Chapter 2: Substitute For His Mistress
The following morning, Dalia woke up early to get Ariana ready, she had heard the cruel things the other maids planned to do now that she couldn't fight back.
She dressed the young madam in a long flowery red gown and did a simple makeup which made her skin more radiant.
Dalia pushed Ariana's wheelchair into the dining room for breakfast but stopped when they noticed the presence of Charles.
He was seated across the room with his legs folded, a teacup in one hand and a newspaper in the other, he looked like a model that belonged in a magazine cover.
His dark brown hair was trimmed on the sides but long and full on top which gave him a sharp look highlighting his jawline and unique gray eyes.
He wore a finely tailored blue suit with some black pants handmade for his long straight legs and a white shirt that hugged his chest and biceps tightly, his thin lips were turned down in a frown from the news.
"Let's go."Ariana tugged at Dalia's hand but her tiny voice traveled to the man's ear.
"Stop." Charles commanded, looking up from the newspaper. "I invited some police officers over, they'll be here soon so do well to tell them all you remember."
Ariana frowned in confusion and curiosity "Police officers? For what?"
His brows furrowed in annoyance, a tight knot forming between his eyes, was this woman serious? "What do you mean for what? Don't you want to know who did this to you?"
Her eyes deemed once again, she looked like a child waiting patiently for a lollipop. "What happened to me? Do you mean how you and your mistress stole my child from me?"
"Stop spewing nonsense, woman." A cold glint shone in his gray eyes, this woman was playing games in such a trivial situation.
"Oh I forgot, the truth is bitter but it is true, you and your mistress stole my child from me." Ariana nodded as if recalling the events that had happened.
Anyone watching the scene from far away would believe the woman had finally gone insane from her one-sided love.
"Neither I nor Sarah had an involvement in your kidnapping Ariana." Charles gritted his teeth in anger. "Who knows whether the child was mine to begin with?"
He regretted his choice of words as soon as they came out, Ariana's face contorted into a pained expression, and she bit on her lower lips to suppress the pain in her heart.
It was one thing for him to still care about his mistress while she was going through the pain of being kidnapped and beaten to a pulp till she lost their child but it was another for this man, her husband, to accuse her of adultery.
"Let's go, Dalia." She repeated once again, her face turning pale.
Ariana's eyes welled up with unshed tears, her heart felt like it had been ripped open and Dalia seemed to have read her mind because she escorted her to the garden.
After Charles and Ariana's arranged marriage, she started planting and blooming various flowers in the withered garden.
She worked hard in the garden, spending most of her time there to make for the times Charles wasn't around. Now that she thought about it, their marriage was filled with more of Charles' absence.
She had to learn to be a submissive wife and stopped complaining about Sarah months into their marriage thinking it would make him come home more frequently but he never did.
His side of the bed had remained empty for so long, that she had grown weary to the warmth of having someone else's comfort.
"Dalia, Where did I go wrong?"She asked, gazing at the red roses, a symbol of the love which she lacked in her life.
Dalia sighed "Ariana you did nothing wrong, he was undeserving of your love."
"I know." She nodded, her lips quirked up into a bitter smile. "It's best if a tale of underserved love ends with revenge."
She had hidden her true identity for long and let herself be walked upon all in the name of love but not anymore.
Cole Corporation
Charles groaned in frustration, he couldn't get the little lady out of his mind.
It was as if her sullen expression had been engraved into his heart and he kept waving it off as pity but now it was getting on his nerves.
He glanced down at the pile of documents in front of him and his phone rang at that moment.
His gaze darkened as he answered the call. His frown started to dissipate and the pounding in his heart somewhat faded away.
"Charles Cole." The woman's soft gentle voice reverberated and strangely calmed the raging storm in his heart.
He felt somewhat good that things were now back to normal and his lips curled up into a subtle smile. "Hello? Are you there?"
"Yes, I am listening."
"I have a proposal."
His brows knitted in confusion, she wasn't calling to apologize. "Go ahead."
"I want a divorce but before the divorce I want us to spend a few months together." Ariana pursed her lips waiting for a response but got nothing except shallow breaths.
"Can you hear me, Charles Cole?"
"Yes I did, What nonsense are you saying woman?"
"You heard me loud and clear, for a few months I want you to treat me as your legal wife." Ariana frowned, recalling she was his legal wife by law yet she was treated worse than the maids in the Cole mansion.
"I want you to treat me the same way you treat Sarah." She paused, her voice weak that if the phone wasn't pressed to his ear, he wouldn't have heard her next words.
"I might sound desperate but trust me after a few months I'll be gone and you'll finally be with her."
"Are you sure about that?" Charles smirked lightly knowing it was another one of the woman's schemes to get him home.
"Yes, we can sign a contract if that makes you feel any better."
"I'll pick you up by 9, be ready." That was the last thing Charles said before clicking red.
Ariana gaped at the phone in disbelief, this man had truly agreed, she had thought he would refuse and force her to get a divorce in the bureau the next morning but her plans took an unexpected turn.
Her heart ached lightly, all she needed all along was to agree to leave his life.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone