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 become emotional quickly, nor did he bother to console others. His face remained expressionless. "What's the update." Xander asked them looking at the operating room. "She fell on her stomach, which caused her to bleed. The child is in danger." Xander nodded but didn't say anything. No one could tell what was on his mind. After a while, a doctor emerged from the operating room. "Miss Crystal is fine now..... but we are very sorry; we were unable to save the child." The doctor informed. Emma burst into tears upon hearing the news while Xander clenched his teeth. ..... Later that day, Ariadne received a call from Xander. "I have sent a car to you, come to Grace hospital right now. Jose will accompany you" Xander ended the call immediately after delivering his message. He didn't even give Ariadne a chance to speak. "It's time to face them" Ariadne sighed. "Everything will be fine, don't worry." Jennifer squeezed her hand. ..... "Apologize to Crystal, Ariadne." Xander ordered her as he stood beside Crystal's bed. Ariadne, along with jennifer and Xander's men, arrived at the hospital some time ago. Standing few feet away from the bed, she looked at Crystal before turning to face Xander. "I did nothing, Xander. Please believe me." Ariadne had been pleading with Xander to believe her since she arrived, but he wouldn't listen. "I said apologize." Xander roared. Ariadne's eyes welled up with tears as she realized her helplessness. Her father, Emma and Margaret were also present in the room. They were all staring at her with hostility, taking pleasure in Ariadne's helplessness before them. "If you don't apologize right away, I will hand you over to the police, and you will face the consequences." Ariadne's eyes widened in disbelief. "Not even Grandpa will be able to save you." Xander warned her. Grandpa wanted to help Ariadne, but she declined. She didn't want Grandpa to fight with his own grandson for her. Their relationship was already in shambles because of her. She also wanted to see how cruel Xander could become. She loved him and gave him her all, and this is what she received in return. In the end he chose to side with her bullies. She realized that no one would come to her defense. "If I apologise, will you let me go?" Ariadne asked Xander. "Yes, you will not face any legal charges." This is exactly what Ariadne wanted now. But It's humiliating. It suddenly occurred to her that Xander was actually punishing her by humiliating her in front of everyone, especially Crystal. In other circumstances, she might have been protested, but she was carrying a child. She couldn't afford to mess with these people. 'For my child'. She clenched her teeth. "I apologize for pushing you Crystal, I am sorry. Please forgive me." Ariadne lowered her head. "You don't have to, I am letting this go, but I am sorry Aria, I will never forgive you for killing my child." Crystal said turning her face. "This is the last time I am letting you go. And stay away from Crystal from now on." Xander said aloud. "I think you should tell this to your mistress, not me." Ariadne smiled bitterly. "How rude," Emma stepped forward and slapped Ariadne hard on the cheek. Ariadne felt intense pain as she was not prepared for it. "What a vile woman. We are showing her mercy, but this bitch is still slandering us." Emma lashed out. Ariadne noticed the smirk on Crystal's face while Xander's gaze was fixed on Ariadne. He would never see the evil in them as always. Ariadne began to wonder if he was truly unaware of their deception, or if he was also a part of this. Before she could respond, Xander grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the room. "You will never change." He pushed her forward along the corridor. "Aria." Jennie, who was standing outside the room, screamed, as Ariadne lost her balance due to the force of the push. She dashed to grab Ariadne, but it was too late. Ariadne collapsed on the floor, hitting her head on the flower vase placed there. Ariadne felt a sharp pain in her stomach and her face paled. Xander too, was taken aback for a moment. However, he quickly collected himself as Jennifer held Ariadne and helped her sit. "Now you can leave and never try to interfere in my life again." He wasn't bother about the blood dripping from Ariadne's head. He turned and walked towards the room. Ariadne was enraged. "Xander Blake," Xander paused in his track before turning around. "I hate you, Xander. And I hate myself for ever loving you" Ariadne's face was covered in blood and tears. Her eyes were filled with a fire of pain and resentment. Xander said nothing. He stared at her face for a while before leaving for Crystal's room. ..... After a while, Jennifer brought Ariadne to Steve Hospital. She was quickly taken to the ER. "My baby," Ariadne asked as soon as she regained consciousness. "Relax, your child is safe." Jennifer assured her immediately. "Thank God." Ariadne sighed in relief. "But there could be some complications." Jennifer added hesitantly. "What complications?" Ariadne's face paled. "We don't know for sure right now. All we can do now is be cautious and closely monitor it's growth. Everything will be fine, don't worry." After a while, Jennifer left Ariadne alone in the room to rest. However, Ariadne was unable to sleep as she recalled everything that had happened in the previous few days. She buried herself in deep thought. ..... Later, William came to see Ariadne. "I have decided something, Grandpa." Ariadne announced. "What is it?" William asked. Jennifer was also present in the room. "I want to leave this place and go somewhere else, away from Zavion City." Ariadne said lowering her head. "What, why?" Jennifer was taken aback by Ariadne's announcement. However, William didn't appeare surprised. William knew how Xander had treated Ariadne over the last two years. He began to question whether his decision to force Xander into this marriage was the right one back then. It did no good for either of them. "I am tired of all of this. I want some peace, but I don't think I will get it if I stay here" William sadly nodded in agreement. He didn't want Ariadne to leave, but he also believed it would be fair for her. She needed a break and deserved to live her life happily. "I am sorry, Aria. You deserve better. I couldn't protect you enough" William sighed with regret. He was disappointed with his grandson. "No, you did more than enough, Grandpa. Don't even say this." Ariadne protested. "He will regret all of his actions one day." "I don't want anything from him anymore, Grandpa. He can live a happy life with his love. I don't even want his repentance. I simply want my freedom. Freedom from this pain. And I will not get it if I stay here." William nodded, understanding her situation. "You will get your freedom, Aria; I will arrange everything for you." Jennifer looked at them, surprised. "Are you really planning to leave this city?" "Yes, Jennifer. I think it's best for everyone." "But Grandpa, let me do this on my own." Ariadne pleaded. "Xander believes that I killed his unborn child. So he might look for me. He will come after you when I leave. I don't want to put you in more trouble for me, Grandpa." "You are not a trouble for me, Aria. You never were or will be. I saw you as my own grandchild" William said, stroking Ariadne's hair. "I know Grandpa, but it's for the best. I want freedom, and I can only get it if I cut off all ties with this city, with everyone. At least for a few years. When the time comes, I will get in touch with each of you." "How can I live peacefully if I don't know how or where you are?" William expressed his concerns. "Don't worry, Grandpa. I will be safe." ..... After some time, William left the hospital, leaving Jennifer and Ariadne alone in the room. "Have you decided where you will go?" Ariadne shook her head in, no. "Aria, think again. It will be very difficult for you. If you were alone, that would be fine, but you are pregnant. How are you going to deal with everything alone?" Jennifer, too, was worried about her best friend. "I don't have any other options, Jennie." "Maybe you do." "No, everyone will find out about my pregnancy if I stay here. Xander will never accept them. And don't forget the mother-daughter duo. They will force me to abort my child, one way or another." Ariadne was terrified of them now after they had framed her for pushing Crystal. She had realized they could do anything to harm her. "Grandpa is here, Aria; he will protect you." "How long and how far Jennie? He is getting older, and he has already done a lot for me. I have caused him enough trouble. Crystal wants to get rid of me. They will stop at nothing to harm my child and me." Jennifer pondered the situation. Everything Ariadne said was correct. "There are no other options. And....also...How...how can I stay here and watch him living his life happily with someone else?" Ariadne's voice quivered. Her eyes were full of tears. "I am sick of everything, Jennie." "I want to forget everything, or alteast not watch them all together as my defeat. The pain is too much for me to bear. I have lost everything." Jennifer hugged and caressed Ariadne's back as the latter cried her heart out.Thank you for reading. Please leave your review if you like the story. ❤️❤️❤️
"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
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
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