Ares Winston

Ares Winston
That they’ve met before!
He sighed dramatically, a playful smile lighting up his face. “I was just waiting for you to ask, and voila!” 
“I could have sworn I saw you before—good guess!” Ivy remarked, her lips curling into a smirk. “Well, I should be going now. Um, I didn’t catch your name,” she added, feigning casualness.
“I thought you’d never ask,” he teased, closing the distance between them as he crossed his arms over his broad chest, exuding confidence while Ivy felt the heat rising. “Call me Ares Winston—just Ares,” he declared, his charm palpable. Ivy couldn’t help but imagine how perfectly his name matched his striking figure.  
“Quite an interesting name you've got. I’m—”
“Ivy Hart,” he interrupted with a knowing grin. “Heck, the whole country knows you,” he teased, eliciting a delightful laugh from Ivy that Ares found utterly irresistible.
From the moment he first laid eyes on her at the funeral, Ares felt an undeniable pull. Despite the dull occasion, she radiated a fierce strength that captivated him. He hadn’t even noticed a hint of sadness on her face, not a single teardrop.
“Will I see you again? Maybe we could grab coffee or dine at Rosie’s Diner?” he asked, his voice smooth as silk, clearly trying his luck.  
A woman of Ivy’s caliber deserved to be treated like the queen she was, and he was ready to show her just that.  
“Okay, Mr. Ares, getting to know you on a… much deeper level doesn’t sound too bad,” she replied, a teasing glint in her eyes.  
“I take that as a challenge; I’m all in!” She snagged his cell phone before he could react, typing her number with a mischievous grin before handing it back. “Thanks, I’ll call you soon. Drive safe!” Ares said, walking her to her car, ensuring she left safely.

…
Minutes later, Ivy was back in her house—a sanctuary that both comforted and haunted her. Each corner whispered memories of her late husband, Nate.
As soon as her feet hit the living room, a familiar voice pierced the atmosphere.  
“You’ve been gone for three hours! Where have you been?” Alvin questioned, his tone a mix of authority and concern. Ivy glanced at him, unimpressed.  
“Seriously? What am I, five? You sound like my dad. What’s this about?” she challenged.  
“Just worried about you, is that a crime?” he replied, a scoff escaping his lips as he circled her like a hawk eyeing its prey. “You smell like burnt roses. You don’t smoke, so why do you smell like a cigar?” 
Ivy rolled her eyes, exhausted. “Vin, I’m not in the mood for your craziness. I need to rest…” Attempting to brush past him, Alvin gently but firmly grasped her arm, causing her to stop in her tracks. She shot him a glare.  
“Let go!” she demanded, yanking her arm free. She marched toward the stairs but glanced back, catching his intense stare. “This can’t happen again, or you’ll lose access to this house entirely…” she declared, ascending the steps, determined.
Alvin watched her with a mix of admiration and frustration. No matter the rules she set, deep down, he knew he would always find his way back to her.
Once she disappeared from view, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number, urgency in his tone. “Save all that for later; we need to talk now…” he stated before abruptly hanging up. Suddenly, a loud knock echoed through the front door, jolting Alvin from his thoughts.
One thing he was sure about was that Ivy had recently been with another man. The jealousy that stirred within him was palpable; he yearned for her completely. 

…
Ivy lounged in her warm tub, feeling too relaxed to step out, almost as if time had paused for her. It had been ages since she had felt the freedom to be herself, free from the shadows of the hellish memories that weighed her down. As her eyes flitted up to the fluorescent light overhead, thoughts of Ares, the irresistibly charming man she had met, flooded her mind. 
Could this be fate pulling them together? she pondered, though she remembered feeling the same way about Nate years ago. At that time, she had believed fate had conspired in their union, only for it to end abruptly and painfully. What if, she wondered, there was a more profound truth connecting Nate’s tragic death to her life now?
Everything seemed to draw her back to him—she felt like she couldn’t escape it. Suddenly, a phone call pierced through her swirling thoughts. Ivy snatched her cell phone from the padded stool beside her. 
“Hello?” she tried to keep her voice steady. 
“Always poised with that charming voice of yours,” Ares teased, causing Ivy to let out a soft chuckle that provided a glimpse of solace amidst her swirling worries. 
“Oh please, Ares, don’t flatter me…” she waved her hand dismissively, even as his gentle laugh reached her from the other end, making her curl her knees to her chest. 
Something about Ares felt like a tantalizing mystery just waiting to unravel.
“By the way, you looked stunning today. I can’t imagine letting you breathe without me… I just had to reach out, even if I'm usually terrible at approaching women,” he confessed, though Ivy found it hard to believe given his confident demeanor earlier. 
“That’s definitely a tall tale you've spun today,” she jokingly replied as laughter bridged the space between them, allowing them to savor a rare moment of connection. 
“That’s merely an accusation, but I won’t engage in a debate with you. One thing I promise is to never lie to you. You’re special—just wanted to remind you…” His voice melted the storm within her heart, sending a wave of relief rippling through her.
“You don’t know me,” she replied lightly.
“I don’t need to know you,” he gently rebutted. A silence hung between them, carrying the weight of unspoken thoughts until Ares broke it again. 
“So, Ivy, I just wanted to check in and make sure you got home safely. Goodnight Angel…” he said.
“Goodnight, Ares…” 
As the call ended, Ivy found herself wishing their conversation had stretched longer than it did.
She set her phone aside and leaned back, hugging herself. This morning, she had awoken with the intent of staying in, yet now the thought of venturing out filled her with a craving for life again.

…
As time passed, Ivy prepared for sleep, but a single thought loomed large. The drive Alvin had handed her remained untouched.
She grabbed her laptop and inserted the drive, her heart racing as a folder named ‘HIS DECEIT’ appeared on the screen. “Oh no,” she murmured under her breath, taking a deep breath.
“It’s time…” she told herself, braving up and signifying the brave woman she aspired to be.
With one tap, a list of documents sprang to life. 
The moment had arrived for her to dig up the secrets of her late husband. But was she truly ready? Could the revelations contained within be real?