Drowning

Chapter Thirty

Wednesday rolled around and it was time to get the call. Aiden and I went for lunch yesterday too and things are slowly getting less tense considering it has only been two days since we first saw each other after the little comment, but I think he really meant it when he said he wouldn't do it again, so I'm glad I gave him a chance.

"You ready?" Black asks, strolling into my office.

"No knocking?" I say with a raised eyebrow and he just rolls his eyes.

"What do you think they're going to say?" I really hope my little blackmail worked, because if not this can come bite everyone in the ass.

"They either want to settle on an agreement or scare us, and I doubt it's to scare us," he says calmly sitting at the round table I have in my office.

The call comes through and Aiden and the Millers lawyer start greeting each other when the interesting part finally starts.

"I don't have time for this Mr. Evans, what's this call about?" Aiden asks, looking directly into my eyes.

"Well, let's get right to it then," the Millers lawyer starts, "I'm just calling to inform you that my client has decided to drop all charges and allegations towards Ms. Callaghan and her company," he says and I immediately smile and stand from my chair. Finally fucking finally. The bastard got the hint.

Aiden and the lawyer keep talking about terms and agreements, and they have agreed to never mention this happening to anyone but the Millers lawyers never mention anything about my little blackmail, so I suppose my grandfather took my threat seriously.

As soon as the call ends Aiden strolls towards me,

"We did it," I say, wrapping my arms around his neck and giving him a hug. I'm too excited, before I realize what I'm doing. He wraps his arms around my waist, and lifts me the few inches of height difference that we have.

We hug tightly, enjoying each other's embrace. Relief fills me. It's over.

After a few seconds he puts me back down, and says "no, you did it." with a smile. I can't help but smile back.

"Now are you going to tell me what you told him to make him go away?" He asks curiously.

"I may have gotten him investigated, and threatened to go to the police with it if he didn't back down,'' I say with a shrug.

"What thing? I don't think assault is enough to get him scared enough to miss out on all that money,"

"Well, I think six years in jail for tax evasion did the trick,"

"No," he said, starting to laugh, and I could only nod, because I'm mesmerized by the sight in front of me. I have seen his gorgeous smile, but I haven't heard his breathtaking laugh until today. He looks let go, carefree.

"He was stupid enough to do that," he says his laugh dying down, which tugs me because I want to hear it again.

"And it even wasn't hard to find, it didn't take my PI that long." I wish it wouldn't take long with Aubrey's case, but I need to be patient, but patience means not sleeping either. Aiden shaked his head muttering "stupid man,"

"Come on, let's have lunch. This deserves celebrating," he says, nudging his head towards the door and I immediately go grab my purse.

"Meet you downstairs, I'm going to tell Mariana real quick," And we walk towards the opened elevators. I can't wait for Mariana to know and for that all the stress to leave both of our shoulders.

"If you want, she could join us," he says, pressing the button for Marianas floor.

"You wouldn't mind?"

"Why would I mind?" he says looking down at me with another smile.

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As soon as I burst through Mariana's office door I told her the news. She just looks relieved instead of happy, which I understand.

"We're going out for lunch, wanna come with?"

"We?" she asks.

"Aiden and I," I tell her from the door.

"Sure," she says and goes to grab her coat and purse. "So I see you really forgave him if you're spending more time with him than you have to," she says and I just shrug my shoulders.

I did forgive him, I forgave him that day on the elevators but I think I truly forgave him when he came to my office and said he wanted to fix things. It made me start to think he was not an asshole again, which needs to tell you something.