GOLDEN EMPIRE
VICE CEO'S OFFICE
"I knew you'd come running the moment you saw the news" Claris said as she poured a drink for herself.
As soon as Ashton saw the news, and Ariana walked away from him.....again,he came back to the company, to see Claris.
"Isn't this scene nice, after you appointed me the Vice CEO,you hadn't even stepped in my office once....but now you're here...cheers to that" Claris added, sipping her drink from the glass.
"Why did you do it?"Ashton coldly asked.
"Ashton, I had to do it, I only told them the truth.....we are engaged"Claris replied, but her answer only made Ashton more furious than he already was.
"Is this some kind of sick joke to you Claris, what gave you the right to do that"Ashton said....anger evident in his voice.
"The world would soon find out about it, it won't be long before we get married Ashton....it was about the right time" Claris replied head on.
"I'm taking this engagement seriously... between the both of us, I should be asking you that question because you're busy chasing after some other woman"Claris added.
And she was right, he was the one who took this as some kind of joke. He was so focused on Ariana and his work more than anything else.
"You know that I was forced into this engagement, I don't love you Claris, and I'll never love you...."Ashton said.
"Well...I know it, I know you're madly in love with someone else, just like I am with you....as long as you don't give up on her, I'll never give up either.... you're stuck with me, whether you like it or not"Claris replied... staring directly into his eyes.
The look of a woman in love, ready to do anything for the man she wants to have.
Claris!
She knew very well that Ashton would never give up on Ariana no matter what she did.....but she wouldn't give up on him either....and Ashton couldn't do anything about it.
As the saying goes, everything is fair in love and war..
Nothing was going to change Claris' mind.
He simply stormed out of her office, just being with her in the same room made him almost run mad, now what about spending the rest of his life with her.
Wouldn't he just die in that loveless marriage?
Claris almost lost it too, she'd put everything at stake for Ashton, but he still chose to walk away from her.....
Her motive behind it all was to make Ariana leave Ashton's side, but it wasn't going to be as easy as she thought.
In his heart, there was place for only one person....but Claris wasn't done yet.
~~~~~~~~~~
CONSTRUCTION SITE
"Oh, ma'am Ariana?What a surprise! The boss didn't tell us that you'd be the one sightseeing the construction today"Mr Soe.... one of the engineers present said, as soon as he saw her.
How could Ashton inform them....if he didn't have any knowledge about Ariana visiting the construction site.
"He's busy,Mr Soe" Ariana simply replied.
Trying to get her mind off everything and avoid Ashton for a while.....and let her emotions cool down.
"Let's just keep our relationship professional and forget everything that has happened between us these past days"
Clearly, telling Ashton those words and then walking away, leaving no trace.... wasn't such a good idea.
Ariana herself couldn't forget all the intimate moments they shared more than once...and yet she was advising him to forget!
The public announcement of Ashton's engagement wasn't going well for her.
Once the Sky Core project was midway, she'd gladly hand it over and leave Golden Empire, leave Ashton Kaur for good.
"We heard about his engagement, many congratulations from all of us here, and wish him all the happiness" Mr Soe said.
Ofcourse, it was breaking news after all
"Please extend our wishes to him, since it's you who's always close to him" he added.
"Mr Soe, he'd really appreciate if you said those words to him in person....I won't always be close to him and by his side" Ariana replied.
She'd come to the site, hoping that she'd get some peace of mind....but she was wrong, every place reminded her about what she was trying to forget.
"Please let's just talk about business" she added...before her phone rang.
"Just a moment Mr Soe"
Lexie was calling.
"Hey Ari, I saw the news....I'm really sorry that I won't be there with you..."Lexie said from the other line of the phone as soon as she picked up.
"What do you mean you won't be here?" Ariana asked confused.
"I just filed for a leave, my replacement is already at the office, I'll be out of town for a few weeks"Lexie replied.
"I'm already at the airport by the way"
"What? Lexie, you can't leave me all alone when I really need you the most" Ariana felt her world collapse.
Who else would be her shoulder to cry on if not for Lexie...
"I'm really sorry Ari, but my mom got into an accident and she'll be hospitalized....my dad needs all the help he can get right now, and there's Leni too" Lexie explained her situation.
She had her own problems to deal with than be Ariana's pillow to cry on.
"Alright Lexie, just call me if you need anything...and take care of yourself" Ariana sadly replied.
"Take care of yourself too and our precious apartment, you know it's all we've got" Lexie finalized as well before she hang up.
"Let's continue Mr Soe"
MEANWHILE
ASHTON'S OFFICE
"Is this how you make an Expresso!! Who even brought you here....get out of my sight!"Ashton lashed out at his replacement secretary.
He was furious at everything and everyone who came in front of him....even the innocent ones.
"I'm so sorry sir....I'll make another one" the secretary humbly apologized.
"Just leave already!"he replied coldly.
He was furious but still kept his composure...and cold demeanor.
"Mr Kaur, someone's here to see you"Tobe informed through the intercom.
"Who is it?" He asked.
"Dr James from the City Hospital" Tobe replied.
Dr James
The name rang a bell....he knew this person very well.
He was expecting him.
"Let him in" he said before ending the intercom.
"Ashton Kaur....long time no see" Dr James said as he entered through his office doors.
"It's barely been a month, don't get too full of yourself" Ashton blankly replied.
"I knew you'd be happy to see me!" James said as he sat himself in the chair opposite his.
The past four years, Dr James was there like his shoulder to lean on, a brother he never had...a best friend....just as they were back in highschool and college.
The two compass hunks...leaving the carefree life of luxury.
Four years later, one is a good looking billionaire CEO and the other, a charming billionaire doctor.
If anyone knew Ashton inside and out, aside from Ariana....it was this man, Dr James.
"Did you bring what I asked you to?" Ashton asked.
"Ofcourse I did....I haven't heard from you for the past weeks.....about your condition...and the news that welcomes me...Claris publicly announced your fake engagement"James replied.
Only James understood Ashton's situation....
He really suffered over the years, anxiety and depression after Ariana left his life. James was his doctor, secretly prescribing his medication for his anxiety and depression to help him get better.....or else, he'd have died long ago in those four years.
"I haven't been taking the pills these past weeks....I didn't need them....but after today, I'm going to need them more than I thought" Ashton said.
"It's over between us"
"I don't love you anymore"
The more those words kept ringing in his head, the more his condition became worse.
"Ashton wait, what's the reason you weren't taking them? Did you see Ariana again?" James asked... curious to find out.
One of his fields of expertise was psychology.
"Yes, I've been seeing her, I've kept her so close.... we've slept together more than once and made out more times than I can count" Ashton blankly replied.
"That's indeed a lot"James least expected that.
"And now she wants to leave me again, just like that....the reason for my emotional downfall will always be her"He added.
"Claris isn't taking it easy on me either....James, I'll lose it completely if I don't take those pills again"
"Ashton, does Ariana even know how you're suffering?" James asked calmly.... trying to digest everything that he'd just told him.
"She wouldn't care, she doesn't care about me! anymore....James, just give me the pills I asked you to bring" Ashton replied before James took them out.
"But remember, one pill at a time, don't overdo it, or you will actually lose your mind" James said, sliding the small box over the table to his side.
"You can now leave"Ashton said, his voice colder than usual.
"Is that how you'll thank me for coming all this way for you"James complained.
"What do you want, a parade in your honour!"Ashton replied, he was clearly mocking him like he always did.
"As if this Domineering CEO would do that"James said.
"And besides, I came all this way to meet that cute girl, you're so obsessed with again...I won't let this chance slip by"he added.
"Suit yourself" Ashton didn't pay attention to him anymore, he simply stood up and walked away.
~~~~~~~~~
After taking his anxiety and depression pills, Ashton was more calm and defined.
He,James and Tobe even had lunch at the company cafeteria....for the first time, he made an appearance.
Even the employees who just heard rumors about him without actually seeing him got to see how hot he was in person.
"You're doing great CEO Ashton" James teased him.....but the death glare he gave him said it all.
If this was his only way to get over the depression of losing Ariana countless times, he'd gladly do it.
He spent the rest of his office hours complying with what James was advising him to do.
Still no phone call or even a text from her, she'd even blocked his number.
And she didn't even show up at the office, the only option he had left was to look for her himself.... ignoring his condition.
~~~~~~~
LATER THAT EVENING
"Yes Lexie, I promise I'll lock all the doors....just take care of your family" Ariana spoke on the phone as she took out the keys from her bag to open her apartment's door.
But she noticed that the door was already open before she could put the key.
"I'll call you back Lexie" she said before she hung up.
She could hear noises of things breaking inside.
She rushed inside to see who the was inside and it was some three men, unknown to her.
They'd messed up the entire place....and it reaked of gasoline.
"You're finally home beautiful, we were waiting for you"one of them said.
"Who are you people? What do you want from me?" Ariana scared asked.
The way they looked at her.... disgusting...like they wanted to assault her.
"Isn't she the one who had our friend crazy about her?" Another one asked, as they encircled her.
"I mean who wouldn't, look at her she's like a goddess!" another replied.
Ariana tried to run away but they grabbed her.
"Please let me go!" Ariana desperately tried to beg, trying to fight them off....but they had her pinned down.
This scene was familiar to her, it had happened to her before.... they wanted to sexually assault her
"Don't struggle too much, it'll soon be over before you know it"they started reaping the clothes off her body.
In her moment of sadness she thought about only one person...the person she would miss if she ever died in there.
Ashton
Ashton and James who'd just arrived outside could hear her screams...and Ashton didn't think twice about rushing in to save her....again.
"Let go of her you creeps!"He thrushed them one by one....all by himself.
The men were too old to engage in such kinds of acts.
"Ashton, you'll kill them that's enough" James was the one who stepped in and stopped him.
If things involved Ariana, he couldn't think straight.
His eyes landed on Ariana who was still crawled up on the ground. He knelt down next to her.
It pained him seeing her like that.
These incidents left scars....
Scars from an assault.....and this wasn't the first time.
"Ariana"He took his coat and draped it over her shoulders.
"You came" she softly replied.... wrapping her arms around him tears falling uncontrollably from her eyes.
"It's okay, I'm here" Ashton whispered.
No matter how many times she pushed him away, he wouldn't hesitate to save her.
One of the brutally beaten men slowly took out a lighter from his pocket... without them noticing.
"If we won't have her, we can all die right here" he used his last strength to throw the lighter onto the gasoline.
Within just minutes, the whole apartment burst into flames....burning everything inside.