It All Started With A Bet

Chapter 10

Stella POV

I looked in the mirror for a thousandth time, taking in my appearance. I was wearing a formal skin coloured dress that reached my mid-thighs with a black leather jacket dropped over. Black high heels, minimal makeup, and my Gucci bag finalized my look. I was a person who was always confident about her figure and her looks but today day I was doubting everything. It was the tenth time I was redoing my makeup.

I wanted to meet Aaron with my best looks. I was feeling nervous because it was the first time, I was meeting him without using Sera as a cover. I didn't know how will he react or how things will go on.

With one last glance at the mirror, I grabbed my bag and headed toward the exit of my apartment. I scrolled through my phone for the new messages as the lift descended to the ground floor. My Ferrari came into the view as the lift stopped in the parking lot. Earlier in the morning, Kyle called me and told me that Aaron wanted to meet me at lunch. At that time I got nervous all of sudden.

I never expected that Aaron would schedule the meeting this soon. Aaron may have remembered our childhood and showed me respect for my father's name after my name was enough to make him pick some time for me. But the main point was he did it so soon that I didn't even get the time to prepare for it.

Driving the car at a normal speed, I reached the restaurant ahead of the decided time. Walking over to the receptionist, I spoke up

"Hi, I have an appointment with Mr. Blackford. Please guide me to the table booked in the name of Mr. Blackford"

"Please wait a minute" she smiled as she went through her computer to confirm the booking details.

"Are you Miss Blade?" she asked.

"Yes, I am" I replied.

"Please show me your id card" she requested. I shuffled through my bag to give it to her.

Once she confirmed my identity, She then assigned a person that guided me to the secluded area. From some distance, I was surprised to see Aaron already sitting there waiting for me.

"Thank you, you can take your leave now," I said to the girl that was guiding me. I walked over to Aaron and took a seat in front of him. He was working on his Laptop and was still not aware of my presence yet.

"Hi" I called out to catch his attention as I settled down on the seat.

He was caught off guard when he saw me sitting there. He must have not expected me so his good mood turned sore.

"Sera, What a coincidence!" he shut the laptop screen and put it aside. I collected myself and said the next phrase

"It's not a coincidence. I came here for you" I put my bag on the table and leaned back on the seat.

"Finally, you admitted! What, are you tired of working for Elijah?" he smirked and picked up his cup of coffee that was in front of him.

This time, I was shocked at his accusations. I remembered that Elijah was his brother, but why would I work for him? Maybe Aaron sensed confusion on my face because he piped up again

"Still want to pretend! Look, I have no interest in your useless games. I am here to meet someone, I have no time for you. You can take your leave now" he signaled me to get up.

I was getting riled up at his harsh attitude.

"Who does he think he is? Forcing crimes on me, which I didn't even commit in my imagination" I thought

"Your imagination is wide, isn't it? Why would I work for Elijah? What benefit would that bring me?" I questioned him while looking him eye to eye.

"How would I know, a gold digger can do anything as long as she gets what she wants" he publically insulted me.

Firstly, I wanted to check where this conversation was heading to. But these words of his made me regret my decision.

Anger got the best of me and I busted out at him

"That's enough, Aaron! Mind your words or I won't be polite toward you" I banged my hand on the table and glared at him hard.

"Ohh, so you still have a sense of integrity in you! I thought that you sold all of it" he laughed out loud. I wanted to slap his face but stopped because I didn't wanna create a scene.

"You will regret it, Aaron Blackford!" my voice was thick with anger.

"Trust me, I won't! Go and tell Elijah that I won't fall for his lousy tricks. Now leave, I don't have time for your loose Virginia!" he picked up his laptop again.

"Time to teach this bastard a lesson" I thought.

He was about to turn on his laptop when I spoke up.

"You are here to meet Stella, right?" I looked at him with confidence.

"None of your concern! Are you leaving or should I call security?" he glared at me and then started typing on his laptop.

"It is my concern as long as I am Stella Blade!" I blew my cover.

I could see his hand stilled hand at the keyboard and his eyes on the screen. He didn't dare to look at me. For a while the things were quiet then Suddenly, he resumed his work

"What game are you playing now? Do you think that I will believe in you?" he laughed. I could sense his voice losing control.

"He got the guts to laugh at me! Someone has a death wish" Hot lava was boiling in me ready to pour at that bastard, Aaron.

I grabbed my bag, pulled out my ID card, and put it in front of him

"Now you believe in me" if looks could kill then he would be six feet under the ground.

He picked it up with shaking hands and went through it. His face was getting pale. I could feel that his mind was refusing to acknowledge the fact. He then looked up at me

"ID........ Can be.........fake!" he tried to sound confident but failed. He was refusing the reality.

"You broke your father's blue porcelain vase that was worth three million dollars and then buried it in the backyard. The blame was shifted on Elijah" this was my turn to smirk as I knocked a reality check in his mind.

"You swore to never speak about it!" he pointed his index finger at me. I knew that he spoke it on a whim but when he realized the situation, his eyes went down. Guilt and shame were the words written on his forehead.

"I told you, you will regret it! I Stella Blade had never been insulted so badly. Aaron Blackford you will pay for it" I threatened him indicating the previous insults.

His feelings were all over his face. I knew that he wanted to dig a hole in the ground and bury himself. He was definitely regretting his choice of words. He gripped his hair with both hands and looked down at the floor.

"I am sorry! I really am, if I knew you were Stella, I would never have said those dirty words. It disgusts me if I think of them again. Trust me, I can never use them for you. Also, You should have told me at the beginning" he looked at me with regretful eyes.

"So are you trying to shift the whole blame at me? Let me tell you, Aaron Blackford, I Stella Blade will never forget today's insult. I will make you regret it tenfold!" I grabbed my ID that was in front of him and got up to take my leave.

"Wait, Stella .............................................