Never Meant To Be

Chapter Thirty One

Aria's POV

I checked my phone for what I think was the hundredth time but there was still there was no response from Cassie, I had called her but her phone would go straight to voicemail and she was not responding to any of my messages. I tried calling her again but her phone went to voicemail again.

"Are you okay?" Howard asked.

"Yeah I'm fine."

"Are you sure about that, you seem a little off today?"

"I just have a lot going on right now."

"Can I be of any help?"

"No, I'm good."

We continued with our work and made two more outfits. We only had a few more designs to get done with then my work here at Campbell Glams Corporation will be done. The deadline was fast approaching and very soon I would be out of Axel's life.

"Aria, it's time to go home." Howard said pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Oh right." I said as I started packing up my things.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind then." Howard said and I looked at him.

"Mmmh?" I hummed.

"You just took my jacket instead of yours." He said and I looked at my hands and realized I was carrying his jacket.

"Oh sorry, I am just exhausted." I gave him his jacket and took mine.

"You know you can always talk to me incase of anything."

"Thanks Howard." I said as I tried very hard to stop the tears from flowing.

He left the room and I sat down in my chair again. I folded my arms on the table and placed my head on them as I faced down. I let out all the emotions I had been holding and started sobbing.

I lost my mother, and my father is somewhere fighting for his life.

My best friend is upset with him and the only man I ever loved hates me.

I felt someone's hand on my shoulder and I looked up and saw Axel standing beside me. I wiped my tears and looked away.

"What are you doing here?" I asked at the table.

"Do I need to remind you that this is my company?"

I stood up and took my purse and started heading towards the door when Axel grabbed my wrist. I looked at my wrist then looked back at him.

"What do you want Axel?" I asked in a tired voice.

He didn't answer, he just stared at me so intently and I felt uncomfortable under his gaze so I shifted my eyes to elsewhere.

"Look at me Aria." He said in a quiet voice and I slowly looked at him.

He slowly pulled me towards him leaving only a small distance between us.

"You look so innocent Aria that sometimes I refuse to believe that you were the same person who left me on our wedding day."

Tears started flowing down my cheeks and I looked down at his chest instead. He held my chin and lifted my head up so that I was looking at him.

"You look so innocent that sometimes I feel like I am a terrible person when in real sense it's you." He said. "But sometimes I can't help feel like you are hiding something from me."

I looked at him with wide eyes.

How did he know? Did someone say something to him?

"Why are you looking at me like that? Is it true?" He asked.