Chapter 3 That Woman
1117 Words
Aries' voice, smooth and seductive, sent a wave of warmth against Tanya's ear, making her heart race uncontrollably.
"A-As your lover?"
He knew full well she had a boyfriend, but still, he insisted on having her as his lover.
Aries was clearly used to taking whatever he wanted, with no shame or hesitation.
Ignoring her disgusted expression, Aries pulled out his phone. After unlocking it with a fingerprint, he turned the screen towards her, holding it just under her nose.
"Save your number. When I want you, I'll call."
Tanya wanted nothing more than to distance herself from him, but how could she leave without giving him a number?
Her mind raced. She needed a quick solution, and with a forced smile, she took the phone from his hand.
She entered the number for a pizza place.
She handed the phone back with a grin, saying, "Done. Can I leave now?"
Aries glanced down at the screen and, with a cold look, scanned it thoroughly.
"You think you can trick me with a fake number? You want me to pull up the security footage and put out a city-wide search for you?"
There were security cameras here?
But... That wasn't the point.
The real question was: How did Aries know she entered a fake number? Wasn't he blind?
As Tanya's mind swirled with confusion, Aries' voice came again, calm but piercing, right beside her ear.
"I'm not stupid. I heard you chuckling just now."
Oh...
So that was how he found out.
Tanya exhaled in relief.
She almost had a heart attack just now. But as her heartbeat steadied, she realized Aries wasn't going to let her go that easily.
With no choice left, she reluctantly reached out and took the phone again, her brow furrowing as she gave him her real number.
"This one's for real."
After entering it, she handed the phone back to him and asked, "Now, can I go?"
Aries' gaze didn't leave her face as he looked up, his eyes cold as ice.
"If you block me, you won't see the sun rise again, I swear."
'Man...'
Tanya left the hotel, feeling like a complete fool.
She rubbed her aching back as she made her way to a nearby shopping mall to buy some clothes.
Once she was dressed, she stopped by a*****e for makeup and then called for a ride.
Before long, a black car pulled up and took her to Silverwood Heights, the exclusive neighborhood where the Hawke family lived. The car stopped in front of one of the large estates.
Tanya stepped out, her eyes landing on the impressive mansion. Memories of Lydia's harsh words made her hesitate to walk in.
As she stood frozen at the entrance, the massive front gate of the mansion opened, and the butler, Reginald Blackwood, emerged. Gawaine followed behind him.
"Tanya?"
Gawaine looked up, noticing her standing still. He furrowed his brow in confusion before walking towards her.
"Welcome home. Why aren't you coming in?"
Tanya, still uneasy about facing Lydia, didn't dare step inside, but she offered a gentle smile to mask her nervousness.
"I was just about to."
Gawaine nodded without a second thought.
"Where's Aries? You didn't bring him with you?"
Just as Tanya was about to answer, a Pagani sports car pulled up, stopping in front of them.
The window rolled down, revealing a pale face with sharp, striking features and intense eyes.
The man behind the wheel tilted his head slightly and gave them both a cold, calculating look.
If it weren't for the distant, almost vacant look in his eyes, Tanya might've sworn he could see.
"Aries, why didn't you come back with Tanya?"
Aries paused as he reached for the door handle, his eyes narrowing in suspicion when he finally looked up.
"Why would she be with me?"
Gawaine, never thinking twice, chimed in quickly, "I told Tanya to pick you up last night. Didn't you two meet?"
The moment those words left Gawaine's mouth, both Aries and Gawaine turned their sharp gazes on Tanya.
Her heart skipped a beat, and her fingers curled instinctively at her sides.
"I... I couldn't find Aries last night," Tanya lied smoothly. "Then I ran into an old friend and ended up going to a party."
She quickly patched together a weak excuse, forcing a smile as she added, "Sorry, I had a few drinks and totally forgot to message you."
Gawaine had assumed that after years of not seeing each other, they'd stayed up all night reminiscing.
But it turned out, Tanya never even met up with Aries—what a missed opportunity!
Gawaine, feeling a little regretful, patted Tanya's shoulder sympathetically.
"Well, next time, I'll make sure you get another shot at it."
Tanya cringed. It was awkward enough in front of the person in question, but now she had to deal with the fact that Gawaine was so casually pointing it out.
"Come on, Lydia's made us her famous dishes. Let's all sit down and eat together."
Tanya's stomach churned at the thought of sitting across from Lydia.
She could already imagine Lydia's subtle, cutting remarks about the mistakes she'd made in the past.
Just the thought of Lydia's deadpan expression made Tanya's skin crawl with unease.
But there was no avoiding it. She had spent three years here—eating, studying, and making connections—all thanks to the Hawke family.
No matter what, she owed them. And if she owed them, she had to give them respect, even if it meant swallowing her pride.
Tanya sighed and followed Gawaine through the door, but just as they reached the threshold, a firm hand suddenly grabbed her arm.
"Sweetie..."
Aries stood there, leaning on his cane with one hand while holding onto her new dress with the other.
He bent down slightly and whispered in her ear, his breath warm against her skin, "Did you see me last night when you came to pick me up?"
Tanya was so startled she nearly jumped out of her skin. She instinctively pulled away.
"No... I didn't see you..."
They were right at the door, and if Lydia saw them standing this close, it was over for her.
"W-Why are you so close?" Tanya stammered, backing up.
But Aries didn't step back. Instead, he leaned down even further, brushing the tip of his nose through her hair.
"But your hair smells so familiar... Just like the woman I slept with last night. You've been to The Velvet Haven, haven't you? Could it be..."
He paused, his eyes narrowing as they bore into her face, which was quickly losing color.
"Could it have been you in that room with me?"
- Writer
