Love and Rivalry

Chapter 16

Aria was worried. After discovering Jim and Langley together, she couldn't help but think that they were planning to steal the blueprints soon. But she couldn't watch both of them at the same time. Especially since it might tip off Jim that she was on to him. Ideally, she should be going straight to Kaiba to tell him what she had witnessed. At least he would be able to implement some measures that would keep Langley in his crosshairs. However, Aria didn't want to look foolish running to Kaiba in hysterics, telling him he needed to apprehend Jim and Langley immediately. He'd probably laugh in her face.

Although it was certainly suspicious to see two people have a private conversation in a secluded hallway, it was by no means concrete evidence. And Aria still had a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that she could be wrong about Langley. She found it difficult picturing him as a criminal mastermind. But she could definitely see him being the lackey of one. He certainly knew how to suck up to Kaiba.

So when Aria finally left the stairwell, she went back to her desk instead of up to Kaiba's office. Staring at her screen, she found it difficult to muster up the motivation to finish the seven-layer program she had worked so hard on. What was the point when it might end up in someone else's hands? Aria no longer felt she was working to help complete the next biggest advancement in duel monsters. Instead, it felt like she was helping some selfish thief exploit a technology that he had no hand in making. The mere thought made Aria's anger rise. She knew she couldn't sit back and do nothing. Not when she had the knowledge that could possibly prevent the plans from being stolen.

A thought came to Aria. Maybe she could set up a meeting with Kaiba. That way she would look much more rational and not so accusatorial. She picked up the phone to page Kaiba's secretary. Was it presumptuous of her to ask for a meeting with the CEO? Probably. But at the moment Aria didn't care. When the secretary's cool collected voice came over the receiver, Aria suddenly realized how curious this action may seem. "Hi Mrs. Davidson, it's Aria Ito."

"Oh hello Miss Ito, what can I help you with?"

Aria licked her dry lips. "I was just wondering if Mr. Kaiba was available today for a quick meeting."

"I'm sorry Miss Ito but Mr. Kaiba just left on a business affair and won't be back till late tomorrow."

"Oh," Aria said, "I'll try to catch him another time then."

"I'll let him know you're looking for him," she replied sweetly.

After hanging up the phone, Aria wondered if the secretary knew more than she was letting on. Did everyone in the office know that her relationship with the President wasn't entirely platonic? Aria humphed at having failed to keep their interactions underwraps. So much for not appearing involved with her boss during her internship. At least it seemed his secretary didn't have a problem with it.

Frustrated and relieved at the same time, Aria resolved herself to completing her assignment. At least tomorrow she could use the excuse of needing to see Kaiba to go over her final draft. Aria couldn't help but pause at the thought of how they're going to now act around each other after their last encounter. Aria knew that ever since telling him about the blackmail, an invisible wall had been removed between them, allowing them to drift closer. But she wasn't expecting things to move this fast.

Aria inwardly cringed, knowing that she was partly to blame for becoming so close with Kaiba. She had gone to him frightened and vulnerable. She wouldn't be surprised if it was mostly out of pity that he embraced her. She probably looked like a lost little puppy, having no one to turn to. But the even greater offense was how much she accepted his embrace. Having had no emotional connection with her stepfather for the past five years, receiving a simple hug of comfort was like a deer panting for water.