Chapter 16

" I guess it's time to tell you about my family." Ari said. I looked at her and shook my head ,"No , Ari. You don't have to ."

Ari looked at me and gave me a small smile,"No I want to." I sighed and nodded my head.

"My family and I were a normal family. My mom is successful lawyer , and my dad was a successful businessman who would travel all around the world . " Ari said and took another bite of her ice cream.

"My mom got pregnant with me soon after she and dad for marries. Apparently they were delighted .4 years after I was born my sister, Bailey, was born. I was so excited to finally have a sister and so were my parents." she said with a sad smile.I held her hand and squeezed it .

"Our family was very successful and happy. To tell you the truth I didn't care much for the money I was just happy to have my parents and sister. But that didn't last." she said disappointed.

"My dad's business lost a lot of money and with that he became depressed and started drinking . At first we didn't notice it because he was very good at hiding it, but we finally figured everything when the police came to our house for theft." Ari said with anger in her voice. I stayed quiet and let her continue.

Ari took a sip of water from her bottle of water and continued talking. " We were surprised , we didn't know anything was up. Heck my mom even defended him when the police told us why they arrested him. She never thought he was capable of stealing . " she continued. She looked like she was about to cry and I felt so bad but I knew that she needed to get it of her chest so I stayed silent.

"But when my mom went to to see my dad at the police station he confessed to everything . My mom looked so betrayed but she was willing to help him until he dropped another bomb on her. He was cheating on her. " Ari said and a tear dropped from her eye , "It's okay , you don't have to continue." I said because she was hurting too much . Ari shook her head and took a deep breath.

"No I have to continue." she said. I sighed and nodded my head. "My mom felt betrayed. She was a great wife and mom , she didn't deserve that." She said.

"My mom left him at the police station and filed for divorce and sole custody of me and Bailey. The divorce didn't take long and judge awarded my mom sole custody because my dad was going to prison for a long time. " Ari said.

"My mom was broken but she stayed strong fro me and Bailey . Bailey and I were destroyed because of our dad's infidelity , but our mom was there for us whenever we needed her. It took a while but all of us are happy again." Ari said with a smile.

"Anyways , my mom was able to keep all of this a secret because we live in a part of town that is away from other people. My home is actually a farm. " she laughed.

"But Caden's family , the Jone's , knew. Caden's dad , Jackson,used to be my dad's closest business partner and when he knew what my dad did, he severed all ties to us and my dad's company.He was going to tell everyone but my mom threatened him , that if people knew what my dad did, all of business men and woman here in town will accuse him of stealing too since he was my dad partner . That shut him up quickly. " Ari said with a humorless chuckle.

"Now you're wondering why am I telling you this now? " she asked but didn't wait for me to answer. "You see , me and Caden were dating long before all of this happened but as I told you before, Caden broke up with me suddenly last spring. " Ari said. "I was heartbroken , I asked him to give me a reason but he didn't he told me to leave him alone. After that betrayal ,the second one in a span of 5 months , I was broken , I didn't know what to do. But with the help of Adam and my mom and Bailey I went back to the person I used to be. Happy and strong , a little bit crazy sometimes , but happy." She said with a smile. She finished her ice cream as did I and she continued talking.

" Today at the party I arrived a bit after you did, so I went ahead and headed to the where the drinks were. I took one drink and as I was about to start drinking it , Caden took it from me. I snapped at him and told him to leave me alone. But he didn't listen to me and dragged me outside . I tried to get him off me , but he was much more stronger than me." Ari said with a glare that wasn't directed at me.

"I yelled at him to leave me alone , but he didn't and he told me why he broke up with me. " she said, "Apparently , his parents made him break p with me, he didn't want to. But they threatened him and said if he didn't they will tell everyone about my dad. Caden told them that they wouldn't dare, but they said that they would. Caden apparently didn't want to get bullied and that is why he broke up with me. " she said, I looked at her with a loss of words. I didn't know what to say .

"I told him that I didn't believe him and that even if that was true he should have told me and we would have figured something out. He begged me to forgive him, to give him another chance . But I didn't want to do that. I hated him for breaking up with me like that. And that is when you and Alec came." Ari finished.

"So , what do you think?" Ari said with a sad smile. I stayed silent for a second before speaking"I think you're a strong young woman and I'm sure that you can fight anything that comes your way." Ari smiled at me then said" I sense a but coming.."

"I can see that Caden has brought you so much pain, but you don't hate him as a person, you hate how he broke up with you. " I said , Ari tried to protest but she couldn't say anything.

"You don't have to forget what he did but I think you should forgive him. Not for him but for you." I said then got out of my seat, "Listen just think about it for now, okay?" I told her. She nodded and got up, " Good, let me drive you to your house, okay?" I said , she nodded and we went to her car.

.............

We reached Ari's house after me getting lost multiple times. I parked in front of her house, "Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow ?" I said, Ari nodded ," I'll see you tomorrow. Can you come over in the morning , I can give you back the clothes that I borrowed tonight and I can introduce you to mom and Bailey. Okay?" she said, I nodded" Sure , I'll ask my aunt and tell you ." she nodded.

Both of us got out and I ordered an uber. While we were int he car Ari tried to let her drive but I refused. Ari waited with me until the uber arrived , once it arrived we said our goodbyes and I got in the uber and went home..