CHAPTER 70
ADAM’S POV
I am sitting in my office when my assistant bursts in with such urgency that I turn my head in astonishment. He doesn’t even bother knocking.
“Boss! Did you hear this? Aria is being disgraced online.”
He tells me that a photo of Regis and Aria having dinner at restaurant has gone viral and that this is why we have been divorced. Moreover, the rumors speak about Neal Jackson and Aria’s link up. My blood boils as he narrates everything to me. He even tells me that reporters have reached Jackson Paragon to pester Neal and Aria.
I can imagine what Aria is going through.
“Who’s spreading those kind of rumors?”
Assuming he will leave to investigate, I direct my gaze back to the documents. However, he leaves me baffled. when he reveals that Eva and my mother are the ones behind the rumors. I did ask them to retrieve Grandpa’s antique piece, but not in this manner—not by hurting Aria.
I’ve hurt Aria too many times already, and now they are both adding salt to her wounds. Guilt washes over me as I realize how deeply she must be suffering. I can’t let this continue. I need to do something about it, to make things right and stop this cycle of pain.
“Can you handle this matter for me?”
“Actually, someone from Neal Jackson is taking care of this matter.”
Here we go again. Every time I muster the courage to be her knight in shining armor, someone else swoops in, stealing the chance to make things right. How I ache to be by her side at this moment, to offer comfort and reassurance. But the thought that she might come to despise me, knowing my own family had a hand in these hurtful rumors, fills me with a profound sense of helplessness and despair.
“Okay. Keep me updated.”
I uttered the words to my assistant, watching him depart, leaving me enveloped in a whirlwind of conflicting
emotions.
Aria’s presence lingered in my thoughts, a mix of concern and longing tugging at my heartstrings. Part of me yearns to reach out, to offer solace and support, but another part holds back, paralyzed by the fear of rejection and the weight of guilt for the role my family has played in her suffering.
The internal battle raged on, leaving me torn and unsure of the right course of action.
Right then, just as I’m grappling with my own inner turmoil, Sophia’s call interrupts, injecting another wave of frustration and annoyance into the mix. It’s like a sharp jab to my already tender emotions, intensifying the chaos swirling within me.
Sophia’s upset tone grates on my nerves as she once again presses for us to hasten our wedding plans. It’s baffling to me because I never made any commitments to her, nor do I understand where she’s getting this idea of us being together. Her insistence only adds to my mounting frustration and confusion.
The mere possibility that she might be carrying my child doesn’t sway my resolve. Despite the potential consequences, I can’t allow myself to be pressured into a commitment I’m not ready for, especially under these circumstances.
Amidst it all, a stubborn determination to stand firm in my convictions emerges, fueled by a mix o.
ar,
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CHAPTER 70
uncertainty, and a deep–seated need to protect myself and thy future because I can only imagine Aria with me in the future, not anyone else
“Adam… Uhm… I saw Aria going viral online and I don’t want to end up like her.”
Sophia continues to rattle off a long list of reasons why we should get married as soon as possible. Her voice is relentless, and I can barely keep up with her rapid–fire justifications. I find myself wondering, since when did she care so much about societal expectations? It’s baffling, and her sudden urgency only adds to my confusion and frustration.
Sophia is not my priority and never will be. The weight of everything else is already crushing me, and her demands only add to the burden. Yes, if the child in her womb is mine, I will step up and fulfill my responsibilities.
But right now, I feel overwhelmed, and I need Sophia to back off. Her relentless pressure feels like a vice tightening around my chest, and I desperately need space to breathe, to think, to deal with the chaos that already
consumes me. 1
