Arian furrowed his brows in confusion but laughed her cuteness off when she made space for him without waiting for his reply.
He kicked off his shoes and took off his belt before she pulled him to lay beside her. Natalia moved into him and he secured his arms around her warmly.
They were cuddling.
“Sugar, are you asleep?” Arian whispered after a while. She muttered a no.
“I… I have to tell you some…” Natalia placed a finger on his lips.
“Don’t tell me anything. Whatever it is, I believe you.” She mumbled sleepily. Elva might be good at reading people but Natalia’s instincts were good. Of course, she had noticed that he’d been tensed lately.
“But I really…”
“Arian if you keep pushing it, then I’ll get mad. I just wanna go to bed. I told you… I believe you.” She pouted without opening her eyes.
Arian fondly kissed her fingers which made her blush. “You’re something.”
“I know.” She grinned proudly. He chuckled helplessly.
“So am I forgiven?” Natalia raised herself and gave him a chaste kiss.
“I love you.” She whispered with every inch of her fragile heart, staring into his eyes. Arian leaned over and gave her a slow, passionate one.
“I love you more, my love.” He vowed. She smiled and laid back on him before closing her eyes…
***
A few days later, the incident with Natalia kept replaying in Damon’s head. And the more he thought about it, the more he was convinced it wasn’t accidental.
He walked into the Argent’s mansion and went upstairs to his sister after saying hello to Uncle Richard and Aunt Rose. Selena, as usual, was playing loud music and hopping around on a mess of still-tagged clothes.
Obviously, she went shopping.
Damon called out to her but she didn’t hear him. He sighed, went over and switched off the music.
“What the…. Damon! When did you get back?” She squealed happily and jumped on him.
“A couple of days now. Aish, too much emotions! Get off and don’t ruin my coat.” He struggled to push her from rumpling his limited edition black coat!
Selena rolled her eyes before letting go. “How ’bout I missed you too?”
“Thanks, but I didn’t. Brought your favourite junk.” He raised the bag in his hand. She snatched it and crashed on her clustered bed.
“Yeah. You’re welcome.” He drawled out dryly. She stuck out her tongue at him. Damon carefully made his way through the mess of clothes and settled on a couch.
“Dad says he’ll be here for the engagement.” As the only son and heir of his father’s business empire, he knew from the start why Sir Felix ordered her to leave Korea and come down to California.
But what he didn’t know was;
“Hey dad! I got your message…. Yeah, I know…. Remember the diamonds you promised…. I miss you…. He’s here with me…. Don’t worry about it….. Love you.” Selena breezed into the call and cut.
Damon raised a brow. “When did you get so cool with him?”
“A couple of day ago. When I told him I wanted an engagement party.” She shrugged and continued stuffing her mouth with spicy, chicken wings.
“You sound so happy about it.”
“Why shouldn’t I? What girl doesn’t get happy to be engaged.” Damon squinted his eyes further.
“Selena, you know very well that Arian doesn’t want this marriage. He has a girlfriend he’s in love with. He won’t marry you.”
“He won’t?… maybe. But he’ll have to.” She shot, getting upset.
“And how sure are you?”
“As sure as daylight! Damon, I’m gonna do every and anything thinkable to make sure he’s mine and mine alone!” She snarled. Damon was thrown offguard!
What happened to his sister?? His heart tightened into a knot as a dangerous thought flashed through his head at the speed of light.
“Please… don’t tell me you had anything to do with Natalia almost getting raped at Allison’s party?” Selena’s innocent smile reduced the pain in his hurting heart a bit.
“Not ‘anything’.” She confessed. “I planned the whole thing.”
“Are you nuts?!” He flew up in a rage. “How could you think of doing something that despicable?”
Selena looked unrepentant and flipped her recently dyed white hair behind.
“Shouldn’t you be on my side? You’re my bro…”
“No, never! I don’t support evil! You’re gonna go explain and apologise to her this instant!” He ordered.
“Don’t even bother because I won’t! She hasn’t seen the bitchy side of me yet! Till she screw out of our lives for good, I’ll never stop! Mark my words, Damon.” She threatened. Damon looked in shock at the girl before him.
Is that what love did??
“Selena, please, stop this madness. Stop toying with someone’s life.”
“Damon don’t push it ’cause I won’t. It’s about time you forget your stupid little crush for that whore and support me!”
“Damn it! If you don’t, then I will.”
“Suit yourself, bro!” She snickered.
Damon stormed out of the room and didn’t stop walking until he barged into Arian De’ Argent’s bedroom where Tommy, Jeffery and Ricky also were.
“I don’t remember hearing a knock.” Arian who was lying on his bed, flatly pointed.
“Cool jacket, yo!”
“It’s a coat, dumbo.”
“Either way they serve the same purpose, freak.” Ricky and Jeffrey who were playing video games paused to shoot themselves dirty looks.
“Really?” Tommy whined and almost smacked his six year old head.
“We need to talk.” Damon stated.
“I don’t want to.” Arian scowled at him, still silently sulking over his hug with Natalia in his heart of hearts.
“Tommy?” Damon called and squatted next to him. The little fox turned to him.
“Remember that super big drone you made me promise to get you?” He dramatised and Tommy’s dreamy eyes increased.
“It’s downstairs with nanny. Do you wanna see it?”
“Of course! Thank you, thank you! You’re the best, D!” He screamed in excitement and sped past him. But at the door, the little fox suddenly halted and faced Arian.
“You know you’re still my favourite, right?” He innocently blinked his eyes but threw a mischievous wink Damon’s way.
Damon chuckled at his cuteness.
Arian tried not to redirect his scowl as his little feet totally raced out of the room. Then Damon stood back up and returned his emotionless look on the hot French idling on the bed.
“What game are you playing at?” He asked.
Arian raised a snotty brow and flipped his phone to show that he was in his music list. Damon had to take in a deep breath to shut out Jeffrey’s and Ricky’s ensuing cackles.
“When are you gonna tell Natalia you’re getting married?” He used a brutal step and two seconds later, he was as sure as heck he got their undivided attentions!
“Mind your darn business.” Arian growled making him chuckle.
“Not my business? You shitting me or what?? On one hand is my little sister and the other hand is my friend. And you still think it’s not my business?”
Arian’s scowl doubled into a glare.
“You know, for a newbie… you’re quite a pro.” Damon continued viciously. “Perfectly playing two girls in a row and for a first?? You deserve an ovation!”
“State your damned business and get out! Your sassy ass is the last thing I need!” Arian maniacally moved out of the bed.
“Woah! You two should freeze it!” Jeffrey tossed the game pad away and stood up.
“What I have with Natalia is real! As for your clingy sister, you can go tattoo it on her forehead that I’m NOT gonna marry her!” He shot.
“Says the guy whose engagement party is in two friggin’ weeks!” And Damon barked.
“What?” Ricky breathed.
“I did not see that coming!” Jeffrey croaked.
“What party?” Arian whispered, growing paler at a faster rate.
“Selena’s so darn serious about the wedding that she asked father for an engagement party. And he consented! So in two weeks, you’re officially gonna become a fiance, HER fiancé!”
“Why the hell would she do that?!” Arian was breathless.
“According to her, she loves you and would do anything to have you.”
“Just exactly what I needed right now!” He raked his hair and yelled, kicking a table in frustration. The contents fell off and smashed on the floor.
“And that’s not even the worst part.” Damon continued.
“Why don’t you just put a freaking bullet in my head instead!”
“Very soon, Selena’s gonna do exactly that to Natalia if you don’t fix this complicated shit!”
“What do you mean?” Ricky furrowed his brows. Arian quietly sat on a couch and palmed his head.
“Presently, Natalia’s her only love rival. I’m not supposed to tell you this because I made a promise but Selena pulled a stunt and Natalia almost got badly hurt at Allison’s birthday party.”
“What did the bitch do?” Arian looked up with an inhuman look in his cold eyes.
“First of, my sister ain’t a bitch. She’s just misguided and secondly, like I said earlier, it’s not in my place to tell you anything. It’s Natalia’s decision to tell you or not. ”
“This is getting more messed up.” Jeffrey silently mouthed.
“I knew something this bad would happen.” Ricky reminded and slumped on another couch.
“Arian, I don’t care how you’re gonna do it. But just know someone’s gonna get badly hurt if you don’t fix it in time.” Damon concluded as Tommy ran back inside.
“Damon, I really love the drone but it’s not my favourite color.” He pouted. Damon chuckled and picked him up, his aura suddenly switching.
“What’s your favourite color so we’ll order another one.” He smiled and carried away the screaming six year old from the tensed up room…
*****
Natalia was enjoying a rom-com in the living room when Arian walked in. She squealed and rushed to him but he felt distant and angry.
“Arian, did….”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He cut her off blankly.
“Tell you what?” She whispered as her heart beat rapidly, afraid he knew her secret.
Natalia really wanted to tell Arian about her Royal background from the bottom of the heart! But the order from the Queen and the oath she took as a princess before leaving was greater than her will.
“Arian, I really wanted to tell you I’m…”
“Why didn’t you tell me Selena’s after you? Why would you keep it to yourself?” He was mad. She hugged him tightly.
“Because I didn’t want you to worry about me. I couldn’t tell you she paid someone to force himself on….” Arian turned pale.
“She did what?!” He yelled and broke free. Natalia cringed unconsciously.
“Arian, she didn’t succeed! Damon came in time and…”
“Christ! Sugar, I’m so sorry for not being there.” He whispered and protectively hugged her, imagining how scared she must’ve felt.
It all started to make sense to him. Getting lost in that dark hallway? What would she have been doing there in the first place! And her pale looks which he didn’t easily notice?? How was he so blind?! And.. and her fear of being alone in her room that night? Begging him to stay??
Arian felt a surge of self hate ripple through his entire being!
“Arian, I’m fine.” Natalia melted into his warm hug, feeling the tension and fear radiating from his rigid grip.
“Why didn’t you tell me she threatened you? I would’ve…” He paused and looked down at her with unbridled anger raging behind his glazing green orbs. Then without sparing another word, he stalked out of the house purposefully.
“Arian? Arian!” Natalia ran after him but he’d gotten into his sportcar and zoomed off. She walked back into the house feeling her heart ache.
He was mad at her.
He was definitely mad at her for hiding it from him!
Natalia wiped her tears and picked up her phone to call him when the doorbell sounded. She rushed to it expectedly but instead, Selena’s bitchy smile appeared behind the door…
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Chapter 92