I had been restless in the car since earlier, while Elena seemed unfazed. I wanted to ask her what was truly going on because I felt like she was just playing a prank on me. As we traveled to the hospital where she said Ares was, she didn't talk to me, and I sensed no concern from her.
"Are we still far away, Elena? Is there no one we should contact at the hospital? Should I call his dad or his mom?" I bombarded her with questions, periodically checking my cell phone.
"Don't call anyone, Ana. We're almost there, don't worry," she replied, her tone was serious. I looked at her in surprise.
"What do you mean—"
"Just relax, Ana," she interrupted me and accelerated the car.
Confused, I waited for us to reach our destination. A few more minutes passed until we stopped in front of an upscale restaurant. I turned to Elena, ready to question her. But before I could speak, she swiftly got out of the car and opened the passenger seat door. I was met with her apologetic face.
"What's going on? Why are we here? I thought he was in the hospital—"
"Damn it, Ana. I can't keep lying to you. I'm risking my position with Sir Ares by doing this," she said, surprising me even more.
I got out of the car and confronted her. For a moment, I peered inside the restaurant we were now in front of. There weren't many people there, just a few waiters.
I turned to Elena, who was engrossed in her phone.
"Why are we really here? What's going on? Where is Ares?" I asked, growing increasingly annoyed.
She quickly stashed her phone back in the pocket of her corporate attire, scratching her head as she looked at me.
"Just go inside. He's waiting for you," she replied, then flashed me a smile, causing my eyes to widen.
"What am I supposed to do inside? I'm in casual clothes, Elena!" I exclaimed in frustration, while also dialing Ares' number, struggling to understand this woman's actions.
"So what? It's okay. There aren't many people inside," I heard Elena say, but I didn't pay much attention as Ares answered my call.
"Ares? Where are you? Elena said something bad happened to you—"
"Look inside," he cut me off. His voice was serious but gentle.
Confused, I looked inside the restaurant once more. My eyes searched for Ares, and when I saw him standing near the entrance, it all clicked.
"What's going on, Ares Constantine? Were you just playing a prank on me?" My eyes narrowed at him, and I saw him scratch his head.
"I'm sorry. I just didn't know how to tell you, knowing you don't like places like this," he replied softly, leaving me shaken.
But at the same time, I let out a relieved sigh, knowing nothing bad had happened to him. I couldn't bear the thought of something terrible occurring. Accidents were something I despised.
I sighed tiredly while still looking at him from outside.
"Please, don't do this again. You have no idea how worried I was—"
"I know, I know. I'm sorry, baby. Let's just talk here. I have something important to tell you," he interrupted me again, frustrating me. He clearly didn't enjoy being lectured about his pranks.
In the end, I could only follow what he said. After we talked, I turned to Elena, who was smiling mischievously beside me. I promptly slapped her arm, causing her to yelp.
"You should've just told me so I could at least fix myself!" I chided her as I adjusted my appearance.
Even though I wanted to decline Ares' invitation to come inside due to my appearance, I couldn't. I was only in a pajama suit and had my hair in a messy ponytail. Annoyed, I removed my hair tie and tried to tidy up.
"I was just following orders. Why are you blaming me?"
"Even so! Look at how I look!" I scolded her and left her there. I could hear her laughter, which only fueled my irritation.
When I entered the restaurant, I noticed a CLOSED sign at its entrance, which surprised me. Why was it closed if it was still open?
"Good evening, Ma'am. This way, please," greeted the waiter who had been waiting there.
"Good evening," I greeted him, feeling embarrassed, and rearranged my clothes. This was truly embarrassing!
"Why is it closed if it's still open?" I couldn't help but ask him. He smiled slightly in response.
"This is Mr. Aragon's property, Ma'am. He ordered us to close it tonight for your dinner."
I pursed my lips at what I heard. Seriously? Why did he have to do this when we could have eaten anywhere without flaunting his wealth?
Before I could speak further, Ares came to greet me. As I looked at him, I realized he was also in casual attire—gray shorts and a white t-shirt.
"Why are you wearing that? And what's going on?" I asked him, completely astonished.
He gently grabbed my waist and pulled me closer. He kissed me on my forehead and cheek, leaving me even more embarrassed due to how I look.
"I just woke up, Ares. Why are you wearing that? Where have you been?" I resisted and slightly distanced myself, worried that my breath might not be pleasant. It was really irritating!
He looked at me intently, and his smile widened even more. I could see the happiness in his eyes as he observed me. I couldn't quite describe his expression—it just felt so wonderful.
"I knew you'd be embarrassed to walk in here dressed like that, so I didn't bother dressing up either. Besides, you're still beautiful no matter what you wear. Stop doubting yourself when you're with me, hmm?" He said softly and held my hand even tighter.
I bit my lower lip and just smiled at him because I didn't know what else to say. Every time he complimented me like this, I struggled to respond because I felt like I didn't deserve it.
But Ares always told me, whenever I doubted myself, that it never changed. He was the reason my self-confidence grew. He had played a significant role in my personal growth.
As we sat down, I still didn't know what to say to him. I could feel a growing sense of nervousness in my heart because something felt off with his behavior. He was being exceptionally sweet, and I didn't know why.
"What would you like to eat?" he asked me gracefully.
"No pasta—"
"No pasta, of course, my love," he agreed with what I was about to say, and we both laughed.
"How was your business trip? I thought you would stay there for a few more days," I changed the subject, knowing he didn't always want to talk about work when we were together.
"I only went with Dad because my brother couldn't make it. I was also restless while I was there, knowing that I hadn't been able to say goodbye to you properly," he replied seriously, making me laugh.
"It's not a big deal to me. Is your brother coming home?" I asked.
He finally turned his gaze to me after placing our order with the waiter. Suddenly, his expression became serious, as if something was wrong.
"Dad wanted him to come back home many times. He just gave in just now," he replied in a serious tone. After a moment, he looked at me again and forced a sweet smile.
"Let's not talk about it anymore. Just focus on me tonight. I've missed you. My real plan was to invite your whole family as well as mine because this is an important night for both of us. But I didn't want to put pressure on you, knowing that's how you'll feel. I want you to know how serious I am about you, Anastacia," he said to me seriously, full of pleading.
I gulped at what I heard, blinking a few times while looking at him. I could feel my heart beating slowly, but it was strong. My hands on the table started to tremble, so I lowered them to my lap so he couldn't see.
After a while, his expression grew more serious, but his eyes remained soft as they locked onto mine. It was evident that he felt a deep love for me, and I couldn't fully process what was happening in my mind.
"A-Ares…" I managed to utter. I couldn't tear my gaze away from him.
"I already talked to your family about this last week. I just can't take it any longer. I can't bear the thought of you being away from me as long as I know you're not really mine yet…" he continued. His expression softened.
I quickly adjusted myself, summoning the courage to speak.
"I-is this a proposal?" I almost whispered to myself as I looked at him. I felt the tears welling up because I knew that's exactly what he was doing.
Ares smiled softly at me and reached for my hand. When I gave it to him, he kissed it gently over and over.
"I won't take no for an answer this time, baby…" he said tenderly, still looking into my eyes.
I bit my lower lip to suppress my emotions.
"I-I'm not going to say no… but are you sure about this? I'm not… I can't match your life. I'm just your secretary and—"
"Stop saying those self-deprecating words, Ana. You're more than just that. My whole family loves you, and I'm so grateful that you came into my life…" He interrupted what I was going to say, and I lowered my head in embarrassment.
When I looked up again, a small black box was in front of me. Ares opened it, revealing a ring with a large diamond in the middle. I couldn't hold back my tears and started crying in front of him, quickly covering my whole face.
"Hey…" I heard him say, and I felt him move closer to me.
Tears of pure happiness streamed down my face. In these moments, it felt like I was drowning in his love. I couldn't find the right words, so I just let myself cry.
I had never imagined that someone would accept me so completely, just the way I am. Self-doubt had always held me back, and life had never been particularly comforting. The kind of acceptance I was experiencing now was something entirely new, especially considering my family's lack of support, especially after my dad passed away.
"Did I upset you, baby? I'm so sorry..." Ares said gently, softly stroking my back. "I'm not rushing you. If you want to say no, just say it. Please stop crying..."
When I managed to speak, my voice quivered, "Y-yes..."
He seemed stunned, his eyes welling up with emotion.
"What?" he asked, his voice breaking.
I bit my lower lip and reached for his face. Unable to hold back any longer, I kissed him passionately.
"I will marry you. I'm ready, Ares. I am so ready to be your wife," I declared after that heartfelt kiss.
I heard him whisper a few words, and then he knelt in front of me. I saw tears welling up in his eyes before he hugged me tightly.
"I can't wait to marry you, Anastacia. I love you..."
After that intense dinner, he drove me back home. I'd been longing to spend more time with him, but I knew he was exhausted from the trip. So, I let him rest when we arrived.
Once I got home, I heard a commotion from the kitchen. I rushed there to find my older brother Matthew and Mom in a heated argument.
"What's happening?" I asked, causing them both to halt.
Matthew turned to me and came closer. I was taken aback when he roughly grabbed my arm, making me flinch.
"Didn't I tell you to give the money I asked for to Mom? Why didn't you do it?" He demanded.
"It hurts, Brother," I told him. But instead of releasing his grip, he tightened it, and I could feel his nails digging into my skin.
"I really needed the money! Why didn't you give it to her earlier?" he yelled persistently.
"I-I just forgot. I was away for a bit..." I stammered, trying to loosen his grip, but his hold was too strong for me to break free.
I tried to seek Mama's help through my eyes, but she seemed indifferent to what she witnessed, causing me even more emotional pain. What more could I expect?
"And where were you? Putting your own desires before family? You're utterly useless!" Matthew yelled at me, releasing his grip on my arm violently before storming off.
I bit my lower lip, the pain in my arm searing. Yet, the greater pain was in my heart due to Mom's words.
"Has Ares already proposed to you? It's fortunate you can marry a wealthy man, so we can gain something from you," she said coldly before I left.
I felt my heart shattering during those moments. I weakly made my way to my room. Once inside, I finally crumpled to the floor, tears streaming down silently.
I don't understand why they treated me this way. Despite the repeated pain, I couldn't protest, feeling as though they were punishing me for the accident that occurred a few years ago.