Chapter 5 Shameless proposal

Ariadna left Dimitrios' office, while waiting for the elevator, her phone vibrated, it was a message from Leonidas.

"My love, I have found a solution, don't worry anymore, see you in an hour at the usual café."

Ariadna read the message, then turned around and stared at the closed door of Dimitrios' office, for the first time in her life she didn't know what to do.

When she arrived at the café, she saw Leonidas sitting at the same table as always, in the back, she took a deep breath before walking towards him.

Leonidas looked up and saw her approaching, he stood up immediately.

"Ariadna, my love." He said, taking her hands in his. "Thank you for coming."

"Leonidas, please say, you have good news."

Leonidas let go of her hands and gestured for her to sit down.

"I have investigated, but the situation is complicated."

Ariadne's face changed, as she felt her heart sink.

"What do you mean by it's a complicated situation?" she asked, fearing what she might answer.

Leonidas ran his hand repeatedly through his hair, something Ariadne knew he only did when he was nervous or frustrated.

"Your family's bankruptcy is real, the debts are huge, and that man, Galanis, has tied everything up legally, there is no easy way out of this."

"No, it can't be, there must be something that can be done." She exclaimed desperately.

Leonidas reached out his hand to take hers.

"I need a little more time, Ariadne, I have to think very carefully, plan, a situation as complicated as this, can't be solved overnight."

"Galanis has only given me 24 hours to decide, time is what we don't have, Leonidas." She said desperately.

"I have an idea, it's not perfect, rather it's a temporary solution that will serve while we find a way out."

"What is that solution?" Ariadna asked as she leaned forward.

Leonidaas was silent for a moment, then took a deep breath as if giving himself the courage to speak.

"I can help you by renting you an apartment, a safe place, where you can stay until this is resolved, and I would also help your parents by renting another apartment, albeit more modest, but decent."

"But how would we pay you? You know we have nothing." She asked as she frowned.

"Don't worry about that, I would take care of it, as for your father, I could give him a job in my company, although it wouldn't be an important position, but it would allow him to maintain his dignity."

Ariadna narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"And what will happen to us, Leonidas? What about our engagement?"

Leonidas leaned slowly towards her, still looking at her.

"Ariadne, you know I want you, I always have, in that apartment we could meet, to get away from all the chaos." He said, lowering his voice to a whisper so intimate that Ariadne's skin crawled.

"What exactly are you suggesting?" She asked, opening her eyes wide, surprised by Leonidas' behavior.

Leonidas began to trace soft circles with his thumb on Ariadne's hand.

"I'm suggesting that we give ourselves a chance, Ariadne, a real chance, without pressure, without expectations, without caring about society or our families, it will be just you and me, exploring what we feel.

Ariadne couldn't believe it, she pulled her hand away abruptly.

"Are you proposing that I be your lover?" She asked angrily.

Leonidas, realizing that he was losing control of the situation, decided to change his strategy to try to regain ground.

"No! You're misunderstanding, it would only be a temporary solution, while..."

"While what, Leonidas?" Ariadne asked, raising her voice, annoyed. While you find someone in a better position to marry? Someone with money and connections?

Leonidas quickly backed away, surprised by the intensity of Ariadne's tone of voice.

"Ariadne, please, you must understand that the situation is complicated, and it will take time to resolve it."

"Time? Ha, ha, ha, and in the meantime you want me to be your toy? Your secret amusement." This time there was bitterness in his tone of voice.

Leonidas tried to take her hand again, but she didn't allow it.

"It's not like that, Ariadne, I love you, but you know we have to be realistic, in this world we live in..."

"The world we live in." Ariadne interrupted him, more furious than before, and on the verge of tears. "It's a world where love apparently has a price, or isn't it, Leonidas?"

"Ariadne, please, you must be reasonable and understand me, I'm looking for a solution that benefits us all." Dio while repeatedly running his hand over his face, frustrated that things weren't going the way he wanted.

"What benefits us all? Or rather, what benefits you, Leonidas?" Have you thought about what accepting your proposal would mean for me, for my reputation and my dignity?"

Leonidas seemed embarrassed for a moment, but quickly recovered.

"No one would have to find out, we would be discreet."

Ariadne felt a strange sensation inside her chest, it was as if she were seeing Leonidas for the first time.

"Who are you? I don't know you, because the man I thought I met, the man I fell in love with, had never proposed something like that to me."

Leonidas leaned forward again.

"Ariadne, I'm the same man as always, I'm just trying to adapt to the circumstances, why don't you understand? I'm trying to save us, to save what's ours."

"To save us? No Leonidas, you're so selfish that you're trying to save yourself." Ariadne laughed bitterly.

Leonidas's face changed, a look of anger suddenly appeared.

"It's not fair, Ariadne, you call me selfish, when by offering you this, I'm risking so much, my reputation, and even my position in my father's company."

"Oh, poor you, Leonidas, how noble of you to risk your reputation to have a lover, how difficult it must be for you." She interrupted him with her voice full of sarcasm.

Leonidas became even more enraged, raised his fist and hit the table hard.

"Enough! You don't understand anything, do you think it's easy for me, who wants to see you married to that Galanis guy?"

Ariadne looked at him, feeling pain and fury.

"What is it that you say I'm misunderstanding, Leonidas? That I'm no longer good enough to become your wife now that your family is in ruins? That I would only become your secret amusement while you look for someone more suitable for the position?"

Leonidas ran a hand through his hair, frustrated again.

"No Ariadna, it's not like that, not at all, I want you with me, I desire you, but things are complicated now, I need time."

"Time until you find someone richer and better off, am I wrong?" Ariadne's voice trembled with rage. "Until you find someone who can give you the status and connections you need."

Leonidas fell silent at that, a silence that was so revealing, that Ariadne felt her heart break.

"Answer me one thing, Leonidas, if my family wasn't in ruin, would you be proposing this to me?"

Leonidas tried to find the words to answer that, but when he couldn't, he fell silent again.

Ariadne slowly stood up, while feeling her body tremble.

"That's what I thought." She said with contempt. "All these years I believed that you loved me, that you were different from others, but I see that you are the same, right? You only care about money and status."

Leonidas stood up quickly, trying to stop her from leaving.

"Ary, my love, please, let me explain."

Without him expecting it, Ariadna raised her hand and slapped him hard, the strong blow caught the attention of the people around them.

"Don't you dare touch me again." She said almost in a hiss, while trying to hold back the tears from the disappointment she felt. "I don't want to see you again, ever again, Leonidas."

Le'nidas put a hand to his cheek, he was surprised, he was almost sure that when he proposed it to her, she would accept.

"Ariadna, please, my love, don't do this to us, I love you, I really love you, and we can find a solution together." He begged.

Ariadna no longer listened to him, she headed for the exit of the café quickly, ignoring the curious glances and murmurs of other customers.

Leonidas followed her desperately, pushing tables and chairs that crossed her path.

"Ariadna! "Wait," he shouted, grabbing her arm tightly before she left.

Ariadne turned to look at him, her eyes reflecting infinite hatred.

"Let me go! This is over, Leonidas."

"No, I refuse, it can't end this way." He said as he squeezed Ariadne's arm tightly, to prevent her from moving forward. "We will find a solution, I already told you."

Ariadne pulled him away with a violent jerk.

"Ha, ha, ha, a solution? How to become your lover while you marry someone else? What cynicism, no thanks."

"Ary, please, my love, I need you, I can't lose you." His voice broke.

For a moment Ariadne saw in him, the man she had fallen in love with, but he was quickly replaced by the calculating and selfish man she now knew.

"You've already lost me," he said in a cold voice, "you lost me the moment you decided that my worth depended on my bank account."