Henry sighed and glanced around as if to ensure no one was listening.
Ariella couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that had taken hold of her since Henry's revelations. She looked at him, her curiosity piqued. "Why do you say that? What do you mean?"
Henry hesitated before continuing, choosing his words with care. "This morning, I went into Asher's office and found Scarlett there. She had this terrible, mocking look on her face while Asher was lying on the sofa, murmuring words as she performed some kind of massage. It looked really weird to me."
Ariella's eyebrows knitted in confusion. "How do you mean weird?"
"I don't know exactly. The whole scene was just off. And the funny thing is, when Scarlett saw me there, she got so mad and started shouting for me to leave. It was all so crazy. And Asher looked like he was in a trance, but as Scarlett and I argued, he suddenly snapped out of it and looked at us like he was surprised to see us both there."
Ariella's frown deepened. "What did he say when you asked him about it?"
"He claimed that Scarlett knew of some soothing technique to help him with his migraines, and that's all it was. But I don't buy it. It looked very suspicious to me. There's more going on here."
Ariella was silent for a moment, processing Henry's words. "Do you think Scarlett has something to do with Asher's strange behaviour?"
Henry nodded slowly. "It seems like she has a hold over him, somehow. He's not himself, Ariella. It's not normal."
Ariella sat in silence, processing Henry's words as they drove. She turned to Henry, needing to understand more.
"I don't know, but I highly suspect it," Henry continued. "When I walked into Asher's office this morning, Scarlett collected all her things and left, looking furious, like I had disrupted something important. When I asked Asher about it, he told me that Scarlett was helping him with his migraines by performing some sort of herbal massage. I tried googling it, but I didn't find anything reassuring. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but something definitely feels off."
"Why are you telling me this, Henry?" she asked quietly.
"Because I think you deserve to know," he replied. "And because you might be the only one who can help him, or at least understand what's really going on."
Ariella's heart raced. "Well, if you need to tell anyone, I'm the last person who can help him. The Blackwells are more capable of dealing with this. I don't know what's going on with Asher these days. He's not the man I married."
Henry shook his head. "I can't go to the Blackwells. You know they listen to Asher more than anyone. If he finds out I betrayed his trust, it won't just be my job at risk. He could retaliate in ways I don't even want to think about. I thought because you're his wife, Maybe there's a way you can help him."
Ariella sighed, feeling the weight of her predicament. "I don't know how I can help, Henry. He has me under house arrest, practically a prisoner. But thank you for telling me. I'll see what I can do. From the moment I first met Scarlett, I felt there was something not right about her."
Henry nodded. "You're not alone in that feeling. There's something about her that doesn't add up. Be careful, Ariella. I think you're in more danger than you realize."
Ariella tensed. She wondered if it was a warning or a threat.
When they got to the restaurant, Asher hadn't arrived yet, and Henry excused himself to return to the office. Ariella sat down and had a glass of water, her thoughts stirring as she waited. Henry's words about Asher's forgetfulness and Scarlett's strange behaviour echoed in her head.
Could Asher's recent behavior be influenced by Scarlett? She sighed, her fingers tapping restlessly against the cool glass in her hand.
"No, I don't think so," she muttered under her breath. "But then again... I don't know. This is so confusing."
The notion that Asher might have set Henry up to tell her such things flashed through her mind. But why would they do that? What would they gain from sowing more confusion and distrust? She considered Henry's behaviour. They had never been friends, but they maintained a professional environment. He was always thorough and reliable, rarely engaging in personal conversations. Could she trust him now?
She sighed again, taking a sip of water. "But why would he lie about something like this? What does he have to gain?"
Seraphine stood nearby, a constant reminder of the surveillance and control that was now Ariella's life.
Just as she was lost in her thoughts, the sound of footsteps approached. She looked up, expecting Asher, but it was the waiter, ready to take her order.
"Would you like to start with something, ma'am?" he asked politely.
She shook her head, forcing a smile. "No, thank you. I'm waiting for someone."
The waiter nodded and walked away, leaving Ariella to her thoughts once more.
The lunch hour came and went, and Asher never showed up at the restaurant. Ariella felt curious glances from other patrons as she sat there, sipping water and trying to maintain her composure. She knew it looked odd waiting for someone who wouldn't come. The humiliation began to creep in, and she decided it was time to leave.
As she exited the restaurant, a blinding flash of cameras greeted her. Reporters swarmed, shouting questions and snapping photos.
"Ms. Blackwell, are you and Asher still married? Are you divorced?"
"Did me Blackwell stand you up today?"
"Why were you having lunch alone? Who were you expecting?"
"Are you still pregnant? Have you two talked about custody?"
Each question struck her like a blow. Seraphine sprang into action and skillfully navigated to keep the reporters at bay and shield Ariella from the invasion. They pushed through the crowd, and as soon as they reached the car, Seraphine opened the door for Ariella to slide inside.
Safe within the confines of the car, Ariella felt the tears well up uncontrollably. She had managed to keep her calm in front of the cameras, but now the dam broke. She sobbed, the weight of the public scrutiny and the confusion of her personal life crashing down on her all at once.
Seraphine climbed into the front seat, glancing back with concern. "Ma'am, are you alright?"
Ariella tried to compose herself, wiping her tears with a trembling hand. "Just... get me home. please."
As the car drove towards the Blackwells' home, she kept thinking about everything. She suddenly came to the decision it was better to face Asher now and know what she was dealing with than stretching the inevitable. All of a sudden she shouted, "Stop the car! Stop the car!"
Seraphine looked back at her from the front seat. "What is it, ma'am? Are you okay? Is everything alright?"
"Take me to Blackwell Inc."
"Ma'am?" Seraphine looked at her, a bit taken by surprise.
"Yes, take me to my husband's office. I want to see him right now."
"Okay, but I'm going to have to tell him beforehand."
"I don't care. Just take me there right now." She shouted at them.
The driver looked at Seraphine for confirmation, and after a few clicks on the phone, Seraphine nodded at him and he drove towards Blackwell Inc.
When she got to Blackwells Inc., Seraphine immediately guided her towards the top floor, the executive floor, where the CEO occupied the entire part of the building. As the elevator doors opened, Henry was there to greet them.
"Ms. Blackwell, we meet again," Henry said with a smile, gesturing for them to follow. They walked towards Asher's office, and Henry opened the door, inviting Ariella in. "You can wait here," he said to Seraphine. Seraphine nodded and stood outside the door as Ariella and Henry went inside.
She found Asher finishing a call and sat down on the sofa, waiting for him to complete his business. When he was done, he walked towards her, kissed her cheek tenderly, and sat next to her, holding her hand.
"I'm sorry I kept you waiting. This was a really big deal, and I had to finalize it today. We were already running on a deadline."
"It's okay," Ariella said with a nervous smile.
Suddenly, Asher chuckled. "You know, Henry reminded me that I had a date with my wife. I thought he was crazy. I was like, 'My wife?' And then he looked at me and said, 'Yes, Ariella.' And I was like, 'Ariella?' And then I remembered he was talking about you and that we're married. Oh, my God. Pretty funny, right? Time really flies by."
Ariella shared a look with Henry, their eyes exchanging a silent, secret conversation. The unease settled in her stomach as she realized the gravity of Henry's earlier words. Something was definitely wrong with Asher, and it was becoming clear with each passing moment.