On Our First Attempt

Chapter Nineteen

Kyle arrived at his penthouse late in the evening tired and stressed out and but more thing, those annoying trio from the hospital won't stop following him. As soon as he got to the palace, he dropped by the security post, showed them a picture and ordered them not to allow any of the three people on the picture in. They did as told and the trio was forced to go back home.

Kyle stayed back home the rest of the day, brooding. Later he realized he still had his father's portrait in his room so he took it and hung it back in the living room and sat at a couch to take a last look at it again.

"I got lucky Dad, I didn't end up being a murderer like I presumed all thanks to the wonderful lady you got me as a sister." He said to his dad with a smile, then he took off his eyes from the portrait and relaxed properly on the couch. "But now am all alone. My friends lied to me and I chased her out. I guess she's having a great time now with her family and long lost love." He added smiling sadly. "I saw her son too. He looks handsome and adorable, I must be stupid to think anyone would want to run away from such an adorable child." He said to himself and it reminded him of his mom and his mood changed drastically.

"I always loose everything that are most important to that asshole. First it was mom, now it's her. The only thing I'm good at is work so I should do that with all my strength." He said, nodding as he finally stood up from the living room and went to his room. "I should do that." He repeated severally till he finally slept off.

Early the next day, he got dressed and went to work as soon as possible. He paused when he got to Lucas's desk for a few seconds before going into his office, but then he was shocked when he entered into his office and saw three grown ups in his office.

"What the hell are you doing in my office?" He asked angrily.

"How long were you seriously planing on avoiding us? We all make mistakes and this ours so you should at least forgive us." Lucas said.

"You of all people should know how Val is. You know she keeps to her threats and we just didn't wanna fall victim." Miguel added.

"Then you should have been sincere, not lie about it." Kyle lashed out. "You know what, just leave." He added.

"That was also strictly against Val's plan." Jason added.

"Whatever, look I don't care what happened or why you had to do what you did but one thing I know for sure is that I want you all out of my office. " Kyle lashed out angrily.

"We're really sorry K, just let us off this once and we promise it won't repeat itself." Miguel pleaded. After much pleas, Kyle finally allowed them to stay for a while, but was still playing hard to get.

"Did you know how hurt I was when I saw you guys partying while I was suffering and at the same time thinking you were seriously sick?" Kyle asked sadly.

"We know and we're sorry, just let this slide this once, please." They pleaded and Kyle's frozen face was finally melted by their plea and they all had a long, warm and tight hug.

"It's a relief right? She didn't die on me." Kyle said happily.

"It is indeed, but were you able to apprehend the person who caused her accident?" Jason asked.

"Yes and it was Cole's younger brother. Conor White." Kyle replied.

"What! That asshole again?" They wondered.

"I hope you don't let this go but then he's just a teenager." Lucad said.

Kyle chuckled loudly, surpring everyone.

"What's that about?" Miguel asked.

"Do you guys still think I have a say? Well let me surprise you all. Cole is Ana's long lost love and they seem to still be burning in passion for each other." Kyle explained, with a strong sense of jealousy in his every word. "Tsh 'Find me if you can' indeed. So annoying." Kyle immitated Ariana as he muttered to himself but audible enough for the trio to hear even though they had no idea of what he was talking about.

"Lovers?" They chorused.

"Yes. And she outrightly embarrassed me in front of everyone just to please him." Kyle said.

"Who did you say you had to find?" Miguel asked.

"What are you talking about?" Kyle asked curiously.

"You said 'Find me if you can?'" Miguel quoted. "What did you mean by that?" He asked.

"Nevermind. You won't understand." Kyle replied, bringing out his file and getting ready for work.

"What are you doing?" Lucas asked.

"Working of course. Remember you're still on your sick leave and I have to do alot of things on my own." Kyle replied.

"What about the matter at hand? Are you just going to sit and watch him take her?" Miguel asked worriedly.

"What do you mean by that?" Kyle wondered,not understanding what Miguel was talking about or rather, pretended not to know.

"Ariana of course." They chorused.

"You guys must be out of your minds. Partying for a few days must have really numbed your thinking. Didn't you get what I said earlier? They're or were lovers. Do you think she'd still want to work as a house help after her reunion with her super rich boyfriend or even after what I did to her?" Kyle asked, not expecting anything reply whatsoever.

"Who's talking about her being your house help again? Everyone knew you erred but you had a reason and despite that you were punished am sure she'd understand if you try explaining to her." Jason advised.

"Then what else do I employ her as? Just because she brought the idea about the Domigo's project doesn't make her eligible to be employed in my comp.........." He stuttered as he remembered he didn't plan to tell them about it.

"She brought the idea about what?" Lucas asked curiously.

"Okay.....fine......she brought the idea about the Domigo's contract, but it's not like I didn't know what to do I was just not in the right frame of mind to come up with an idea at that time." He explained.

"Woah, I didn't think she'd be that smart too. If you try explaining to her about your reasons for sending her out that night like you just explained to us about the contract, then am sure you all would be cuddling up soon." Miguel mocked.

"What the hell are you talking about? Why would we be cuddling up? For what?" Kyle asked angrily.

"You can quit the pretence now K. We all know you like her." Jason said smiling.

Kyle smiled sheepishly at his statement. "Oh that? You should have come straight with it right from the beginning." He said as began chuckling loudly and soon the others joined him.

"Yeah. Now you're talking. So what do you say?" Miguel asked still chuckling.

"I say you leave my office because I have a meeting to attend now." Kyle replied and with some files on hand as he left his office for a an urgent meeting at the next room. The guys were left standing and dumbfounded. They felt like a cool suggesting that to Kyle after being through such stress.

"Well......I guess I should get to work too." Lucas said, sprinting off, while the other two had to go back to there various work place or houses.

SUN CITY LAS VEGAS

Logan remained in his room after they came back from the police station looking very disturbed and devastated. He picked up his phone and called Hector.

"I met with him Hector." Logan said immediately Hector answered the call.

"Who are you talking about?" Hector asked curiously.

"Cole. Cole Erikson now Cole White." Logan replied.

"What! Please Logan. Don't do anything for now please." Hector pleaded.

"I'm loosing my patience with his pretence and the worst part is that he already started flirting with Ariana on the first day and she doesn't even know anything." Logan said sadly.

"I'm coming to Las Vegas tomorrow, so till then just hold it in. Please! For my sake." Hector pleaded.

"I will pick you up at airport, just call me when you arrive." Logan said before ending the call. He sat on his bed still not feeling relieved even after speaking with Hector.

"We shouldn't have done this. God!" He muttered to himself.

"Done what?" Ariana asked as she walked into the room.

"Don't you know how to knock?" Logan lashed at her.

"You must be having a quarrel with someone but one thing am sure is that, that person isn't me." Ariana mocked.

"Why are you even here?" Logan asked, this time, more calmly.

"I came in a good mood because I just got a job, but you ruined it." Ariana explained, not showing any emotions.

"Congrats, but what kind of job is it again? Hope it's not a house help again?" Logan asked mockingly.

"Aish......you ain't helpful at all. I got a job at RED ROCK LOGISTICS, they deal in importation, exportation and transport........" Ariana was rudely interrupted by Logan as she tried explaining.

"Look, girl. I know what Logistics means but what's your position there? What certificate did use? Are you finally ready to play a bigger role in life?" Logan questioned, this time sounding very serious.

"I wanted to start from the scratch just like everyone wanted four years ago. I used my first college certificate because that's the only way I can apply for the position of a Freight Agent which is the only position available." Ariana explained.

"You know I haven't really got the chance but what changed your mind about business? You didn't want to go for Business Admin back then, but why did you change your mind at Harvard?" He asked curiously. "And don't tell me it's because it's in the blood because I know how much you strongly opposed before despite the fact that we still shared the same blood and afterall Dad isn't art." He added with a smile.

"I met this rude guy while I was in the US to have Dylan and he made me fall in love with Real Estates and Business Admin." She explained.

"Oh, the guy who helped you have Dylan while you were in labour?" Logan asked and Ariana replied with a nod. "That's great though, he've really helped you make alot of meaningful decisions in life but it's too bad he had to leave like that." He said.

"I always over read meaning to things and in the end I always end up getting hurt on my own." She said in a slow and sad voice as her phone rang sharply, interrupting their conversation. She wondered who could have had the strange number calling her and by that time of the day. She answered the call, lo and behold; it was Cole White.

"You think I won't find you on time?" Cole asked.

"Well not this fast." Ariana replied.

"How are you doing? And you health?" He asked, sounding worried.

"You don't have to be worried, am doing great. How's Conor? I hope you ain't hard on him anymore?" Ariana asked, that was when Logan realized she was speaking with Cole. He got upset again and left the room, infact the house entirely to take a walk. Ana noticed Logan's disinterest and anger towards Cole but she couldn't under it's cause.

"Conor's doing great. Just sick." He replied.

"Oh, too bad. My regards to him if he'd even want to here my name." Ariana said jokingly.

Cole chuckled softly, "He was only scared you might be a ghost." Cole mocked.

"Oh really! I sure did look like one. No offense taken." Ariana replied, laughing.

"Let's meet up, and catch up. What do you think?" Cole asked.

"Hmmmm....... Absolutely not today." Ariana replied.

"Of course not. Tomorrow is fine, so where do I pick you up from?" Cole asked.

"Not my house because for some reasons, Logan is damn pissed off by you. So just tell me the location and I will be there." Ariana said.

"That would be so ungentlemanly of me. I will pick you up at the bridge few metres away from your house." He said.

"You already know my house? I seriously feel like I'm being stalked." She said, feeling awkward.

"Don't be. It's just technology." Cole reassured.

A new call from Valeria entered Ana's phone forcing her to put an end to her call with Cole.

"I gotta go Cole. Let's talk later." She said and quickly hung up her call without waiting for a reply just so she could answer Valeria's call before it ends.

"Good evening Valeria, I was just about coming over to bring him back home." Ariana said.

"Don't bother about that. He wants to spend the night here, I just called to ask if it's okay by you." Valeria said.

"Yeah.....yeah of course he can. I will come over tomorrow I've got something to tell you." Ariana said happily.

"No problem then, I will be awaiting you." Valeria said before ending the call.

Ariana felt very relieved with Dylan away because she knew he was safest with Val. She awaited Logan's arrival till it was very late and she was becoming sleepy. She decided to sleep on the couch in the living room just untill Logan returns before going back to her room.

Early the next morning, as Ariana woke up to find herself still in the living room. She wondered where Logan could have gone all through the night and failed to come back home, the worst part is that he didn't inform anyone. She tried calling him severally but his number was switched off.

While she prepared breakfast by almost lunch time, she wondered where Logan was. She was about to try calling his number again when she saw him coming into the house looking tired.

"Where the hell are you coming from by this time?" Ariana asked worriedly.

"Do I have to start reporting my whereabouts to you?" Logan lashed at her.

"Suit yourself. I already prepared breakfast you can have it if you want to, I have to go out." She said angrily as she stepped out of the kitchen and went to her room to get ready for her unclassified date with Cole.

Logan was still cuddling up to his bed after partying all night so it was very easy for Ariana to leave the house without being questioned or getting scolded.

Ariana had to work few metres to the bridge along her street to finally meet Cole.

"You look gorgeous as always." Cole complimented as he opened the car door for her to go in.

"You ain't looking bad yourself." Ariana replied.

They drove off to a very classy restaurant where Cole had already reserved before hand. They were urshed in by a waitress at the restaurant and when there got to their reserved seats, Ariana was wowed by the nice decoration of the place and a bonus view of the city from a height.

They both ate in silence while Cole steal a few glances at Ariana while she ate.

"You might eat me up with your stares." Ariana said as she noticed Kyle's constant glare.

"You look great in purple." He complimented.

"Thanks for the compliment." Ariana said as she dropped her cutleries, signaling that she was done eating. Cole waved the waitress to take away the plates and bring them a bottle of vodka.

"How have you been after that party? I mean, the last time we saw each other." Cole asked curiously.

"It became complicated, or rather, I became complicated. Do you know I have a child?" Ariana asked.

"Are you being serious here?" Cole wondered.

"Yeah, so don't get your hopes high. After that party, I went home not knowing I was already carrying a child inside of me and I resented you the most for not answering my calls. I felt you ditched me because we were done with high school just like Logan presumed, but whenever I think about the night, I feel like a total cheat and that I deserve you abandoning me, I was still trying to get over you when the news of the pregnancy came. My parents were disappointed and so was Hector's. His parents even refused to accept the baby been Hector's but in the end he proved them wrong and after that, life for me changed drastically." Ariana explained.

"Hec....... Hector's the father?" Cole stuttered as he asked.

"Yeah, it's unbelievable right? We must have been very high to do such a thing right?" Ariana asked, not expecting an answer.

"Are you sure he really is or is that what he told you?" Cole asked curiously but seriously.

"What are you saying? Logan also told me that." Ariana replied, feeling uncomfortable with the question Cole kept asking. Cole also noticed the discomfort he was causing her and decided to change the topic.

"Are you both together now?" He asked.

"Who are you talking about?" She asked, not sure of the question.

"Hector." He replied.

"Maybe we were only meant to be friends, I just couldn't bring myself to love h........" As Ariana narrated, she felt she was going too far with someone she hadn't seen in such a long and then decide to ask about him too.

"Why did you stop?" Cole wondered.

"Where have you been since that night?" Ariana asked.

"Hmmmmm." Cole heaved a huge sigh of relief before he said another word.

"Something happened to dad and we all had to flee. They only told us we were going for a vacation though, but I wasn't that dumb to not know the difference between fleeing and vacation trip. We fled and even had to change our last names to Mom's after Dad's death." He narrated, causing Ana to become emotional and sad.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you I'd be going because even I didn't know I won't be there the next day. I'm sorry I wasn't there during the hard times, and I'm sorry for ditching you." He apologized.

"You don't have to be. It's not like we plan our lives or how we wanna live it, so you can't just take the blame. I understand and am sorry for your loss." Ariana said, sympathizing with him. They both discussed about the past at length until late. Ariana received a call from Valeria informing her to pick Dylan up later so she decided to go over to Valeria's place first before going home. Cole offered to take her home and wouldn't take no for an answer.