Aiden stood in-front of his £1.5 million mansion. It was a crisp white with large pane windows surrounding the perimeter, it was modern and beautiful. After becoming independent from his parents, he wanted somewhere secluded, so they couldn't watch his every move, also somewhere Mia could be safe. It was his intention to protect her from his father who in truth was a powerful man. Money could buy lives, homes and people but it couldn't buy her. Mia had slept the entire car ride and Aiden couldn't take his eyes off her sleeping face. He couldn't help but wish she meant what she said in the car before she drifted away. Did she really forgive him or was that the fever talking? In a way he didn't really care if she was with him, she could hate him all she wanted.
Aiden opened the passenger door and lifted her up in his arms, she was light as a feather. Mia didn't even stir, she'd overworked herself and caught a cold. Aiden felt her head and her fever was still sky high. He walked into the house and lay her on the white faux sofa gently, he took off his jacket and put it over her. Mia slowly woke up smelling his cologne, she looked around dazed and shot up seeing her unfamiliar surroundings. Still dizzy from the fever she stumbled back onto the couch. Her first instinct was she'd been kidnapped but then she saw Aiden's jacket on the couch and relaxed. Aiden came back in with some medication and a cold compress for her head.
"You're insane you know that! I thought I'd been kidnapped you idiot." She said angrily.
"Well you weren't responsive what was I supposed to do? Leave you in the parking lot?" he said smugly. Mia huffed and held her head, it was pounding painfully beneath her skull.
"Mia…" he said sternly, Mia glanced up to see his face stone-cold.
"You're overworked, this is what happens when you put everyone else first." Aiden knew how kind her heart was which meant even if she suffered if they were okay, she'd endure.
"I can keep up with my work ethic fine thank you very much. Suspiciously, my health declined the minute you got back." She said coldly. Aiden scoffed.
"So, this is my fault now?"
"Yep." She said bluntly. Aiden walked over and sat down next to her, Mia shuffled away in-case he did something impulsive, he had a habit if catching her off guard.
"Okay, I take full responsibility for your cold. As penance I'll be your doctor for a day." Mia could see the grin on his face and knew what that meant, he would make this as amusing as possible for himself. Mia rolled her eyes and pushed her head against the sofa.
"Lucky me." She said sarcastically. Mia took the pills and water and watched Aiden as he pottered around unpacking boxes. She couldn't believe she was in his house, watching him unpack like a normal person. Mia looked through the pane glass outside and admired the forest outside, it was beautiful. The august leaves orange and brown, twinkling under the dusk, it was so peaceful.
"What do you think?" Aiden had watched her looking outside with a smile on her face. Mia jumped being caught in her thoughts.
"It's beautiful, new house?"
Aiden, "Yeah, figured I couldn't live with those people forever. Would you live here if you could?" he asked inquiringly. Mia knew where this was heading and rolled her eyes.
"It's too big, I wouldn't know what to do with the place. Isn't it lonely?" Mia suddenly felt sorry for Aiden living here in seclusion. Aiden looked out of the window and shook his head.
"Someone once told me that time is more valuable with wealth, if you spend too much time worrying about what you don't have you soon forget what you do have." Mia smiled, it was her words relayed back to her. In high-school Aiden was a brat but he had been raised to believe money ruled nations and without it you were nothing. Mia changed his perception and made him a better man. Without her he wouldn't have had the confidence to stand against his parents.
"I taught you well." She smiled. Aiden walked over and placed his hand on her forehead, her fever hadn't gone down.
"Why hasn't your fever gone down?" he said concerned. Mia felt her head and sighed, he was right.
"Beats me. I guess I'm not as strong as I thought." She chuckled. Aiden looked at her hopelessly and sat down.
"Did everything go alright with the director you looked nervous." Mia looked at him coldly remembering he was now the hospitals sponsor, practically Director Wu's best friend. Then, happily she recalled her promotion.
"U-um I got promoted…" she said shyly, Aiden grinned like a Cheshire cat.
"Why are you so happy with yourself." Aiden stood up and walked up the glass, his green eyes twinkling in the reflection.
"I'm happy you're finally get recognition, congratulations." Aiden was acting shifty and Mia didn't trust he had nothing to with this.
"T-thanks." She said laying her head back down, she could feel the heat emanating from her face.
"Okay, let's set this straight. You brought me here to look after me? How nostalgic could you be, technically this really is kidnapping." She said annoyed slowly coming to the realization she was trapped here, until he decided otherwise.
"Fine, then call the police." He said slyly spinning around to see her looking dazed once again. Mia shoved her face into the couch, he'd won this round. She was too tired to fight him.
"Mia…about your mother." Mia felt her body go stiff recalling her past encounter.
"What about her?" she said coldly glaring at him waiting for his next words.
"What happened to her? I remember going around to your house after school and she was an amazing woman. How did she turn out like that?" Mia felt her eyes well up, she didn't want to tell him about her father because he admired him too. It was painful that her father welcomed Aiden with open arms seeing he was an upstanding gentleman. Often, he would joke about splitting the bill when they both got married.
"Sometimes the kindest hearts aren't always the strongest, my mother is a prime example of that. That beautiful woman we both knew perished a long time ago and what you saw is what's left of her." Aiden could see she was avoiding the question, but his head was filled to the brim with questions. Why was her mother referring to his parents in the crisis? Where was her father in all of this? But he held them in seeing the tears in her eyes, he couldn't bare to see her cry it broke his heart.
"Come on, let's get you to bed." Before Mia could object her scooped her up like a child and began carrying her up the spiral staircase.
"I do have legs." She said clinging on for dear life.
"I know I've being looking at them since I saw you." He smiled devilishly, and she hit his chest.
"You're still the same old pervert." She said harshly.
"Me? Who blushed when I took off my shirt? I saw you Mia your just as lewd." Mia wriggled from his arms in the bedroom and moved away from him with thunder on her face. Aiden sighed.
"Are we really going to do this?" he said exhaustively, and Mia put a smile on her face. When they dated, they would always play a game? Who ever gained the upper hand would get to choose where the other person slept as well as allow the other person to do what they please without objection. Mia remembered she would never win but being older she naively thought maybe she had a chance. If she won, she was going to ask him to take her home, it was dangerous for heart to be around him right now. Mia readied herself and went on the defense. Aiden sighed again but couldn't help but smirk at the cure determination on her face. Aiden walked casually forward coming face to face with her but her stone-cold grin didn't shiver, she wasn't backing down. Aiden placed his hands tightly on her waist and leaned in, but Mia quickly ducked his arms and smacked his back playfully. Aiden was a little caught off guard at her speed, usually he would have won by now.
"Something wrong?" she said childishly, Aiden quickly stepped forward, but she dodged his advance flicking his forehead.
"Don't get so full of yourself." Before Mia couldn't do another thing as he swept her feet from under her punning her on the black carpet.
"Give in?" Mia frowned and shook her head, she wasn't going to him win that easily. Aiden brushed his hands against her ribs and she shuffled feeling the tickling sensation.
"Okay okay! You win don't you dare." She said angrily, he knew her weakness. Aiden chuckled at his victory and helped her up.
"I've missed that." He said genuinely looking at her red face, highlighting her bright blue eyes. Mia smirked, unwilling to admit she had too. It made her feel young again when she was less troubled.
"Since I win, you have to do as I say without objection." Mia prepared herself for a perverted request but was dumbfounded to hear his next words.
"Marry me." Mia felt her heart stop and her face go pale. She couldn't comprehend what he was saying.
"W-what did you just say?" Aide wasn't laughing this wasn't a joke or a way to get a reaction he was deadly serious. This was the girl he'd wanted to spend his life with since he met her in high-school. The girl he'd give anything to be with because she was everything he ever wanted. Her beauty, her brains and her heart.
"You heard me." Mia was so in shock she sat on the bed staring off into the distance.
"W-why Aiden, you could have anyone you wanted. What's so special about me?" she said emotionless, ignoring the pounding in her chest.
"Everything." Aiden kneeled in-front of her taking her hands.
"You don't have to answer me right away I'd never pressure you like that, but I want you Mia. The only thing that kept me sane while I was in Japan is coming back to you." Mia felt a tear stream down her face as she clenched her hands tightly around his.
"Aiden, I can't forgive you yet. I'm still hurt after what happened and I know it wasn't your fault. Are you really prepared to wait until I'm ready?" Aiden nodded his head to say yes. Mia stroked his face.
"I need to sleep, I need some time to think. This is a lot." She said sadly. Aiden kissed her hands and tucked her into the bed, almost immediately she fell asleep. Aiden looked at her flawless face, she had reacted slightly more timidly than he expected. He was surprised his head was still in-tact. But she didn't object so he felt hopeful. This was just a small question; his actual proposal would be one she would remember. It didn't matter what she said or even if she couldn't forgive him, he wanted her to be by his side.
-------------------------------------James Mansion----------------------------
A rather plump man sat at the kitchen table stuffing his face with seafood without a care in the world. Sam sat not far from him looking on in disgust, there was nothing more repulsive than gluttony. Finance elicited just that.
"Father, could you stop eating for two seconds I need some advice on something?" the plump man sighed and put down his shrimp.
"I've taught you all about the company assets what could you possible need advice with?" he said bitterly clearly upset his precious meal had been disturbed.
"How do I make a girl mine? What do I do if the feeling not mutual?" Sam knew that Mia would never accept him, after her father forbid it, she had to reject him in his honor.
"Ah, I see. Mia's back in town." He slowly lost his appetite and pushed the plate away. His son's infatuation with that girl was unhealthy but no matter how many times his father warned him off he's still perused her.
"My advice to you is give her no choice. If you want to be with her so desperately then it calls for desperate measures. In honesty I'm sick of you blabbering on about my niece, do what you like son. As long as it doesn't affect the business, you could kidnap her for all I care." Sam's father was a sadistic man and if matters didn't concern him then he would turn a blind eye meaning Sam could do whatever he pleased. Sam was a spoilt brat and always got what he wanted, Mia was the only thing he couldn't have.
"Good advice. I'll cherish it." He said childishly leaving the table, he got the answer he wanted. Sam stood in the front porch of his family mansion and called a number. From the grin on his face this wasn't a work matter.
"Lang Hai, it's been a while." His tone was cool and expressionless trying not to sound like an idiot.
"What do you want Sam?" a cold tone echoed back, and Sam started pacing in recession, that voice was truly chilling.
"I have a job for you, I'll pay well but this one a little unusual."
Lang Hai, "Interesting, tell me."
Sam, "Female age 23, black hair and blue eyes. Name: Mia James. I want you to kidnap her for me."
"Tsk…How bold of you, I'm guessing she's someone who's caught your eye huh? Say no more, I'll find her." He hung up abruptly having all the information he needed. Lang Hai, was an old e-acquaintance of Sam's both delving in the world of money but Lang Hai resorted to some truly shocking methods to obtain it. He was part of a unit of ex-marines who had been discharged from service on medical ground, so they were highly trained but worked above the law. You could get someone beaten mercilessly for as little as £100. Money was money at the end of the day and these men were ruthless.
Sam looked up at the sky proudly not knowing that he was starting a war with the wrong man. Sam had really stepped it up a notch, Mia was in for a frightening surprise. Perhaps, Aiden was protecting her from the wrong person.