"Ma'am, we are landing soon." Shawn, Arabella's personal secretary said which made her look up at him, gracing him with the attention he was yearning for so long.
She nodded at her before looking at the seats in front of her where two babies were sleeping peacefully. One of them looked a little tired which broke her heart. She secured their seatbelts before adjusting hers for the landing.
Arabella lived in Paris with her twin babies. Aaron and Ariana. They are three years old. She is a single mother and she loves every bit of it. She is flying to New York because her baby boy was diagnosed with a hole in his heart and his precious doctor recommended a hospital in New York. She could fly to mars for her babies.
She was born and brought up in New York. But three years ago she moved to Paris to shart her life with her babies, with no trace from her past shitty life. She hardly has any memory of the past anyway. She has lost a huge part of her memory in an accident three and half years ago. But she's happy with her current life and she's not interested at all in digging the old grave.
"Ma'am, we managed to recover your phone. It's working now." He said respectfully.
"Pass it to me." She asked and he immediately passed it to her without a second word.
'Hey, Sareena. I am back here because of an emergency surgery . Message me back as soon as you see this.'
She sent the message before closing her eyes and leaning back on the seat.
She was always afraid of plane landings…
_____
IN THE HOSPITAL
"Miss Arabella, you don't have to worry at all. The hole in his heart is diagnosed before it could cause any life threatening trouble. We will do necessary tests on him before deciding if he needs any surgery or if the hole can be filled up by medicine." The doctor who was diagnosing Aaron primarily said after doing the initial check ups.
She listened to him carefully before looking at the glass window beside her where her babies were. They both were still asleep. The plane journey drained them. It was their first plane journey. She looked back at the doctor and nodded at him. She had a cold look on her face which could scare anyone away.
"Thank you, doctor. I don't want to say this but do the best for him otherwise I will do the worst to you." She said in a dark tone, making the doctor gulp. His eyes widened as he received the powerful aura from her and slowly took a step back.
"Understood, ma'am." He replied immediately while shaking his head obediently.
"Does he need to get admitted?" Arabella asked, looking back at her babies.
"No, ma'am. You can take him back home after the tests are done." He answered and she nodded at him.
"Okay…" She was going to say something when her old phone rang and one of those numbers called back. "Excuse me, I will have to take the call." She said to the doctor before walking away from there without any more words.
"Sure."
"Hello, Sareena?" She asked carefully on the phone and when the very known voice came from the other side of the phone, she let out a sigh in relief. "Thank God, you still have your old number. I am in the New York City Life hospital-..." She wasn't looking where she was going as she was busy in passing the information to her friend Sareena at any cost. That's when she bumped with a person and the phone fell from her hand. It scattered all over the floor.
"Ah, shit! My phone. It was already broken." She shrieked out in frustration before kneeling down without looking at the person to gather the pieces.
"If it's already broken, what's the point of grieving over it?" She was picking up the pieces when the person she bumped into spoke up. His voice was cold and…very familiar. Her hands stopped midway as she frowned and looked up.
The man was in a very well tailored suit and his hands were inside his pocket as he was looking in front of him, waiting for her to get up and move away from his way.
What an arrogant man!
She got up and looked at him with a blank look. Her heads were held high and grace and confidence radiated from her.
"Just because it's broken now doesn't mean it never held a value, Mr." She spoke up in a strong tone, making the man immediately look down at her.
His eyes widened as soon as his eyes fell on her. He looked as if he had seen a ghost. He looked shocked which confused her.
"... Arabella…?" Her name rolled out of her tongue ever so smoothly which didn't reach her because of a sudden crowd calling her name crazily.
Paparazzi…
"Miss Arabella! Miss Arabella, can you please give us a short interview?"
"Miss Arabella! Here, please!"
They were screaming at the hospital entrance, making her sigh. The guards were having a hard time stopping them. She walked toward them and bumped into the shocked and unknown man in front of her. She didn't even acknowledge him. She stopped in front of the paparazzis and they all immediately went silent, ready to record everything she said.
"I am sorry, guys. I am having a family emergency currently. I will hold a warming party for my company here soon. I will make sure to invite you all there. For now, I can just give you the headline." She said with a smirk and everyone looked at her cheerfully and curiously.
"Fashion queen, Arabella Anderson, is in New York City now."
"Hey! What the hell are you doing?" Arabella shrieked out loudly in shock as she looked at the man who was dragging her somewhere. She looked at the man carefully and found it was the same man she previously bumped into.
After she was done with the paparazzi, she walked around a corner to look for the washroom when someone suddenly caught a hold of her hand and started pulling her to an empty corridor. She was going to scream but seeing the familiar face, she was a little taken aback.
"Shut up and keep walking." The man snapped in an angry tone, shocking her and shutting her up at the same time. She frowned at him.
He pulled her at a corner and pushed her against the wall. He pinned her hands above her head before glaring down at her. She glared back.
"Who the fuck you are? Leave my hand!" She shouted in anger as she tried hard to set herself free. She was bewildered by what just happened. She doesn't remember experiencing anything such in her entire life. She has been through hell but she doesn't remember any interaction with any man in her life. That part of memory has been erased.
"Now are you going to pretend that you don't know me, huh?" That man asked through gritted teeth, making her frown.
Does she know him? No. Is he someone from her erased memory? Maybe. But if he is this ill-mannered and rude, she's glad that she forgot about him.
"I don't need to pretend. I don't know you. Seeing the way you are behaving, I don't even want to know you. Leave me." She snapped and tried to set her free but it was useless. He was way too strong than her.
"Who the fuck do you think you are to talk to me like that?" The man growled in anger. He was literally shaking.
From his get up and dressing style, Arabella could guess that he was a big shot around here. And the fact that she wasn't even acknowledging that, let alone know him might have bruised his ego. She let out a sigh and tried to calm herself down.
"I am Arabella Anderson, if you didn't hear me back then. I just landed here a few hours ago. I came here from France. I don't think I have ever met you. Hope that cleared all your confusion. Now excuse me. I need to be somewhere more important than this." She calmly explained.
He frowned in confusion after hearing him because he knew she wasn't lying from her expression. His hold around her got loosened up when he was thinking about everything she had just said. She took that opportunity to walk away but she had just taken a step away from him when he caught her hand and pulled her back to her previous place.
"Don't fucking walk away when I am talking! You know I hate it!" He shouted in anger while almost punching the wall beside her. She closed her eyes fearing the impact but he managed to control himself at the end. She looked at him with an unbelievable look plastered on her face.
"Excuse me? I don't even know your name. Why would I know about your stupid habit?" She asked in a bewildered tone. Her head was spinning from all the happenings and she suddenly started getting an old headache at the back of her head. She gets this headache whenever she's stressed or the past starts to bother her. She closed her eyes to get a hold of herself.
"Don't fucking joke with me! What are you doing here, Arabella? Why did you message me? Do you need more money?" The man asked and she looked at him in anger. She mustered all her strength before using it to push him away from her before glaring at him.
"Enough of your rubbish. I think you got the wrong person. I am really busy and I don't have time to break more of your misunderstanding. Excuse me." She said in a cold and blank tone which meant she had reached the end of her limit. She was going to walk away from there when he suddenly opened his mouth.
"You are still a shameless woman like bef-..." He could hardly complete her sentence when she turned around and landed a hard slap on his devilishly handsome face.
Those words… the same words… he said those same words from her dream. And did his voice sound almost the same as her dream? Who was this man? Why was he claiming to know her? What was her relationship with him?
All those questions were running in her head when she heard a voice of a heel hitting hard on the ground before stopping just behind her. But Arabella was fuming in anger. Her breath was getting heavier as she glared at the man in front her. She didn't know why she was shaking. Was it anger or anxiety?
"How dare you, woman? Damien, are you okay?" The woman behind her shouted in an annoyingly high pitched voice but Arabella completely ignored her. She was looking at the man whose name is Damien and was trying to figure something out while he looked at her blankly.
Damien… where did she hear this name before?
"Never. Call. Me. That. Ever. Again." Arabella pointed her index finger at him before turning around to leave without another word. He didn't say a word as well. But she could hardly take a few steps when someone else stopped her by her hand.
"Where do you think you are going after slapping my fiance, Damien Rodriguez?" The woman shouted as she pulled Arabella around to face her but the moment she saw Arabella's face, her face lost all its colour. "A…Arabella?" She whispered in shock as she left Arabella's hand and took a step back.
She knows Arabella as well. Arabella noted it down before masking her emotions and put on a blank face.
"You should tie your fiance with your hair if not love. He seems to have a problem of invading unknown women's privacy." Arabella said in a taunting tone after giving a small look at Damien and found him looking at her still with the same look, trying to figure her out.
"How dare you?!" The woman shouted in anger. She took a step toward her and raised her hand to slap Arabella but Arabella caught it at the end moment without even looking at her. Arabella twisted the woman's hand before glaring at her with a menacing look.
"How dare YOU raise your hand at me? Don't dare to make this mistake again. I am not always this nice. Stay away from me." Arabella said in a cold tone before pushing the woman away from her and turning around. She has wasted enough time here.
"What are you going to do to us, huh?" The woman shouted in a mocking tone which stopped Arabella but she didn't turn back.
"I will take necessary steps which you won't like." Arabella said without turning back and the woman started laughing as soon as she heard Arabella. Arabella turned around to look at her with her hands crossed over her chest.
"You don't know who we are." The woman said with an attitude which made Arabella chuckle.
The chuckle was humourless and filled with darkness.
"YOU guys don't know who I am." Arabella said with a smirk before turning around ever so gracefully with her beautiful auburn hair doing flipping perfectly.
'Find out everything about Damien Rodriguez.'
A message was sent.
TWO DAYS LATER
"Monica, is the presentation ready?" Damien asked as they walked through the corridor of this newly built office building.
Damien Rodriguez, a twenty eight years old billionaire. The eldest heir of the Rodriguez family who's handling the Rodriguez enterprise as well as his own built businesses. He's a self made billionaire from a very early age. Even though his family is crazy rich, he didn't take a penny to start his business.
He and his family have many business lines which are being handled by him only. He's doing that without breaking a sweat. He has recently started a clothing brand which is not that popular yet. He's planning to do a collaboration business with a worldwide famous fashion brand to get exposure. They are in the building of that famous fashion brand to get the deal. They have recently opened a branch in New York which is why this building is new.
"Yes, Damien. I have checked it thrice. Don't you worry. We will get the deal for sure." Monica, his childhood best friend and fiance said in an assuring and confident tone. He shortly nodded at her as they continued to walk.
Fiance… that word reminded him of what happened two days ago. Monica had an accident a few years ago which is why she was in a long term coma. Even though she's okay now, she needs to get checked every once in a while.
That day they went to the hospital for that purpose only when he bumped into that woman. Arabella Smith or Arabella Anderson as she claimed herself to be.
He saw her after three and half years and she hasn't changed a bit appearance wise. She was still as breathtakingly beautiful as has always been. But if it wasn't for her face, he would be convinced that it was an entirely different person.
The Arabella he knew was soft spoken and hopelessly sentimental and emotional. She never looked at him or anyone in the eyes before but this woman was glaring murderously. If only looks could kill. The Arabella he knew never raised a finger at anyone but she slapped him and almost broke Monica's hand.
But even after all these changes, the past wasn't going to change. She was still the same person and he knew that. She was still the same shameless and pathetic woman who tried to destroy his life once and if she's back to do it twice, he was not going to let that happen.
"We better get it. My peace is already disturbed by that woman's return. I don't want another reason for my lack of peace." Damien said in a cold tone.
His hands fisted tightly beside him which Monica noticed. She slowly tried to touch his hand but he pulled it away. She fisted her hand to control her emotions. She couldn't let that hurt her.
"Don't worry at all, Damien. As long as I am here, no one can even look at you, let alone take your peace." She said in an assuring tone. He didn't say anything. They both walked into silence until they reached the conference room.
"Prepare yourself mentally. You are going to do the presentation." Damien said in his usual cold tone and she nodded at him with confidence.
"I am ready. Let's go inside." She said and they both got inside the room.
_____
TWO HOURS LATER
"Congratulations, Mr Rodriguez. By signing the contract, you became an important part of the AA enterprise. This is our first project in America and we are glad it happened with you. Hope we can maintain and respect our new relationship." An old man in his early fifties said as he stood up and shook hands with Damien.
After all the presentation the company decided to sign the deal with Damien's company. After all, anyone would like to do business with the Rodriguez's. They had just finished signing the contract.
They were all planning to head toward the lunch hall now to have lunch with everyone, including those who didn't get the contract. Everyone headed out already. Just Damien, Monica and two representatives from AA enterprise were there, one of them was the personal secretary of the CEO of the company.
"We definitely will. I believe it's a big opportunity for both of the companies." Damien said in a professional tone and everyone nodded, showing their agreement.
"It indeed is." The man said.
"Mr Shawn, I was thinking if we could meet Mr AA before leaving. After all, we are business partners now." Monica spoke up in a curious and friendly tone, looking at the secretary. Shawn looked at her with a raised eyebrow but before he could say anything, someone opened the conference room's door and entered the room.
"MISS AA, Arabella Anderson. It's nice meeting you… " A very known voice to Damien and Monica spoke up. "... again." Arabella's voice trailed off when they turned around to face her.
Arabella was standing there in a very fashionable black business suit. Her hair was open. She had smokey eyes and red lipstick to give her a bold look. But when completed her look was the smirk she was wearing.
"You!" Monica shouted in shock.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" Damien joined Monica soon and scowled at Arabella.
"Where do you think the owner of property should be?" Arabella asked with a smirk and fake innocent look on her face as she walked toward them in her black heel. The tick-tock sound was like a hammer bruising Monica and Damien's ego. Arabella walked and stood in front of them, looking directly into Damien's eyes.
"Owner of the property?" Monica exclaimed in shock and disbelief but she got ignored as Arabella forwarded her hand toward Damien for a handshake.
"I am AA, CEO of AA enterprise." Arabella said but Damien didn't move a muscle to shake her hand. He just gave her a cold look. She smirked, noticing that and moved her hand away. "I think we share a business relationship now. Congratulations Mr -...?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. Her tone was filled with mockery.
"Damien Rodriguez." Damien answered in a cold tone and she smiled at him. The smile was like a poisonous flower.
"Congratulations, Mr Rodriguez." Arabella said with a smirk. He glared at her but the next moment Damien turned around to look at Shawn and the other representative with a cold look on his face.
"I want to cancel this contract." He announced out of nowhere, making Monica gasp in shock.
"Damien?" She snapped in a warning tone because cancelling the contract is going to cost them a lot. It was an international project.
"I am afraid you can't do that, Mr Rodriguez." The old man spoke up in a professional tone, making Damien frown.
"What do you mean?" He asked. Shawn was going to explain but Arabella signalled him to stop.
"Didn't you read the contract clause properly? It was clearly mentioned in the contrac that if you back off after signing the contract or fail to meet the contract requirements, I automatically become a very important board member of your business." Arabella spoke up with a smirk, making Damien look at her with unexplainable anger. He took a step toward her with gritted teeth and looked her in the eyes.
"Stop messing with me." He said in a low and dark tone before walking away after crossing her, without saying another word. Monica followed behind quickly.
Their body touched for a second and Arabella's body reacted in a weird way. It happened two days ago as well. She pushed those thoughts aside and looked at his back.
"See you soon, Mr Rodriguez. Hope you can decide whether you want to maintain the client relationship or make me your business partner by then." Arabella shouted behind him but he was already out of the room by them.
"Arabella… you are surely back to messing up with my life again, aren't you?" Damien whispered to himself as the past memories were coming back to mess with him once again.