CHAPTER 10
ARIA’S POV
Mys
shock at Regis’s claim is evident, in the way my jaw slacks and the way my eyes go beyond their normal size. I stare at him and he in turn continues to stare at the key chain like he is just seeing it for the first time. Perhaps, the realization that he is familiar with the one it belongs to is the reason he is now looking at the key chain in a new light.
I also discovered that besides the color of the jewellery piece, I know nothing else because I haven’t properly looked at it since my grandmother’s death. The shock and the preparation for her funeral gave me no time to do so. So I wait for Regis to clear up the air about what he knows about the piece of jewellery adorned with rubies and emeralds
“Did you say your grandmother gave this to you?” Seconds pass before Regis finally hands the key chain back to me. I take it in both hands, nodding absent–mindedly at Regis while I take a proper overdue look at the memento. I discover there isn’t much to look at anyway, disappointed by the single letter engraved on it intricately designed as it it was a heirloom passed on from generation to generation. The logo isn’t even remotely familiar and I wonder why grandmother would give me something like this, without much detail. I thought, perhaps it was a key to open to an ancient book of secrets. But I guess, my imagination is getting ahead of me.
I couldn’t have found this person on my own.
I look at Regis again, “Did you also say this belongs to your mentor
“He was first my teacher. A senior lecturer at the college where I graduated. He took a liking to me after college and took me in, offering to mentor me in business.” Regis voice booms with deep respect for this mentor he speaks of. I look down at the key chain again and I can just tell the kind of power the owner wields. My curiosity peaks and questions swarm my mind. Is it really a coincidence that Regis happens to know who my grandmother asked me to look for? How in the world does my grandmother know him anyway?
“I want to know too.” I didn’t realize I spoke my thoughts out loud until Regis replied with this and then he continued, pointing at the jewellery in my hands, “That key chain is only given to close associates and there are only a few of them out there. I have one myself too and if your grandmother really gave that to you, then there is more to this than it being a coincidence.”
Regis‘ explanation doesn’t do anything to ease the confusion I feel. It only adds to it because I literally grew up with my grandmother and I never saw anyone unusual around her.
1 sigh, deeply. I just walked out of a marriage that has kept me in shackles for too long. Do I really want to deal with looking for a strange man right now?
“I don’t know why grandmother gave this to me. How am supposed to find the owner?”
“I’ll take you to him.” Regis announces.
“Wait, what?”
He shrugs, “I said I’ll take you to him.”
“Why? You said he only gives this to close associates. I am not one, I don’t even know him.”
“You don’t have to. That alone is a pass and it doesn’t matter who has it, it means you can meet him. Your -grandmother must have given it to you for a reason, don’t you wanna know why?”
I stare intently at the precious key chain in my hands. My grandmother never does things without a reason. She didn’t give me a fortune as a parting gift but a key chain that must mean a lot to her and I cannot fight the
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CHAPITRIO
pressing need to find out why, I meet Regis expectant eyes and nod and he smiles gently like he always does.
“I will take you to him, that’s a promise but before then, you need to rest well and gather up the energy you have lost.”
I can’t help but smile out of gratitude to Regis. His kindness warms my heart in ways that I cannot describe and I wonder what would have become of me if he didn’t come tony rescue.
“Thank you, Regis.”
“You know, you have been here for three days and still won’t tell me what really happened. I don’t know what is going on Aria, but if you need me to talk some sense into Adam-
“No!” I cut him short before he can speak further, “He can’t know, please. Don’t tell him anything”
Regis is speechless for the next few seconds, staring deeply at me while I squirm under his intense gaze and hoping he will just take my word for it and leave Adam out of all this. After a long period of stretched silence, Regis nods.
“Fine, I won’t tell Adam anything.”
Theave a sigh of relief.
“Thank you, Regis. I really can’t thank you enough.”
He hands me the rest of the tea in the mug. I gladly chug down what is left of it and hand it back. In the process, my fingers graze his ever so slightly and he stills, eyes locking with mine with a swirl in them that entrances me for a few seconds until he somehow manages to break away and straighten up. I clear my throat, my cheeks burning up as a result of the awkward situation.
“You should get some rest.” He says and turns his back, walking out the door before I can give an answer to his words.
Two days have passed since I woke up in Regis’s house. It feels like I am overstaying my welcome here but Regis doesn’t seem to mind. Instead, he reassures me every time that I can stay for as long as I want. He’s stopped asking questions and just goes about his business, putting extra effort into making me feel comfortable in his home. His house is larger in comparison to that of Adam and it has a warmth that three years of living with Adam couldn’t offer.
His home is a reflection of him; almost like how Adam’s home reflects his character. The memories of my move into Adam’s house are just as fresh as the ones of his mother bullying me while he pays little to no attention–to me. It had been hard to adjust to the dull and pale look of his home when I was used to bright colors and pretty aesthetics from my old house.
I don’t know much about Regis. All I know is that after my marriage, he moved to England for further studies. He has recently just return to the USA. I always wondered what kind of further studies he went for and surely, one day I would ask him. As far as I know, he was already a very accomplished businessman before he left for England.
“You can go ahead and have your room repainted however you like, I don’t care but don’t you dare change anything in my house, do you understand me?” I recall Adam’s words.
Those were his exact words when I made the suggestion that the house could use a little bit of color for newlyweds. Those words had also made my stance in his home clear because it was the first time I knew we would not be sharing a room as a couple. 1
Staring at the cute Minnie mouse tea cups on the island in Begis‘ kitchen, I can’t help but feel this deep feeling of sadness again. All I asked from Adam was the barest minimom.
CHAPTER TO
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“Aria.” Regis‘ voice calls behind me before my eyes can start watering again. I turn to look at him and smile like my exploration of his house doesn’t make my heart ache a little bit.
I raise one of the Minnie mouse mugs with the intention of teasing him, “Aren’t these a little too cute for a business man?”
Regis laughs heartily, “This stays between us
I laugh too, the feeling of sadness disappearing just as fast as it came. I am learning things about Regis that I did not know before and each one is even more amusing than the last.
“Aria,” he calls now, his face turning serious, “Are you ready to know who that key chain belongs to?” He asks. I nod immediately because I have been waiting for this moment for the last two days.
Regis asks me to meet him in the car in a few minutes and hasten to freshen myself up before joining him in the car. We drive for over thirty minutes to get to a suburban area of the city that I have never been to. This part of the city is free from the hustle and bustle of the usual life, quietness descending on us the moment we arrive there.
Regis stops the car at the driveway of one of the many houses and I step out, looking at the giant house in front of
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Regis leads the way and like the person behind the door has been expecting us, it opens and out rolls a graying man on a wheelchair. 1
“Sir,
Regis acknowledges the man with a bow but the man isn’t looking at Regis. No, he is looking at me with shock written all over his face as he rolls towards me on the wheelchair.
I shift uncomfortably on one foot when I notice the tears in the man’s eyes. I look at Regis who also looks back at me in confusion until the man says something that stuns me even more.
“My God! I finally found you.”
