A loud ringing sound filled the car, causing the two to pull away from each other. Arianna exhaled heavily as she ran her long elegant fingers through her hair. Liam glanced at his phone that was now sitting on Arianna's seat, Juliette was calling, it seemed they'd taken too long and she was probably already at his place. He pinched the space between his eyebrows in annoyance.
"Yes Juliette." He sounded frustrated and impatient. Arianna looked down at herself, realising just how far they were getting and decided they probably needed to slow down. "Yes, we're on our way Julz, we'll be there soon." Liam angrily hung up the phone without saying goodbye, before putting it in the cupholders next to the handbrake. His expression softened as he looked up at the woman awkwardly still sitting on his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Umm, I think we should go..." Arianna looked at him shyly.
"Yes, I'm afraid you're right, we do need to." Liam straightened himself up as Arianna back moved over to her seat, while Liam did this shirt buttons back up. Awkwardly pulling her dress back on and trying to zip it up, Liam noticed her struggle and reached in to zip up her dress.
"Thanks." Arianna smiled shyly as she pulled her hair over her shoulder so not to get caught in the zip.
~ ~ ~
The couple drove in silence for the rest of the trip back to the manor. When the car stopped neither of them moved they sat silently for what felt like hours, but in reality it was just enough time for Juliette to race down from her room to greet them in the garage.
"Arianna!" Juliette pulled her car door open and pulled her friend in for a hug. While she was still in shock from the suddenness of everything, Arianna welcomed Juliette's hug and smiled warmly at her friend. It had been weeks since the two girl saw each other and she'd really missed having someone to talk to, who was paid or wasn't going to stab her in the back.
"Julz, calm down it's still so early in the morning" Liam gestured for his sister to lower her volume, looking at his watch and noting that it was now 3am.
"Sorry..." She whispered, with a cheeky smile.
"Well you know where your rooms are, I'm going to bed." Liam headed for the door, watching Arianna in his peripheral vision, she didn't look at him directly. They still hadn't spoken since their heated scene in the car, and she wasn't brave enough to make the first move.
Juliette's eyes narrowed as she watched the scene between the two unfold before her. They'd had undeniable chemistry since they met, but this, this was something different.
"Wait what happened? Why were you in hospital?" Juliette seized the moment to try and figure out what happened. But she knew her brother, she knew he'd never tell and whatever happened Arianna seemed too embarrassed to reveal.
"Oh, it's alright it can wait until morning, I'm super tired." Arianna hurried out of the garage. As she walked into the manor and towards her room, the first thing she noticed was a frame missing from the wall table, she hadn't taken much notice last time she was here of what was in the picture frame, but the large light wooden picture frame that sat in the middle of the hall stand, it's missing presence was definitely noticeable. She stopped in front of where the frame once stood and could see where the dust had collected around it.
"I had to get rid of it." A deep voice came from behind Arianna, causing the brunette to jump from startlement. Reactively looking behind her and immediately looked down when she saw Liam's god-like face.
"Oh okay, I didn't even notice what it was a photo of, but realised the frame was missing." She forced herself to stop shaking and push her hair behind her ear.
"It was a photo of Chloe, when she won some stupid award." Liam slipped his hands into his pockets and slowly walked towards her. "At first I kind of forgot it was there, because I'd never looked at it. But then after you broke that frame last time, I realised she'd put photos of us all around the place without me noticing." He shrugged, he didn't even know why he wanted to justify having pictures of his ex-fiancee to a girl he barely knew.
"That's okay, I get it. It takes a while to get over someone." She fiddled with the bracelet around her wrist. She didn't even know why she hated this woman so much, she'd never met Chloe. It seemed she was enviess that Liam wanted to marry Chloe, and she had this despicable hatred for her for cheating on him. However, she just couldn't justify her feelings, Liam wasn't hers to protect nor was he hers to feel jealous over.
"Umm, Arianna about earlier..." Liam swallowed and paused unsure of what to say exactly. But Arianna knew exactly what he was thinking.
"It's okay. Thank you for helping me and staying at hospital with me as well as for hosting me tonight, but I understand what kind of relationship we must have." She took a deep breath and fought back her tears. "I will see you in morning... Mr. Clair." With that, she turned and walked towards the room, silently tears fell down her cheeks.
Liam stood there shocked, he had no words left to say. Despite what his mother had told him, he couldn't keep her a secret from his father and he didn't want to have too. He watched as she walked up the hall, it was just like the moment when she walked into the RF headquarters. But what this really to be their fate, to love from a distance? Isn't that just a little too cruel? Or is that the price they pay for the lifestyle they have?