Taint Me More ☑️

Aaron.

I was done.

Done with the silly arrangement, done with Andrea, done with my father's shrewdness towards my life and my choices.

I didn't want any of that anymore.

The moment Brian walked in on me and Aria, I knew things had gone to shit, but I didn't care. A part of me was grateful to have an opportunity to teach the fool a lesson. I knew things would go downwards the moment he lunged at me. I saw red.

I didn't realise the damage I'd done till I was pulled away from him. I knew I wasn't gonna be able to stop myself.

It was official. Aria was with no doubt my weakness as well as my strength and she would be the death of me.

I didn't pay attention to Andrea when she asked me what went down between the three of us, worst of all was when my father started yelling at me. I stormed out of the place without giving them any audience.

I saw Aria leave the building. I wanted to go after her and beg her not to go after him. I wanted to take away the look of indignation she had planted on her face. I wanted to grab her and keep her with me forever and tell her that nothing else mattered, but my heart broke when I followed her and tried to get her attention, but she didn't even look back at me. I knew I had to be discreet because of where we were and who was around, but I didn't give a damn. I didn't regret a single second of it.

So I was done with hiding in the dark with her, she was the one I wanted and if I didn't act fast, I was worried I would lose her forever. Which was why after days of thinking, I finally decided on what needed to be done. I went to the museum to discuss things with Andrea, it couldn't be done over the phone, and I was also hoping I'd see Ilaria as well, since she wasn't taking any of my calls.

"Baby, you're here," Andrea met me halfway in her office and threw her arms around me. "Oh God, I'm so glad you came to see me, my love. Oh! look at your bruised lip, oh babe. I hope it doesn't hurt."

She spoke with a speed that probably beat her previous records. I'd never heard her talk that fast. She tried to plant kisses on my lips but I shoved her lightly.

"I didn't come here for this, Andrea." I walked away from her. "Take a seat, I came to talk."

"Oh?" She obeyed and sat down, "go on then, baby. I'm listening, what are we talking about?"

"Us. This" I said gesturing between us, "I don't think I can continue with this charade." I blurted out quickly.

The smile disappeared from her face quickly and she stood back up. "What do you mean by 'charade'?" She asked, her voice going an octave higher and I braced myself for an outburst.

"You and I both know this thing...whatever this is between us is nothing but a farce." I narrowed my sight and fixed her with a straight face.

Her eyes welled up and she shook her head. "It's not a farce. I love you, you know it. My life is nothing without you." She came up to where I stood and stopped a few inches away.

"Don't be ridiculous. We're not kids anymore and you can't continue living on what your daddy says all the time. This right here? It isn't love." I said and almost regretted my choice of words.

"You're one to talk," she chuckled dryly and folded her arms across her chest. "You agreed to marry me because of the arrangement."

"I had my reasons for taking the offer, but now I see this will not lead anywhere and it has just been a case of emotional blackmail from the onset."

She took a step closer to me and her eyes bored into me, "you know I would never take advantage of your emotions, I understand clearly that this museum means so much to you, that's why I agreed to support you."