Love and Rivalry

Chapter 2

Most of the students had left by the time Aria exited the school, the sun sitting late in the afternoon sky. She only had her thoughts to occupy herself as she started to walk home.

Aria nibbled at her lower lip as she contemplated the fact that she would be working on real computer software. She knew she had near perfect grades, but was it enough? What if she failed? Or makes a fool of herself?

It doesn't help that my boss is a tyrant and a control freak, thought Aria bitterly.

After about fifteen minutes, Aria was walking through her neighborhood where the houses were a modest size with big front lawns. Too soon she had reached her house and was walking up the red brick cobbled walkway. A two-car garage stood apart from the yellow-stoned house on the right, rose bushes getting ready to bloom sat underneath the bay window. Her mother loved those rose bushes and Aria tried her best to make sure they were well kept. The house seemed to be the only thing that Aria had left of her. However, without her mother's soft touch and loving aura, her stepfather's jaggedness had become more prominent, making it now just a house and no longer a home.

Aria was not looking forward to telling her stepfather about where her new internship would be taking place. Riku Ito was not a man of understanding. He liked to keep Aria under his thumb which offered very little flexibility on how she ran her life. Very much like how he ran his corporation, Fenrir Inc.

Fenrir Inc specialized in making computer software for other electronic companies. The corporation was modestly successful. Her stepfather however had been struggling for years trying to break into the larger market but lacked a competitive edge to rise above his counterparts.

Aria stopped at the front door, staring at the brass knocker. She took in a deep breath, reminding herself that Riku did not control her and that she was capable of making her own decisions. Her mother may have been gentle, but she taught Aria to stand up for what she believed in, even if that meant going against her stepfather's wishes.

Opening the door, Aria quietly stepped into the foyer. The room opened up to a 10-foot ceiling. The white tiled floor was spotless while a few contemporary furniture pieces sat around the fringe of the room. The door to her stepfather's study was slightly ajar on her left. She prayed he hadn't heard her enter.

"Aria," a deep voice called.

So much for not hearing her.

She knew it was better to go in now and get the confrontation over with. This will be child's play compared to when Aria will have to tell him that she's leaving for college in the fall. As well as his house.

Aria turned and walked towards the door. Crossing over the threshold she entered into a dark mahogany room, with paneled walls and green carpet. A huge oak desk sat at the far end of the room. Two black arm chairs rested in front. The room smelled of cigars and cognac, making Aria cringe as the air permeated her nostrils. She stopped a few feet behind the arm chairs, standing with one arm across her front grasping her other arm.

Riku Ito lounged behind the desk, a glass of brandy rolling lazily in his left hand. His protruding stomach could be seen poking up over the top of the desk. His thin graying hair was combed over to try and hide the fact that he was balding, accompanied by a thin mustache.

"You're late," he stated simply.

Aria waited silently. She knew he wasn't looking for answers, he just liked to make her squirm first.

"If you're going to live in my house then you need to obey the rules," continued Riku. "You didn't have my permission to go elsewhere after school, now tell me where you went or else I may have to impose stricter curfews."