Chapter 22

"What's that burn mark on your chest?"

When Aaron didn't reply, she turned towards him. With the blanket pulled up to her chin, she looked at him.

He was looking up at the ceiling, even though he was there so close to her but looking at him. She felt as if he was lost somewhere.

Then she remembered when she had tried to look at him on the internet after their first meeting at the party and all she could find was the lists of his affairs. Very little to no information was there about his childhood or his past.

"I am sorry if you don't want to talk about that. I.. I shouldn't have asked-" Livia apologized.

"I was born out of wedlock," he spoke all of a sudden. His eyes still staring endlessly at the ceiling as if he was under some pressure."My mother was just 18 then. By the time she realized that she was pregnant... it was too late, and she couldn't abort me or else she was in danger of losing her life, so she gave me birth."

Livia didn't say anything but kept looking at him, listening to him.

"And then..." he continued," she left me in the orphanage."

"What? How could someone do something like this to their child?" Livia was shocked.

Aaron just smiled ruefully.

"I was unwanted in her world Livia. It's simple as that."

"So you grew up in an orphanage?"

"Yes."

"And that mark?"

"Life in an orphanage is never easy, especially if you are weak if you are not someone strong enough to fight for yourself."

It was hard for Livia to think of Aaron as someone helpless because from the moment she saw him, she could feel his dominant and predatory aura.

"So you got bullied?"

"In a horrible way. Once when I was sleeping, I felt the weight on my chest... I opened my eyes and saw one of the bullies sitting on top of me. It was becoming hard to breathe. I tried to push him away by kicking, punching, and then the other bullies who were a part of his gang held my legs and arms, and I couldn't move anymore." Livia felt sick, and now she wasn't sure if she wanted to hear more, but she didn't interrupt.

"And then I was so angry that I spat at him."

"That's so like you." Livia smiled.

He, too, smiled at that, but she noticed a pain in that expression.

"He was the leader and felt insulted, so he told one of his partners to bring the burning coal in a fit of rage. The coal was shining red. He took it from him and dropped it on my chest."

Livia was shocked and angry at the same time.

"Fortunately, I managed to free myself from their hold in time, so I didn't get burnt that hard; however, the mark from that burn is still there."

"How old were you then?"

" 15."

"You were just a kid at that time. What was the management doing?"

"Situations can make you mature before your age, and as for the management, it wasn't like they cared much."

"What did you do then?"

"I had had enough of it, so I ran away from the orphanage."

"But how did you managed to survive?"

"I did multiple jobs. Sometimes I worked on a farm, sometimes as an errand boy, and on days when I had no money, I just went to sleep with an empty stomach."

"Then how did you managed to build such a big business empire?"

"By the time I turn 20, I had started working in bars. Then I realized I was quite good at gambling, so I started gambling from the little bit of what I had saved, and I was winning."

"Gambling your money is not good." Livia interrupted.

Aaron chuckled at this and replied, "I know, but at that time, I required money. I was tired of doing those small odd jobs, so now I wanted to do something big. Then I started investing in stock markets. Finally when I had enough money I bought a small inn in the countryside. The inn wasn't in very good condition, and that's why I got it for a low price."

"But it was your first property." Livia smiled.

"Hmm... Then I renovated the inn, and soon I was getting the customers. I was 22 at that time. Money started coming, and I worked a little harder, and slowly and slowly, I was able to buy the bigger lands, large properties, and then I started making my hotel chains."

"And now, at 28, you are among one of the richest guys out there in New York."

Aaron chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Livia was quiet for a minute. She was shocked to hear his story. Looking at this man, she had never imagined that his life was so full of struggles. Then she finally found her voice.

"Woww.." this word from Livia made Aaron frown. "So you reached from that to this." Livia continued motioning her hands as if words were not enough to describe what she wanted to say.

The excitement of her voice made Aaron turn his head to look at her.

"Wow... Aaron, I am proud of you." she giggled, looking at him. The excitement was visible in her voice and those shining bright eyes.

Aaron looked at her, wondering what kind of response was he expecting when he had told her his story.

'Anything but not this. I am not even sure why I told her about all this stuff. Something that I don't even like to repeat to myself. Over the years, with every achievement, I threw parties on my achievements. Still, of all the people I had invited, none of them showed true appreciation or happiness for my achievements, and then I just stopped caring for all such stupid things. But the way she is smiling and looking excited to hear about my achievements... makes me happy. Strange, is it what people call 'someone to share your happiness with.' '

"I think you have gone crazy, Mrs. Rodriguez, looking so excited about such small things. What I told you was not a fairytale but the story of poverty and gutters. Something anyone would despise."

Livia looked at him, frowning. Her smile faded, and anger surfaced. "Mr. Rodriguez, I think it's you who has gone crazy. It's not a fairytale but a motivation, an inspiring story. And it's not about poverty and gutters. It's about your hard work, dedication, and achievement. Not everyone can do what you did, Aaron." she smiled at him. "And if there are people who despise this, then you should stay away from such people. They are just jealous of you."

"Do you think I care about what people say or think?"

"No. You are the person who wouldn't give a damn." she laughed.

He looked at her, laughing. With the light of the moon filling the room, her skin was shining brightly. Never in his life had Aaron met anyone who had laughed for him, got angry at others for him, and who felt proud of him. These things were alien to him. It tugged on the strings of something in his chest, and it felt strangely good.

"You sure are crazy."

With those final words, he leaned forward and kissed Livia.