Chapter Twenty-Two
After dinner, Arianna walked Laurence to his car. "Be ready by 8 o'clock in the morning tomorrow. Tim will pick you up," he said, touching her cheek and giving her a peck on the lips. Arianna nodded.
"I don't want you to go," she murmured, hugging his torso.
"Me neither but I can't stay the night here darling. Just a few more days and we'll be married, hmm?" Said Laurence, hugging her back. Arianna nodded.
"We'll go shopping tomorrow for our wedding stuff," he informed her. She smiled excitedly.
"See you tomorrow Aria. Miss me till then," he said.
"Bye," said Arianna softly. He left and Arianna went back to her house. Laurence had already discussed their plans with her uncle David and aunt Henrietta. Isabella and Weston were fighting in the terrace, so Arianna just went to her room to sleep. She was very excited to go shopping tomorrow with Laurence. She would get to buy her dream wedding dress!
The next day, an eager Arianna was ready by 8 o'clock as Laurence had asked her to. She excitedly went outside the house and saw Tim waiting beside Laurence's Porsche. He greeted her curtly and opened the door for her.
He then drove her to Laurence's office. Arianna thanked him and went up the elevators to her floor. Laurence was already in his chamber, so she made him coffee and went inside. He was sitting at his desk working at his laptop.
He looked up at her and smiled happily. Pushing his laptop away, he called her. "Come here."
Arianna smiled shyly and placed the coffee on his desk. Then she went towards his and stood beside his chair.
"What?" She asked shyly. He pulled her onto his lap and held her close.
"I missed you a lot darling," he said holding her head and capturing her lips greedily. It was slow, delicious kiss meant to prove how much he had missed her. Last night he had gone straight to his floor and slept. His sister wasn't at home and he didn't interact much with anyone else. He didn't want anyone to get any idea that he was in love and wanted to marry soon.
He hungrily kissed her neck, her face, his hands exploring her body. "I wish you could move in with me. I don't think I can survive without you till Saturday, " he said, when he broke off the kiss.
"Till then we will be with each other the whole day here," she said and Laurence nodded.
"Yes, we will," he said, still holding her in his arms.
"You have a meeting with the designing team coming up in an hour. Then the final interview for the Designing Head is after lunch," she said.
"Yes ma'am. You too wrap up your work darling. After that interview we'd be going shopping for our wedding fineries and rings, " he said.
"Yes, I'm so excited, " she said with a wide grin. Laurence smiled at her indulgently.
"Me too," he said. Arianna went back to her cubicle afterwards. She knew that after marriage she couldn't work here anymore as a PA. So tomorrow would be her last day at this office. She completed whatever little work Laurence had given her. She arranged everything in order so that the next new employee could locate everything easily.
Laurence did not want her to accompany him to the meeting as she was his fiancée now. So she sat at her computer answering emails and receiving calls. It was around 1:30 in the afternoon when Tim escorted a young and beautiful girl onto their floor. She was very pretty indeed. Tim brought her to Arianna.
"Ma'am this is Lisa ma'am. Is sir inside?" He asked courteously.
"No, he's gone on a meeting. He should arrive anytime." Said Arianna. Then she smiled at Lisa, getting up from her chair.
"Come with me. Why don't you wait for Laurence inside his office? I'll get you something to sip. What would you like to have?" She asked kindly.
Lisa stared at her with indifference. "Who are you? Why are you calling my brother by his name? Don't you have manners? Shouldn't you call him sir or something?" She said with clear dislike in her eyes.
"I'm Arianna Willis. Laurence has asked me to call him by his name. Anything else?" Asked Arianna patiently.
"Are you a gold digger?" Asked Lisa, eyeing her up and down. Tim excused himself politely and left the room. He went to the reception downstairs and told the receptionist to inform Laurence that his sister was here.
"I don't think so," said Arianna. She realised that this girl was a spoilt rich brat.
"Oh everyone says good about themselves. They need to be shown a mirror," said Lisa.
"Fine then, I'll leave you to form opinions about my character Lisa. I have work to complete, " said Arianna.
"I'm Lisa ma'am for you, " said Lisa.
"Fine Lisa ma'am. Call me if you need anything," she said patiently and walked outside to her cubicle. She realised one thing from her meeting with Lisa. Her life after marriage at Laurence's house would be akin to hell.
She was busy for the next ten minutes when Lisa stomped out of the room. "What are you getting paid for? I'm yelling for you for the last five minutes, can't you get it? Dumbass," she said angrily.
"The walls are sound proof, Lisa, " Arianna said calmly.
"Lisa ma'am, dammit," she prompted Arianna. "Dumb working class," she said muttering aloud.
"Get me whatever drink you have. I'm thirsty. Go on, are you deaf too?" She yelled at Arianna.
Arianna saved her work and got up to go to the pantry to get her something to drink. She made a refreshing lemonade and brought it to Laurence's room. "Here this is all we have right now apart from black coffee. If you want anything else, tell me, I'll order it from the cafe downstairs," she said, placing the lemonade on the table for Lisa.
She picked it up and inhaled it first, then took a sip only to spurt it out of her mouth. "Yuk, you call that lemonade?" She said throwing the lemonade on Arianna. The cool lemonade drenched her chest and dripped down her skirt.
Arianna stared at her clothes with disappointment. These people were impossible to live with, how would she ever get on with them?
"Darling, what happened?" Asked a worried Laurence as he entered his office room and saw a thoroughly drenched and disappointed Arianna standing beside his brat of a sister.
Arianna looked at him wordlessly, her blue eyes portraying the hurt that she felt. "How did this happen baby?" Laurence asked her.
Lisa sat dumbstruck by her brother's behaviour. He didn't even pay her any attention but he was overreacting to an employee? She couldn't fathom what was going on.
"You'll catch a cold. I'll ask Tim to get you a dress from the boutique opposite," said Laurence. He called Tim and asked him to get a dress taking Laurence's name. He would pay on his way out of his building. Disconnecting the call, he looked at his sister who sat quietly like she had done something wrong.
"Lisa, meet my fiancée Arianna Willis. We are marrying this Saturday. We're in love with one another," said Laurence and Lisa's eyes went wide with apprehension. She looked at Arianna out of the corner of her eyes guiltily. She knew how she had behaved with her and if she complained to her brother, all her pocket money would be stopped.
Arianna nodded and smiled, "Yes we have met. So, shall I order lunch for three? It's late already," said Arianna. "Lisa ma'am what will you have?" She asked her.
Lisa looked at Laurence scared of a scolding. "Please call me Lisa, " she mumbled. Laurence looked from one to the other. Something was cooking between the two. He knew his sister wasn't a saint but Arianna was. So maybe the drink didn't fall on her accidentally after all. He would find out later. Tim rushed inside with a dress for Arianna.
She took it from him and went to the washroom to change."So what's going on Lisa?" He asked strictly.
Lisa avoided eyes. "I don't know what you're asking?" She said playing with her mobile.
"You know very well what I'm asking. Did you throw juice on my fiancée?" He asked directly, gritting his teeth. Tim coughed and Laurence looked up at him.
"It's not my position to tell you sir but I know that Ms Willis would never complain to you. I feel that you should know that Lisa ma'am has behaved very badly with Ms Willis, " he complained. Lisa sat with her head hanging down. Laurence was furious at her. He thanked Tim and he left.
"You should be ashamed of yourself Lisa. How could you do this to me? I love Arianna more than I love myself. She's gone through alot. She doesn't have anyone to call her own except me," he said. " I have loved you unconditionally Lisa, looking after you all your life when mom and dad didn't. Is this what you give me back?" He asked in a pained voice.
Lisa's started sobbing at what her brother said. She realised what she had done.
"Arianna could have complained to me about you but she didn't. She didn't want you to get a scolding, she didn't want you to fall low in my eyes. Do you realize how big her heart is?" He asked her.
"I'm sorry bro. I'll make it up to her. I had no idea that you loved her, " said Lisa.
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Featured picture: Gigi Hadid as Lisa Lennard
