Sydney



What a crazy day! Those were my first thoughts when I entered the manor. Hopefully, the worse was behind me. I had no idea how wrong I was.I'd showered and changed into some comfy payjamas while waiting for Aiden. I was standing on the terrace, taking in the fresh air, when I heard soft, almost silent footsteps behind me, and two large male hands clamped tightly around my shoulders. I smiled as his musky aroma hit my senses. I tried to turn around but found myself held forcefully rooted on the spot, gazing out into the darkness below.

"It's always been a fantasy of mine to take you like this, out here, before the world?" Aiden said, his body gradually nestling me into the cradle of his arms.



"I never would have thought of you as an exhibitionist," I managed to respond.



He answered softly, "Oh it's not that. It's more of a statement of ownership - a declaration to the world that you're mine..."


"You don't have to prove it; I'm yours," I replied.

I could almost sense him grinning.


"Are you……?" his tone was kind of mocking and I wondered if I said something funny?

"You're not convinced?" My tone was just the proper amount of outrage.



"I am not sure what to believe anymore," his voice contained anger and scorn. He went silent for a moment.


"Wait, what?" I said, my pulse pounding in anticipation of something dreadful.



He spun me around and sealed my mouth with his. His kiss was bruising, painful, and arousing all at the same time. His tongue had infiltrated, ensnared, enticed, and touched me. My lips were sucked and captured. His teeth grazed, bit, and possessed me with a greedy voraciousness that made me moan involuntarily. I knew something wasn't right nearly as soon as his lips brushed mine. His kiss felt strange, new, and distinct, and his taste seemed odd as well.
 "Aiden," I said as I detected whisky on his breath.



He pressed his lips to my lips and said, "Hush." Was he drunk?



With a crazed look in his eyes, he abruptly pulled away from me.



"Aiden? What's the matter?" Panting, I inquired.



"Why did you do this?" He rasped.



"Do what?" I asked cautiously, fearing the worst.



"Why did you betray me?"

My eyes popped out wide. His face remained expressionless, but his right hand remained on my left breast, pinching my nipple from above the fabric.

"What...what are you talking about?" I blurted out, my brows furrowed.

He grabbed my arm and hauled me inside, his hold being so tight it ached. He led me into his study and shoved me into his leather chair by him. My heart was racing faster now, pounding against my chest. I couldn't take a breath.

Aiden responded quietly, "I have something to show you."
He knelt over his computer keyboard and started typing quickly. The multi-screen LCD turned on and displayed a picture of a man with long sideburns, a moustache, and a bulbous nose. Nothing made sense to me.



"Who is he? What are you trying to say?" I was lost.

"Don't you know him? Perhaps he would answer you," he replied.


"What exactly do you mean?" Exasperated, I inquired.

With his mouse, he began to digitally remove the man's moustaches, sideburns, and bulbous nose. Mike's face appeared.

"Mike!" I exclaimed, "Mike is wearing a disguise. What exactly does that have to do with me?" I inquired, perplexed.
Until now, I assumed Aiden had found out about me financing Mike half a million dollars and was furious. But this...I couldn't figure out what to make of it.
"Could you please tell me why you gave Mike half a million dollars, and why he sent this to my office?" He took out a gift box from his drawer.

"Was it your intention to elope with my money? Was this something the two of you had planned all along? Are you sure a half-million dollars will suffice for your happily ever after?"

His voice grew louder, and my rage grew as well; he was accusing me of having an affair with Mike? It was ridiculous! Absurd. However, I had to keep my cool and explain everything to him.



"Aiden, it's not like that. Please listen to me. Mike requested a loan from me since he.....needed the money for something. I couldn't refuse him. I apologise for keeping you in the dark, but it's not what you think." I attempted to explain myself.



"Trust?" he scoffed, straightening his back and raking his fingers over his hair. "So why did Mike need half a million dollars?" He asked.

I bit my lower lip. "I...I'm not sure..." I raised my eyes to him ",I asked several times. He didn't want to tell me yet. Aiden, please believe me."

"Maybe to destroy me? You have no idea what's going on?" He indicated the gift box with his finger. "Your Mike delivered this to my office, and the film I just showed you is from the CCTV. You don't know anything about that, do you?" He yelled loudly.

I looked at him like he'd gone insane.

"You can insult me all you want, Aiden, but you have no right to abuse Mike. He is a good man. Much more honourable than you are! At least he didnt manipulate me as you did! And you have no evidence that I am having an affair with Mike. How could you even think like that? And…and what has that gift box got to do with Mike?" I spat back at him.




Aiden retrieved a sheet of paper from the box and hurled it at me. I looked at the paper, which had the words YOU WILL DIE printed in huge strong letters next to a picture of Aiden and his grandfather.

Something inside of me exploded. Was Mike attempting to save me from Aiden, assuming that he was abusing me? He never asked me to run away with him. No! Why would Mike do something like that? But why would Aiden say that Mike delivered the package? Mike was in the video. It couldn't be denied. He had been acting very strangely of late. I was still brooding over these thoughts when Aiden interrupted me.


"You want proof of your affair?" He snapped angrily. "I will show you proof, and much more. You are not just cheating on me, you are planning to destroy me along with your boyfriend." He said through gritted teeth.

I gave him a puzzled look.



"You've been seeing a gynaecologist for your 'problem' for a few months now. Isn't it true that she placed you on birth control pills? Is it because of your health or because you don't want to have a child? Do you truly despise me?"



I looked at him appalled. " Aiden, this is ridiculous! You can confirm with the doctor why she put me on pills, and.....and it's my body. It's my decision when or with whom I want to have a baby! How can you accuse me of something so absurd?" My anger was rising.

"Fair enough," he smirked, "how about these?" He dug back into the drawer and pulled out a few photos of Mike and me in the park, at dinner, and in a coffee shop. He tossed them in front of me once more.
I took one look at the picture and flared up again. This was getting beyond ridiculous! A few pictures and he was already accusing me of having an affair with Mike when he already knew that I met Mike sometimes. We were friends. It didn't prove anything, but I was not going to argue about that.

"You had me followed? So you've never trusted me? You feared I'd do something behind your back, didn't you?" Incredulous, I shook my head. My eyes sting with tears. I've had enough of his insanity.



"I am done with this nonsense, you are drunk and stressed. We'll talk when you are sober." I got up and started to leave.


He snatched my hand and slammed my body against his. "Do not walk away from me yet; I am not finished." His tone was filled with hatred.

I warned Aiden, "Let me go."
His grip became tighter. I felt like I was about to explode with rage. He gave me a cold stare and moved closer to me, as if he was about to kiss me. I'm not sure what happened to me. I raised my right hand and slapped him hard on his left cheek. He let go of me right away and slowly turned his head to look at me again. His rage was visible in his eyes.



"Don't you dare touch me again!" I said through clenched teeth.