Aidan's Point of View
I didn't know why I had the urge to be close to her and question her so that she couldn't avoid me. I wouldn't let go if she didn't give me a valid answer.
'Why are you asking her this? You are nothing but a family friend. You have never been in contact for the past ten years.' The voice in my head warned me.
"Behave!" She tried to push me away, but what can a tiny Raven do to me? I didn't even budge an inch. I could see frustration taking over her calm face. That's good. At least she was affected by me.
"Answer me." I insisted firmly.
Her eyes turned red, as she raised her head and looked at me. Tears glistened her eyes, and she spoke, "You are bullying me."
"Yes, I am. I won't let you go unless you answer me." I smirked.
She took a deep breath and asked, "Are you sick? Why are you acting like this? We haven't met for a decade, and you want to suddenly know who you are to me? Aidan. Be real. You didn't remember my name, let alone recognize me."
"Yes, I am sick. Let's not talk about me. Richard, you must have known him for a long time. Tell me, What is your relationship with him?" I pressed her against the table, and she bent backwards to avoid touching my skin.
She scoffed and said, "Didn't you answer that yourself a while ago?"
Rage rushed to my brain, and my blood started boiling, "I don't believe it. You used to say you didn't like the concept of dating."
All of a sudden, her smile vanished, and a grimace spread across her face, she glared into my eyes, swallowed her saliva and said, "I used to say a lot of things."
Her voice carried a strange bitterness; I was taken aback by her hateful gaze and lost myself for a short moment, and she took the opportunity to remove one hand of mind to make way for herself, "Aidan." She completed her words.
I snapped back, and my head was again filled with rage. She just admitted to her relationship with that bastard. Why do I care? Why am I anxious? I had no answers.
I couldn't breathe in the same air as her; it disgusted me. I left immediately, leaving her behind in the hotel room. I made my way down the avenue.
"You are here too?" A voice interrupted me as soon as I entered the hall.
I turned to see who it was, but then my eyes blasted. That face. I can't forget, no matter what. It keeps playing and replaying in my head. "Richard?" I tried to force myself to smile as Uncle Rowan approached us, patting his back. "You have met my son before?" He asked.
"Your son?" I smiled, like a crazy dog whose brain fell on its way.
"Yes, Richard studies at L city's university. He is in the literature department." Uncle Rowan introduced. Rowan, a big name in L city. He was the chairman of KK Entertainment. My father had invested in some of his giant projects.
"Hello, Aidan." Richard's sinister smile said it all: he was safe under his father's wing, and he knew I wouldn't hit him in front of so many elite people. He was teasing me.
"Why are you here?" I asked. I remember he left for college like a crybaby.
"I want to introduce him to today's event." Uncle Rowan said and left as he was called away by Uncle Jay, a close friend of my father.
"I thought it would be Raven's birthday party when I saw her father here, but it turns out it's a boring event for elders." Richard clasped his hand and ran around.
"I didn't know about this." I straightened my suit and replied. My hands were itching to strangle him to death. I don't understand why I am being possessive of someone I don't even know properly.
"So, you brought Raven here? I don't see her." He spoke, his eyes searching for her. I want to take his eyeballs out and play marbles. But, a good thing, I learned that he doesn't know she took the bus. Well, I did accompany her.
"I don't know; she was with me in the hotel room earlier; she said she would join me in five minutes. It's been an hour." I casually spoke, checked the time on my watch and glanced at his stunned expression. Mission complete! He will surely ask her about me. She will think of me by then.
I was smiling all by myself when I heard her voice say, "Richard?" She ignored me and walked straight to him, completely surprised. "Why are you here?" She looked genuinely happy to see her boyfriend. A sharp needle ran through my blood.
She was dressed in a white dress that had a Chinese painting at its border; she wore a matching scarf and held a tiny purse. She didn't have those things when I was with her. How did she shop so quickly and get ready? I checked her cheeks; the wound was covered with makeup. Her bun was adorned with white pearls.
Who can say she was just a regular college student an hour ago, and now she appears to be the heiress of the Rain Family? I bit my lips and left them talking, but I could hear them behind me.
"You know my father; he always wanted to introduce me to the business circle. So today is the day, you can say." He flipped his hair back and said, I hated that smile of his.
"Is that so? My father is here too. How about we introduce them?" She spoke eagerly.
"I don't think that would be needed; look there; they are already talking. See, my father is calling me; let's go." He said so, and she followed him.
I didn't want to miss the chance to hear what Uncle William and Uncle Rowan would talk about, so I dragged my father there as well. But I was a step late; they were already laughing and she was giggling at some joke that Richard made.
"Ayee…Brother Edward, here, meet my son, Richard. I just found out that William's daughter is at the same university as he is. Not only that, they are good partners. Recently, she has been writing a play that my son would direct. I am excited to watch their masterpiece." Uncle Rowan laughed and said,.
My father laughed too, but Uncle William didn't look happy; he was just forcing a bitter smile as his eyes glared at Raven. She appeared to be a little embarrassed. Why? Does she think her boyfriend won't get her father's approval? Huh?
However, I noticed Uncle Jay's eyes going back and forth from Raven to Richard. He gaped his lips with a curvy smile and said, "Look, Brother Rowan, William's daughter and your son appear to be a match made in heaven. They look so perfect together."
The smile on Uncle Rowan's face disappeared for a short moment as he paused to observe the two youngsters and then looked at Uncle William's grimaced face. He then burst out laughing and said, "You are right, Jay. What do you say, William?"
"Huh?" Uncle William lost his ability to think and turned to my father, who had the same expression. It was weird. I almost forgot how my heart dropped when I heard his words.
"See, this is their last year in college; as soon as my son graduates, he will take over the business. I think they would be a perfect match, as Jay said." Uncle Rowan said, sounding serious.
My eyes fell on Raven. Her cheeks were red; she was acting shy. What a double-faced woman she is. It must be her; she must have called this bastard and asked him to come here and talk of marriage before her shenanigans were exposed.
"Umm, actually, she is." My father mumbled. I couldn't rely on him to speak up for this unfairness. I don't know how I got the courage. I grabbed her hand and said, "Excuse me, Raven and I have to go shopping. Uncle William, our family is coming to L city tomorrow, right? I need to buy something for them."
I gambled; I didn't know if Uncle William would play along with me. Seeing his unpleasant expression, I guessed he didn't like Richard at all. I had overheard him talking to my father earlier about two families coming here for the private event tomorrow.
"Go ahead." As soon as the words escaped his lips, I rushed out, ignoring her furious gaze. She silently pinched me so I would let go of her, but I didn't. She had underestimated me.
I took her out of the venue, barged to the emergency exit, and threw her against the wall in such a way that she stumbled slightly but didn't get hurt.
"Do you know what you just did?" She questioned me angrily.
"Destroyed your plan of disguising your love as an arranged marriage." The corner of my lips lifted.
"Aidan, what is wrong with you?" She looked extremely frustrated as she tried to leave.
"Yes, Raven. Tell me what's wrong with me." I asked her, grabbing her hand again and pinning her against the wall. I twisted it slightly and she groaned in pain. "Aidan, you are hurting me."
"Say that again."
"You are hurting me."
"My name?"
"Aidan, dammit, you are hurting me; let go."
"Strange, I don't want to let go. Your voice of pain comforts me."
"Aidan, somebody will mistake us for something weird. You are tarnishing my reputation."
"Why don't you be explicit? Say that people will think we are making out."
Blood came down to her eyes; she tried to push me away, but I got closer. "What will happen at most? I will marry you and shut their mouths."
"Nonsense! You are a psycho. Let go of me. Why are you behaving like this? You and I never had anything with each other. Why must you act like I am some lost treasure that you own?"
"Exactly. The moment I knew it was you, I felt like you belonged to me, and just to me and nobody else. That explains why I am so restless to think you are in a relationship with that bastard."
"He and I..." She opened her mouth to speak but I placed my hand on her lips.
"Him and you, tell me, what stage of relationship are you at? Did he hold your hand?" I lifted her hand, saying that she had been struggling under me.
"Did he hug you?" I grew closer, leaving an inch of distance between us. Her eyes grew wider and wider as I continued to ask, "Did he kiss you?" My pupils trembled with rage; even the thought of it made me go crazy. But I gathered myself and asked further. I wanted to know everything. "Did you sleep together?" Before I could finish my words, I didn't know she had that strength, or I might have loosened my grip so much that she pushed me away.
She was so strong that I almost hit the wall. Her eyes were numb and red; she must feel exposed now that I remind her of those vulnerable moments.
"Aidan, you are a monster." She growled, "How dare you accuse me of such lowly acts?"
"If you so strongly believe that I am in a relationship with Richard, why are you forcing me? Why are you acting like you really care about me? Why do you act like you love me? I know you just have a strange obsession with me; it's just your momentary rush of hormones. Stay away from me and you will get over it." She ran down to the next floor and slammed the door behind her, leaving me in utter disbelief.
It was as if she woke me up from some curse.
"She must be right. It might be a momentary obsession." I said to myself and sat down on one of the stairs to reflect on what I had done.