The Heiress' Revenge

Chapter 162: Private Conversation

Ariana’s POV

I barely got enough sleep after what had happened yesterday. I kept turning and tossing with my mind running with different thoughts.

I buried my face in my hand, unable to get up, with my chest so tight I thought maybe I was having a heart attack or panic attack or whatever you call it when your body just decides to stop working because your brain is too full of stupid thoughts about a man who fucked me and then walked away like it meant nothing.

But it wasn’t anything.

It couldn’t be anything.

I touched my lips.

Fuck!

Did he cast a spell on me or what?

I hissed, throwing the covers off, and got out of bed.

Stop it, Ariana.

Just stop.

I cursed under my breath, walking to the bathroom and doing the necessary before coming out and getting dressed.

Ares knocked on my door, snapping me out of my train of thought.

"You ready?" he asked.

No, not even a little bit.

"Yeah," I said. "Let’s go."

The drive to Dante’s company took thirty minutes. Thirty minutes of me staring out the window, watching buildings pass by, watching people walk by, watching my whole life flash before my eyes like a movie I didn’t want to see.

Ares kept looking at me.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Fine."

"You don’t look fine."

"Thanks. You really know how to make a girl feel good about herself."

He smiled a little, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "You know what I mean, you never told me what happened Last night..."

"Yeah," I said quickly. "Last night was last night, and Today is today. Let’s just focus on the meeting."

He didn’t push, and I was happy he didn’t, but he knew something was off, and if it’s the Ares knows, he’ll eventually get to the bottom of it.

We pulled up to the building.

Ares walked next to me, close with his hand on my back.

We went through the doors.

Ares received a phone call and had to leave immediately. Part of me cursed fate for letting this happen.

My thoughts came to a halt as I watched Melissa approach me.

What does she want now? I’m in no mood for her shenanigans, for God’s sake.

She walked in like she owned the place.

"Ariana," she said. "What a surprise."

I didn’t stand up. "Melissa."

She sat down across from me.

"I didn’t expect to see you here," she said.

"And yet here I am."

She smiled. It didn’t reach her eyes. Nothing ever reaches her eyes.

They’re like doll eyes.

Pretty and empty and creepy if you look too long.

"I thought Mr. Watson was handling the partnership."

"He was then, he decided I should handle it instead."

"Why?"

I tilted my head. "Why not?"

She laughed; it was a fake laugh. Everything about her is fake, her whole existence.

"Well," she said, "I suppose it doesn’t matter who handles it as long as it gets done. Right?"

"Right."

The lawyers and assistants shuffled papers and pretended like they couldn’t feel the tension. It was so thick you could cut it with a knife. So thick I could barely breathe.

But I wasn’t going to let her see that.

I wasn’t going to let her see anything.

We talked business for twenty minutes.

Contract terms.

Deadlines.

Payment schedules.

Boring stuff that made my eyes glaze over, but I forced myself to pay attention because I wasn’t going to look stupid in front of her. No way. No chance. Never.

Melissa was good at it. I’ll give her that she knew the numbers and the names. She knew how to push and pull and make people agree to things they didn’t want to agree to.

The meeting ended after what seemed like forever. The lawyers packed up their papers. The assistants smiled their fake smiles, shook my hand, and said nice to meet you even though we’d met before at least three times.

Melissa stood up and smoothed her dress.

"Can I speak with you privately, Ariana?"

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I want to."

"That’s not really a good reason."

Her smile tightened. "Please."

Please, like she meant it.

I stood up anyway.

"Fine. Five minutes."

We walked out of the boardroom.

"You look good," she said.

"Okay."

"Stress agrees with you, I think. Or maybe it’s marriage. Married life looks good on you."

"What do you want, Melissa?"

She turned around, and her smile was gone.

"I want you to stay away from my husband."

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Stay away from Dante."

"I’m not doing anything with Dante. I’m here for the partnership. That’s it."

She laughed again, this time harder. "You expect me to believe that?"

My heart stopped.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what I’m talking about, so don’t you play dumb."

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Melissa’s face twisted. "Don’t you dare act like that. He’s my husband and belongs to me, not you. Never you."

She grabbed my wrist.