Chapter 6 I'm His Wife

"I met him at a bar and he kept asking me about Ariane. I didn't know you both were married now. I thought she was still single so when he asked me for her number I gave him. Just last Monday after work she ditched me and Amy. Turns out she was meeting up with Ken" Almost everything she had said was a lie. She had heard around that Ken was back in the city but hadn't met him yet. Not minding that she was lieing she managed to poison Lucas mind by acting to be terrified by his threats.

"Thank you Pamela that would be all make sure you don't get as much as a drop of blood on my floor or rug" Lucas looked calm to the unsuspecting eye as he thought about the reason why Ken could have returned when he was actually raging on the inside.

***

"That will be $10 dollars please" Ariane brought out her credit card and handed it over to the cashier to pay for the box of tampons. She had been on her way to wok with plans to drop off her resignation letter when her period came in 5 days early.

"Declined"

"Please can you try it again" she was confused how could her credit card be declined. The cashier tried it again but it still was declined

"Please either pay with cash or return the item" Ariane had never been so embarrassed. "Can you just hold on to it for me while I go get my purse from my car. This was the last super size on the shelf wouldn't want someone else taking it"

"Ma'am please it's either you pay or return the item" People queued up behind her began to complain that she was wasting time.

"Don't worry I'll pay for us both" Ariane looked at the tall man who offered to pay for her tampons. It took her a while to recognise that smile. "Ken?"

"Didn't think you'd recognise me after so long Riri" Ariane blushed a little at the nickname he always called her.

"Please you are both holding the line"

They both snapped out of their smiley exchange

You really don't have to" Ariane cringed a little in her mind her first day of meeting her high-school ex ina long time and he was paying for her tampons.

"But I want to it's okay" she watched him pay for them both before leaving. The cashier handed her the purchased item with a sneer.

"Hey wait up. Hey wait for me" His long legs made him walk faster and she had to jog all the way finally catching up in the parking lot. He wasn't that tall but everyone seemed taller to Ariane cause of her small stature.

She finally grabbed his arm and he came to a halt turning around to face Ariane who was out of breath. He stopped and said bye to someone before removing his ear pods. "I'm sorry did you chase after me all the way?"

"Yes I want to pay you back" she managed to say that in between breaths. "You don't have to it's fine."

"I'm not a charity case to be pitied I insist on repaying you just help me type in your details here" She handed him her phone and he typed it seeing she wasn't going to let it be.

After calling Amy and asking her to send the money to him she waited with him and almost immediately the money was transferred to him.

"Thank you for helping me" Ken didn't reply too busy staring at her.

"Hello! Do you need something maybe a ride? My car's over there" she pointed at her car and he quickly recovered.

"No I'm good my car's just over there. I'm just amazed by how much you changed from a cute teenager with a missing front teeth to an amazing young woman. We should hang out some time" Ken

"Yh we should" she walked to her car and had already gotten in when she noticed he was still following. So she furrowed her eyebrows not sure what else he wanted.

"I thought you were going to give me your number so we could hang out sometime"

"The world is a small place Ken. I'm sure we will meet again if we are meant to" Saying this she ignited the engine and drove off knowing fully well that they would most likely not meet again not if she could help it.

****

Ariane stopped by her office and took care of her tampon buisness before calling her family's accountant.

"Hello good afternoon. I have a problem I tried using my card at a store just now and it was declined... What do you mean my father closed my account and cancelled my cards?" Ariane was 30 seconds away from freaking out.

"He told me to tell you this. 'You are married into the richest family in the country ask your husband for money"

"What is that even supposed to mean? Why would he just cut me off without notice?" She was yelling at the accountant not caring that the man wasn't to be blamed.

"Ma'am please those were your father's words not mine I was just asked to convey them to you" the man on the other end of the call tried to explain to her but Ariane was too riled up to listen and dropped the call.

She unlocked her bottom drawer and fished out a new atm card. Luckily for her she had a separate account were her salary and other personal funds were paid into.

Her new found consolation was short lived when she realised that she was caught in a trap. She had gone ahead to brag to Lucas that she was resigning and suddenly her father cut off her funds. She could still go ahead to resign but the amount in that card wouldn't last her for too long and knowing how calculating and petty Lucas could be she might never get another job at least not in a reputable organisation.

***

Ariane stood in the reception area of King's Enterprise headquarters she was having a heated exchange with the receptionist.

"I said I'm his wife and I need to see him."

"And I'm Olivia Rodriguez on tour. Look Miss you can't see Mr. Moretti unless you have an appointment"

"Just put a call to him and tell him his wife is here. I need to see him right now" Ariane was becoming more aggressive an hour of waiting had made her impatient. Lucas wouldn't return her calls and part of her suspected he knew she was here.

"Ma'am please leave or I'll have to call security"

"What's going on here?" Ariane turned around to see Nicholas walking into the building.

,

"Thank goodness you are here Nick I've been asking her to let me meet Lucas but she refused" she had never been so happy to see Nick and was relieved that she was finally going to meet Lucas.

"She was just doing what's she paid for let's go"

The elevator ride up was very quiet. Ariane took a look at Nicholas's blank face from the corner of her eyes. She was low key terrified by the vibes he gave off sure Lucas was cold to people too but with Nicholas it was different. He seemed like the kind of guy to kill a 100 people and still sleep for nine and half hours comfortably.

The elevator doors opened on the last floor and Ariane stepped out alone. Nick has stopped on another floor but not before giving her directions to Lucas office. She walked straight past every one not bothering with greetings.

She saw his office and his secretary. Deciding she wasn't going to be stopped by anyone again she walked right past her. His secretary tried to stop her but it was too late Ariane already pushed open the door to Lucas office and walked in.

12 pair of eyes stared at her and she stared right back suddenly embarrassed.