TRIGGERED
1245 Words
“Over here Mr.Smith”
“One here Mr.Smith”
Aiden’s arrival was like the drop of a needle in a silent room, instant attention. Flashing lights burst from every direction as soon as the Rolls-Royce Ghost pulled in. Paparazzi swarmed the red carpet just as if they were waiting on him.
Aiden stepped out first, tall and confident with his million dollar suit shining in the dark as he adjusted his cufflinks, his face, head high up in power.
Then, Nadia stepped out.
The cameras went crazy with the lights, the paparazzi too
Her curves and height in the dress and heels didn’t just make her look like Aiden’s accessory. She was his statement.
“Who is she?”
“Is that his girlfriend?”
“No way, maybe an assistant…”
Nadia, clearly not used to the limelight, stepped aside, letting Aiden lead, but was pushed back by a reporter’s statement
“who’s the beautiful woman on your arm tonight sir Smith?”
Aiden turned slightly, glancing at Nadia and giving a notorious smirk. It looked like he was about to say something eye opening but just as he was to utter a word
“ Smithy, my man!”
The crowd shifted as Ryan Nibbles, young, flashy tech tycoon and Aiden’s known business rival, sleek hair, million dollar everything in a shiny grey suit, holding a champagne glass.
He walked straight up to Nadia,
“And who do we have here?” he asked, taking her hand with a grin.
“She’s my” Aiden began, but Ryan interrupted.
“She’s clearly the reason for the scene,half the cameras here stopped clicking my way.”
He kissed the back of Nadia’s hand, pausing long enough for the press to make a trending headline
Nadia pulled her hand back politely, but sharp,
“Do not presume to touch me however you please”
“Ou, feisty I know why Smithy picked you now”
But Aiden had already walked off.
Didn’t wait. Didn’t listen. Didn’t look back.
Nadia sighed and turned to follow, leaving Ryan with the bunch of cameras all to himself.
…..
The gala buzzed with conversation, music, laughter and too many people trying to flirt with Aiden. Women leaned in, laughed too hard, touched his arm like it was a habit.
Nadia sat at a small round table, watching from a distance. She swirled her champagne, lips pursed, letting him entertain his fan club.
“He walked off without a word, he didn’t even hear me shun that guy”
“Let him have his attention”
Then, out of nowhere, his deep voice rang across the floor.
“Brando.”
Heads turned.
She stood immediately. “Yes, sir?”
“I want a drink,” he said, not even looking at her.
She blinked, then muttered under her breath, “I told Julia…” and turned away, heading straight to the bar.
She returned, a glass in hand. It was a whiskey. Carefully picked to persona
“Here,” she said gently.
He glanced at it and his jaw clenched with disgust . “I don’t drink whiskey.”
Nadia paused. “Umm wow, I just assumed that y…”
“Exactly,”
he cut her off, “you assumed.whatever happened to asking, I don’t pay you to assume.”
The words this time meant what they implied
Nadia inhaled sharply, clenching her nails into her palm. Her voice dropped, calmly.
“It’s okay, I’m sorry.”
She placed the glass on a nearby table
“And I won’t assume again.”
Then she turned and walked away her heels echoing even in the noise of the gala
Aiden stood still, jaw clenched. He didn’t touch the whiskey.
He didn’t touch anything anymore. His mood suddenly…changed.
The drive home was quiet.
Nadia sat on the left, arms folded as she looked out the tinted window, Aiden sat beside her, tapping his fingers on his laps.
He didn’t mean to shout or react as he should.
It was a trigger
He didn’t mean to look so cold.
But the memory of the whiskey was just too strong, the smell of it, brought back hideous memories . And Nadia was just a transfer of aggression.
He wanted to say sorry. He could’ve.
But every time he looked at her, the words didn’t make it pass his throat
Was his pride greater than his guilt?
Nadia, on the other hand, was deep in her own thoughts.
“Aiden doesn’t drink whiskey.”
“Not can’t. Not doesn’t fancy, he hates it.”
His reaction was far from pride or his usual clash with Nadia, it was something more and Nadia could tell.
Nadia snapped out of thought facing the driver’s seat.
“Luke, can you drop me off at the spot near the fountain? I’ll walk home from there.”
Luke swiftly replied .
“Of course, Miss Brando.”
Aiden’s brows jumped at her request, was she shy or uncomfortable about him knowing her place
When the car rolled to a slow stop, Nadia pushed the door open gently.
“Goodnight yall,” she said softly.
Luke smiled, Aiden sat up straighter. His mouth opened.
“Nadia”
She paused, staring through the window
There was a stop in time, their eyes met, the street lights shun on Nadia like a spotlight, her beauty her curves, Aiden’s breath was cut, again
Whatever it was, It won again.
“Goodnight,” he stopped himself
Nadia gave a small nod. Her heels clicked as she walked until they faded.
Aiden watched her walk away, his arms grabbing on the car seat
He exhaled deeply
“Drive,” he said to Luke, voice rough.
The car rolled swiftly and the night was over.
*****
Heavy breathing
Then crying.
A soft voice fragile, trembling
“why did you do this?”
Aiden’s hands were trembling. He couldn’t see her face, but he could feel her pain.
He reached out.
“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to please… I shouldn’t have please forgive me…”
The weeping became intense
The darkness deeper.
He repeated the same pitiful apologies and a fog clouded everywhere.
Aiden shot up in bed with a gasp.
His chest soaked with sweat, his eyes swollen and his breathing incoherent He wiped his face with his hand, trying to catch his breath. As his heart kept racing
“f**k” he muttered.
The same dream, again.
Same guilt.
He ran a hand through his hair, getting up to walk to the mini bar and stopped as his eyes met with a bottle of whiskey sitting untouched on the counter.
He turned away sharply. Clenching his fists
He turned to the bathroom, washing his face with cold water by the sink.
But nothing seemed to calm him, not even the cold water could wash the feeling away.
The memory. The regret.
And now, yesterday with Nadia.
Her voice. Her stare. Her warmth. The way she walked away last night without another word. The way her apology sounded like something he didn’t deserve.
Why did he feel guilty? This wasn’t the plan
He seduced all the ladies he had worked with or been with in just a day but Nadia… Nadia…
He leaned forward, gripping the edge of the sink, eyes locked on his reflection.
The man staring back didn’t look like the usual Aiden the world respected.
He was changing and he could feel it.
- Writer
