Chapter 3: Inefficient to get attention

Rowan Morgan shook his head and sighed. "He was very thankful for us but we are friends, not relatives. If he moves in with us to give family affection for Aria, people and society will look down on Aria asking her relationship with our sons. He doesn't want to trouble her in the future."

Amelia Gray didn't like the reason, "Society talks thousands of things, we shouldn't care. I will try and talk to Brother Oliver when he is free."

Rowan didn't rebuff and they had dinner talking about business.

Oliver Cooper never agreed to move into the Morgan mansion and stayed with his daughter in a villa near the school which made her convenient to cycle every day as she wasn't ready to take the car from their Cooper mansion which was far from the school.

...

Alan looked at Aria's dainty red face and sighed. He precisely remembers, after that day he smiled when he saw her in the Morgan mansion while she was dancing with her friends on the dance floor on Rian's birthday.

…

Alan wasn't interested to go to the party and was going to bed after a long day when his grandfather called him and ordered him to attend the birthday party.

Half-heartedly he got ready and drove to the family mansion. He passed the key fob to the servant and was going in, he saw Rian reasoning furiously with a girl.

"... Did you come here in school uniform to grab all the attention from me? Get out. You are not welcomed here."

Alan moved towards the door as he saw the side profile of the girl and identified her as Aria Cooper who was in school uniform and her hair was tied up in a high ponytail which swayed continuously.

"Beauty! Are you saying you are inefficient to get attention even getting surrounded by girls all the time? (Grin) Do you want me to tell Aunty Amelia that you are asking me to leave?"

She continued seeing Rian's face turn dark, "Since it's your birthday, I will let you off." She gave him a cheeky flying kiss irritating Rian Morgan to the core.

Alan ignored as he knew Rian and Aria always fought for silly things and Aria always won with her words infuriating Rian.

Alan had only taken a few steps inside when a girl called her aloud looking towards him, "Arrie!"

He was turning his head when Aria passed next to him saying, "Coming!"

He saw her entering the dance floor with her friends, moved to the music as she laughed talking with her friends. That's when his lips tilted up.

He was rooted looking at her until the housekeeper shook his hand without getting a response. "Young master! Old master is waiting for you in his room."

He nodded and left taking a glance at Aria who was jumping on her toes asking DJ to increase the volume and bass.

He saw her many times at the party until the end. He got to know how close his mother was with Aria at the party. He noticed his grandfather who was a stern old man giving her a gift and a red pocket before she left.

Even though he stayed away from his family, he never felt left out. Seeing Aria warm with his family, he felt like he was in the Cooper mansion than in his family mansion.

...

Next time Alan saw Aria in the hospital.

When he entered the Intensive Care Unit hurriedly he heard her asking his father who was laying on the bed heavily wounded, "Dad! Are you also leaving me alone?" She was holding his hand tight as tears continuously poured down.

Doctors had said Oliver Cooper couldn't be saved as his injuries were too serious.

Oliver didn't respond to Aria as his tears flowed down. He handed her hand to Rowan as he tried to say something but his voice failed and only lips weakly moved.

Rowan Morgan knew what he was trying to say, "Aria is our responsibility. She is my daughter. We will look after her well."

A long beep suddenly sounded and everything went to deathly silence.

Oliver's hand which was holding Aria's tiny palm fell on the bed. Aria didn't make a single sound or continued to cry. She held her tears looking down, clenching her fist as she looked at Oliver's face.

Amelia started crying hugging her and urging her to cry it out but he didn't see a single drop out of her eyes after her father's hands left her hand.

She didn't react to anybody and followed the Morgan family when Oliver Cooper's body moved towards the cemetery who took his last breath right in front of her in the hospital due to a car accident.

She had only his father other than her grandfather. Nobody knew where her grandfather was present either.

The last words everyone heard from Aria was, 'Dad! Are you also leaving me alone?'

She had become a lifeless body without talking, smiling, or crying...

She was still a minor hence the power of attorney was signed to Alan Morgan's name.

He became the CEO of Skyline Industries. His workload increased greatly. He didn't want his father to worry hence he managed both companies and all the paperwork of transferring from Oliver to Aria was carried out under Alan's guidance.

Amelia always wanted Aria to grow up in their house, fate brought her to their place but nobody was happy with the reason.

Whenever he would take the papers for Aria's sign, she never spoke a word and signed wherever the Attorney pointed to her for her sign. Then she would quietly return back to her room.

Rian had complained to him numerous times as 'Amelia always took care of Aria without leaving her out of sight' and 'she would sit next to Aria until she fell asleep.'

He didn't think too much about it as Rian always fought with Aria.

When his parents had to go abroad, they asked him to stay in the family mansion until they return. He didn't say or ask anything back to them and returned.

He saw Aria going to the dining table, she would keep her head low, eat a little, and return to her room. It was the same for lunch and dinner even though only two were sitting in the dining hall.

Rian was pissed off about Aria hence he had stayed at his best friend's place for more than ten days.

After seeing her cry alone, he understood why Amelia didn't leave her alone and sat in her bedroom.

Sensing Aria taking long steady breaths, he got up and kept the chair back to its place. After contemplating, he went to the bathroom and brought a warm towel to wipe her face. He remembered how his mother took care of him when he was ill and followed the same.

When he saw her brows tightening, he realized to be gentle and carefully wiped as he saw her brows settling and her curled long lashes casting a shadow.

He wasn't sure if she sleeps in a dark room or night lamp required hence he left it lighted before exiting the room.

Alan flipped on the bed for some time thinking about her before falling asleep in his room.