," his demand cut through the air.
As exhausted as she was, she tried to fight back, but managed to muster the courage to ask, "Will you call off your engagement?"
If Henry consented, Ariana would gladly spend her lifetime by his side, under the condition that he remained unmarried- But deep down, she knew he'd never love her.
His frozen expression melted into a chilling chuckle. “You’ve crossed a line," he whispered, crushing the little hope she had.
With a bitter chuckle of her own, she said, "Fine, I'll take my leave. It's fair, right?"
She looked away, mimicking his chuckle, though hers sounded laced with bitterness. "if you deny my request for day off tomorrow, Mr. Griffin. I'll take my annual leave tomorrow. It's only fair, isn't it? And perfectly within my rights."
His fingers tightened around her jaw, eliciting a wince. Defiantly, Ariana met his gaze, refusing to yield any further.
Though displeased, Henry did not explode in anger. In his world, obedient bunnies were abundant, willing to warm his bed. He had no desire to keep one that dared to bite his hand.
"Take your pills and tidy up," he snapped before vanishing into the bathroom, leaving her alone in the wake of his command.
When Henry emerged minutes later, the room gleamed with perfection-but Ariana was gone
Resting on the bed was the bank card he'd entrusted to Ariana at the beginning of their affair. Intended to cater to her every need in exchange for her services. Henry discovered she hadn't touched a single cent of the funds.
An overwhelming and indescribable irritation flooded Henry's heart- he was not sure if the irritation stemmed from the fact that she didn’t say a word before leaving or it was because she didn’t touch the money he gave her or it was because of the blind date that she was going for tomorrow.
The next day, Ariana made her way to the Cafe with a mix of nerves and excitement. This wasn't her first blind date, but she was taking it more seriously than before. While on a taxi, she felt stomach sick, she wasn't sure if it was because she hadn't eaten breakfast, or if she had simply drunk too much coffee, but her stomach began to churn as soon as she got on the vehicle. She tried to hold back the nausea, but eventually lost the battle.
"Sir, could you please pull over..." She didn't even finish her sentence before she heaved violently. Luckily, she was able to grab a trash bag and puked in it instead of all over the car.
The driver pulled over on the side of the road and handed over a packet of preserved plums. "That's morning sickness for you. My wife's was pretty severe, too. Something sour would keep it at bay, but it's going to be like this for the first trimester. Once you're past that, you can eat and sleep properly as before."
Ariana was stunned by what she was hearing, even as she frantically calculated the schedule of her menstrual cycle. To her horror, it was delayed by a week already.
No, it couldn't be. She had always taken birth control pills-- She froze in her seat.
- Writer
