Chapter 24. Mark takes Aria to Xavier

“I have a lot of questions to ask her”

Anytime I had sex with any lady, it was never the same and I tend to maltreat them, some of them were even begging me to maltreat them and I did it because I knew that they didn't love me, they were all after my hard-earned money so they had to pay for it dearly.

Anyway, that was what I thought or lied to myself but the truth is that I was void inside, I was frustrated, I was constantly searching for a Nanny Clara in all those ladies and that was very wrong but I didn't realize it until I met you Aria…

Something happened when I met a lady called Aria.

She made me realize that not every woman is after the money, she redefined my life again. I must confess you changed me, my little cupcake. You made me realize how important a woman is in a man’s life. Nanny Clara didn't reveal that importance. Instead, she filled my heart with a half-truth.

But when you stepped into the picture, things changed for me and for once in my life, I thought about getting married in front of God and man. A thought I had never conceived in my life. I saw it as something childish that weak men do and every man that got married to me was a puppet.

My mindset was so bad to such extent, that such thoughts could emanate from my heart. But what could I do, my nanny had already sown the seed and I allowed it to grow till it became a huge tree. A huge tree that shaded the light in me.

Despite the darkness of my heart, when I met you, Aria, those thoughts started fading away bit by bit creating a bit of light in the dark sky and for once in my entire life, I was gradually turning into the man, my parents wanted me to be.

Aria made me a better man.

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** Present **

“Aria, you made me a better person!” he said. “Can you shut up, just stop all this nonsense about your past" Aria shouted at him, though still pointing the gun at him. She was determined.

“And why should I?" he asked. “Simply because you don't love me and you have never loved me. Ford, you destroyed my life, you made me live a life I didn't plan for, you destroyed all my dreams. You left me scars that I will never forget” she chided as tears rolled down her eyes.

“I'm truly sorry about that” he pleaded. “Sorry for what? sorry for the uncountable maltreatment, rapes I got from you and the people around you?” she tried to swallow her tears all in vain they kept on rolling down.

“How dare you say that, Aria? You know I wasn't aware of that!” he said but she immediately cut him saying “Whatever! It does change what you made me go through and your past doesn't justify your wicked acts at all" she said, as she wiped the tears rolled down her eyes.

“And right now, the only option on my mind is blowing off your fucking head once and for all. I'm tired!” she whispered and he felt powerless. “You don't have to do that," he said softly.

“Just give me a reason why I shouldn't do this, after all the awful things you did to me, in case you have forgotten, I can still, remind you about everything because to me, it seems like it happened yesterday" she swallowed her tears.

Words escaped his mind “Sorry, about that!” she slowly moved towards her but she pushed him with the gun “Don't you dare to move closer” She takes a few steps back and the word “Do you know how it feels to strip naked before a man who has no respect and consideration for you for hours and most of the times without music?” Aria pouted. He said nothing…

“Of course, you don't! But you know what Xavier Ford? You are a beast, I hate you, I detest you with all my heart, you made me suffer" she let out as she kicked him in his stomach.

“I can't remember everything but I know I cause you a lot of pain, and seriously I don't know how I can heal those wounds but I'm here now and I want to try. I love you Aria, let's try to put the past aside!” words honestly escaped his mouth.

“I'm sorry, but I can't. I still remember everything like it was yesterday…”

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(NB; If you are lost, refer to chapter 16 where Aria’s POV of her past with Gladimir, ended!)

~~ ~ ARIA’s PAST in her POV ~ ~~

After leaving the hotel, Xavier had instructed Mark to take me to one of his warehouses in town. Mark drove me to the warehouse Xavier had instructed him to take me to.

The ride wasn't that long, I kept on looking outside the window, while I used the side mirror to look at Max. From the mirror, I found him looking at me, while he was driving. I seriously began to ask myself some questions;

“What will happen to me if Xavier finally dies or something dangerous happens to him? Will Mark make me his own and treat me well or will he follow the path of his boss?” Crazy thoughts were running through my mind, till we got to the warehouse.

It was a huge house, maybe this was his major warehouse or main house. It wasn't far from town, it was big and very beautiful and here I was allowed to see the road unlike the others so this was surely his main house, I thought to myself.

Max brought the car to a stop after parking in the parking lot. “Come down and go in, I will join you shortly," Mark said to me as he brought out a stick of cigarette to smoke. He had no respect for me. I came down from the car and went in.

I was confused about where to go when I got inside, I stood there looking around the warehouse, it was really a large and wide one. I couldn't even see the end of the wall. I decided to wait till Mark comes in.

I leaned against the wall as I wait for him to come in and my mind flashed back to what transpired in the hotel room with Gladmir and Mark. I really felt useless, I just didn't know what to do with my life anymore. What were they up to? I thought to myself.

What story or legacy would I tell my kids? Could any good thing still come out of my life I asked myself as tears rolled down my eyes effortlessly? Those tears had been constricted in me since the day we meet. This wasn't the life I planned for, I had great dreams and bright visions but everything had been crushed and I felt hopeless.

Yet, I didn't want to die. I had to battle with my emotions so that they don't end up consuming me. If someone had told me that one day I was going to be this strong, I wouldn't have believed it.

I looked at my knees, it was painful and it reminded me of the punishment I went through at the hands of Xavier, which caused the injury.