Chapter 478: Revelation - Part 4

The couple stayed in each other's embrace as they observed the sun shifting closer to the horizon. The sky was painted with hues of red and orange, and Aria had never felt the sunset to be this beautiful before.

Is it because I am with Noah that I am finding everything to be captivating? Or is it that my heart is finally at peace that I am feeling this happy?' She wondered, her smile widening in joy. But it soon vanished when she remembered a question that was bugging her for a long time.

"Noah, I have something to ask you." She pulled back slightly but did not leave his embrace.

"Yes, love?" 

"Since you already had my father with you, I presume you had investigated about us. How did you not identity who I was when we first met? I wanted to ask the question to Joshua too as he was the one Ivy met first." Aria queried, and Noah bit his lip, wondering how to tell her the truth.

He stayed silent for a few minutes before he started to speak. "Aria, when we rescued Dad from the men who wanted to kidnap him, it was out of our selfishness because he was the only one who could guide us to our mentor. I did not want to send him back because people were looking for him, whom I presume to be Jared's men. Although they had injected the poison in him, they had not seen him die."

Aria nodded in understanding. It did not come as a surprise to her to know Jared had ordered his men to keep looking for her father.

"I discerned that your family would be in trouble, and those people will come to you to ask about your father. So, I had ordered my men to protect you and your family in secret." Noah took note of how Aria was completely focused on him before he averted his gaze away from her.

"But when we dug out more information about you two, it showed two other girls who had the same name. We mistook them to be you and Ivy, and my guards kept following them in secret." Noah revealed what had happened. 

The three men had discussed this matter for a long time. It was impossible for anyone among them to forget about the twins if they had seen them or their photographs before. But the girls they had seen in the photos and the real West sisters were completely different, and Noah only realized recently what could have happened.

"I think Maggie did it to protect us. But I did not know about it." Aria stated with a frown. She did not know if she were to be happy or sad about her friend's actions. If Noah and she had met each other earlier, they could have spent more time together. But she was also glad that her friend had saved her and her sister from any trouble. 

"I do so after listening to you now. Joshua was spooked when he first met Ivy, for he remembered your faces clearly than any of us. It was he who had collected your information and destroyed them so that they would not be available for the enemies. Who knew that he was only destroying information of fake Aria and Ivy?" Noah shook his head in helplessness, and Aria giggled in response.

"Why didn't you question us about it then?" Aria tilted her head, trying to comprehend what might have run through their minds the moment they had found out the truth.

"Why would I arise your suspicions by questioning about it? What do you think would have happened if I were to ask you as to why your photo in your information does not match with your face?" Noah raised an eyebrow.

"I would be spooked for sure," Aria replied, and Noah gave a knowing look. "But you could have asked us about it later right?"

"When we found out that you and Ivy were Mr. West's daughters, we connected the dots and assumed you to have sought out someone skilled in computers, only that we did not know it was Maggie. Everything about Mr. West was changed, all his information was different from the truth. So, I did not know the truth until Joshua informed your identity when we were in London."

"I see. That explains everything. I am sorry that you had to go through so much because of us." Aria apologized. She knew how hard it had been for the three men to keep her father safe and away from the men who wanted him dead. Moreover, not once had Noah complained about it. He had even silently taken her anger when she had found out about her father.

"No, I should be the one apologizing to you. I hid the truth about your father, and somewhere I am responsible for your mother's demise. If I had told you about it, maybe Mrs. West would have been alive and happy." Noah replied, the guilt of his deeds eating him alive. 'If only I had informed the family about Oliver, they might not have gone through such misery.'

His words made Aria chuckle lightly. "If you had done that, you would be meeting an Aria who is not me. I wonder how that family would have reacted when you intimated about someone who they did not even know." Now, even Noah started chuckling.

"Noah, it does not matter now. I understand why you did so. You were worried for us, and you were worried about your mentor. Mom's death has nothing to do with you. She had already had a mild heart attack once. I don't think she would have been able to tolerate it if the news of Dad's poisoning got to her. So, stop blaming yourself for it."

Noah did not know how to thank the girl he loved the most. Words failed him at this moment, and all he could do was lean down and catch her lips with his, pouring out all the feelings he had for her. Aria too did not hesitate to kiss him back, and she wrapped her hands around his neck, pushing herself closer to him.

Noah did not deepen the kiss and pulled back after a few seconds. "Aria, darling. Let us watch the sunset. We do not want to miss the beautiful view after we came here. Right?"

Aria nodded her face that was red as the sky. The couple watched the beautiful view in front of them as they hugged each other. Never had they felt this happy and satisfied. The view before them was one of a kind, maybe because they were watching from a hot air balloon. To Aria and Noah, it was one of the best moments of their lives. More so, because they were watching with the person they loved the most.