Flew Again

The morning sun streamed through the curtains, bathing the room in a golden glow, their whitish skin brightened. Arianna lay tangled in the sheets, a soft smile on her lips as she dreamed of a perfect moment.Hey, stop that, she murmured in her dream. She was holding little Lucia, her laughter filling the air as Arianna hugged her tightly and peppered her face with kisses. The joy felt so real, so warm. the sound of laughter faded as a strong hand pulled her out of her dream. 

But reality had a cruel way of interrupting dreams. Slowly, Arianna opened her eyes, unaware of the warmth beside her, the rhythmic rise and fall of a chest beneath her hand. Her eyes fluttered open, and her dream shattered. She wasn't holding little Lucia. She was wrapped around the stranger.

Her lips were pressed lightly against his neck, and her arms were snug around him, as though her dream had bled into reality. Aaaaah,,,, she screamed as reality dawned on her. She froze, her heart pounding. This is so embarrassing. Before she could pull away, Ethan stirred, his amused chuckle breaking the silence.

"Good morning, my kitten," he said, his voice low and teasing. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he looked at her. "Had enough, or do you want us to continue?" Ethan smirked, using his hand to remove a strand of hair on her face.

Arianna jerked back as if his hand had burned her, her face flaming. "This… this was a mistake!" she stammered, scrambling out of bed, putting some distance between them.

"A mistake?" Ethan smirked, leaning back against the pillows; his smirk deepened with a dangerous glare on his face.

"This same mistake happened twice now. Do you know that?

one can be a mistake, but twice can never be so kind that in mind.

Her eyes widened. "That's not true! It shouldn't have happened at all!"

Ethan's smile faded, replaced with a serious expression. "Do you even hear yourself? What you're saying, kitten? You've used me twice now, Arianna. You have to take responsibility."

His tone was low but firm, leaving no room for argument.

Arianna opened her mouth to respond, but the buzz of her phone on the bedside table interrupted her. Grateful for the distraction, she grabbed it. A familiar name popped up on the screen—it was a video call from her niece, little Lucia.

She answered quickly, her voice softening as she spoke. "Hello, sweetie. What's wrong?"

Lucia's tiny voice came through the phone. "Where are you, Aunt Ari? I've been waiting for you!"

Arianna's face lit up with a smile. "I'll be back soon, darling. Just hang tight, okay?"

Her affectionate tone made Ethan bristle. His smirk vanished, replaced by a deep frown. "Sweetie?" he repeated, his voice low with an edge of jealousy.

"Yes, sweetie," Arianna replied nonchalantly, her focus still on the screen.

When she ended the call, Ethan crossed his arms, his brows furrowed. "And 'darling'? Who are you calling darling?"

"It's none of your business," she replied sharply. "Relax."

His frown deepened. "You're mine, Arianna. Stop calling anyone else by those intimate names," he declared. 

Arianna's eyes widened, her frustration bubbling over. "Excuse me? What is wrong with you? You don't own me!"

He stepped closer, his gaze locking onto hers. "Don't I?"

Arianna's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly pushed the thought aside. "Listen, I have an emergency to take care of. I can't stay here arguing with you." She turned toward the door, but Ethan grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.

"You're not going anywhere," he said firmly.

She yanked her hand away, glaring at him. "Watch me."

At that moment, Ethan's phone buzzed on the bedside table. He hesitated, his jaw tightening as he glanced at the screen. His gaze darted back to Arianna, as though debating whether to let her go or answer the call. Finally, he picked up the phone, his voice clipped as he spoke.

Arianna seized the opportunity, quickly gathering her belongings and slipping out of the room. She hurried down the hallway, her heart racing.

Behind her, Ethan ended his call, turning back to find her gone. He clenched his fists, frustration simmering beneath the surface. But then his lips curled into a determined smile.

"You can run all you want, baby," he muttered, putting his hands in his pocket.

"But I'll find you again. And this time, you won't be able to escape."

Arianna stepped out into the crisp morning air, her mind racing. Ethan wasn't just a stranger anymore. He was a complication—a dangerously tempting one. But no matter how magnetic his pull, she was determined to keep her distance.

******'

Meanwhile Ivy sat in the elegantly decorated living room, her perfectly manicured nails tapping anxiously against the edge of her wine glass. 

Across from her, Serina and Mr. Harrington leaned against each other. 

"So, Ivy, when are you and Mason finally getting married? It's been three years. 

Don't you think it's time to make it official?" Mr. Harrington's question suddenly looking directly at Ivy's reaction.

Ivy's grip on the glass tightened, but she forced a smile. "Mason and I are... taking our time," she replied, her voice shakily. "We want to take our time; besides, we're still young."

Serina raised an eyebrow. "young? Or is Mason still unsure? You know, men like him don't wait forever. You have to make him marry before he finds... other distractions."

The subtle jab made Ivy's stomach twist. She opened her mouth to speak, but Serina cut her off. You should make Mason fall for you again; that's the only way you can marry him, Serena said while sipping her drink. 

Ivy used the opportunity to compose herself, but her calm demeanor didn't last long.

"I've been keeping this secret from you both," Mr. Harrington said abruptly, setting his glass down on the nearby tray. 

His voice was lower now, edged with worry. "But I don't think I can hide it anymore."

Serina tilted her head, intrigued. "What's the problem? It better be something good news."

Taking a deep breath, Mr. Harrington began to speak. "Our company is going bankrupt. 

All our investors are withdrawing their funds.

 The losses are staggering."

Ivy's expression shifted from smug curiosity to genuine concern. "What? Why didn't you tell us, Dad?" Without our family's reputation, how will I be able to get married into the Anderson family, Dad? You have to do something; I can't lose Mason, said Ivy. 

"Because I thought I could fix it," Harrington said, his voice cracking slightly. "But now... it's too late. I realized I can't control the situation now, There's only one way out of this mess, Dad, what way Ivy asked eagerness showing on her face 

 it's for you to be the daughter in law of the Anderson 's family." 

Ivy's eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to say we're going to use Mason to secure our family?

"Not 'use.'" Mr. Harrington's voice grew defensive. "His family has the connections and the resources to stabilize our company. If Mason marries you, it'll secure the partnership we need.

Ivy shook her head. "You're playing a dangerous game, Dad. What if Mason doesn't agree? What if he finds out your motives?"

Ivy looked down, her face pale. "That's not the only option we have," she said hesitantly.

Serina frowned. "What do you mean?"

"There's another way to save the company," Ivy admitted, her words slow and deliberate. "But it's not going to be easy; I don't know if we can do it."

"What way are you talking about?" Serina pressed.

Ivy hesitated, then finally blurted out, "We need to find Arianna and deliver her to Mr. Grayson."

Serina blinked in disbelief. "Arianna? What does she have to do with this?".

"Everything," Ivy said, her voice bitter. "Ethan's been targeting our company because of her.

He blames us for keeping her away from him. If we're able to bring her to him, he'll leave us alone".

"You're joking," Serina said flatly.

"I'm not," Ivy snapped. "Do you know how relentless Ethan has been? He's pulling strings left and right to ruin us. He won't stop until he gets what he wants. And what he wants is Arianna."

Serina sat back, processing the revelation. "So let me get this straight," she said slowly. "You're planning to search for that ungrateful bastard after all these years.

 Do you even hear yourself?"

We don't even know her whereabouts.

Ivy's face flushed with uncertainty. "we don't have a choice, mom! This isn't just about me—it's about saving everything our family has built, including our reputation.

 We don't have an option. "Silence hung in the air as they considered Ivy's words. Finally, she spoke. "We're walking a tightrope, Ivy. If you push too hard, we could lose everything—not just the company, but Mason, too. 

And Arianna? Do you really think she's willing to come back?" y's eyes hardened. "Doesn't matter right now if she's willing or not; we just have to find her."

Mr. Harrington sighed, shaking his head. "Just be careful, Ivy.

 Desperation makes people reckless. And recklessness..." he warned.

But Ivy wasn't listening anymore. In her mind, she was already plotting her next move, on how she was going to save herself.