Pampered Wife of Xavier

Chapter 3: Arya, Don’t Be Sad

Pester?

So, it turns out that that was how it viewed it.

There was an instant when she felt like she had seen herself from years ago again…

That rainy night, she stood along the street with the glorious lights.

She smiled and watched her past self after the damage was done…

Arya, who had been standing behind Mia, suddenly took a deep breath and slowly shut her eyes. Then, she opened them and turned around. She looked at Mia’s slim figure and said plainly with some fatigue in her voice,

“Get into the car, Mia.”

Her unexpected feeble and hoarse voice rang out, startling the few of them.

Ethan slowly looked up and realized that besides the car not too far away behind Mia, Arya, whose twinkling eyes had been silently watching all of this, stood holding an umbrella in the drizzle.

The freezing wind kept flapping her clothes and the swaying windbreaker made her body seem even frailer, yet her exquisite face which was half-covered by her shades revealed stubbornness and apathy.

“Arya…”

Ethan’s handsome face suddenly turned rigid. A mix of emotions quickly flashed across his profound and silent eyes as his hands by his sides slowly tightened.

Victoria had also sensed that the arm Ethan circled around her waist had become unnaturally stiff. She immediately chewed on her pink lips slightly and slowly looked up Her beautiful eyes twinkled with light, reflecting weakness and longing in the way she looked at Arya.

She sniffed slightly, and in that instant, her eyes started to water as she called out to Arya with a raspy voice,

“Sis… I… I really miss you…”

Sis?

I really miss you.

These words that echoed in Arya’s ears were akin to a sharp knife scraping against her wound that had not had time to heal. A coldness started to recklessly invade her body…

People said that time was the best healer, and that with time, the worst wounds would heal eventually…

They said that once you let go, you would realize that that person was never actually that important…

They said that after breaking up and getting used to the loneliness, you would not love that person as deeply as you thought you did…

At first, she thought that since it had been quite a few years, these things would lie in the past. She had gotten used to it too. Slowly, she could bear all of this, but hearsay was just hearsay. Who could prove that all of these were true?

In that second, she could feel too many things at once. Her chest hurt and her breath shortened. She found it hard to breathe as dizziness struck her and her heart ached.

However, as much as all the discomfort made her suffer, she could only just turn her head. She tightly shut her eyes and calmed herself down. Then, she opened her eyes, and hiding beneath the shades, they had returned to their usual indifference.

She inhaled a little and apathetically looked toward the two people before her, her thin lips faintly curving into a trace of nonchalance. She gently lifted her hand to pat Mia’s shoulder lightly. Without so much as another look at the couple, she closed the umbrella and lowered herself into the car. From the start till the end, she did not say a word to Ethan and Victoria.

“Arya, how are you? Are you okay?!”

At this moment, Mia started to feel her eyes burning up as she turned to look at Arya who had already gotten into the car. When she saw that she was already leaning back with her head leaning to one side, her heart ached. She could not help but cover half her face with her hand. Her furious gaze passed through the flickering bright colors toward Ethan and Victoria…

“Ethan, you’ll never know what you’ve missed out on! I consider myself blind for having known the two of you heartless scumbags!”

In a hoarse voice, Mia left these words before she got into the car.

“Arya, how are you? Say something!”

In the car, she inched towards Arya and both her hands gripped Arya’s shoulders tightly. When she saw that she was not moving at all, she started to panic.

Arya pushed Mia’s hands that were on her shoulders away and she turned away to look out of the car window. Calmly, she assured me,

“I’m fine. Driver, let’s get going. Go to Emperor Entertainment City in the north.”

The moment she said that the driver upfront immediately started his engine.

As the car slowly drove past him, Ethan could vaguely see Arya, who sat in the car with her head turned the other way, looking out.

He hesitated for a moment. He hesitated whether he should chase after, yet after a momentary contemplation, the mixed emotions in his eyes quieted down. At last, everything returned to its previous calm state.

Suddenly, by his ear came the soft sound of Victoria choking on her sobs.

“Ethan, I… did I do something wrong? Sister, she…”

Ethan turned around and saw gloom written all over his delicate face of Victoria. Her beautiful eyes were teary, yet she still bit down hard on her lip, determined to force her tears to stay in. When he saw this face, it inevitably made his heart ache for her sake.

He did know what to say. He could only tighten his grip around her waist and pull her further into his arms.

Victoria then hugged him and leaned tightly in his embrace; her stifled cries were muffled.

He looked ahead pensively at the car that had already vanished into the hazy drizzle. Then, Ethan coldly retrieved his gaze, focusing on Victoria who buried herself in his embrace to cry. His apathetic face started to ease and he said softly,

“Okay, don’t cry now. We’ll slowly explain these things to her later on. She’s a very sensible person, so she’ll see it and will understand.”

“But, but… when I saw her like that earlier, I was really devastated. Father says she hasn’t been home for a long time already. She’s definitely still blaming Father and Mother because of us…”

“Let’s not talk about these things first. Get into the car. Uncle and Aunty are waiting for us at Emperor.”

Ethan took out a handkerchief from his pocket and carefully wiped away her tears. He opened the car door and coaxed,

“Get into the car first.”

Victoria sniffed and swallowed the lump in her throat before she tearfully got into the car.

…

The car sped towards the north city’s Emperor Entertainment City. Along the way, Arya did not say anything. The car was filled with indescribable gloom. It was so stifling that Mia felt an acrid and bitter taste in her throat.

She wanted to console her, yet she saw Arya had already leaned back and maintained her composure of looking out the car window. Her cold lips were sealed tightly. Through the dim lights outside the car with various depths that kept reflecting her in their brightness, in that instant, if one looked over, she seemed particularly desolate and distracted.

“Arya, don’t be sad… I’m sorry, I… I know I shouldn’t have acted like that, but I really couldn’t control myself. Seeing them in their cheap happiness, I just couldn’t hold back. I was about to explode and go crazy! How could they still live so happily without feeling ashamed at all after hurting you?”

Mia was furiously rambling on as both her hands held Arya’s shoulders. She looked at Arya’s fair and beautiful face before she asked anxiously and with worry,

“Tell me, Arya. Have you not let go? It’s been so many years, but you haven’t been willing to let go and try to accept another relationship. Is it because you haven’t let go of Ethan? Is it? Tell me!”

Mia shook Arya by the shoulders and asked dejectedly.

Arya became dizzy from her shaking, so she could only lift a hand to hold down the hands that held her shoulders. Her crimson though slightly pale lips parted with a voice filled with fatigue and powerlessness.

“Mia, stop talking. Just let me be alone for a while, okay?”

“Is it that hard to answer this question? Arya!”

Mia fixed her stare on her.

Arya was stunned. She fell silent for a moment, then she suddenly put down her hand that was on Mia’s arms. Turning over to Mia, she thought about it for quite a while before she finally said softly,

“He and I have long become the past…”

Have long become the past…

She already knew all of this from a long time ago. Her circumstances had already been marked with a full stop.

…

At Emperor Entertainment City, New York city’s highest-class and the one and only consumption area.

This was where many money-squandering establishments of rich people were at. Most of them were people of status.

The White family was also considered a literary family. Mia’s father was the President of University A, while her mother was the city center’s educational administration director. They did hold some status in New York city, so Mia could be considered the daughter of an eminent family too.

Usually, Mia would frequent Emperor, not only because the dishes there were delicious, but even more so because of their one-stop service. She was also satisfied with the attendants’ flawless customer service.

Every time Mia asked Arya out for a meal, 8 out of 10 times would be at Emperor, so as time went on, Arya was used to it too. She immediately decided on Emperor for the homecoming dinner for Mia.

After the food and drinks were served, Arya poured herself a drink and downed quite a few glasses at a go. She looked quite pale. From the side, the watching Mia felt heartache and sadness seeing this.

“Drink a few with me. Tonight, I’m welcoming you home. Aren’t you going to drink a little?”

Arya frowned as she finished the drink in her glass. She turned to Mia who looked worried and said softly,

“Don’t look at me with that look that says ‘I told you I’m fine’.”

Then, she reached out and was about to pour herself another drink, yet Mia beat her to it. She took the bottle and filled up her glass. Only then did she pour Arya half a glass. In a husky voice, she said,

“You want to drink, so I’ll drink with you, but you have a poor stomach. Drink less. Half a glass for you, one glass for me.”

Mia held up her glass and downed a few drinks.

There was a faint smile across Arya’s face. She suddenly looked down at the half-glass of drink in front of her.

“Thank you, Mia.”

With Mia, Arya would forever be grateful. Perhaps after so many years, it was only Mia who had accompanied her. When the winds were strong, she would remind her to put on more clothes. When the times got hard, she would be the first to appear then and there. To drink with you and chat with you…

Mia reached out to pull at Arya’s cold hand that was on the table, as she said softly, “Silly, do we need to mention these things between us two? Arya, don’t be sad now. There are many good men in this world. The Earth continues to orbit with one less trash man like Ethan, for someone like that. It’s really not worth it!”

Arya did not answer. She just breathed in, then she suddenly turned to look out the window. What entered her line of sight were the bright lights, the flickering neon lamps that shone so much that her eyes started to hurt.

Before she was caught in a daze, she suddenly remembered Ethan’s apathetic figure when he left back then. No matter how hard she tried, no matter how she swallowed her pride to beg for him to turn back, she still did not get him back…

‘Let go, Arya. You know that I love someone else now, and that person hasn’t been you.’

‘Let go of each other. You’ll forget with time. I hope you will live well. I will do my best to make it up to you.’

…

She remembered that when he had turned around to leave, the weather was like that day.

She remembered that back then, she had wanted to chase after him, but when she saw the woman sitting in that car, she instantly lost all willpower.

In the end, she still did not rush up to ask why or let Ethan give her a reason. Instead, she stood for a whole night under the pale yellow streetlight and endured the rain for the whole night. Until she saw dawn break did she feel stiff and numb all over? She laughed in a daze at herself for all the damage that was done.

Because of his indifference when turning back, all of her hopes had turned into a passing cloud. What was left was a heart-wrenching pain. It was a pain that was felt in the bones, a pain that was numbing.

She suddenly felt incredibly repressed and upset, her exhausted and numb heart of hers suppressed that piercing sore that had faint traces of being resuscitated. She finally could not hold it in anymore. She got up and said to Mia,

“I’m going out for a breather.”

Mia was startled. She wanted to get up and chase her when the phone in her bag suddenly rang…

At the same time, in another luxurious VIP room within Emperor Entertainment City, a room was filled with joy.

Dishes were served on the table. Aside from Ethan and Victoria being present, there were also two pairs of middle-aged couples.

“Is Ethan going to settle down after coming back this time? Hopefully, he isn’t traveling for another year or two again after this.” A middle-aged lady in a maroon dress sitting beside Victoria smiled.

This lady was Ms. Layla Johns, Victoria’s biological mother. She was about 50 years old, but her outward appearance was so well-maintained that she looked as if she was just about 30 years old.

Sitting beside Ms. Layla Johns was a cold-looking man in a grey suit. The serious-looking man was Mr. Benjamin Johns, the respectable mayor of New York City.

Opposite them were Mr. Logan Martinez and Ms. Madison Martinez, Ethan’s parents. While they were past their fifties, it was obvious that they had their heydays. If not, they would not have such a handsome and exceptional son.

“Mmm, I’ve decided to settle down this time,” Ethan replied.

“Our elder wanted Ethan back this time to take over the business. After all, we’re getting old and we need the youngsters to take the responsibilities off our shoulders. Ethan’s been doing pretty well abroad the past few years, so I discussed with his father to let Ethan completely take over the company. Then, both of us can step down and relax.”

Madison smiled. As she was explaining, she put some food onto Victoria’s plate.

“Victoria, it must’ve been tough for you to take care of Ethan abroad these past few years. Eat more. You’re too skinny. Has this boy been bullying you?”

Victoria blushed as she lowered her head and peeked at Ethan. With a smile, she said, “Thank you. Actually, Ethan’s the one taking care of me. Of course, he wouldn’t bully me! Right, Ethan?”

Victoria turned to Ethan who gave her a gentle look. He pursed his lips and did not say anything.

Logan smiled warmly as he saw how loving Ethan and Victoria were towards each other. He turned to the silent Mr. Benjamin Johns and said,

“It seems like you guys are doing pretty well abroad. After Ethan takes over the Martinez Corporation and familiarizes himself with the work there, let’s have them get engaged. What do you think, Mayor Johns?”

Mr. Benjamin Johns put down the wine glass and threw a sharp glance at Ethan and Victoria, his tensed up face relaxed, he nodded,

“If you both have no objections I wouldn’t disagree as well. Next week is the elder’s birthday, please come over and we can talk about the engagement, is that alright?”

Victoria’s face blushed even deeper when she heard her father’s words. She gently bit her scarlet lips and looked at Ethan.

Logan and Madison nodded and agreed with the plan.

“How about Ethan?”

Mr. Benjamin Johns looked at him with his sharp eyes.

“I’m fine with it as long as Victoria is willing to become my bride.”

Ethan smiled and focused his eyes on Victoria. With her blushing face, she nodded and said, “I’ll follow Father’s plan.”

“It’s set then. Let’s eat.”

…

During the meal, Madison kept serving Victoria food, and she flashed smiles and thanked her constantly. Madison was really satisfied with her attitude.

“Father, is Grandfather healthy? The first thing I want to do after I come back this time is to spend more time with him. I’ve always worried about his health the whole time I was overseas,” Victoria asked when she saw that Mr. Benjamin Johns did not mention it. She looked like she really missed her grandfather.

Mr. Benjamin Johns looked at Victoria and then said in a regretful tone,

“He’s still the same. He still misses your sister dearly. Next week is his birthday. Since you’re back, tell your sister to go back just this once.”

“Sister? Father, just now, Ethan and I met Sister at the airport, but she…” Victoria bit her lip and lowered her head sadly. “She’s still…”

“That’s alright, Victoria. Don’t be sad about your sister acting this way. Mother believes that she still cares a lot about you,” Ms. Layla Johns comforted her daughter.

“Arya… in recent years… she really stepped over her boundaries, but just let her be. Don’t worry about it, Victoria. Ethan, spend some time walking around with Victoria later. There’ve been quite some big changes in New York City in the past few years.” Madison did not know what else to say, so she gave Ethan some suggestions.

Ethan’s eyes widened slightly when Arya was mentioned, yet he did not say anything and just nodded lightly.

Afterward, while Mr. Benjamin Johns and Mr. Logan Martinez started talking about business, Ethan would sometimes voice out his opinions. Victoria went to the toilet after a while.

…

Arya washed her face in the toilet. She had both her arms on the sink as she looked at her pale self in the mirror. She closed her eyes and calmed down. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly saw through the mirror that Victoria had just entered through the door.

Her body trembled while her arms on the sink suddenly froze.

Victoria saw Arya as well. She stopped in her tracks and stood behind Arya as she attempted to smile.

“Sister, I didn’t expect you’d be here too.”

Her voice sounded gentle and a little surprised, yet it sounded like screeching in Arya’s ears.

“That’s great. Father just mentioned you. It’s been a really long time since you’ve gone back. Father, Mother, and Grandfather really miss you. If it’s because of Ethan, I’m willing to apologize, Sister… Ethan and I… I’d rather have you scold me and beat me up if you’re feeling unhappy. Could you please forgive us?”

Victoria’s expression turned sorrowful and her eyes were filled with mixed emotions and struggle.

“It’s already been some years. I thought time could wash those unpleasant moments in the past away, but I’m really sad to see the current you, Sister. You told me before that a relationship’s worth is based on whether two people really love each other. Forcing a relationship can never bring happiness, isn’t that, right?”

Arya felt pain bloom in her chest as she heard Victoria’s words. A suffocating pain intruded her entire being, yet she put on a smile and glanced at the pitiful-looking Victoria in the mirror. Her tone sounded calm.

“Victoria, didn’t you know that Ethan was engaged to me?”

“Sister, I… I know it’s my fault. In the beginning, I was just curious about what kind of person your fiancé was, so I got closer to him… I never expected to be attracted to him… and to fall so quickly for him…”

Victoria started to sob as she stared at Arya’s stiff figure. She sniffed and then said, “I’ve constantly blamed myself, but Sister, I really love Ethan, so please, please forgive us, okay? We can only be truly happy with your blessings.”

“Sister, you’re really important to me. I really need your forgiveness and blessings, please?” Victoria’s sobs and fragile voice were like cold, sharp needles stabbing into Arya’s heart. It was so painful that she almost passed out.

How cruel…

The girl before her was her best friend. Then, suddenly, one day her father divorced her mother and the mother of this girl became her stepmother. Yue Victoria became Victoria. She was her father’s illegitimate child, so she became Arya’s younger sister and Victoria’s mother took over her mother, Ms. Arianna John's place.

Victoria was really lovely. She was always so beautiful and kind as well as smart and excellent at her studies. The moment she entered the Johns family, everyone loved her, including the grandmother who had always doted on Arya.

As for Arya herself, she was quiet and low-profile. She did not like to talk and her studies were mediocre. Aside from talking to her grandfather from time to time, she was usually a loner. People started to forget about her existence in the Johns family, and Victoria became the precious jewel of the family.

The engagement with Ethan was a promise between Elder Johns and Elder Martinez; they were really good friends and hoped to build a deeper relationship between their families and become better partners. Arya had always been thought of as the default daughter-in-law of the Martinez family, yet all of these evaporated with Victoria’s arrival.

What sounded the funniest to her was that this crying woman and her mother had destroyed her happy family. They took her father away, took her place in the family away, and even took the love of her life away, yet now she was asking for her forgiveness…

There was probably nothing more ironic than this in the whole world.

She was reminded that a long time ago, Ethan and she were a couple envied by many others. They shared some warm memories between them, and now it was all nothing but a joke.

She thought she could still be happy even after losing the warmth of her family as long as she held onto her relationship with Ethan, but who would have expected that things would end this way?

It was all just temporary fireworks. No matter how beautiful it was, they would just end up in the pitch-black sky.

She looked up with a smile but her voice sounded extremely cold.

“Both of you stabbed me in the chest. My wound isn’t even healed yet, and you want me to forgive you both. Victoria, you’ve really widened my perspective.”

“Sister, I know I’m wrong, I… I just don’t want you to look so miserable. I feel really tortured inside, especially when I heard from Mother that you haven’t been home in the past few years. Please… please don’t act this way… You’ll make everyone feel bad. Our grandparents and Father really miss you. They wish you’d go home…”

As tears started falling from Victoria’s eyes, she held onto Arya’s shoulders firmly, yet her sister rejected her gesture.

“Get lost! Don’t touch me!”

Bang!

Victoria fell backward and dragged the beads curtain down. Victoria accidentally stepped on some beads and tripped with a scream, falling down hard on the floor!

A cold, angry voice rang out. “Arya, you’re really too much!”

In shock, Arya slowly turned around and saw Ethan’s face. He looked so mad and disappointed.

Those eyes were supposed to be like poisoned steel needles that caused excruciating pain to Arya. However, the only thing she felt was just numbness.

Ethan went over and helped Victoria up. In anguish, he asked gently,

“Victoria, are you alright?”

Victoria’s face looked pale and hurt. She bit her lip as she sobbed.

“I… I’m alright. I just slipped… It’s not Sister’s fault…”

“I saw everything, Victoria! You did nothing wrong. you don’t have to feel guilty.”

Ethan felt agony as he looked at Victoria’s pale little face. Just as he was about to help Victoria up, Victoria screamed painfully when she tried to move. Her facial expression showed she was in great distress.

“It’s really painful…”

Sweat started to roll off Victoria’s forehead as she held onto Ethan tightly. She was still trying to explain,

“No, Ethan, if it weren’t for me… things wouldn’t have turned out this way. I’ve always hoped for her to forgive me all these years. If not, I’d still feel uneasy even if we get married. I…”

“Victoria, you…”

Ethan saw tears running down her cheeks. He squatted down and slowly held her up, but Victoria shoved him away and got up on her own as she leaned against the wall. She walked over to Arya in pain. Every step seemed to be causing her grave distress.

“Sister, I…”

“Be careful, Victoria!”

…

Arya did not say a thing. She just looked at what happened before her as she felt an iciness inside her. She could not help but look away.

She did not feel the need to explain herself, so she turned around and walked right between the two of them. She wanted to leave and act as if she had not seen anything.

As she passed by them, Victoria held onto her shoulder desperately. Tears streaked all over her face while she begged,

“I know you hate me. I’m really sorry… but next week is Grandfather’s birthday. He’s really concerned about you. Father, Mother, and Grandmother too… They are really worried since you’ve never gone back…”

“Let go!”

Before Victoria could finish her sentence, Arya’s icy cold aura spread throughout the area.

“Sister!”

“What did you do to me that could make me hate you so? Victoria, my mother Arianna Johns only gave birth to me, Arya, so —”

Arya shook her off and her eyes stared at Victoria as if she was just looking at a stranger. Her voice sounded cold and strange.

“I don’t have any siblings. Please stop putting up an act in front of me. You might not be tired, but I am, so that’s enough.”

Arya’s sudden gesture almost made Victoria fall again, but Ethan went up swiftly to hold her.