Xander walked into the mansion, ignoring Ariadne's warm smile.
"Hey Aria, sorry I came unannounced". Crystal smiled politely at Ariadne. "What are you doing here" Ariadne couldn't hide her displeasure upon seeing Crystal with Xander. "I will tell you, but can I atleast enter" Crystal kept her sweet smile and polite demeanor intact. "She came with me; be courteous to your guests" Xander's harsh and warning voice came from behind. "I am sorry, please come inside" Ariadne said finally. She didn't miss the faint smirk on Crystal's face before she entered the house. After some time, Xander, Ariadne and Crystal sat down to dinner. Crystal kept talking to Xander about some business matter while completely ignoring Ariadne. Ariadne's heart ached every time Xander used a gentle tone with Crystal. He never talked to her gently. "Oh, Xander! I got the Blue Mall contract". "Oh, congratulations." "Thank you; I am very excited. This is my first contract as a CEO. I will come to you if I need help. You will not refuse me, will you?" "No." Ariadne knew exactly what Crystal was trying to do. She never fails to demonstrate her capabilities and how worthless Ariadne is in comparison to her. Ariadne was a worthless housewife living a luxurious life on her husband's money, whereas Crystal was a highly talented independent girl. A successful businessman like Xander, would prefer to have Crystal as his wife rather than Ariadne. "Oh, Aria, I forgot." Crystal blurted, which made Aria snap out of her reverie. "I have come here to invite you to my celebration party, as the new CEO of Miller group. As my sister, you must come." taking out an invitation card from her handbag she handed it to Ariadne. "I have already given Xander his invitation card" After taking the card Ariadne looked at it. However, the fact that she had given Xander a separate invitation card caught her attention. "You didn't congratulate Crystal on her achivement, Ariadne." Xander pointed out in a rough voice. Ariadne looked at him. She felt humiliated in her own house by them. "Sorry I forgot. Congratulations Crystal, I will not miss it." swallowing the lump in her throat Ariadne uttered the words. "Thank you Aria." No one Said anything after that. After dinner, Xander went into his study to retrieve a file from his desk. He was searching through the files when a soft voice came from behind. "Are you staying the night here today?" He paused for a moment after hearing the voice, gritting his teeth. "No." He resumed looking through the files. "Did you enjoy the food today?" Ariadne asked nervously. She spent a lot of time preparing his favourite dishes. "Yes" he replied absently. "I prepared them." "Why don't you stay the night here today? I will make your favourite breakfast tommorrow." holding her breath, she added as there's no response from him. He came here after a few months, so she was hoping he would stay. "I have plenty of excellent cooks in my penthouse and they can cook better than you." She felt dejected. She wanted to spend some time with him. She yearned to get to know him more and express her love to him. However, he had never given her the opportunity. "Since you do not come here very often, please stay tonight." she made another attemt. The desperation could be seen in her pleading. Xander paused. He turned around and approached Ariadne where she was standing. His abrupt act startled Ariadne. She stepped back a little. "Are you really that frustrated, Ariadne?" Ariadne gulped with fear. He stood very close to her. "Are you that much frustrated to spend a night with me, that you started to beg now" He gritted his teeth. She shook her head, understanding what he meant by spending the night with him. Xander placed his finger on her lips just as she was about to explain. "I know what you want; afterall, we have been married for two years and I have not even touched you once." Ariadne's eyes widened with disbelief at how wrong he thought of her. He looked down at her body, from head to toe. Ariadne felt an unbearable pain and insult. "You are not bad, but not good enough for me". She stiffened. "You disgust me, Ariadne" he whispered into her ear. She shut her eyes, which were now moist. "But, since you are so frustrated, I have a suggestion for you." He moved closer. "There are plenty of men around; they might like you. You are not that bad" he said before stepping back. Tears streamed down her cheeks as Ariadne openned her eyes to meet the man's gaze. Her voice got stuck in her throat. She had never felt so humiliated. Xander gently picked a drop of tear from her cheek with his finger and blew it into the air before turning and leaving the room. Ariadne stood there like a statue. She was too numb to move an inch. "Did you get the file"? came Crystal's voice from outside. "Yes" Xander replied. "Wait, where is Aria?" "Don't mind her. She is not coming. Let's go now, I will drop you." was their final conversation before the sound of the main door opening and closing was heard. ........ It's the day Crystal was throwing her celebration party. Together with Jennifer, Ariadne entered the venue. The place was exquisitely decorated. It's Blue Star hotel, one of Blake Corporation's high restaurants. They passed through the hallway while people stared at them. Ariadne kept her head low, avoiding the gazes of others. The guests were all well-known businessmen from Zavion City. Almost none of them knew Ariadne as she had not established herself in the business world or in any other field. Only a few of their family friends and relatives were able to identify her. However, Ariadne was well aware that everyone disliked her. They described her as a spoilt brat who used to waste her father's money and is now wasting her husband's money. They didn't consider Ariadne to be worthy of Xander as well. They believed Crystal was ideal for him. After they found a comfortable spot, Ariadne's gaze wandered around the hall in search of a particular person. It didn't take her long to find him. He was dressed in his usual business attire, a white shirt and a black coat and he looked attractively handsome as always. However, the presence of the woman beside him broke Ariadne's heart. Crystal was dressed in a stunning red gown and was speaking with some businessmen while Xander stood beside her. She looked stunning and Ariadne could tell that people admired her based on their comments. Xander's eyes shot towards Ariadne as if he sensed her gaze on him. They held eye contact for a moment before Xander looked away unbothered. Ariadne didn't have the courage to aproach him after their last encounter. "He didn't even give you a smile. How rude." Jennifer whispered. "It's nothing new Jennie." "Hey, Ariadne, come on here." Crystal spotted them as well. She waved to them. Ariadne went hesitantly. Jennifer trailed behind her. "This is Ariadne, my sister." Crystal introduced her to the guests who were there. They said hello to each other. Xander didn't bother to introduce her as his wife to them. He looked unfazed. "Do you run the family business as well?" one of them asked Ariadne. "No, I am a house wife." "Oh, you are already married." "She doesn't have any interest in business." Crystal interjected. "Hey, You are Mr. Blake's wife, right?" a woman asked after examining Ariadne for a while. Xander pretended not to hear anything. She felt disappointed. "Yes." Ariadne replied. "Oh, I see." They stared at her with criticism in their eyes. It's obvious they didn't think she was deserving of Xander. "I have heard that you spent a long time abroad " the woman added. "I went for study." Ariadne furrowed her brows. She was interested in design and went abroad to study the subject. However, Emma and Crystal spread rumors that she went abroad to live a lavish life, away from her family's restriction. "Oh, what did you study." "Design." "Oh." she said dismissively, as if it had made no impression on her. "You are the older daughter, and you are a talented woman with unrivaled beauty. I am surprised that Mr. Blake married your younger sister instead of you." the woman looked at Crystal. "Don't mind my words Mrs. Blake, I don't mean to offend you; I am just curious." "Why don't you tell them why I married you?" at this point Xander spoke. Ariadne looked at him, meeting his mocking gaze and faint smirk. She couldn't believe that Xander was attempting to embarrass her infront of all those people. "Grandpa had our marriage fixed when we were younger." she replied after sometime. Sweat began to fill her face. "Grandpa?" the woman looked confused. "Mr. William Blake." "Oh, that explains why." "You look stunning Miss Crystal. Mr. Blake must be regretting marrying your sister instead of you." The woman was Crystal's close acquaintance, so she must have known everything about them as she continued to insult Ariadne indirectly. "You are too much, Mrs. Garner." Crystal blushed and lowered her face. Jennifer rolled her eyes. Ariadne began to feel uncomfortable standing there. It's true that compared to her, Crystal looks more gorgeous. Ariadne used to be one of the most attractive girls of ZavionCity. However, ever since she became Mrs. Blake, she has been depressed due to constant heartbreak. Sleepless nights have resulted in dark circles around her eyes. She also lost weight. She no longer resembles the Ariadne that she once was, either physically or mentally. "I am kidding, of course." the woman laughed. The people then engaged in their conversation completely ignored Ariadne. "Excuse us gentlemen." saying that, Ariadne left the group. She had enough of their nonsense. They overheard a lot of gossips about Ariadne as they moved through the crowd. "I have never seen Mr. Blake bring his wife with him to a public event. Look in this party as well. Mr. Blake is not with his wife, but with Miss Crystal and other guests." "I think the rumours that Mr. Blake doesn't love his wife are true." "Who could possibly love a girl like that?" "Take a look at her sister Miss Crystal; not only is she gorgeous, but she is also a successful woman. She even assumed leadership of the company and extended a helping hand to her father. Mr. Miller must be proud to have such a daughter. She has made her parents proud." "She invited us to humiliate you." Jennifer was furious. "What does She think she is? Xander's wife?" "But Xander doesn't appeared to be bothered by her antics. He is even supporting her." Ariadne sighed tiredly. "He should be with you, not her. He didn't even acknowledge your presence." Through the whole party Ariadne and Jennifer stayed in a corner. While everyone praised Crystal for her achievements, they didn't hide their dislike for Ariadne. However, nobody brought up the fact that she is the rightful heir of Aaron Miller as his only biological daughter. But her father gave the position to Crystal. It's true that Ariadne had never involved herself in the family business as she was not interested in business. Nevertheless, her family didn't even consider to let her know about their decision. It appeared that Crystal would have been given the position even if Ariadne had expressed interest. Thus, she didn't say anything about it.It's not long before Xander began to feel uneasy standing among the businessmen. 'It's hot' he thought in his mind while listening to the conversation. "This collaboration will produce excellent outcomes." one of them stated. "Yes, working with Blake Corporation is truly an honour." the other man expressed his appreciation to Xander as they carried on their conversation. Xander gave a small nod. He disliked these kinds of events, especially when there're lots of people gathered around him. He's only putting up with it for Crystal. As she became the new CEO, she requested him to accompany her to meetings with businessmen throughout the city. "We have no doubt that with Crystal, Miller Group will achieve greater success" a woman in a white gown interjected. Xander started to feel suffocated. He felt the need to freshen up and fresh air in a private area. It's packed with people here. "Are you Allright?" Crystal asked, noticing his discomfort. "I am fine. Please carry o
Ariadne awoke to the sound of a beeping machine. She opened her eyes only to be hit by a bright light, and immediately closed them. "Are you feeling better?" A voice came from nearby. She opened her eyes again, and saw Jennifer standing beside her bed. Looking around, Ariadne realized she was in hospital. "Why am I here?" her voice was hoarse. "You fainted at home, so we brought you to the hospital." Ariadne furrowed her brows as she tried to recall what had happened. She felt a wave of pain sweep over her as the memory struck her like a truck. She recalled being called by Xander's lawyer to inform her about the divorce. 'He wants divorce.' She repeated in her mind. She had been hoping for two years that everything would work out, but she was wrong and her worst nightmare had come true. Her eyes welled up with tears. "Hey, what happened? Why are you crying."Jennifer sensed that something was wrong. "You are alright, there's nothing wrong with your health, don't cry,
"Did you tell him about your pregnancy?" Jennifer arrived at the mansion the following morning, after Ariadne had told her everything over the phone. "He doesn't want to hear anything from me" Ariadne said, as she sat on the bed, with the divorce papers next to her. "But you need to tell him, Aria. After all, he can't abandon his legitimate child for a bastard with a mistress." "He will always choose Crystal over me, Jennie. No matter what." Ariadne smiled bitterly. "But you should still try. Think about your child." "I am done thinking. And this time, I will do the right thing." Ariadne didn't sleep the entire night. She was thinking about their lives. "And that is" Jennie looked at her. "I will divorce him." This time Jennifer wasn't surprised. Deep down in her heart, she knew this day would come if Xander's behaviour didn't change. But she never imagined that Xander would be such a scumbag to cheat on Ariadne. "I am done fighting, Jennie. I have endured everything.. but che
At Blake Corporation. Xander was in a meeting when Jose barged in and whispered something in his ears. Xander's face darkened, and he stood up. "Gentlemen, I have an emergency to attend to. I am afraid I will not be able to continue the meeting because my presence is required somewhere. Jose will continue the meeting on my behalf." He left immediately after making the announcement. When Xander arrived at the hospital he saw Emma and Aaron standing in front of a door that appeared to be the operating room. They also noticed him as he walked towards them. "Mr. Blake." Emma approached Xander. She appeared to have cried a lot. "Everything was fine in the morning, and now look what happened." She began crying again. "It's all because of that bitch. She never wanted to see my baby happy." "Calm down, Emma." Aaron held her in his arms. "I apologize, Mr. Blake. She is upset and not in her right mind." Aaron explained to Xander. "That's alright." Xander was not the type to becom
"Purple City." "What?" "I will go to Purple City." It was three days after Ariadne was discharged from the hospital. She had been staying in Jennifer's place. She didn't go to the mansion. Xander had given her the mansion, but she refused to accept. The mansion would only haunt her. And going to her father was out of questions, so Jennifer insisted on staying here. She even didn't go to the mansion to collect her belongings. Fortunately, she had all of her documents with her. Grandpa and Jennifer made the necessary arrangements for her departure. Only the place was not selected. After some thought, she decided on Purple City. It was a developed city, and she would have many career opportunities there. She needed to make a lot of money so that she could meet their needs. She had some savings from her online job. In addition, her mother had left her a fortune. She had kept it with her. She wouldn't take anything from Xander or her father. She also turned down Granp
"Xander, is Ariadne staying at your mansion?" It was the following day at Blake Corporation. Crystal had arrived to discuss the joint project of Miller Group and Blake Corporation. They were eating lunch together after finishing their work. "No." Xander answered while eating his food. "No?" Crystal learned from Cathy that Ariadne didn't return to the mansion after the incident. However, she pretended ignorant. She wanted to know if Xander knew where Ariadne was. "Do you know where she is? I have not heard anything about her since that day." "No. Why should I know about her whereabouts?" Xander became irritated by the topic. Crystal's lips curved in a sly smile at Xander's reply. "Oh, yes. I just wondered if you knew. I am just worried about her." "You don't have to. She is not a child in the first place." "Yeah, I just don't want anything bad to happen to her." "It's her hometown, and she has lot of friends. She might be staying with her friends. It's good actually. Y
"Have you talked about your marriage with Xander?" Emma asked. They had recently learned of Ariadne's departure from the city and they were overjoyed. Not that she was a threat to them now, even if she stayed, but still it was a bonus to them. Now Emma was becoming impatient about getting her daughter married to the Blakes. "No mom. He is been very busy lately. I didn't get to talk to him." Crystal informed her. Emma came to Crystal's room to have this conversation while the latter was getting ready for work."Then ask him to take you on a dinner date and discuss the marriage. You need to put pressure on him and get married as soon as possible" Previously, Xander stated that he would take responsibility for the child in Crystal's womb. He did not want the child to be recognized as a bastard. He divorced Ariadne immediately after learning about the child and promised to marry Crystal soon. However, since the child miscarried in that incident, many things had changed, and Xander d
In a garden, a well-dressed and handsome boy was standing in a corner, hiding one of his hands behind his back. There was a birthday celebration in the middle. His eyes were fixed on a cute girl dressed in a blue princess dress, surrounded by a few kids of her age. They were chatting and laughing. The boy didn't approach them as he didn't know anyone except for that little girl. He was silently watching her with a smiling face and affection reflecting in his eyes. Suddenly, another little girl, dressed in a pink princess dress, appeared from nowhere and approached the boy. "Hi, what are you doing here alone" the girl asked. She had been watching the boy for some time before she approached him. The boy felt uncomfortable being seen in such an awkward moment. The girl peeked behind his back and noticed the gift he was holding. "OMG. You brought a gift for me!" The girl almost jumped in excitement. "Thank you" she tried to take the gift from the boy's hand, but he d