Chapter 51


    I could use her guidance. I bet that she would scold me for thinking like a child. The problem was, I


    considered myself an intelligent person, a genius even in my own field, but when it came to love,


    emotions, and man–woman rtionships, I was way beyond average. Of course, I knew how the biology


    part worked. I could easily tell which hormones were secreted during an orgasm, but there was nothing


    about an emotional switch in the books I had read, and I could really use one right now.


    I sat by Grandma‘s bed, struggling not to whine at my weaknesses. I needed a moment where I could be


    selfish and tell someone how I felt, but I didn‘t want to flood my dearest Grandma with my restless mood.


    As I was about to leave, my phone rang. It was Miranda.


    “Hi, I‘m just calling to tell you that I‘ve got your results. I would say that you are absolutely healthy, but as


    your doctor, I need to show you the numbers anyway. If you could just get here for a coffee, I would


    exin the details.” “All right... then if you don‘t mind, I coulde to your office right now,” I said, doing


    my best to hide the anxiety that filled every inch of me.


    “Honey, are you OK?” I quickly guessed that I didn‘t sound asposed as I wanted to sound. “Aren told


    me that Can attacked you. If you want to talk, then maybe we should go out and grab some dinner?”


    “I slept with Aren,” I blurted out. The other side of the phone went silent for a minute. Then I heard


    Miranda taking a deep breath. “Drinks then?”


    Hesitation


    I ended up meeting with Miranda in an Italian restaurant that she suggested. I texted Aren, informing him


    about it just in case he decided toe home early, but I never got his reply. I assumed that he had a lot


    on his mind, so I ignored the silence and decided to enjoy girl–talk and drinks.


    Còntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    “Let me get this straight... You two cuddled while you slept and then he made you a bath?!” | guessed


    that Miranda had a hard time processing what I‘d told her.


    I nodded, my lips forming an awkward smile. “Yes... I guess he was worried that he had hurt me or


    something...”


    Miranda stared at me, raising one brow. “Are you sure you are still talking about Aren, the sex on–the–


    leg but fucking arrogant–Aren Lan?”


    I released a nervous chuckle. “Well, it‘s hard to mistake him for anyone else, isn‘t it?” She grabbed her


    ss of wine and emptied it before violently putting it back on the table with her hand fisted on the wine


    ss stem. “This is crazy! Girl, I‘m telling you, this guy has never acted that way toward anyone!”


    Shivers went down my spine to tickle my sensitive center. The annoying butterflies in my stomach had all


    woken up to tease me, speeding up my heart rate mercilessly. “Then, what can it mean? Does it mean


    anything at all?” I looked at her, pleading for answers.


    She sighed. “I know that I should be an expert on “Arenology,” but I seriously don‘t know what to tell


    you.”


    “He told me that we would never be in a real rtionship, and I get that, but I feel as if he constantly


    teases me... I mean, if any other guy treated me the way he does, I would be head over heels for him


    already.” I let the sound of frustration leave my throat before drinking what was left in my ss.


    Miranda smiled wryly. “You are fixated on naming everything, aren‘t you? Why don‘t you just enjoy


    whatever it is? Some situations are so unique that we don‘t even have a name for them yet. You are not


    friends with benefits. You don‘t meet up for casual sex. You have a solid connection. You are in his life, in


    its business and private part as well. You are partners, and he cares about you. I think that there are a


    whole lot of so–called real rtionships in this world that don‘t have half of what you have.”


    She was right. I grew up knowing that my Grandmother‘s and my Mother‘s rtionships ended in


    disaster, and I quickly diagnosed the problem as ack of love. In my mind, love was the one thing that


    made the rtionship solid and unbreakable. Childishly, I had never even considered connecting with


    someone without sharing namable emotions. But could I reject or question something I had with Aren


    simply because I didn’t know how to call it? I knew that he wasn‘t going to hurt me and that he was able


    to save my Grandma‘s life. Wouldn‘t it be greedy to ask for more?


    “I know that it‘s stupid, but those things he does... make my heart race,” I admitted.


    “Oh, boy...” She exhaled and smiled at me as if she felt sorry for me “Aren doesn‘t like talling about


    emotions. He never needed them at work, and he practically doesn‘t have a private life, so if anyone was


    to confess to him right now, he would consider it unweed. But this situation with you is new to him,


    and he is not made of stone. I suggest you wait.” She shot me an evil viiness smirk and poured us


    another ss of wine.


    I hated waiting. I wished I could have some answers here and now, but I understood that I wasn‘t left with


    many options. I could either destroy whatever it was with Aren and turn us into strangers living together


    or embrace it... and I had long passed the point where I was able to reject him.


    “Oh... I almost forgot. This is for you.” Miranda handed me a file with my medical documentation as we


    were heading out of the restaurant. “I would say that your health condition is perfect to bear children. And


    speaking of which... here.” She shoved a box of pills into my purse. “Start using it as soon as you can.”


    As we walked outside, I pulled out the box she had just given me. They were birth control pills. I foolishly


    flushed like a nervous teenager. I used them when I was with Can all the time. It was nothing new to


    me. It was the thought of sleeping with Aren regrly that ced heat on my face.


    I came back to the penthouse willing to explore my unique partnership with Aren, but he wasn‘t there. I


    wavered about whether or not I should text him. Would he consider asking him if he wasing home


    as if I was imposing myself on him?


    I didn‘t want to sound desperate. As an oue, I slowly started to go insane. I missed him. I missed his


    touch, his scent, his voice... his everything! Then I began to wonder if he thought about me even once


    during the day he spent at the office. Probably not. I bet he shifted into being a workaholic and blocked


    everything unnecessary for him to make new lucrative business deals. I bet he shoved the memories of


    last night deep into the furthesters of his mind, whereas I shuddered and throbbed at the mere


    thought of him. Why did I even take those birth control pills from Miranda? Perhaps that was it for him–I


    let him taste what he wanted. What if he didn‘t enjoy the vor? God! It was so frustrating! I kept sitting in


    the kitchen like an idiot just so I could look him in the eyes, searching for one magical spark that could


    prove that he still wanted me. Unfortunately, he didn‘te back to the penthouse the whole night...


    A little after five in the morning, I found myself sleeping with my face glued to the kitchen table with a wet


    spot caused by my drooling. That was when I realized I was still alone in this huge apartment. Grumping


    under my breath, I went upstairs to my bedroom to toss and turn in bed for another two hours. I nearly


    screamed when I noticed a text message from Aren.


    It said, “Come to my office, as soon as you can.” Certainly, my stupid hormones took it as a reason to


    celebrate, but my brain showered my heated body in cold water, telling me that the message was a


    hundred percent business rted. Forty–five minutester, I confirmed that my brain was right.


    “There is a contract issue we need to discuss,” Aren announced, closing his office door behind


    1. us.


    I looked at him, trying to find a single hint of desire in his expression. I found nothing.


    2/4


    Heaving an irritated sigh, 1 sat down on the chair in front of his desk.


    “What is it you want to talk about?” I asked, not caring if my annoyance leaked into the tone of my voice


    Aren sat down behind his desk. It surely didn‘t help that he was wearing his perfectly tailored dark grey


    suit with an unbuttoned jacket and a shirt that only emphasized his chiseled chest Luckily, I was too


    upset to fully appreciate how good he looked. He put his elbows on the desk for support and put one


    hand on top of the other while observing me with a poker–face expression.


    “Augustus Winton called me,” he finally said.


    “And?” I crossed my arms over my chest.


    “He has a proposition for us.” Aren leaned back in his chair, his eyes still roaming around to read my


    face.


    “For us?” I raised my eyebrows. “He suggested that our wedding ceremony should be held in the


    Wintons‘ mansion,” he exined.


    Chills ran down my spine. I knew that it could be a perfect opportunity for Aren to get the proof he


    couldn‘t getst time, but the thought of meeting Can there again felt like a kick in the stomach.


    “I had one condition,” Aren continued. “I told him that I would talk to you, and we would make that


    decision together, but we want Can out of the mansion for at least a week before and after the


    ceremony. Augustus agreed right away.”


    “He did?” My eyes widened in surprise. Aren smirked. “He would send him to the Northern Pool for a


    year just to get what I offered in return.”


    I swallowed. “And... what did you offer him?”


    Aren sighed, a faint smile twisting his lips. “An investment in the hotel he‘s trying to build in Connecticut.”


    I exhaled nervously. “How much?” “Eighty.” He shrugged. I nearly choked on air. “Eighty… m–million


    dors?!”


    He nodded.


    I restlessly shifted in my seat. “Is the investment even worth that much?!” “No... but yes,” he said as the


    corner of his mouth curled into a wicked smirk


    I gasped, realizing what he meant. He wasn‘t willing to pay money so that Augustus could start an


    investment. He was going to pay him so that he would lower his guard. I guess, ording to Aren, eighty


    million dors was worth it. I cleared my throat. “If Can is not going to be there, and you will get


    another shot to find


    the evidence you wanted, then I agree.” He grinned. “Thank you.”


    I nodded, a wry smile glued to my face, and stood up. “If that‘s all, then I will go back to my work.”


    “Cora, wait,” he said, scanning my expression. “Something is bothering you. What is it?” I sighed,


    desperately trying to find the right words. “I just... Have I crossed your mind even once while you were at


    work?” I muttered hesitantly.


    “What?” He nced at me, raising his eyebrows as if I had said something amusing.


    I


    My smile turned into a bitter grimace. “Never mind.” I shifted on my heels and headed toward the door.


    “Cora!” He rushed to grab my hand, pulling me to a halt. “Talk to me, beautiful.” I took a deep breath but


    still couldn‘t find the courage to look into his eyes. “It‘s just that... after that night... I can‘t stop thinking


    about you.” “I‘m at work, Cora. I‘m dealing with a crisis here,” he imed curtly. No matter how rational


    his words sounded, my chest squeezed painfully. “I shouldn‘t have mentioned it. I‘m sorry.” I jerked my


    hand away from him and grabbed the door handle, ready to leave. “Close the door.” His sudden


    command made me flinch. Nheless, I decided to ignore him and pulled the door open. “Close the


    fucking door!”


    He didn‘t wait until I obeyed him. A secondter, he mmed the door shut and imed my lips in a


    passionate kiss.