Bonus: Aiden's fiasco

I officially hate my friends.

Here I was in a crisis and they were messing around. It was the worst time for them to joke around and not take things seriously.

I had never felt so betrayed in my life.

My friends were laughing hysterically, but I was in no mood for their antics.

"This isn't funny, idiots." I shouted as I walked to Mama and laid my head on her lap as she glared at the two of them."Both of them, if you don't stop now I will kick your asses out of here."

This made them shut up.

"I'm still unable to wrap my head around the fact that you, a charmer managed to get a girl so angry she slapped you... twice.", My face twisted in shame and embarrassment as the morons started to laugh again.

"Two slaps and a punch in the gut, Mama.", Nicolas F*cking Arnold, as Arielle used to say in the past, seemed perfect for the moment to me.

Bastard!

The reason I was so mad was not just because they were making fun of me, but also because, f*ck I felt too furious, how could that woman, that stranger, do something like that to me?

It seems like even the most innocuous-looking face can conceal a demon.

"That woman was completely insane Mama, totally crazy.", I said quietly as I sat up and looked at her."She slapped me twice and then threw a glass of water at me. She is definitely on drugs."

"Aiden you can't say that about someone you don't even know."

"Hi everyone." I looked towards the doorway and saw Sienna walking in.

"Where's Amore Sienna?", Arielle walked in when Nicolas asked about her, she was handling a crying Arina.

Arina had just turned 5 months and she was the light of everyone's eye. She was always smiling and cooing, but now she was having a fit. Arielle looked like she was on the verge of a panic attack. Her husband rushed towards her and took Arina from her arms and as soon as she was in his embrace, she went quiet.

"Traitor.", Arielle joked and all laughed. Everyone knew that Arina was always happier when she was with her father. He kissed her forehead and then slowly rocked her in his arms. He had a special way of calming her down and I was sure that she would soon be asleep.

After a few minutes, Arina was indeed sound asleep in her father's arms.

"I'll take her inside." Once Arielle was back everyone gathered around me again and I knew I was screwed.

S-c-r-e-w-e-d.

"Now tell us what happened.", Mama ordered and boy was I in deep trouble.

"What are we talking about again?"Sienna asked before I could start my nightmarish experience or better could tell them about that ferocious woman.

"Some feisty woman slapped Aiden twice," Evans said and then there was a pin-drop silence. Arielle and Sienna looked at me with wide eyes and I nodded with reluctance.

"You got slapped by some random woman?"

"How?"

"When?"

"Where?"

"Why?"

"Who slapped you?"Questions were firing at me like bullets and all I could do was look at the two women with shame, Gosh! I was about to have a freaking heart attack.

"Was the woman beautiful?" A strange question came in between and I knew if I was screwed before, now is the time I should probably dig a hole and bury myself inside.

Nicolas F*cking Arnold, you better start counting your days.

As soon as the question left his mouth, everyone turned to me. Their eyes scanning for any sign of my slightest reaction and I felt my face burn because f*ck no matter the way she slapped me so hard.

She was the most beautiful woman I have ever come across.

It's not like I had not seen someone as beautiful as her but there was something so burning about her eyes. The icy blue colour, combined with an intense gaze, made me feel as if she could see right through me. As if there were a whole universe of emotions swirling beneath the surfaces.

She was tall, and her long hair fell over her shoulders in luscious waves. Her presence commanded attention, and I couldn't help but be captivated by her every move. From the confident way she walked to the gentle yet firm grip of her slender fingers, there was an undeniable aura of strength and grace about her. It was as if she carried a secret power within her, ready to be unleashed at any moment.

"So she was beautiful.", Mama said and I could sense a sort of mischief in her eyes.

I sighed, no point in even trying to lie.

"What a shame to get slapped by someone beautiful, Aiden.", Evans tsked and I dipped my head down.If it wasn't for Sienna and his kid, I'd have killed him by now.

Similarly for Nicky.

Dumbasses!

"But seriously why did she slap you?"

I sighed.

"Aiden." Mama upheld my shoulders and looked me in the eyes."Tell me the whole incident."

I found myself replaying the events of that fateful day in my mind. It was a sunny afternoon, and I was waiting at a retro cafe for an old client to arrive for a meeting. He was the major investor of a start-up company that I'd recently set up. The meeting was to discuss a potential deal and the investment he was willing to make could change the future of all my employees.

Personally, I didn't like this client, he was arrogant and a top-grade narcissist.

And if someone wouldn't agree with his talks, he would just straight away cancel the whole deal without even listening to what the other party had to say.

But he had the money, so I had to deal with him. It's not like he was the only investor I had, it was just that he was the one I wanted, he had the guidance and the influence I wanted, and my employees needed because this was a very new business we were stepping in.

"So what's the workforce ratio of your new company Mr Rivera." Mr Bald-Baldwin asked.

"It's 50-50 sir," I said and his facial expression changed from a mild smile to a stern frown, his gaze fixed on me with scepticism.

I could tell that he was not pleased with my answer. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, contemplating my response. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, he finally spoke, his voice filled with disapproval.

"You see Aiden, Women are supposed to be at home. They are caregivers and nurturers, not leaders in the business world."

Did I mention he was a top-class chauvinistic a*shole.

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts and preparing a rebuttal to challenge his narrow-minded perspective but before I could speak, he continued.

"Women are meant to take care of the household chores and raise the children. This idea of a balanced gender ratio goes against traditional societal norms." His words landed like a slap across my face, shocking me with their blatant sexism. I couldn't believe that someone in a position of power could still hold such archaic beliefs.

"See you're young and this young new generation believes in all this equality stuff but when you get older you'll change your mind. Women belong in the home and men in the workforce so if you don't agree with my point of making the workforce a ratio of 70-30, we should probably stop talking."

My hands curled under the table but before I could say anything. My secretary leaned towards me and whispered, "Sir just say yes. Who cares what he says? We need this investment, once we get him on board, we can do whatever we want. Who needs to follow him, just say yes for now."

I relaxed my hands and nodded and putting the fakest smile I could muster on my face said," Truth be to said Mr Baldwin, I myself am not a believer of this gender equality. I mean, who needs a balanced gender ratio? It only disrupts the natural order of things. Women are more suited for domestic responsibilities while men excel in the professional world. That's just how it was meant to be, right? Women are weak and they should just sit at home and look pretty."

"Excellent young man. I'm so glad that you agree with my point of view."

I chuckled lowly, God! I can't believe I said that.

He extended his hand and I shook it with a disgusted look, God! The type of people you face in the Business world.

"Let's sign the contract tomorrow in my office." My secretary released a breath of relief once Mr Baldy Baldwin left.

"A*shole!"He whispered and followed him to see him off and I could not agree more.

"I need a coffee," I mumbled and before I could even turn around a hand connected right across my face.

"There she comes.", Evans screamed snapping me out.

"Shut up Evans, Now is the part."

I exhaled. I can never forget the look on her face. Blue angry eyes glared at me as if I were the devil himself.

"Women are weak, they should sit home and look pretty. That's what you said you chauvinistic ass.", anger dripped like poison from her lips."Allow me to show a woman's weakness, then will you kind sir?"

This was followed by a punch to my gut and another slap, that hurt like hell."Next time you remember this slap before you say something degrading about women."

"Listen, You -"

"Shut up." She cut me off as she walked away not before pouring a glass of water on my face.

Her posture exuded confidence, yet there was a hint of vulnerability in her eyes that intrigued me. As I stood there, still reeling from the unexpected slap, I couldn't help but be captivated by her presence. It was as if time stood still, and at that moment, I realized that this encounter would change the course of my life forever.

***

This update was for the people who had been requesting me to update about Aiden.

Here's a peek into Aiden's life.

Love Love.