Shay's POV
The next morning, I began getting ready to meet Aria Langford in town. She had texted me earlier with the place where we would meet: a popular café I'm familiar with, one I often visit with some friends.
Even though she requested to meet in public and planned to tell me things about Jason, I still had this unsettling feeling from our phone call last night. It was so weird and discomforting, but Jason is the only man I've ever truly been in love with. So, if there's anything I should be aware of that he hasn't told me, I guess learning a few things from his ex-girlfriend won't hurt.
Though, it's still kind of annoying.
I put on a dark red silky top with thin spaghetti straps and a low cut, paired with a black skirt that ended at my mid-thighs. I parted my hair down the middle and tied it back into a low ponytail, leaving two long strands to frame my face. After finishing my makeup, I slipped on my black stilettos, grabbed my clutch bag, and left the house.
It wasn't an effort to look better in front of my boyfriend's ex-girlfriend; I always make sure to look good in public because you never know when the paparazzi might pop up and snap unexpected pictures.
I drove to town, which took about 25 minutes, and arrived at the café. I had no idea what Aria looked like, but she told me not to worry, as she knew what I looked like and would signal me when I arrived. I parked my car and entered the café, which was moderately busy. I quickly scanned the room, looking for anyone who might be Aria Langford.
Then, a hand shot up, waving me over. That's when I saw her. I was caught off guard by how pretty she looked, and her eyes stood out even more. They were grey and somewhat cat-like. She was sitting in a corner with a cup of coffee in front of her, wearing a black sleeveless dress with brown curly hair falling down her shoulders. She looked strangely familiar.
I walked over and sat down with a neutral expression, while she smiled at me.
"Aria, right?"
She slowly nodded her head.
"You're a lot prettier than the photo in the article."
I was taken aback by her sudden compliment.
"Thanks." She gave a half-smile.
"Actually, I've seen you before. We ran into each other yesterday at C&E Holdings. I was there to see Jason."
It clicked. I remembered her now. She was the one who got off the elevator just as I was about to leave. I'd thought she was one of Jason's clients. Wait... why did she meet Jason yesterday?
"I'll just tell you why I'm here. I didn't expect to be the one in this position," she said, chuckling softly.
"When you and Jason broke up, did you part on bad terms? Is that why you wanted to meet with me, to badmouth him?"
She took a sip of her coffee and chuckled.
"You're so funny. I'm not here to do that. I am here to tell you something else, so listen carefully." She leaned in closer, making eye contact.
"Jason is the type of guy who'll make you fall in love with him, and before you know it, you're thinking about marriage. If you're starting to think that way, you better think twice."
I stared at her, unsure of what to say. This wasn't what I was expecting to hear.
"He's a man obsessed with payback. If something goes wrong, or if someone acts in a way he doesn't likeâno matter who they areâhe'll make sure to get back at them. Apologies don't work with him. He won't leave you alone until he's done with you, and he'll use your weaknesses against you. He had a falling out with my father, and because of that, he approached me and asked me out. I fell in love with him, but I eventually realized that every conversation we had, he'd always bring up my father. He'd ask about where he usually goes on weekends, who his most important clients were, and who his closest business allies are. He needed that information to find a way to ruin my father's reputation. My parents found out that Jason was behind everything he had done to damage our company's reputation. They opposed our relationship, but I still stuck by him."
That... doesn't sound like Jason.
Everything she said seemed so believable, and a small part of me started to doubt. But why couldn't I accept it? The Jason she was describing sounded like a completely different person from the one I knew.
Another thing that troubled me was when she mentioned how she kept telling her parents she'd break up with him, even after they already had. Why would she do that? She just told me about Jason's actions, but what was her real motive for telling me all of this?
"Do you still like him?" I asked, finally.
She stared at me without answering, which was my cue to press further.
"You still want him back, don't you? If I break up with him, you'll try to get back together with him, won't you?"
She chuckled, glancing to the side as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"You seriously don't get the point. I'm trying to warn you to be careful with him."
"Well, I reject your advice. I understand why Jason broke up with you now. Even after he left, he was still the man you once loved. Do you really want to keep saying these things about him?"
She scoffed, but before she could respond, I quickly continued.
"I've met his mom already. She's sweet and kind. And even though I haven't met his dad yet, I can tell they have a good stable relationship. I like that, and I know they didn't raise Jason to be the kind of person you're describing to me. Anyway, thanks for your advice. Calling someone like this is weird and uncomfortable. So my advice to you is to never call me again and delete my number after I leave this café."
She glared at me, but I stood up, adjusted the strap of my bag, and gave her a tight-lipped smile.
"It was nice meeting you, Aria. But I hope we never see each other again."
OoO
"Why are some people like that? Why can't they just move on and let others be happy in their relationships?" Sylvia yawned over the phone, and I rolled my eyes.
I was heading back inside the house when she decided to call me because she was bored at the salon, where she was getting her hair done.
"I know, right? They're probably just not happy seeing their exes happy with someone new." She replied lazily.
"Are you falling asleep again?"
"I'm so freaking tired! This lady is taking forever with my hair, and I'm supposed to meet mom for lunch in thirty minutes."
I chuckled as I went up the staircase. I wish my life were like hers. Even though she lives independently without accepting any help from her parents, she still finds time to meet them for lunch or visit on weekends.
"Meeting once a week is enough. Why is she asking to meet again?"
"At least your mom wants to see you. Mine just wants to ship me off to some rich bachelor's home, either as their wife or mistress. Not that she'd care."
She laughed, and I walked into my bedroom, dropping my clutch bag on the floor and plopping down onto the bed. Just as I was about to close my eyes, a text popped up on my phone, and I opened one eye to read it.
"Are you still there?"
"Yeah, I'm listening. I just got a text from Jason's mom. She wants to meet me at his place tomorrow," I said, teasing her.
"Wow, already establishing a good relationship with your future mother-in-law, huh?"
I closed my eyes again, placing the phone near my ear.
"Maybe she wants to talk about something important. Anyway, I'm going to sleep now. Meeting Jason's ex-girlfriend today drained all my energy."
"Okay, bye! I'll call you later."
I ended the call, switched off my phone, and threw it on the side. I turned over to lie on my back and stared up at the ceiling, drowsy. No matter how much I tried to shrug it off, her words still echoed in my mind, and now, I couldn't shake the bad feeling creeping up about my relationship with Jason.