Chapter 287: Anger? Yes. Hatred? No.

It was only after hearing Oliver's question did Ivy realize she had not told him anything about her mother. Nobody told him about her death and Ivy was in a fix now on how to reveal the news to him. However, she could not hide it from him too. It was something he had to know.

"Dad, please sit down." Ivy held Oliver's hands and made him sit on the kitchen counter chair.

"What happened Ivy? Is everything alright?" Oliver stared at his daughter in confusion before his eyes settled on Joshua. He raised his eyebrows at him but did not receive any answer. Seeing all the three people silent, Oliver's heartbeat spiked up and he was scared now. "Ivy, speak something. I am getting scared. What happened to your mother?"

Unable to stand the tension, Oliver jumped off the chair and held his daughter's shoulders. "Please tell me, Ivy."

"Dad." A feeble voice was heard from outside the kitchen and everybody turned to look at Aria waiting outside the kitchen.

Oliver left Ivy and went to his second daughter. "Aria, you tell me what happened to Susan. Please." Oliver was almost on the verge of crying and he was having a mental breakdown. He was losing it and was scared, very scared.

"Dad, Mom is not with us," Aria said as she tried to control her tears.

Her ambiguous answer made Oliver all the more agitated. "What do you mean by that? Where is she? Where did she go? Somebody, please tell me." Oliver's patience was wearing thin and on not getting an answer, he shouted looking back and forth between his two daughters.

Aria closed her eyes for a second and then looked at Ivy, who gave her a nod. They had to tell their father. He had all the right to know. "Dad, Mom died of a heart attack three years ago."

That's it. That was all it took for Oliver to fall to the ground in despair. His wife, his love had died and he did not even know about it. Why? Why was life being unfair to him? What had he done so wrong? Unable to bear the sorrow, Oliver started to cry, and seeing him so devastated, Aria and Ivy hugged him tight, trying to console him.

The family of the trio cried for some time and Ian, Joshua, and even Noah, who had his sight fixed on Aria could not help but feel emotional. Aria's heart-wrenching cries was shattering his heart into pieces, but he could do nothing. He did not have the courage to face her, not when he knew she would explode like a bomb seeing him anywhere nearby her. He had heard Ivy's words when she had spoken to Ian and now he was scared, scared that Aria would be angry with him and would eventually leave him.

Noah wanted to talk to her, badly. He wanted to apologize to her for his deeds but he did not have the courage. He smiled in despair when a ridiculous thought hit him. He was so well known in the underworld and the business world and he had made a lot of enemies as he crushed them and tore them into pieces. However, he had never been scared of them as he knew their weaknesses and for every plan of theirs, he would always have a counter plan.

However, this man who everybody else was scared of did not have the courage to face his woman. He did not have the strength to meet her in the eye and apologize, not because it would hurt his ego or that he was a proud man. No. It was because he did not want to hurt Aria and more than that, he did not want to lose her. He knew he was being selfish, but what he could do? In just a short period, since the time he had got to know Aria, she had made her way into his heart, mind and soul. How could he allow her to leave?

Oliver stood up suddenly, startling his daughters who were still sitting on the floor. 

"Dad?" Ivy voiced out in fear, lest her father should do something he should not. She slowly got up and glanced at Aria who looked as worried as her.

"I want to visit the cemetery."

"Okay, Dad. We will go tomorrow. It's late now and the cemetery gates will be closed."

Oliver nodded and slowly dragged his exhausted body towards the hall. "I am a little tired. I will sleep."

Nobody stopped him as the man needed some time to mourn his wife's death and he had to rest too. So, they stood in their places as they watched him walk away from them. 

Ivy turned to look at Aria, only to notice Noah standing behind the pillar trying to hide himself from Aria. She could see the sorrow in his eyes and sighed helplessly. She could do nothing for him as it was not her matter to interfere even if he had good intentions in mind. She knew her sister better than anyone and this time, she could feel that Aria was furious, damn furious.

"I'll prepare dinner today," Ivy said dejectedly and went inside the kitchen. She gestured Joshua and Ian to follow her. But they gave her a confused look not understanding her point. It was only after she discreetly pointed at Noah, did they get to know her actions. They nodded and followed her inside.

"Let us help you, Ivy."

With that Aria and Noah were the only ones present now. The woman was completely oblivious to it until she turned back. Her eyes met Noah's desperate ones and her blood in anger. She did not say another word and walked away from him, much to his horror. It was not that she wanted to hurt him, no she didn't. Hurting him was the last thing she had in mind. But every time she saw his face, all the lies he had conveniently told her would replay in her mind and it was his betrayal that she was unable to accept.

"Aria, please listen to me. Please."

Aria stopped walking, in turn making Noah to stop speaking. She turned to him and glared at him with so much anger in her eyes that for a second, Noah was taken aback. But he was happy that she was not glaring at him with hatred. Anything was better than hatred, even anger was fine.

"What should I listen to, another one of your lies? Or the story that you are quite good at cooking up? Why? Only to fall for it and get betrayed again. Do you think I am a fool to you?"

"No, Aria. No. Not at all. Please listen to me." Noah took a step forward and made an attempt to hold her hands. But Aria evaded his touch.

"Don't touch me. Stay where you are." She warned him and Noah stopped walking. His heart was breaking as every second passed by with her still being angry with him.

"Aria, I had my reasons for doing this, for keeping this secret from you."

"I know you wanted to keep my Dad and my family safe and I am grateful to you for doing this. But I cannot forget the fact that you lied to us after you got to know about my identity. I understand that your intentions were not wrong. But have you got any idea how dejected we were when we lost our parents at that time? Ivy and I had to get adjusted to the fact that our Mom was no more and Dad was still missing. We have searched for him day and night in hopes that we would find him. If I remember correctly, you yourself volunteered to help us in finding our father. And in the end, what do we find? My Dad is staying in your house and you did not even think how hurtful I would be."

Aria vented out all the anger and frustration she had while Noah listened to every word she said silently. He was ready to get her scoldings and even her beatings if it made her happy. He was ready to do anything for her if that could make her stay with him forever.

Aria saw Noah's loving gaze on her amidst her scoldings and she stopped speaking the next instant. She noticed the sadness in his eyes and for a second she felt bad for blaming him. However, the next second her mind took control of her thoughts and made her realize the truth. She was not blaming him unnecessarily, he was at fault and she was the one who got hurt.

Aria knew if she continued to stay in front of him she would eventually lose and give up. So, she walked away from him. She was angry at him but did not hate him. She needed time to cool her anger. Seeing his handsome face would only make things difficult for her and she was worried that she would say some hurtful words in the momentum.

Noah panicked the moment he saw her walk away from him again. To him, it seemed as though she was not just away from him but also from his life. He immediately followed her and held her hand. "Aria, please. Please, listen to me. I know I am wrong. I am sorry. I am really sorry. You can hit me, scold me, slap me. Do anything you want, but please don't leave me. Please."

"Noah, please leave my hand."

"No." Noah tightened his hold on her wrist as she tried to free herself.

"Leave my hand before I slap you."

"You can slap me all you want but please don't leave me."

"Noah, please don't make me do things I don't want to. Hurting you is the last thing I have in mind."

"Why?" Noah whispered as he loosened his hold.

"Because it hurts seeing you hurt."

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