Chapter 6 The Fierce Kiss
When the studio first started, she had never been maliciously attacked like this.
Besides, she ran her business properly and hadn't offended anyone.
She didn't want to think badly of people, but for the sake of the studio, she had to get to the bottom of this!
She bit her lip and looked up the background companies and investors of those few clients who left bad reviews.
Company information was all public on the website.
Sure enough, they were all companies controlled by Smith Corporation!
Aria's heart went cold.
Wasn't it enough for Sophie to run off to Grant Corporation and lord it over everyone as a director?
Wasn't it enough that her marriage had fallen apart? Did Sophie really have to push her like this?
What was this supposed to mean? A warning? Or did she just find Aria unpleasant to look at?
Her stomach churned again.
Her face turned pale as she rushed awkwardly to the bathroom and threw up.
She vomited until her cheeks twitched and tears filled her eyes.
Gasping for breath, she looked in the mirror and saw a pair of sharp eyes staring back at her.
Aria wasn't someone who could be pushed around!
Since you made your move, don't blame me for fighting back!
She closed the investigation page and opened the banquet seating chart.
She moved Sophie and her parents' seats, originally close to the main table, back a row.
The change wasn't obvious, but it placed them next to executives from companies that competed with Grant Corp.
Since Miss Smith had so much free time, she probably wouldn't mind expanding her network at the banquet, right?
After making the adjustment, Aria felt a bit better.
By evening, the studio's appeal had just been submitted.
Just then, there was a sudden commotion at the studio entrance.
Looking up, she saw Arthur had arrived. He looked tired and irritated, holding a document folder. This was strange—Arthur rarely came to her studio.
She got up and walked over, arms crossed. "What are you doing here?"
"Came to check on you." Arthur glanced at the computer. "How's the event planning going?"
"Working on it." Aria turned her face away coldly. "It's only been one day. Even if you're supervising, there's no need to be this anxious."
Arthur walked straight to her computer and immediately saw the screen.
Both the banquet seating chart and floral design drafts were open.
"You're pretty busy." His tone was somewhat unnatural.
Aria didn't want to deal with him, and her tone was inevitably cold and burdened.
"Yes, I'm very busy. You've seen what you came to see, so you can leave now, right?"
Arthur frowned, his expression turning stern.
"What's that supposed to mean? I came here out of concern and this is the attitude you give me?"
He slammed the document folder heavily on the desk, looking completely exasperated.
"Aria, what exactly are you upset about? You've been like this ever since Sophie came back, you—"
He suddenly stopped, because he just noticed Aria's complexion.
Full of exhaustion and weakness, a layer of cold sweat on her forehead, her lips almost drained of color.
"Why do you look so terrible?"
Arthur reached out to touch her face, but she dodged by turning her head.
"I'm fine, just a bit tired."
"You call this fine?" Arthur's voice rose, "Come on, I'll take you to the hospital!"
He looked anxious, genuinely seeming to worry about her.
Aria's ice-cold heart wavered for just a moment.
Her eyes inexplicably grew hot, her nose tingling.
So, he still cared about her after all?
But she quickly suppressed that thought.
Aria, you're really pathetic.
Just because Arthur shows you a little concern, you forget everything that happened before?
She took a breath and shook off his hand.
"I said no! Mr. Grant, please leave. I'm very busy—after all, I haven't finished what you assigned me yet!"
"Aria!"
Her resistance completely set Arthur off.
The veins at his temple bulged as he grabbed Aria's wrist, with enough force to hurt her.
"Can't you understand when I'm talking nicely to you? Look at yourself right now!"
"I'm ordering you to go to the hospital right now!"
He pulled her toward the exit.
Aria stumbled, nearly falling.
She got angry too and pushed him away forcefully.
"I said I'm not going!"
The accumulated pressure and grievances made her voice tremble, her chest heaving violently.
"What right do you have to control me?! What does my business have to do with you?!"
This argument stunned everyone else in the studio.
They all shrank at their workstations like quails, quietly craning their necks to watch.
With all this pulling and tugging, Aria, already feeling unwell, stumbled forward when he yanked her.
Arthur instinctively caught her, and the soft touch made his heart pound restlessly.
After several days without intimacy, his eyes darkened as he pressed Aria against the wall.
His body slowly moved closer, trapping Aria between the wall and his chest.
Their breaths mingled, each other's heartbeats echoing in their ears.
"Why?"
Arthur laughed.
"Need me to remind you? You're the one who said we'd be husband and wife for three more months. Right now, I'm still your husband. Is that reason enough?"
Staring at her eyes, red from anger and weakness, Arthur's heart stirred. He suddenly lowered his head and kissed her lips fiercely.
Rather than a kiss, it was more like biting.
Not gentle at all.
He roughly pried open her lips and teeth, their tongues tangling together.
Still unsatisfied, he captured her tongue directly, as if wanting to devour it.
All her breath was taken away. The intense kiss left Aria with no strength to resist.
She struggled for a while, then felt her limbs go weak, her lips ground painfully.
Unable to breathe, she pushed him away with all her might, and fresh air rushed in.
She gasped rapidly, making breathy sounds in her throat.
Eyes filled with tears, she glared at him angrily.
"You..."
Before Arthur could speak, a crisp slap landed on his face.
"Arthur, you disgust me!"
The slap wasn't light, making Arthur's head turn to the side.
Aria's hand also throbbed with hot, numbing pain.
He slowly turned back, his tongue pressing against the cheek that had been struck.
Dark emotions churned in his eyes, as if brewing a storm.
As they stood in a standoff, an abrupt phone ringtone sounded.
It was Arthur's phone.
He casually pulled it out and looked—"Sophie" flashed on the screen.
He froze slightly, instinctively glancing at Aria.
Aria sneered sarcastically. "Why aren't you answering?"
Arthur's expression was hard to read.
His Adam's apple bobbed as he answered the call right in front of her.
"Sophie, what is it?" His tone softened a bit.
"Arthur, where are you?"
Sophie's voice was soft, perfectly displaying her anxiety and vulnerability.
"I've run into some trouble here. There seems to be an issue with the data I'm coordinating with the marketing department. They're pushing hard, and I can't handle it right now. Could you come help me take a look?"