Anna's POV
Kathryn gasped in shock and Sophie's eyes widened. Her hand automatically found its way to her cheek, her mouth dropping open.
"How dare you? Have you lost your mind?" she shrieked. Her eyes blazed with anger, and she impulsively raised her hand to slap me back.
I caught the arm, stopping her from doing as much as touching my face with her fingers.
Leaning closer until our faces were almost touching, I growled at her.
"Don't you ever talk about my mother again. You are picking a fight with me, not her. You have absolutely no business talking about her at all. The next time you pull this shit, I will not hesitate to do more that hit you on the face," I spat.
Kathryn rushed in between us and pushed me away. She charged at me and raised her hand to slap me too but I caught her hand too and dropped it in disgust.
"How dare you touch my daughter, you bitch," Kathryn yelled.
"You'll pay for what you just did, Anna. I promise you. And nothing, not even the threat of your fake husband, will stop me from taking that company away from you." Sophie threatened.
I ignored the two of them as I stepped back, wheeling my luggages to the door when Kathryn's words stopped me again.
"If you are honest about this marriage charade you're pulling, then bring that so-called husband of yours here, let's see him." I turned to them and Sophie nodded vehemently.
"Yes, we have to see him!"
Her right cheek was still red from the impact of the slap.
"We'll like to meet him. That way, we'll know if this is real indeed or not and you can have the company if you want."
I smiled within me.
Kathryn would never let go so easily. There was more to this request.
"Thank you but I don't regard any of you as my family so I have no reason to introduce my husband to you or anyone else. The fact remains that I am married and I have…"
"See?!" Sophie bursted in laughter. "I told you it was all a lie. A facade. She doesn't have a husband."
Kathryn smiled, trying so hard to control herself from laughing too. "Prove us wrong, Anna, and come with him. Dinner tomorrow at 7pm?"
Rage was building slowly in my chest so I turned back and stepped out.
"If you don't come here tomorrow with him, you will never meet Kevin and you know what that means."
"What?!"
Kevin was the family lawyer. She mentioned his absence earlier and now she was bringing it up again, proving that my suspicion about her having a hand in Kevin's absence was right.
Shit!
She nodded with pride.
Kevin had suddenly rescheduled our meeting, claiming to be too busy, but I knew instantly that Kathryn must have been the one who made him reschedule our meeting.
She obviously had some tricks up her sleeves.
I wanted to play her games too so I said with a smile. "If you want to meet Aidan, so be it."
"Sure. Bring him over for dinner. Let us see him with our own eyes. Or else we will conclude that your marriage is fake and the lawyer will think the same and I'm sure you know what that means."
I didn't wait for her to speak as I was already walking out with my luggages but she shouted after me.
"It means that company will belong to me and my daughter!"
I heaved a deep sigh of relief as soon as I was out of the gate. Fortunately, the cab driver was still waiting and I smiled at him in gratitude.
"Thank you."
He smiled back and nodded. He helped me put my luggages into the trunk and he drove off, my gaze lingering on the house I have always known as home until now.
Remembering I hadn't given the driver the address to Aidan's place, I opened the text and stretched forward to show him.
"Apartment 4B, 132 Willow Creek Drive, Brooksville." He read out and I nodded.
The ride took about 20 minutes and we arrived downtown. I sat up immediately, glancing around the neighborhood which was absolutely different from where I was coming.
I looked down at my wristwatch and it was almost 8 pm.
I wasn't sure if Aidan would be back from work yet and I contemplated calling him to be sure we were in the right place.
"Is this the right place?" I asked the driver, still looking around.
He nodded. "The one and only Willow Creek is here, ma'am."
Finally, the cab halted and the driver stepped out before I did. He pulled out my luggages from the trunk and pointed to an apartment building.
"4B should be on the first floor, do you want me to help you up?"
I smiled at his kindness. "Oh, no. Thank you, I'll just take the elevator."
"Elevator?" He demanded with his eyes popping out. I nodded and he laughed. "There is no elevator here, ma'am. You have to take the stairs."
Realization dawned on me and my mouth dropped open in agape.
"What? I have to take the stairs?" He nodded intermittently, sympathy flickering across his expression.
I turned back to stare at the old building. It looked good on the outside and it made me wonder how the inside would be if a building like this didn't have an elevator.
"Should I help you?" The driver's voice jerked me out of my reverie.
"No, no, no!" I chanted with embarrassment. "Don't worry, I'll have my husband take care of it."
His eyes widened again. "You're married?" I nodded. "Congratulations."
I could see the questions rivaling in his eyes so I paid him and waved him off, pushing my luggages with me as I made my way to the entrance door, with weariness.
Today had been a long day and right now, all I needed was to eat something as my stomach had been growling all day because I hadn't taken anything except for the coffee that was drugged this morning. I also needed a hot bath which I doubted I would get in a place like this and I wanted nothing else but to sleep it all off.
I didn't realize where I was going until I bumped into a hard wall.
Strong pair of arms caught me before I could fall down and my heart pounded with fear as I glanced up to see it wasn't a wall, but the chest of the man who smelled of after-shave.
I looked away from the hard chest to his face and my breath caught in my throat when I saw it was Aidan.
His face was so close I could smell the after-shave from him. And his hands wrapped around my waist so tightly. He was wearing a clean white shirt and a T-shirt with a face cap.
It took me a moment to realize I needed to step away. When I tried to move away abruptly, I lost my balance again, but this time, I quickly grabbed Aidan's shirt, making him twirl around with me as gravity pulled me down, until we both landed on the floor, with a soft thud.
The world blurred, my eyes tightly shut due to the panic, and then the fall was suddenly over.
For a moment, neither of us moved. I remained still with my eyes closed and my grip on his shirt still tight.
Until I felt the softness of something wet and I felt the tangling of our limbs.
My eyes fluttered open suddenly to meet Aidan's eyes and it suddenly dawned on me as I glanced down at my lips.
Aidan's lips were locked with mine.