(This is gonna be a looooonnnggg ass chapter. Longer than what I've given you until now.So, tighten your seat belts and let's get it~)
It was late at night and Adina was busy in her work while Ian was requesting her to just head to bed. "Come on, please. I'm hella tired Adina. Pleaseeeee!" he whined for the nth time.
"Just some more minutes Ian. I'm almost done. I only need to finish this file."
"No. Do that tomorrow. I'm not waiting anymore." Before she could reply he grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of their office. In a hurry, Adina grabbed the file but dropped it just outside the office doors.
"Ian, wait I-" she was cut off by him.
"Not a single word more." He scolded her and she shut up and pouted. They walked up the flight of stairs and went towards their respective bedrooms. Yawning, Ian said,"Good night Adina".
"Good night", she replied opening her bedroom doors.
Half an hour later, she peeked out from her doors in the hallway to find it quiet. She tiptoed towards the stairs and went down to the office. She smiled as she found the file still lying on the floor just outside the office doors.
MEANWHILE
*Aiden's p.o.v*
I just came back after hunt, for which I went alone and did not even tell Ian. I did go to ask him but he was busy so I didn't disturb him. I got some scratches and small cuts on my arms but it was nothing new. I was making my way towards my bedroom when I heard footsteps and the familiar scent hit me. I sighed contentedly and crossed the hallway towards the end where our home office was and where I could see Adina. What was she doing here at this time?
I stood behind her and saw that she had a file in her hands. As soon as she turned around she jumped out of fear and dropped the file.
"What the-" she looked at me and deep breathed. "You scared me", she said, picking up the file again with her left hand on her heart, trying to calm her racing heart down.
"What are you doing here so late?" I asked eyeing the file in her hands.
She looked down at the file in her hands then looked at me and said," Ah! this.. well, don't get me wrong. I just needed to study the data in this file before tomorrow but Ian didn't lemme finish it. He was whining and forcefully pulled me out of the office and ordered me to go to bed. I couldn't sleep though so I thought of finishing it. Hehehehe.."
"Okay! Go back to your room then. It's quite late."
"What are YOU doing here?" She asked genuine curiosity laced in her words.
"Nothing" I replied flatly and turned around to go to my bedroom when a hand grabbed my wrist.
"Wait,what happened to your arms and hands?" She looked at the cuts carefully and looked up at me asking,"Did you go for hunt?"
I couldn't process anything. She is worried about me? But why? "Come, lemme treat these for you", she said dragging me inside the office. She sat me down and pulled out a first aid kit from one of the drawers and sat in front of me pulling out the other chair. I was still trying to process all what's happening. She took my hand again and said,"Don't worry, I can treat these. I've treated Ian's cuts before when he came back from hunt." She smiled at me. What? She smiled at ME?
I took my hand back from her soft grasp and stood up. Hearing Ian's name, I realised what was happening. She wasn't supposed to behave like this with me. I wasn't Ian. All I did and was doing, was for Ian. "Its ok, you don't need to. I can take care of myself and these are nothing."
"I know you can, but still lemme... I want to", she said and pulled me down to sit and I did but-.. why? 'No Aiden, you should leave' was what my head was telling me but still I didn't move a bit. While I was busy in my own world, she was treating my cuts. Suddenly, while still treating my wounds, she said,"We never had a good start. Maybe we can start a new. What say? Friends?"
I looked at her disbelievingly and she looked up and gave me a sweet smile. What? Friends? With YOU? No, this ain't right! I did not reply and looked away. She frowned and said,"Well- Ok! Maybe not." She sighed in defeat and I blurted out,"We already are acquaintance and that should be enough." What's wrong with me? Acquaintance? Why in the bloody hell did I say that? She grinned and said,"Yeah, ok" and again continued her task of treating my wounds. A small smile formed on my lips without me even realising.
There was a little deeper cut on my bicep so while treating it Adina said,"It will sting a bit". I didn't say anything but smirked when she winced a little while treating MY wound. 'Cute' yeah, she is cute. I was just staring at her and with this much closeness, I realised she was actually beautiful. A few strands of hair escaped her messily made up bun and were lying around lazily on her cheeks and some smaller ones on her forehead. She tried to pull them behind her ear with the back of her left hand but they stubbornly escaped. She huffed in annoyance and continued treating that deep cut with full concentration. My smile broadened a little more.
I could only concentrate on her. Her oh so soft touch, her big hazel brown doe eyes which held so many emotions inside them, her cute round nose which was scrunched up in concentration, a frown forming between her brows, her chubby cheeks, her plump pink lips which she was biting right now and last but never the least, her smell, which was just..... "ton odeur, ça m'enivre (your smell, it intoxicates me)".
She looked up in my eyes and tilted her head,"Huh? Meaning?"
My eyes widened in surprise. The fuck I just did. I did not just say that? and that also out aloud? I shrugged her hands off, got up and took a few steps back. She asked, confused,"Did I do something wrong?"
"N-no. Go to your room. I'm also tired."
She got up and took a few steps towards me saying,"But your-"
"It's fine. Thank you. Good night." Saying that, I left hurriedly. I was sweating so bad. What was that? No, Ian....
*END OF AIDEN'S P.O.V*
(I'm sorry, if it sucks. That's the first time I wrote a man's p.o.v. Anyway, let's continue with the story~)
Adina was left stunned in the office. 'I-.. did I do something',she thought. Finally giving up on trying to comprehend why Aiden behaved like that, she took the file and went towards her room. She sat on her bed and opened the file but her mind went back to the event which took place mere minutes ago. 'I'm glad he doesn't think of me as an enemy anymore' she smiled at the thought. 'Wait a sec. Did he-.. Was he smiling?... But-but that's Aiden...' she shook her head aggressively at this thought and concentrated back on the file.
Next morning she got up and after doing her morning routine and getting ready, she made her way towards Ian's bedroom. She knocked twice and Ian greeted her with a big smile on his face. "Morning sunshine" , he said and was going to ruffle her hair but stopped seeing her grave expression. "Umm.. woke up on the wrong side of the bed?" He asked trying to lighten up the mood by his smile.
"I need to discuss something with you and Aiden, first thing today."
"Umm.. okaayyy? Go get your breakfast first then come to the office."
"No. Breakfast can wait but this can't. "
"Wh-What is it Adina? Is everything fine?"
"No it is not", she said grabbing his hand and making her way downstairs towards the office. Aiden was already there. As soon as she entered the office, he stiffened up. "Sit", she commanded Ian who complied like a lost and worried puppy.
"Can we know now? What is it Adina? You know, you are scaring me" , said Ian.
"You remember the file you didn't lemme finish last night" Ian nodded his head and she continued, "Well, I couldn't sleep so I came back and took it with me. When I studied the graphs of your company's profit over the years which is coming from your French branch... well- they are declining at a very fast pace. You need to take some steps or talk to your partners there about this before you are kicked out of the market. I'm surprised no one noticed this before." She kept the file in front of them,on the desk.
"I'll take care of it." Aiden said seriously. They got back to their work like every other normal day after that. After Adina took her lunch, Ian came to her and said, "Can you complete that report of our French market and review the ones that were send over by our UK partners?"
"Alright", she said and got back to work.
A few minutes later, David came in and asked Ian and Aiden to come outside for something."What is it David?" asked Aiden.
"Well, sir, your parents are here and is waiting for you two in the living room."
"They are here but why?" Ian asked looking at Aiden.
"How would I know?"
"They didn't tell you?"
"Of course not or I else would have told you."
"Hmm.. we should go and see why they are here."
"Let's go. Thank you David. You may go." Aiden dismissed him and David left.
As they were making their way down the hall to meet their parents Ian stopped in his tracks and said,"Wait! What about Adina? Shouldn't we let her know?"
"Let her be. She doesn't need to know. Also, she's working right now, I don't think she would like to get bothered. She's always so diligent and concentrated in her work.
"I see..." Ian smirked playfully.
"Shut up", Aiden replied flatly. "Let's just get this over with."
"Aye, aye captain", Ian laughed.
They entered the room together and said,"Mom! Dad!" and gave them both a nod.
Chelsea, their mother, got up and embraced both of them individually in bear hugs and said with a big smile,"I missed you my babies. How've you been?"
"Good mom! What about you and dad? Did you have a nice trip?" Ian asked giving her a bright smile.
"Yes, you should take a break and visit Bahamas too. It's really beautiful there. Also, you two have been working so hard all these years, you deserve a long relaxing break", she said, her eyes sparkling at the mention of her trip.
Ian laughed and said,"Sure mum. Some time in the near future?"
"I do hope you take a break and relax", her mother said, genuinely concerned about their well-being.
"What is this sudden visit about mom, dad?" Aiden asked.
Boris, their father, finally said,"Can't we just come and visit our sons?"
"I didn't mean it like that Dad."
"Alright! alright! come sit. Let's have a chat. It's been so long", Boris said, good naturedly.
MEANWHILE IN THE OFFICE.
Adina was reviewing the report of their UK market when she got stuck due to some confusing figures in the report. She thought of asking Ian but found him nowhere. She went to his room, the study, the library but couldn't find him. When she knocked on Aiden's door she heard cackling sounds from the room next door which was the living room. She made her way towards it and knocking twice, opened the door.
As soon as she stepped in, a man stood in front of him with fiery amber coloured eyes. She stumbled back in shock and in a blink of her eyes, Aiden stood between her and that man with his back towards Adina, in a position which clearly depicted that he was there to protect her. She lightly clutched the behind of Aiden's suit jacket out of fear of that man.
"Who is she?" asked Boris.
"You don't need to be bothered about her dad", Ian said from where he was standing near the couch with a woman.
"What is she doing here, Aiden?" Boris asked yet again but this time more sternly.
"None of your business dad." Aiden growled and Adina got shocked that he talked to his dad like this because of her but she wasn't the only one in the room who was shocked, so were the others.
"ce n'est pas une façon de parler à ton père (that's not the way to talk to your dad)", his mother said.
"J' expliquerai tout plus tard maman mais pour l'instant, emmenez-le avec vows (I'll explain everything later mom but for now please take him out with you)", he said calmly this time.
"Ok, I believe you. J'attendrai votre explication (I'll wait for your explanation). We should get going honey." She said the last sentence rubbing her husband's back.
Adina was clueless of what was happening or what they just conversed in French but she was still clutching his jacket because Boris continued glaring at her.
As they left, Aiden turned around and.....
(Ha! I got tired of typing.. so I'm just gonna leave it here 🥱. See you in the next chapter✌🏻.)