Chapter 140

Ares’ POV.

Everything at work was running smoothly until I received a call from an employee I hadn't heard from in a while. The mere sound of her voice sent a shiver down my spine, knowing that these calls were rarely good news. Dread settled in as I anticipated the nature of our conversation. These calls always cost me a significant amount of money, a bitter truth I had come to accept.

"Hello, Miss Mills," I answered the phone, doing my best to mask any frustration in my tone.

"Ares, I was starting to think you were ignoring me," Mills' voice came through, and I resisted the urge to groan audibly.

"How can I ever ignore you?" I chuckled, a forced lightness in my response. Ignoring Mills was never a smart option; it would only lead to more complications.

"True," she replied confidently.

"So, what's up? Which embarrassing shit of mine is resurfacing?" I inquired, half expecting it to be some old photo from a frat party or a piece of gossip the media had dug up.

"Actually... It's far worse than that," Mills' voice turned serious, and a wave of concern washed over me. My mind immediately jumped to Slade – had something happened to my son?

“My son–”

"Your son's fine... It's Isabella," Mills revealed, her confidence replaced with an air of uncertainty.

"What happened?" I frowned, glancing at the time on my watch. Damn, I had a last-minute meeting scheduled soon.

"Do you know where she is?" Mills asked cautiously, the weight of her words deepening my sense of unease. Where the hell was this headed?

"Meadows – some country club, why?" I replied, leaning back into the chair, my unease growing.

"Well... She was caught almost kissing or maybe kissing Emilio Martinez, the soccer player," Mills delivered the news straightforwardly. "I just sent you the photo," she added, and my phone immediately vibrated. Opening the image, I could see Emilio's hands on Isabella's face, their noses almost touching. It wasn't entirely clear if they had kissed, but the possibility lingered in the image.

"Did you contain it?" I asked, attempting to keep my anger in check.

"Yes, of course. There's only one photo, and they're willing to accept the money I offered," Mills assured, showcasing her skills in handling such delicate matters. "I obviously need your green light first," she reminded me. It’s why I employed her, she did it better than everyone else.

"You have my green light. Do whatever it takes so this doesn't reach the media," I declared, each word weighted with the urgency of the situation. I relied on Mills to handle this swiftly and discreetly which was her specialty.

"You got it, boss," Mills chirped.

"Mills... Good job, thank you so much," I sighed, genuine gratitude in my voice. The potential fallout from these photos could jeopardize not only our efforts but also Isabella's hard-earned reputation, something the media was eager to tarnish from the moment we got together.

"My pleasure, Ares. Have a great day," Mills hummed, her efficiency evident even in the midst of a crisis.

"Hey, a quick question. Do you know what time this was taken?" I interjected before she had a chance to end the call.

"I've attached all the details," Mills informed me.

"Great, thanks," I hummed, concluding the call with a sense of urgency. Every little second counted so I had to make the most of it.

I checked the time stamp on the photo – it happened before Isabella called me. The realization hit me, and I couldn't fathom why she hadn't mentioned anything. A sigh escaped me, and I shook my head. I knew Isabella wouldn't betray me. Grabbing my keys from the table, I stormed out of the office.

"Hey, do me a favor and reschedule my last meeting of the day. I'm leaving early," I informed the temporary assistant. She was filling in for the regular assistant, currently on paternity leave. Miss Anna was here for an internship, a convenient arrangement for all parties involved.

"But–"

"Isla will understand," I assured her, noting the lingering fear and worry in her expression. Time would likely ease those concerns.

"Of course, sir," Anna nodded, already reaching for the phone to reschedule the meeting.

"And make sure to go home after that. You don't have to do the files anymore," I added, relieving her of the additional workload. We could tackle the files another day.

"Thank you so much, sir," Anna beamed, and I couldn't miss the happiness and relief etched across her face, even if I tried.

***

I stared at the house, weighing my options for a moment before deciding to give in. Getting out of the car, I walked up to the front steps, a mixture of emotions bubbling beneath the surface. Calm and collected, I pressed the button, waiting for a response. In a matter of moments, the door opened, and Emilio stood before me, looking flushed as if he had just finished a workout.

"Ares?" he frowned.

Without bothering to answer, I walked into the house, waiting until he closed the door behind me. He muttered something sarcastic about "Come on in, will ya," but I wasn't there for banter.

"What are you doing here?" Emilio frowned.

"What the hell is this?" I showed him the incriminating photo.

"I- I can explain... It's not what you think," Emilio stuttered, attempting to offer an explanation.

"I know that. I know that Isabella wouldn't cheat on me, which means you pushed this, you went for a kiss," I narrowed my eyes on him, a mix of anger and disappointment boiling within me. He sighed in acknowledgment.

"I tried to kiss her. I read the situation wrong, and she made it very clear to me that you're the only man she wants," Emilio admitted, his words only intensifying my frustration. The desire to punch him surged through me.

"I warned her about you, you know. She had so much trust in your little friendship, and look what you've done," I shook my head, struggling to comprehend the betrayal.

"Why are you so upset about this? We spoke, I realize she loves you, and I'm backing off for good now," Emilio frowned, an unsettling nonchalance in his demeanor.

"Because, Emilio, she's not just anybody now. Her life is constantly under surveillance, and they're waiting for her to make a mistake, waiting to devour her in the media," I scoffed, the frustration evident in my tone. "She resurfaced after four years, with our son that we carefully hid. Do you have any idea the amount of hateful words she's enduring daily?" I narrowed my eyes on him, my voice gaining intensity. "This damn photo would brand her as a cheater, a golddigger, and it would shatter the career she worked so hard to build," I shook my head, hoping the gravity of the situation was sinking in.

"I didn't think–"

"No, thinking seems really hard for you when all you care about is yourself," I scolded, unwilling to accept any excuses.

"I'll get my PR team on this," Emilio said, his tone firm, a trace of defeat in his expression.

"I already took care of it. From now on, I want you to keep your distance from her, understand?" I rolled my eyes, emphasizing the need for him to grasp the seriousness of the situation.

"Goodbye, Ares," Emilio opened the front door.

***

I was back home, the aroma of dinner filling the air. Slade was enjoying every bite of the chicken dumpling soup I had prepared for him. Isabella sat across from me, and an unusual silence hung between us since she had arrived home with Slade. I took Slade upstairs to get him ready for the night, bringing him back downstairs for our dinner.

"I'll put him to bed," Isabella said, getting up.

After cleaning up the kitchen, I found myself in the living room. There was a lingering anger within me, frustrated that Isabella hadn't said a word about the encounter with Emilio. Trying to focus on the screen, my mind kept drifting back to the unsettling thoughts of Emilio and Isabella. Emilio's claim that Isabella had pushed him away filled me with pride, yet her silence grated on me. Was there regret? Why hadn't she confided in me?

"You were right," Isabella's voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I looked over to see the sadness etched on her face.

"About?" I probed, masking the frustration beneath my tone.

"Emilio... He tried to kiss me," she finally confessed, and a sense of relief washed over me. Finally, she trusted me enough to share.

"I know," I hummed, and her eyes widened in surprise.

"You know? How?" confusion filled her gaze. Opening the photo on my phone, I showed her the evidence. "Oh my god—Ares," she gasped.

"Listen, I trust you. I know you're not romantically interested in him, but I don't understand why you kept it from me for so long," I expressed, laying bare my feelings.

"Because—I—I was still getting used to it," Isabella stuttered. She took a deep breath before delving into the details of the situation, laying out everything for me. From the way Daniela treated me to the complexities of her friendship with Emilio, no stone was left unturned. Despite Daniela's previous behavior, Isabella's account of her apology seemed to have redeemed her in my eyes. I could sense Isabella's emotional dilemma and her struggle with losing a friend, and I offered her my support because she needed that the most right now.

"I'm sorry, Isa," I whispered, wrapping my arm around her, understanding the weight of the situation.

"I'm sorry for not trusting your judgment," Isabella whispered back.

"It's fine. He was your close friend once," I assured her, kissing her forehead.

"I love you, Ares, so damn much," she confessed, pressing her lips to mine.

"I love you too," I smiled, and together we pressed the delete button on the photo, symbolically erasing the potential threat. We returned to kissing, finding solace and reassurance in each other's embrace, determined to move forward united.