Three

When Ariana got to her office the next day she was back in her power CEO mode. Work was an anodyne and she wanted nothing more than to plunge into it today. When she opened the door to her office, her assistant Isadora was holding a bouquet of red flowers. Ariana did not look the least bit unfazed by the sight. She simply gave her orders.

"Good morning Miss Hudson," Isadora greeted.

"Dump that in the trash Isadora and get me my schedule for today," Ariana said dismissively as she placed a Birkin bag on her bouffant desk and shrugged out of her bright yellow blazer. She took in the picturesque view for a moment, but by the time she turned to her swivel chair, Isadora was still holding the flowers helplessly.

Ariana paused by her chair and glared at her doing her best to speak without shouting because it was too early for that.

"Did you not hear me? I asked you to dump those stupid flowers in the trash and get me my schedule. I mean do I even have to say it?"

One day Liam Barlow would stop being in over his head and stop wasting his hard-earned cash on the crappy flowers he sent her unfailingly every morning. Ariana had once told him that the money spent on those daily flowers was enough for him to have built a house or done something more productive but he had only shrugged and smiled. The idiot was determined to keep harboring a delusion that one day she would be his. Even after she had repeatedly and earnestly told him it would not happen in his dreams not to talk of reality. Men were the most amusing and confusing creatures on earth.

Isadora's lower lip trembled. "I am sorry Miss, but these are not from Liam Barlow." She paused. "They are from Richmond Enterprises. A member of their staff delivered it this morning."

Ariana took her time to sit down because she was caught by surprise and did not have an immediate counter-response. What was this exactly? A half-assed attempt from Ashton Drake to woo her? Well, it was doomed to fail just like the sorry marriage. She fixed an uncompromising stare on her apprehensive assistant as she spoke.

 "I do not care if they are from the president himself. Dump them in the trash, get me my schedule, get to work, and do not make me repeat myself." Ariana ordered.

"Y…yes Miss Hudson," Isadora responded timidly and promptly fled. 

Ariana put her cowering assistant, Ashton Drake, and everything else out of her mind as she put on her laptop and began to scour through reports.

***

The clock had just struck eleven in the morning when an intrusive call came through the intercom. Ariana was mildly annoyed. When she was working within the confines of her office everyone knew she was always on autopilot do-not-disturb mode.

"Isadora, what is it? I do not like to be disturbed when I am working and you know it." Ariana said patiently.

"I-I am so sorry Miss Hudson but there is someone here to see you."

"Whoever it is does not obviously have an appointment because I know all my appointments for today so please tell him/her to reschedule an appointment and return some other time, when I am not swamped with work."

There was a deliberate pause. "It is Mr. Drake, Miss Hudson, and he says this is important."

Ashton lowlife Drake

"Well, tell him to leave! I do not have time to deal with him today…."

Ariana was interrupted by Isadora's sudden panicky voice over the intercom. "I am sorry sir you cannot go in….."

Frustrated, Ariana turned off the intercom and closed her eyes, gathering the strength to deal with the unprecedented drama. When she opened them, Ashton Drake had busted into her office with her assistant Isadora trailing behind shouting he could not go in. She darted an apologetic glance at Ariana.

Ariana managed a small indulgent smile. 

"It's alright Isadora, get back to work and shut the door."

"Yes Miss Hudson," Isadora said pliantly, throwing a look at Ashton before leaving.

Ashton thrust his hands in his pockets and looked around the office impressively. "Not bad Ariana, I have to say you've got style."

Ariana fixed a hostile unwelcome stare at him. "Get out Ashton. I am too busy to deal with you today."

Ashton strode purposefully towards her desk and helped himself into one of the seats opposite her. 

"Now that's not a way to address your husband now is it?"

Ariana's temper flared. "You have a lot of nerve thinking you are my husband because of a lame contract I did not sign myself!"

"Call it what you like. It is signed and it's a done deal." Ashton asserted. 

Ariana leaned forward and said bitterly. "The whole of New York knows you cannot stand me so why on earth did you agree to a shitty contract that ties me to you for life?"

"I am at heart and soul, a businessman Ariana, and being in business yourself you know the biggest motivation is always profit. If a sham marriage will pour millions into the coffers of Richmond Enterprises tell me why would I say no? Besides I do not plan on being with you for life I mean let us face it you are a nightmare."

"Your nightmares haven't even begun you lowlife," Ariana snarled.

Ashton chuckled. "It is no secret that I despise you but your force of character is quite admirable." He leaned closer. "But if you consider yourself a wolf I am a lion." 

The statement was a warning and Ariana recognized it but she did not care. They were evenly matched. 

Ashton leaned back. "But hey it does not need to get to all that, we should at least learn to be cordial adults and that is why I sent flowers this morning. Did you like them?"

"Eager to play the doting husband so soon Ashton?" Ariana asked mockingly with her eyes on her laptop. She looked up and nodded toward the trash can in her office. "Your flowers belong nowhere but there." 

"Why princess?" Ashton asked, turning from the trash can. "Too low for your tastes? I mean a man is trying here."

"Save it for the women impressed by your arrogance," Ariana replied coldly.

"But my brand of arrogance is sexy"

"A misguided person told you that? Because it actually reeks."

"So what impresses you?" Ashton asked, looking amused. 

"Not you for sure Ashton, and it is high time you get out. I have a company to run."

Ashton smirked as he got up. "Better face the truth, Ariana, we are together now because you could not bag a husband on your own and your dad knew you could not do better than me anyway." 

Ariana stopped typing and stood up, meeting his piercing green eyes. "You better get out before I call security to toss you out and you become the headline for tomorrow's papers."

"Unless you want daddy coming to beg me you better use your brains and be reasonable with your choices Ari, and stop making foolish threats while you are at it. Later wifey."

Ariana angrily tossed some papers from her desk to the floor. The nerve of him! God how she hated him!

***

It was 3 pm when Ariana had to go into a meeting with the CEO of the construction company and another CEO who was going to supply more materials for the boutique hotel in Brooklyn. The project was a hundred million dollar one and Ariana had drafted questions for both men and showed them visual plans Hudson Developments had for the whole project. The men discussed what was realistic and what was not. The lawyers of Hudson Developments were in the process of preparing documents so the legal technicalities could be dealt with. By the time the meeting was done, lunch hour had passed and Ariana was mentally drained.

It was five pm when she finally walked out of the building to her Rolls Royce and Jameson drove down to her apartment building in Tribeca. Ariana was looking forward to a hot bath, a well-cooked dinner, wine, and tons of rest. The lift doors had just opened up to her apartment when a call came in from Gene.

"Hey, girlfriend!" Gene sounded pumped but then again the girl was a relentless ball of energy.

"Hey," Ariana said tiredly.

"So guess who is showing up at Circa Club tonight?" Gene asked giddily.

Ariana picked up an apple from her kitchen. "Girl I don't know, and I am too exhausted to care."

"Trey Songz! Ari when I heard I screamed. He is performing exclusively for some rich kid's birthday and I have two tickets. Come with me please, I mean I obviously cannot go alone."

"I don't know Gene, I am super tired and you know I barely have time for these things."

"Girl, you need to learn how to have some fun sometimes. Don't forget you are a young, hot, rich, classy girl of 24 in New York! Learn how to unwind. I am picking you up by 8 pm okay? Wear the tight sparkly red dress it brings out all those curves.''

Ariana sighed as she crashed on her couch. "I suppose one night would not hurt." She said agreeably.

Maybe it would ease all of this stress.