Present TimeAyden Emory watched Arya attentively. He knew he had messed up since he left home in the middle of the night without giving any further explanations.Arya stood before him, looking at him expectantly, waiting for a logical explanation for his erratic behavior. After a few minutes passed without him saying anything, Arya started to worry."Fine, you can't be reasoned with, I see you're still the same," she declared and walked away.Ayden stood up with the clear intention of going after her, but the ringing of his office phone stopped him. His assistant knew not to interrupt him unless it was important. Which meant it was.He picked up the phone."Mr. Emory, your father is calling on line four, he says it's urgent," Katty informed him."Okay, thank you. Please call John and ask him to stop Arya," he explained and then hung up to take his father's call. "What's going on?""Bob called me very angry," his father informed him. "He says you received his daughter last night and t
Ayden and Arya arrived at the hospital. The young doctor had already informed her friend, and he would meet them there. They had also informed Dr. Swan that Ayden Emory's father was hospitalized. Despite all the chaos, and curiously, no one thought to call him Mark and inform him. However, when they arrived and inquired about the condition of his father, Ayden tried to contact his brother without success."Mr. Emory is already in surgery," informs the nurse in charge in the emergency area. Dr. Swan quickly approached when she noticed their presence and provided details about what had happened. She explained that Mr. Emory had been physically attacked and shot. He had been shot twice and needed emergency surgery due to internal bleeding."We still can't determine his condition. He entered surgery not long ago," Dr. Swan explained, checking the emergency log. "But it's important to understand the risks associated with this type of procedure," she added with professionalism. "I've put th
Arya had decided to return to Ayden's house to take care of her son. Dr. Swan had allowed her to take a few days off for the funeral, which gave her the opportunity to investigate what was happening with her apartment."George, hi," she greets as she calls the young man who installed her security system."Miss Harley, I heard about Mr. Emory. My deepest condolences," he offers respectfully. "I'm very sorry for your losses.""Thank you, George," Arya responds. "I'm actually calling about another matter, but I want your complete discretion on this, and please don't let Ayden know. He has so much to deal with right now."George becomes concerned but doesn't say anything. He's not a fan of keeping things from his boss."Alright, what's going on?" he inquires, understanding the situation."Somebody tried to break into the apartment again yesterday. Neither Robin nor I were there, but he received an alert," Arya explains.George worries because he didn't receive any alerts. "Something must
A week had passed after the attack on Ayden and the death of his father, Gerard Emory. Arya had spent every day at the hospital. Sometimes she brought Aryehn, other times not. She wanted to protect him, and the less he ventured out of the house, the better.In the end, she heeded the advice of her friend Robin and decided to homeschool Aryehn, at least for the time being.Ayden would be discharged just in time for his father's funeral. It had been decided that Gerard would be cremated, one of his final wishes. The will had not yet been read, but some of the clauses he had modified at the end were well known, including the inclusion of his grandson.Daniel and Sebas had been tasked with transporting Ayden along with a retinue of escorts. Security had been doubled since the attack, and even Sebas couldn't escape going shopping alone anymore.Bob Moore had been charged with the crimes of collusion, embezzlement of income, and tax evasion. Cameron had been transported to Charlotte for her
Mark was hurt and disappointed because his father had ignored him his entire life. He always knew that the favorite in the Emory family was the eldest son, Ayden. And why wouldn't he be? He was the son of the woman his father truly loved. Everyone knew that Gerard Emory had married Mark's mother only because she got pregnant; he didn't want to bring shame to his family and create a public scandal.Just as Gerard had once pressured Ayden for a child, Gerard's parents had pressured him to marry again. That's how he ended up marrying Mark's mother. She had been a woman of the night, that's how Gerard met her, in a nightclub, so to speak.While Gerard loved his children, his disdain for Mark had grown in recent years as he realized who his son really was and what he did behind closed doors. He couldn't say anything because exposing him would be a matter of public scandal, so he chose to remain silent. After all, the only one who had always seen the truth about Mark Emory had been Ayden hi
The day of their vacation had arrived. It was exactly one week before Christmas. Arya had booked a trip to the Fiji Islands, a place neither she nor Ayden had ever been to, making it an experience they both looked forward to, especially with their son Aryehn. They would depart early on the first flight of the morning, accompanied by Sebas and Bea, along with Daniel, Cathy, and of course, Robin.News of the vacation had spread, and everyone needed a break after everything that had happened recently. It was well-known that they all needed rest and a change of scenery. When Arya mentioned the vacation, they all decided to join in.Arya had no problem with this; on the contrary, she enjoyed the company of Sebas and Bea, although Cathy wasn't her favorite person. She didn't have anything against her, but there was something about her that didn't sit right with Arya; she seemed fake in some way.John would stay behind to oversee their security abroad, taking their guards with him while leav
Chapter 64 ProposalBefore leaving the hotel, and once they are alone, they draw closer. Ayden had risen to buy her some flowers."It might sound redundant, but you look beautiful," Ayden remarks as he takes Arya's hand. "I hope you don't mind that I brought you flowers. I just wanted...""I love them," she says as she takes them and inhales their scent. "Their fragrance is intoxicating."Arya releases his hand for a moment to place the flowers on the dresser and fill a vase with water to put them in."There you go," Arya points out, leaving them in plain view for everyone in the room. "Thank you so much, they look lovely.""Don't thank me, it's just a gesture," Ayden offers his arm, and she takes it. "Let's go; everyone is waiting for us."Then, everyone leaves the hotel for a tour of the Mamanuca Islands, which can only be reached by boat, thus relieving the stress of transportation planning as everything is organized for them. After being picked up from the hotel on Denarau Island,
Everyone gathered around the table where they would celebrate Christmas dinner. Ayden couldn't help but glance at Robin. Arya had asked him what the detective had told him, but he didn't say anything, choosing not to spoil the moment. "For a new chapter and for new adventures together," Daniel toasted, standing up out of nowhere. "Cheers!" everyone chimed in. The night before, they had dinner together. When they woke up, they had gathered to spend some time together, but that day each couple had planned to spend it alone. Ayden had taken Arya and their son horseback riding. It was a beautiful experience they shared as a family. It was something new for them, and they were enjoying it to the fullest. She noticed he was lost in thought, but she didn't say anything. She waited for him to have the opportunity to tell her. When they arrived at the dinner, her suspicions were confirmed that the detective had told him something about Robin, judging by the way he was behaving around his f