Chapter 33 Meet Once
Arthur spoke casually, but there was an unmistakable hint of pleasure in his words.
This really annoyed Aria.
They were getting divorced, yet he was acting like she was so fond of him, like she cared so much.
To her, this was simply humiliating!
She immediately pulled a long face and shoved the spoon back into Arthur's hand. "You saved me once, I'll give you that, but I'd feel the same way about anyone else who did."
"But don't push it."
The smile on Arthur's face faded a bit. He poked at the pasta in his bowl with his fork and said nothing more.
They finished the meal in silence.
Aria put down her chopsticks and wiped her mouth. "I'm full. Keep your wound dry, make sure someone applies your medicine on time. I'm heading back now."
"Back? Where?" Arthur immediately looked up. "The apartment?"
"Where else?"
"You're just leaving like this?" Arthur pointed at his arm and back wrapped in bandages. "What about my injuries? I have no one to take care of me."
Aria found it amusing. "Arthur, your house is huge. You could call out once and have dozens of servants taking care of you. Do you really need me?"
"They're servants, you're..." Arthur paused, "you're my wife."
"Not for much longer." Aria stood up and grabbed her bag. "Once your mom's condition stabilizes and she's back in Switzerland, we'll go through with the procedures."
"In the meantime, I think it's better if we keep our distance."
"Keep our distance?" Arthur's voice rose as he stood up too, moving too quickly and pulling at his wound, but he didn't care.
"Aria, don't forget, the divorce papers aren't signed yet. You're still Mrs. Grant! A wife taking care of her husband who got injured protecting her—that's common sense even in some cannibal tribe in Africa."
Aria let out a yell, her face flushing red with anger.
"Arthur, now you remember I'm Mrs. Grant?"
"When you were with Sophie every day, when you chose her over me without looking back—did you ever think about me being Mrs. Grant?"
"Now that you need someone to take care of you, you're using the Mrs. Grant card on me? What do you think I am? A servant, or a nurse?"
Thinking about that abortion consent form and the severed rose heads that were sent to her, all of Aria's grievances erupted.
"Let me tell you, Arthur, I'm done! You got injured because of me, I'm grateful and I'm sorry. Medical bills, nutrition costs, whatever I owe, I'll pay every cent."
"But stay here and take care of you? Impossible."
With that, she grabbed her bag and headed for the door.
"Stop right there!" Arthur strode after her. "You dare leave? Ann! Get some bodyguards, smash that piece of junk car of hers!"
Aria screamed. "You try it! I'll smash you first!"
The two were at a standoff when the doorbell rang from the entrance.
Ann, caught between a rock and a hard place, heard the doorbell like it was divine intervention and trotted over to answer it.
"Miss Smith?"
Sophie stood at the door holding a bouquet of flowers, smiling brightly. "Ann, why hasn't Arthur come to the office so late? Did something happen?"
"I heard his mother was suddenly rushed to the hospital. Is she better now?"
She walked in as she spoke, then saw the two confronting each other. The smile on her face froze abruptly, but quickly returned to normal.
"Aria's here too?" She greeted her, then turned her gaze to Arthur and gasped. "Oh my God, how did you get hurt so badly? Does it still hurt?"
As she spoke, she naturally reached out to touch Arthur's arm, in an intimate, caring gesture.
Arthur almost instinctively leaned back slightly, avoiding her hand.
"It's nothing, just a minor injury."
His voice was a bit dry, and his eyes quickly glanced at Aria, looking somewhat uncomfortable.
This discomfort naturally didn't escape Sophie's notice.
Her heart sank, and she could barely maintain the smile on her face.
Arthur was avoiding her?
Why? Because Aria was there?
Aria had no interest in staying to watch them perform some sweet affair.
"Well, now you have someone to take care of you. I'm leaving."
She dropped that line and walked toward the door without looking back.
Arthur opened his mouth, wanting to call her back, but seeing Sophie beside him, he said nothing.
Sophie was still holding the bouquet, her tightening fingers almost breaking the stems.
She could no longer fool herself.
She had never realized so clearly that Aria held a huge place in Arthur's heart—maybe even bigger than hers.
And this was after she'd stolen credit for Aria saving Arthur's life and hidden Aria's pregnancy.
If Arthur knew the whole truth, would she have even the slightest place in his heart?
No, she absolutely couldn't let this continue. She had to do something!
-
That day, Aria was at the studio confirming the final setup plan for the flower exhibition with Lucy when her phone rang.
Without checking who it was, she answered directly, "Hello, who is this?"
"Aria, it's me, Sophie. Can we meet and talk? You pick the place."
What was there to talk about between them?
Aria didn't even think. "Sorry, I'm busy."
That wasn't a lie—she really was busy.
"It's about Arthur!" Sophie said urgently, "There are some things I think you should know. Let's meet and talk."
"No need, I don't want to know anything." Aria's tone was cold. "Miss Smith, I'm very busy and don't have time for whatever heart-to-heart act you're putting on. That's all."
With that, she hung up directly.
Sophie listened to the busy tone, her face turning livid with anger.
Aria hadn't left her any opening at all.
She stared at her phone screen, her eyes growing colder and colder.
If the soft approach didn't work, she'd go direct.
That afternoon, Aria was busy when Lucy's voice suddenly came from outside.
"Miss Smith, you can't just go in, the boss is busy..."
Before she finished speaking, the office door was pushed open.
Sophie walked straight in and closed the door behind her, locking it.
Lucy was banging on the door outside, already threatening to call the police.
Aria sighed lightly. "Miss Smith, whatever you're trying to do, let me remind you that my office has cameras, the kind that record sound."
She didn't expect Sophie to burst into tears.
"You..." For a moment, she didn't know what to say, completely unprepared for this opening.
Sophie cried while bowing to her. "I'm begging you, please give Arthur back to me, okay? I love him, I can't live without him!"
Aria was speechless.
She added, "I know, it's my fault. I shouldn't have left him back then, but I had my reasons!"
"All these years, not a day has gone by that I haven't thought about him! I know your marriage was arranged by your families, you don't have feelings for him. Now you're getting divorced, please, I'm begging you, give him back to me..."