35 I want Aria all to myself

"In what way?"

"What do you mean in what way? Obviously in a way a normal human being would."

"Right….so did you cry?" She asked knowing she was annoying the heck out of him. He sent her glare after her question.

"...."

He responded with silence and he continued driving, choosing to ignore her instead.

"Come on, you know you did."

"Noah, does it remind you of the past when I pester you like this? It does for me, do you think we can be friends? To be honest, the thought of being in a cold war with you doesn't feel good."

"Ha, don't you think you sound ridiculous?" He questioned. "You can make fun of me as much as you want. I'm just saying this because my daughter has taken a liking to you. It would be awkward if we are always like this to each other when she's around. Not, that I'm pushing her onto you. I would prefer if you guys don't have a relationship so I can keep her to myself." She continued her banter.

Her words were like a sweet melody. It was quite cute seeing her breakout of character. Since she arrived she had been so aloof but right now, it felt good seeing her bantering and annoying him on purpose.

He felt something all over his body and he went completely stiff.

Were those butterflies?

Why.....

He gritted his teeth and concentrated in what she had said before.

"..." Did he hear that correctly? Did she just say she wants to keep Aria to herself?

"Legally, I should take you to court and I would definitely become her guardian. Since she told me she never got adopted I adopted her. In other words, we are both her adoptive parents. You can't keep her to yourself." He explained.

"Is that a threat?" Adriana narrowed her eyes, her overprotectiveness over Aria showing. "If you try to keep her away from me I will take you to court." He reworded his previous words.

"And yes it's a threat." He added not sparing her a glance.

Adriana gritted her teeth.

Well that's not how things were supposed to go.

Now she realized just how much trouble Aria brought her. Noah's feelings towards Aria seem strong enough for him to even take her to court! She would surely lose knowing how influential Noah is. That's so unfair….

She once had a fear. She was scared knowing the possibility of Noah taking her to court and gaining custody over Aria and James. He would surely do it if his hate for her is strong enough.

That's why she would not tell him anything…

She took a deep breath and changed the topic. "Oh…" She then remembered something.

"You fund a few schools right?" She asked.

Noah was quiet for a few seconds. The way she was casually intimating more conversation made him angry. How does she ignore the past so easily?

He wished he could also do the same....

Once again he had to snap himself back to the present and take in her words.

When he realized what she said he froze.

"Only the people who attended the charity held by the Coopers last year know about that."

Adriana flinched at that. She had a slip of tongue just now. "We are both in the same industry. I would always come across you at some point." She admitted. She focused her eyes on the road and she avoided meeting his eyes.

'That means she has been avoiding me all along.'

Anger.

He was angry.

"Does the kindergarten have a summer program?" She changed the topic.

"It does. But it starts next week." He replied.

"I see, thanks for the heads up."

There was silence after that.

Adriana looked out of the window with a sigh. The streets were still familiar for her. What an odd conversation they had just now. How could both of them sit in a car and talk without thinking of the past? Both the good and the bad of the past.

Before she knew it they had arrived at her hotel.

She stopped herself from asking how he knew what hotel to go to after remembering Aria's words.

'So he did hear…'

At that moment she decided to move as quickly as possible. She didn't feel comfortable with him knowing her wearbouts. She wanted to stay off his radar as much as possible.

He's no easy person to deal with and she knows this well.

******

"Mom, is what she said really true? Did you really have a hand in ruining my brother's marriage?" Kimberly slammed her hand on the table. She had contained her anger through the ride home but now that her father had gone to work and she was home alone with her mother she snapped.

"Kim, I admit what I did is wrong. You don't know how much I regret my decisions back then. But please, don't meddle in this. Your brother and she has moved on. The past is the past, let it be." Mrs.Preston calmed her down or at least she tried.

"What do you mean they have moved on?! Do you really think my brother has moved on? Mother looks at me in the eyes and tells me has your son really fallen out of love? Has he been happy these years without her?" She questioned.

"Kim I-" Mrs.Preston covered her face with tears flowing down her cheeks uncontrollably. She had been feeling so guilty these years. As a mother knowing that she is part of the reason why her son's happiness was destroyed. It killed her inside but she can't do anything about it.

It has already been done.

.....

Briana froze when she heard Kimberly's words.

Noah hasn't moved on

Noah still loves her

He loves her not me

Why? I need to fix this.

Call for Britt and have it fixed before it's too late.

These words repeated in her mind and she walked out of the mansion. She didn't want to hear more!

She took her car back and went home. As soon as she arrived home she entered her room and shut the door.

'She can fix this.'

'Britt can fix this.'

"No no. I can't not again. I can't do it again." She dropped on the floor and she held her knees together.

"I can't." She reminded herself. The urge to let the other person take over was getting bigger.

What if it's true? What if Noah really still loves her? What if he abandons her for Adriana?

She gritted her teeth and took a deep breath. "It's okay. Noah will definitely loves me only, me. Me only." She reminded herself.

Seeing she had calmed down she smiled.

It's okay…

So what if she's back? Briana took everything from her so even if she tries she will never be able to match up to her.

She smiled and regretted breaking down like that.

It's fine there is nothing to worry about!

Surely, Adriana is the same fragile, stupid, naive and gullible girl she had once deceived. If it was easy in the past it would surely be easier here in the present....

Yeah....