MY FATED LOVE

THE TEST OF LOYALTY

Chapter 5: The Test of Loyalty

The morning after their "spaghetti date," the penthouse felt a little different. The sun was streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and for the first time, the silence didn't feel like a weapon. It felt like a question.

Aries was in her dressing room, staring at her reflection. Today was the most important day of her career. She was pitching her marketing plan to L'Aura, a global fashion giant. If she won this contract, her small agency would become famous. She wouldn't just be "the CEO's wife" anymore; she would be a powerhouse in her own right.

She chose a sharp, power-blue suit and pulled her hair into a tight, professional bun. She needed to look like a woman who didn't have a care in the world—even though her heart was hammering against her ribs.

"You look like you're going to war," a voice said from the doorway.

Aries turned. Julian was leaning against the frame, holding two cups of coffee. He wasn't in his suit yet; he was wearing a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

"I am," Aries said, taking the coffee. "L'Aura is a tough client. They don't care about names or titles. They only care about results."

Julian took a slow sip of his drink, his eyes scanning her face. "I know the owner, Pierre. We play golf sometimes. I could call him. I could tell him that a 'no' to you is a 'no' to the Thorne Group."

Aries felt a flash of heat—not the good kind. She set her coffee down hard on the vanity. "No. Absolutely not, Julian. Do you understand? I have spent five years building my company. If you call him, everyone will say I only got the job because I’m married to you. I want to win this because I am the best. Promise me you will stay out of it."

Julian saw the fire in her eyes. He realized that her pride was more important to her than the money. "I promise," he said softly. "I won't interfere."

The Conference Room Trap

Aries arrived at the L'Aura headquarters an hour early. She checked her presentation slides one last time. Her team was ready. She felt like she could conquer the world.

But when the doors to the boardroom opened, her confidence vanished.

Sitting at the long glass table, right next to the L'Aura executives, were Marcus and Natasha. Marcus was wearing a smug, expensive smile, and Natasha was dressed in a lime-green outfit that screamed for attention.

"What is this?" Aries asked, her voice tight.

"Aries! So good to see you," Marcus said, standing up but not moving toward her. "I forgot to mention—my investment firm recently bought a 15% stake in L'Aura. And since I’m a partner, I thought I’d bring in my own creative consultant to help review the pitches."

Natasha waved a manicured hand. "Hi, Aries! Don't mind me. I’m just here to make sure the brand stays 'loyal' to its image. We wouldn't want any... scandalous associations, would we?"

Aries felt the blood drain from her face. This was a setup.

The meeting began, and it was a slow torture. Every time Aries showed a brilliant idea, Natasha would giggle.

"Oh, Aries, that's so... cute," Natasha would say. "But don't you think it’s a bit 'housewife'? L'Aura is for independent women. Women who aren't just shadows of their husbands."

Marcus was even worse. He kept bringing up the news articles. "The public perception of your agency is a bit shaky right now, Aries. With the recent drama involving your husband... well, we worry that the brand might get dragged into the mud."

Aries fought back. She spoke about data, about market reach, and about her vision. But she could see the executives looking at Marcus. He held the checkbook. She was just the girl in the blue suit.

The Secret Deal

As Aries left the building, her hands were shaking. She knew she had lost. She sat in her car in the parking garage and put her head on the steering wheel. She felt small. She felt defeated.

At that same moment, Julian was in his office. He had a private investigator on his payroll who had just sent him a message: “Marcus and Natasha are in the L'Aura meeting with your wife.”

Julian felt a surge of protective rage. He had promised not to interfere, but that was before he knew Marcus was cheating. He picked up his phone to call Pierre, the owner.

Then, his phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number. It was a photo of Natasha and Marcus laughing in the hallway of the L'Aura building. Under it was a message: “She’s losing, Julian. Come to my apartment at 7 PM. We can talk about how to ‘save’ her career. Just you and me. – N.”

Julian looked at the screen with disgust. Natasha was using Aries’ dream to lure him back. He knew it was a trap. He knew that if he went, it would look terrible. But he also knew that Marcus could actually ruin Aries' company forever.

The Heated Argument

When Aries walked into the penthouse that evening, the lights were low. Julian was standing by the window, a glass of scotch in his hand.

"How was the meeting?" he asked. His voice sounded strained.

Aries threw her bag on the sofa. "A disaster. Marcus is a shareholder. Natasha was there as a 'consultant.' They spent two hours insulting me and my work."

Julian turned around. "I know. I heard."

Aries narrowed her eyes. "How did you hear?"

Julian hesitated. "I... I went to see Natasha. Just for a minute. I told her to back off. I told her I would give her whatever she wanted if she left your contract alone."

The room went deathly quiet. Aries felt like she had been slapped.

"You did what?" she whispered.

"I was trying to help you!" Julian stepped toward her. "Marcus was going to kill the deal, Aries. I had to use my leverage. I told her I’d pay her off to stop the sabotage."

"You went to her," Aries said, her voice rising. "I told you—I told you specifically not to interfere. I told you my pride was on the line. And you went behind my back to talk to your mistress about my career?"

"She isn't my mistress anymore!" Julian yelled. "I did it for you!"

"No, you didn't!" Aries shouted back, tears of frustration stinging her eyes. "You did it because you want to be the hero. You did it because you don't believe I can win on my own. By going to her, you gave her exactly what she wanted. You gave her your attention. You showed her that I am your weakness."

"I was saving your company!"

"My company is my work, Julian! Not a charity project for you to fix with a checkbook!" Aries grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. "Get out. Go to your room. I don't want to look at you."

Julian caught the pillow, his face red with anger and hurt. He wanted to tell her that he had turned down Natasha’s invitation to her apartment. He wanted to tell her that he had spent the afternoon threatening Marcus with a lawsuit. But the words wouldn't come. He was a man of action, and his actions had just broken the tiny bit of trust they had started to build.

"Fine," Julian snapped. "Fight your own battles. See how far you get when the world is trying to tear you down."

He stormed off to his wing of the penthouse, slamming the door so hard the glass walls rattled.

Aries sat on the floor and finally let the tears fall. She had lost her contract, and she felt like she was losing her mind. The man she was supposed to hate had tried to save her, but in the most insulting way possible.

She looked at her wedding ring—the diamond was huge and cold. "This isn't a marriage," she sobbed to the empty room. "It’s a war."