Adrian’s Pov

“Strange choice of words, don't you think, Leighton. You can't just meet a woman for the first time and claim her as your wife,” Damien says, trying to sound logical.

“Stay out of this, Blackwood. This is between my wife and me. I know what I'm talking about,” I snap at him.

“It’s clear you're mistaken. Aria has worked for me for years and she has only just come to the country. How can she be your wife?” He then turns to Aria and asks “Or do you know this man, Aria?”

I watch her closely, waiting for her to spill the truth. She stands there stiff but what she says next feels like a bucket of cold water pouring over my body.

“I’ve never met him before. Excuse me,” she says with her head down as she moves towards the door.

The lies burn me more than the whiskey I've been drinking. I try to follow her but Damien blocks me. “Stay away from her, Leighton.”

“I’ll advise you to step out of my way and mind your business,” I say, moving closer to his face.

“She’s my business because I'm the reason she’s here,” he smiles but his words come as a surprise to me.

Hurt and jealousy fill me at once but I'll be damned if I let him take my wife. She will always be mine.

I push past Damien with my shoulder and chase after her. Luckily for me, I see her standing outside. Probably waiting for her ride.

“Zara, Zara, Zara please talk to me,” I shout as I hurried down the stairs. I didn't care who was watching me act so out of character. I need this woman to confirm my thoughts and convictions.

“It’s Aria and please can you just stop it. It's embarrassing,” she says, rolling her eyes.

“No, you stop it. Stop lying,” my voice cracks. “Why are you doing this?”

“I'm not doing anything. You're the one who keeps forcing me to accept who I'm not.”

“Why are you playing with my sanity? For the last five years, I've carried your coffin in my chest only to see you standing here in full flesh claiming not to know me. Letting another man put his hands on you,” I say while running my hands through my hair.

“I think you need help. You should see a doctor. This isn't healthy,” she blurts out as her car approaches.

The words feel like a slap to my face. So she thinks I'm crazy. I try to grab her but Damien’s hand appears between us, stopping my action.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you. You've already created a scene,” he tells me.

“Fuck off Damien,” I lash out at him.

“Stop acting like a rabid dog and let Miss Sterling go.”

I look around and notice a few people standing and looking at us.

“This isn’t over Zara or Aria,” I tell her just as the driver opens the door for her.

She looks me dead in the eye and says “It was always over.”

She gets in and her car drives off but that one statement tells me everything I need to know. My nails dig into my palms as I make a resolution right there on the sidewalk.

I lost her once and I'm not losing her again despite the lies. Especially not to Damien Blackwood.

“Everything alright there,” Damien questions from the side.

I don't know what his problem is but I'm ready to find out. I'll dig into Aria’s life until I get the truth. I don't answer him. I just turn and leave.

**************************************************************

I wake up before the sun and head to my gym. Not like I could sleep much. My mind is restless. I’ve replayed the scene from five years ago so much that it feels like a broken record in my head.

What did I miss at the hotel or at the site? Nothing comes to mind. Everything was very believable.

I get dressed and make my way to the office. I'm the first to get there and not long after, my best friend, Mark, shows up.

“You look like shit man. Is it one of those bad days?” he states.

He is my CFO and has been with me the longest. Since high school. And he didn't have a filter either.

“If I were any other person, I would pity you.”

“I don't need anyone’s pity,” I say.

“It's not pity, it's concern. I think it's time to let go. It's been five years already,” he says and I glare at him.

“Chill man. I'm just looking out for you,” he tells me while raising his hands in surrender.

“But seriously I don't want you to lose yourself. Yes, you were wrong but you're not the reason she isn't here. Stop carrying that weight on your shoulders. It'll crush you one day.”

Not only is the weight from the past crushing me, but ghosts are reappearing too. I haven't told him about seeing Zara yesterday. He would think I've finally lost my sanity. I want all the evidence before I spill it to him.

We talk for an hour, going over some financial documents after which he leaves and I go back to my thoughts. Sitting still won't do me any good so I pick up my phone and make a call.

I need answers and I need them fast before she slips through my fingers and never returns.

I pick up my phone and dial my private investigator through his private line. If there's anyone who can dig up secrets even from the dead, it'll be Corbett.

It rings and almost stops before he picks up.

“It must be pretty serious for the almighty Adrian Leighton whom I haven't heard from in forever to call me,” he teases.

“Cut it out, Corbett.”

“To what do I owe this pleasure, your highness?”

“I need you to dig up everything about Aria Sterling and her connection to Zara Winterborn.” I can hear him typing but he stops when I mention Zara’s name.

“Isn’t that…”

“Yes,” I don't let him finish his sentence.

“Okay,” he says and hangs up. No time for so many questions. That's what I like about him.