Harsh slap of truth

"I don't really know what to tell you. I'm furious at you right now. Briana, we need to distance each other. I can barely hold in my anger every time I see you."

"Talking things out won't work in this situation. Also, someone informed me of rumors going around the company. I see you as a friend and I have no intention to take part in a marriage with you."

"So, this is what's going to happen. You will go home and inform your family that neither you nor I want such a relationship. I will invite your family to dinner and explain that our relationship has been childhood best friends for so long that romantic feelings are impossible, in case your words aren't enough.

He took a deep breath and continued. "I will also clear up the rumors, it's not good for someone like you that's trying to have her own career to get involved in such rumors. Society does a lot of assuming in people's private lives. The worst that can happen is that they will associate your every accomplishment with me. I have seen many people be a victim of it and as your friend, I do not wish that for you." He explained as patiently as he could.

"I see." She stood up, ready to leave. She definitely had no energy to continue listening to his hurtful words.

"One last thing, keep your distance at the company. If we really want to clear up such rumors, we need to show it. Now, go home, do what you need to do, and make sure you are ready to go back to work tomorrow. If you still feel sick, request a leave. I hope that you understand my kindness with you right now."

Her face was crumbled, she knew that. It was hard to stay calm in this situation. The man she loves is saying such words.....It felt like he had pierced an arrow through her heart himself.

"If we weren't friends, the results would have been significantly worse." He stood up as well and watched her flinch at his words.

"Wait, Noah." She placed her hand on his wrist and gulped. "Do you really want to cut ties with me? We have been through thick and thin together. Why are you so heartless?"

"I never said I'm cutting ties with you. I'm just drawing a line that you had forgotten about." He answered and led her outside of the private room.

Before walking out the door, she smiled bitterly. "Thank you, even if you can't forgive me now, I hope you understand my care for you."

He only nodded his head and waited for her to leave. When she had left, he walked back to his seat and took a sip of his coffee with a sigh.

'If you hadn't dug so deep in my heart…. I would have completely forgotten about you.' He thought.

'I would be fine with that if you really were gone. But now it's different.'

He would have been angrier if this discovery hadn't helped him realize a few other things.

Not only was he happy that she was alive, but forgetting her would have made his pain greater. Forgetting all those precious memories would have made him feel emptier. After all, those memories kept him alive all these years.

'Why did I even continue seeing that hypnotist, anyway?' He frowned, still trying to get all his memories in order.

He had a feeling that he had continued to go there because of somebody else's influence. He knew it wasn't Briana, but someone else.

The person speaking to him was male, and he also could hypnotize someone. It also wasn't the hypnotist. This person knew his situation well and had used it to his advantage.

He just couldn't remember it well. But there was surely someone else involved.

Could there be a rat amongst the people he trusts?

....

(Back to the present)

"Noah!"

"Lower your voice!" Noah told Briana, not wanting Aria to wake up.

Briana took a step back and held back her emotions just like she did yesterday. If she pushed him too far, their relationship might get worse. That's the last thing she wanted.

"Noah, I'm asking this because I really can't leave the country."

Yes, she was telling her truth about her mother, but there was another reason.

Seven years ago, she used all her resources and connections to drag Adriana to the deepest pit she could find. Right now, she wasn't exactly in an excellent position to do it all again.

And she had also offended a few people. She could but did not wish to make a big move since Adriana didn't remember the past anymore.

She didn't want to admit how far Adriana had climbed in just seven years. It would be harder to drag her back down….

Besides...

There's no Noah in Paris either.

"Fine, what exactly do you want me to do?" He asked.

"Thank you, it's simple. I just want to break the contract off, but for that, we would need to hold a meeting with everyone involved."

It would be quite embarrassing, but it was better than asking Adriana herself. She also had another motive for this request, but it wasn't something she would tell Noah about.

"If you can't be responsible enough to fulfill all the things written in the contract, then why sing it in the first place!" He raised his voice a little higher this time. He had no patience left for this woman.

It was driving him crazy.

"Briana, this is not the first time you do this. Read the damn contracts before you sing them! You wanted this, and since your father is a shareholder, I had no choice but to allow this contract to happen. And now you think I can just cancel it? This is business, it's not about our personal relationships but business! Just how reckless can you get? Do you know how many other candidates there were? You aren't the only person who needed Adriana's promotion."

He took a deep breath and glanced at the open door where Aria was resting inside.

"Did you just call her- Hold on a second. Are you on a first-name basis with her again?"

Noah sent her a glare and he glanced towards Aria again, hoping it wasn't too loud.

Briana had seemed to catch on and she walked towards the adjacent room but he stopped her.

"Briana." He said in a cold tone. It was a warning.

"I will hold the meeting for the sake of your mother, if you convince her then okay. If not, I can't help you. I will not allow myself to suffer any losses just because of your recklessness. This is the business world, not a playground. If you want to fool around at least make sure your designs stand out, they are all mediocre."

Briana halted her steps, something cold hit her cheek, it didn't happen literally but she could feel it.

That harsh slap of truth he gave her, touched her soul. She could no longer face him any longer. With a shocked expression, she ran out of his office without a word.

Noah massaged his temple in frustration.

Those words came out because he was impulsive. The simple thought of how she tried to manipulate his memories triggered him. It's a very serious thing to do, and he could even have her in jail for what she did.

She might say she did it for his own good, but that's still justifies nothing.

He sighed and looked at Aria from across the room. Thankfully, she was still sleeping peacefully.

That's when he heard someone's voice from his phone, which was on the table.

"Well, someone had to tell her."