HIS TERMS, HER HEART

A MYSTERIOUS INVITATION

A MYSTERIOUS INVITATION

Aria was joyous after helping Mrs. Estelle Carrington to her estate as she headed to her own street, where she was staying with Mrs. Craig for now.

She was thinking about how she would survive with her daughter.

"Hi, I hope you are good, because you don't seem focused on where you are going," said a woman who was walking behind her on the road.

"Are you talking to me?" Asked Aria, looking lost.

"Yes, I was talking to you," replied the woman.

"Yes, yes, I'm good; I just want to get to where I'm going on time," replied Aria with a cold smile.

"Ok, just be careful, young lady; everything will be fine," replied the woman.

"Thank you," said Aria.

They parted ways, and she was already approaching her street.

"Hi," she greeted few people she saw on the road and was already at the front of Mrs Craig's house .

She knocked on the door.

" Who is at the door?" Mrs Craig shouted from inside

" It is Aria" answered Aria

"Mummy" screamed Lila.

Mrs Craig stood up from where she was sitting and she opened the door for her to enter

" Welcome darling" said Mrs Craig with a smile on her face.

"Thank you ma" she replied

She carried her baby and held her tight

"My baby, how are you doing?" She asked Lila

" I'm fine, mummy" replied Lila who is still resting her head on her mum's shoulder.

" How was the job hunt, dear?" asked Mrs Craig

Aria nooded in the negation.

" It was futile" she replied soberly.

" It is well, dear" replied Mrs Craig with a smile on her face

" Hope you are good,baby?" Aria asked her daughter

" I'm fine" she replied.

She dropped her and she went ahead to play with her toy.

Aria narrated how she met Mrs Carrington and how she helped her to her house and how she invited her to her house the following day.

" You can go and let's hope something great comes out of the encounter" Mrs Craig said positively

" You think so?" Replied Aria

" Yes, I hope so" replied Mrs Craig while holding Aria's hands.

After chatting for a while, it was already late in the night, they ate dinner.

" Good night Ma" said Aria

" Good night darling" replied Mrs. Craig.

Lila had been laid to sleep after eating in the evening.

It was a beautiful Wednesday morning and Aria woke up sound and happy until the previous day.

She said a word of prayer and she was positive something good would happen.

She checked her daughter who was still sleeping beside her on the bed and she doesn't want to wake her up.

So,she quietly stood up and went to the bathroom to take her bath.

She dressed up and went to the sitting room, where she met Mrs Craig reading her Bible.

" Good morning ma" greeted Aria

" Good morning great daughter, I hope you had a great night sleep? replied Mrs Craig

" Yes, I do and thank you for helping me and my daughter, ma" said Aria thankfully.

Mrs Craig was already preparing breakfast for the family before they woke up.

She prepared jollof rice for them to eat in the morning.

" Are you ready to eat?" She asked Aria

" Yes, ma" Aria replied

Mrs Craig served her.

Lila was already awake by this time and she was also served too.

" Thank you for the meal ma" Aria said thankfully with a beautiful smile on her face.

"Thank you" Lila also said.

" My pleasure" replied Mrs Craig

Aria went into the room to think about her next plan of action

" I need to fix all these" she said aloud

" I pray Mrs Carrington helps me as I visit her today" she thought.

It was already noon, and she wants to prepare because she wants to visit Mrs Carrington.

She puts on a green beautiful bodycon gown alongside a white shoe to complement the gown and a little makeup on her face.

Aria is a typical example of a lady with the perfect figure, she attracts people's attention whenever she is walking.

" Yo! I look good" she said

Aria always compliments herself because she is a beautiful lady, both in and outside.

She heads towards the living room

" I'm already going, ma" she told Mrs Craig

" Mummy where are you going?" Asked her daughter

" Mummy is going out to buy somethings for you, my daughter"

Said Mrs Craig

" Okay, mummy" Lila replied with a radiant smile on her face.

" I will soon be back" said Aria

She was waiving to them as she was heading out.

"Bye" chorused Mrs Craig and Lila.

Aria stood outside the gate to call a cab and after standing for 5 minutes, a cab approaches her .

"I'm going to Carrington's

Estate" Aria said

"It is $5 dollar" said the driver

"Okay" she hopped in.

"Good afternoon sir" She greeted the cab driver

"Good afternoon ma" the driver replied

After some minutes, the driver alighted.

She pressed the gate button and the gate man opened the gate for her and she entered.

" Good afternoon sir" she greeted the man

" Good afternoon, Miss" replied the gate keeper

One of the maids was already approaching them

" Hi, are you Miss Aria?" The maid asked

"Yes, I am" Aria replied

" Mrs Carrington said I should let you in" said the maid

"Thank you sir" said Aria to the gatekeeper

He waved to her.

She followed the maid into the big building.

She was welcomed by the maids standing by the door .

She was stunned by the artifacts of the building.

She was wowed by the expensive furniture in the living room and the drawings on the wall.

"Wow " she shouted

She was embarrassed because she didn't know what she thought was silent and was loud, so that the maids could hear her.

She knows that the artworks are expensive because she draws too.

" Hi Beautiful" said Mrs Carrington loudly

She was brought back to the present when she heard the woman's voice.

" Hi ma" Aria greeted her with a smile

"Thank you for yesterday my dear, have your seat, please" Mrs Carrington offered her a seat.

"Thank you, ma" replied Aria

"Please offer Aria something to drink" said Mrs Carrington.

" Welcome to my home, Aria" Mrs Carrington said

"Thank you ma" Aria said

The maid brought the drink to her

" Thank you" she told the maid

"How is family" Mrs Carrington asked

" They are fine" said Aria with a fake smile

" Where does your parents stay" Mrs Carrington asked

" They stay in Louisiana" Aria replied reluctantly

Mrs Carrington could sense that she wasn't really interested in answering the questions, she was asking her.

"Once again thank you for helping me, yesterday" Mrs Carrington said with a radiant smile on her face

Aria nodded and smiled

"Good afternoon sir" One of the maid greeted

Julian Carrington is a young successful entrepreneur who is the acting CEO of his family's company.

"Afternoon" Julian answered reluctantly

The others also greeted him not because they were interested in greeting in but because they had no choice.

He was walking towards where his mother was sitting

" Good Afternoon mum" he greeted his mother

" Good Afternoon son" replied his mother

"How was your trip, I hope the meeting went as planned?" asked the mother

"Yes mum", he replied

"Meet Aria, she helped me on the road yesterday" said Mrs Carrington

"Okay" he replied uninterestesly but looked up and looked at the lady

They both looked at eachother

"Wow, this lady is so pretty" he thought but quickly dismissed the thought because of his ego

" He looks so good, but that is the least of my problems right now" Thought Aria.

"Hi" he greeted Aria coldly

"Good afternoon sir " Aria replied indifferently

"Mum, I'm heading upstairs to rest from the trip" he told his mother

"Okay darling" replied the mother

"That is my son and he is in his early thirties and he is the one acting as the CEO, since I stepped down as the CEO since my husband's demise.

"I'm sorry for your loss ma" said Aria sympathetically.

"Thank you, Aria " replied Mrs Carrington

"Your son is doing well too, ma"

Complimented Aria

"I trained him well" Replied the mother proudly.

"What are doing presently, I mean where do you work?" Asked Mrs Carrington

"I don't have any job ma, I went for job hunting yesterday before meeting you" said Aria sadly

"Oh! What job are you looking for?" Queried Mrs Carrington

" Anything ma, I can work anywhere as long I can put food on my table" Aria said sadly

Mrs Carrington nodded

"I am an artist too, I can draw" Aria added enthusiastically

Drawing is what she does effortlessly.

She loves drawing right from childhood.

"Wow! You love drawing?" She asked excitedly

"Yes" Aria replied

" I love artworks which is obvious in my house but I can't draw" replied Mrs Carrington

" I will see what I can do for you" she added

" Drop your contact with me and I will keep in touch with you" Mrs Carrington said

"Thank you ma, I appreciate you ma" Aria replied

"I want to start going ma" she told Mrs Carrington

"Oh! Thank you for honouring my invitation dear, but wait I have something for you too"

Mrs Carrington said with a smile.

She gave her a brown envelope.

"Wow! Thank you ma, I appreciate you so much ma" said Aria tearfully because she wasn't expecting it

"It is my pleasure, dear" replied Mrs Carrington

Aria stood up and Mrs Carrington saw her off to the door on her wheelchair.

" Goodbye ma" replied Aria

Mrs Carrington waved cheerfully at her

Aria greeted the maids and the gate man too.

"Wow! Am I dreaming?I was given money and I wasn't expecting anything" she said aloud with excitement.

The only thing on her mind was to share the experience with Mrs Craig.

"Where is my son?" Mrs Carrington asked one of the maid

"He is in his room ma" replied one of the maids upstairs.

"Ok, thank you" she replied

Mrs Carrington is one of the rarest wealthy woman who is humble.

She was able to go upstairs with the aid of the type of wheelchair that was made for her.

"Hi son" she called her son

"Mum" he answered

He was sitting on his bed pressing his phone.

"I hope you are good dear, well I thought you would be sleeping" she said

" No, I'm not, I have some unfinished works to attend to" Julian replied

Mrs Carrington was beaming with smiles on her face

Julian noticed that she was smiling

"Mum, is there anything?" He asked curiously because he was wondering what is making his mother to smile.

" Julian, you know I said you need to get married to assume the office of the CEO and stop being an acting" she said

"Yes" Julian replied with a frown on his face

" She is the one, make her your wife" Mrs Carrington said with certainty in her voice

Julian laughed

"Wow! What did you see that made you this she is the one for me?" He asked

"That lady?" He grinned

"Yes, she is the one for you! Make her your wife or lose everything " she added firmly