“I-I can walk,” Ariel said as Aiden came to carry her out of the car.
“Be quiet,” Aiden shunned and leaned over to lift her out of the car.
Gregory steadily held the door open for him as walked into the house.
Ariel was quiet, holding her hands above her chest as he carried her up the stairs. She was looking up at Aiden’s chiseled jaw; he looked so angry at the moment; he’d been looking that way since the hospital, and she couldn’t possibly understand why he was that angry.
She hadn’t done anything to him; she made sure to sign the revised contract the moment she left his office earlier that morning.
Ariel thought that he was taking her to her room as they climbed the stairs, but when she saw that he had passed her room, she immediately became alert.
“Um… Mr. Chaz… my room…” She muttered quietly, wincing from the headache.
Aiden looked down at her and frowned. He thought Doc. Carla said everything was fine. Why was she still in pain?
He hurried his steps and carried her into his room, gently placing her down on the bed.
Ariel felt the soft surface beneath her and realized she’d been placed down from Aiden’s arms.
“Where does it hurt?” Aiden asked, standing a distance from her.
“Um…” Ariel bit her lips, looking around his room.
What was it with Aiden and dark colors?
“I’m fine, I just want to go back to my-”
“Don’t itch it!” In the blink of an eye, Aiden was beside her, holding up her hand that wanted to itch her face.
Ariel was surprised to see him move that fast to her side. She looked up at his face and saw him looking down at her with a mixture of worry and anger.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Aiden slowly lowered himself on the bed, now sitting beside her.
“I just wanted to itch it a little,” Ariel said softly.
Aiden stared at her face, frowning at the little patches of red that remained on her face.
He slowly raised his hand to her face, “Are you that dumb?” He asked her as he gently placed his hand on her face, rubbing his thumb over her cheek.
Ariel was surprised by his gentle approach. She stared into his eyes, and for the first time, she didn’t see any hostility in them.
“You care about me?” Ariel asked, smiling up at him.
Aiden blinked and scoffed but didn’t remove his hand from her face.
“Why did you eat it? You knew you were allergic didn’t you?” He asked quietly.
Ariel wanted to move her face away, but he placed his hand behind his neck and gently brought her back to face him; his face got closer.
“Know one thing, little wife, I’m not letting you die while you still bear my name, I’ll do everything to protect you, do you understand?” Aiden asked, frowning.
Ariel smiled, “My husband cares about his contracted wife,” Ariel cupped his cheeks, “I might fall for you if you keep being like this,” She whispered against his lips.
She had wanted to tease him, but she found herself really believing what she said; if he truly treated her this way, she might fall in love with him; she was human with feelings, and she somehow didn’t have control over these feelings.
Aiden felt trapped by her hold, not trapped that he couldn’t get away if he wanted to, but her soft hands on his skin made him feel reluctant to leave. He didn’t realize it until he recognized the thought in his head that told him that this was how it was supposed to be between them, no Ken to interrupt, her touch was like an assurance that she chose him, and he just realized that he needed that assurance to calm his angry and possessive nerves down.
“Then… what about Ken?” He asked, lost in her eyes.
None of them realized that their face was getting closer and closer.
“What about him?” Ariel smirked, feeling his jealousy seeping through his skin.
“I don’t like him,” Aiden replied, frowning
“You don’t like your best friend?” She placed her forehead on his.
Aiden didn’t respond, he put an arm around her waist and drew her closer to him.
“Always keep in mind that you’re my wife, Ariel,” He said and captured her lips in a slow kiss.
Ariel wasn’t surprised at the kiss, she was expecting it, and she was ready for it.
She kissed him back for real this time, she didn’t know why, but she wanted to assure him through the kiss that he was the only one for her, even if she knew it was just a contract, but she wanted him to understand that she wasn’t dubious as he thought she was. If she was in, she was in, she didn’t have the time to play double games.
His arms tightened around her waist, and he deepened the kiss; feeling her responding to him gave him a kind of power; he parted her lips with his tongue and tasted her tongue, then sucked it into his mouth.
“Mm…” Ariel moaned and unconsciously plastered her chest against his.
Aiden suddenly withdrew his lips but didn’t move away from her, “Don’t make that sound, Ariel,” He sighed and released her waist.
What did he think he was doing?
“Then don’t kiss me that way,” Ariel bit her lips, looking away shyly from him.
Aiden could be mushy, too; she hoped she would not get fooled by him again.
She knew he was acting this way with her because his ego as a man felt bruised, he just wanted to feel like he still had control over the whole situation.
“You need to apply the cream to your face,” Aiden avoided looking into her eyes as he stood from the bed.
He took the cream he had collected from Doc. Carla is on his way out of Ariel’s hospital room.
“I-I can apply it myself,” Ariel took the cream from him as he wanted to squirt it on his finger.
“Thank you for taking me to the hospital on time… it would have been worse…” She looked up at him with grateful eyes.
Aiden gritted his teeth as he heard what Ariel said.
“It wasn’t me,” He said coldly.
“Oh, who then?” Ariel furrowed her brows.
“Ken,” Aiden replied with a deep frown, his handsome face creasing.
“Oh, alright, I’ll thank him when I see him,” Ariel replied and stood from the bed.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Aiden’s voice was low, an underlying anger brewing in his tone.
“I want to go back to the company, sir, I need to get my-”
“Are you really that desperate to get back to Ken? Even with your condition?” Aiden asked angrily.
Why was she so ungrateful? She should be grateful that he has been kind to her all this while, and he even drove her home in his car, yet, here she was, trying to get back with her Ken.
Ariel sighed, disappointed. But she knew their mushy bubble would burst anytime soon. Was he really incapable of love? Or even an amicable relationship?
“No, Mr. Chaz, I just need to go collect my phone, I must have left it at the office,” Ariel said and moved forward.
Aiden paused for a second, feeling guilty for accusing her wrongly, but he didn’t apologize, he’ll never apologize to Ariel.
“Here’s your phone,” He said behind her.
Ariel turned and saw the phone in his hand; she didn’t ask him how he got it; she simply walked over to him and took her phone from his hand.
“Thank you, Mr. Chaz,” She nodded politely at him and turned to walk away.
“Where else do you want to go to?” Aiden asked again.
Ariel sighed, she was tired and felt like just lying down to rest.
“I just want to return to my room, Mr. Chaz,” She answered without looking back at him.
“You’re in your room, Ariel,” Aiden’s voice sounded right behind her.
Aiden’s reply made Ariel freeze in her steps, she slowly turned to look at him.
“What do you mean I’m in my room?” She looked around the whole room and then back at his handsome, expressionless face.
Aiden smirked down at her, “What I mean, my dear wife, is that, from today, you’ll be sleeping with your husband, just as we’re supposed to as a couple,” Aiden raised his hand to her face, his cold smirk mocking her.
Ariel could not believe her ears; what had gotten into him today?
“I’m sorry, Mr. Chaz, but I don’t think I can agree to this arrangement, I’d love to maintain my privacy,” Ariel said with a shake of her head.
“Privacy is good, little wife. But, how do you explain it to Grandma when she discovered that we’re sleeping apart?” Aiden asked and moved away to sit on the bed, watching Ariel’s confused reaction.
“Grandma? How would she know that we’re sleeping separately, you wouldn’t tell her that,” Ariel frowned, staring at the nonchalant Aiden.
“Oh, trust me, I would never. You see, the thing is, she’ll be staying with us for a while,” Aiden informed indifferently.
“So pick a side, darling. And don’t get used to it, you’re leaving the moment she steps out of this house,” Aiden sent her a cold look, looking her up and down in contempt.
Ariel sighed; no wonder he had brought her into his expensive room; he wanted to really convince his grandma that he was a tight couple with his wife.
She was troubled; how was she going to cope with sleeping on the same bed with him?