Chapter 17: In The Shadows

Arielle leaned forward on the counter, taking sips of the cranberry juice in her cup as she stole glances at her boss from afar. She tried to keep her mind busy with light journaling, but she was curious about him and the changes that seemed so apparent.

But the changes in her were apparent too. The result of her fast led her to an answer she wasn't expecting. She wasn't prepared for it, but as time went on, she focused on God even more during her fast and His peace practically swept her off her feet as soon as it begun.

She began to feel much more empathy for her boss while he was away, but along with that empathy came the realization. It was an early morning, before her best friend or mother had awoken. The sun hadn't even peaked over the mountains yet, but Arielle sat there alone in her living room praying. It was then that she received the answer.

In a revelation she wasn't expecting, she learned that Alexander would be an important man in her life and she be would important woman in his. They were to get married in the future if they were to follow the right path, but it didn't end there. Lorenzo, he would change for the better and something would turn his heart toward God too.

These revelations shocked Arielle at first, but then she felt overjoyed realizing that she would witness the salvation of not one, but two souls.

So that night, she was surprised to see Alexander, but she was also so joyful to hear his confession. He wanted to know more about God.

Even the way he stood seemed to be a stark difference from how he had been just a week before. His entire demeanor came off as vulnerable, but there was a new fire blazing behind his eyes that Arielle did not want to be quenched. She wanted it to grow, to be tall and bright, capable of bringing light to the night, like a city on a hill.

So she sat there and she wrote, prayed, and occasionally looked over at him with deep curiosity as to what brought him to this moment and although she didn't have the answer exactly, she knew that it was God and for that she was grateful.

His concentrated stare was more akin to a glare as he studied the computer screen in front of him.

His fingers tapped quickly and quietly as his eyes stayed glued to the laptop. Her mother had finished serving dinner over an hour ago, but Alexander didn't budge from his seat even after finishing it.

It was as if the Latin dish weighed him down, canceling any hope of movement. Never had she seen a man scarf down food as quickly as he had. Maybe he had hardly eaten after his trip. He did seem to have lost a bit of weight and she found herself frowning at the thought of him skipping meals.

Was it due to stress? She wondered.

He had mentioned that he left for business-related reasons and she wondered if the duty that called was simply too much to handle on his own. She could only imagine the strength required to not fall asleep in every board meeting. Although, Arielle had regularly caught his yawns and the depth of color below his eyes. Sleep was not a close friend of Alexander Marquee, that she knew.

She and many of his employees could easily tell, but the man worked himself to the bone and that seemed to be his way of life. The way he breathed and the way he survived, since it all began.

He practically carried the heavy responsibilities of his company on his back. Shielding his employees from the mysterious men who were so willing to harm him and those he cared for.

But instead of allowing worry to take her peace, she sighed in contentment, knowing that he had eaten, he was warm and he was not alone in his work. Although now he was simply surrounded by them as he seemed to be pulled in by the electronic screen.

She felt mildly bloated from the night's dinner, but it was delicious and she was sure to restrain herself from second helpings no matter how tempting the thought was. Her mother's cooking that night was nothing short of immaculate. Arielle knew the bar was set pretty high for her to meet, but she couldn't help but feel excited to make some of the traditional dishes that always made her feel at home. The chicharróns, empanadas, and mangú were staples in their home.

A stream of pink splayed lightly across her cheeks at the thought of cooking for her future husband. Her, Arielle Burnes, being a wife and a mother one day. The thought compelled a soft smile to grace her face. She would hold tightly to the promises God had given her,

She stole a glance at her friend Julia, who had been scrolling on her phone for what seemed to be most of the night, and then a glance at her boss. He appeared to hold his focus as he scanned the screen from top to bottom, but for a brief moment, he looked away and her breath caught in her throat because he saw her.

She immediately felt awkward for having taken a glance at him just then, but now here she sat with him staring back at her.

Alexander's dark brown eyes found her gaze, leaving her frozen. She could see a question in his eyes. It was a simple one.

How long? He wondered. How long had she been watching him or had she been studying him the same way he found himself studying her facial features since the day they met? Wondering what went on behind that beautiful face of hers.

Along with his curiosity was another emotion that she couldn't quite place.

Alexander was taken aback by how comfortable she had become in her seemingly careful glances, their casual conversations, and calling him by his first name.

His heart had begun to thump loudly in his chest and she wasn't the wiser. Beads of sweat formed above his brow. One could say it was from the slightly warm kitchen, although the food had finished over an hour ago. Maybe it could have been chalked up to the amount of work that he found himself doing, but he would be lying if he said that was the case.

Her stare did something to him. He felt a flutter of happiness being the one beneath her gaze, but he found that it only made him miss her even though she sat right there before him.

His trip to Italy was a beautiful one. With gratitude, he could say that his mind was able to focus on other things, but now that he had returned, it was as if she skipped the line of the many things that were once at the forefront. Only never passing one. God.

His curiosity about God had only grown after his trip. His godmother was equipped for their many conversations about God, but they faced many moments interrupted by family, friends, and work in the vineyard.

Arielle shyly turned her head away, averting her gaze as she realized that he wouldn't. His stare felt like a heated lamp on her skin and she inwardly admitted that she couldn't handle it much longer. She didn't realize that he continued to stare at her in hopes of her stealing another glance in his direction. The mere thought of returning to his work didn't exactly entice the businessman much at all.

She blew out a breath and leaned back into her seat, playing with the pen in her hand. She sat there still, waiting for the heavy beating of her own heart to slow down. It felt odd for her. Her heart had never raced because of an interaction with a man. She wanted to tread carefully though. She wanted, no needed, him to seek God too before she took any steps in their advancing friendship.

"Sorry," Arielle spoke, breaking Alexander from his thoughts.

"Don't apologize." He answered her. When she didn't say anything back, he continued. "You did nothing wrong. This work is what I'd rather be doing right now anyway," he joked.

Arielle nodded and gave him a lighthearted smile. As she slightly turned in her seat, another voice called out to her.

"Sweetie?" Arielle's mother could be heard from behind her.

"Yes, mama?" She replied while glancing over her shoulder. Her mother stood there, juggling some of the plates in one hand, still having never changed out of her apron. Many hairs had escaped from her messy bun, framing her face and some of the other strands tumbled down her back.

"Could you pass me Mr. Marquee's plate?" She asked while pointing his way. Arielle's eyes widened, but quickly she nodded, never wanting to deny her mother any help. Her heart began to race, yet again. If this weren't directly after their awkward stare-off, she likely wouldn't react like this.

She scolded herself for the mindless glances. She could have been doing something else with her time.

"Mr. Marquee?" Arielle spoke quietly as she approached him. His brows, which were once knit together in renewed concentration, shot up at her voice.

"Oh, uh um, yes." He replied. A quick flush of red stained his cheeks, but he smiled politely and returned to his work as if their interaction had never happened. Arielle couldn't help but feel gratitude. She didn't want the awkwardness to go on any further than it had.

"I just need to grab your plate. You're all done, right?" She asked politely. Her cheeks became a rosy pink as the silly question echoed back into her mind. You're all done, right? Her voice repeated in a mimicking tone, while the clear image of his cleaned-off plate danced as a computer's standby screen.

He glanced down at his plate and then back up at her, clearly amused. Instead of poking fun at her statement, he chuckled and nodded.

"Yes, yes I'm all done. Thank you, Arielle." He replied smoothly with a grin.

"No problem at all," she answered him and swept the plate from in front of him. Turning to the sink, she quickly dumped it in there and excused herself from the kitchen and dining area.

Fighting back a sigh of relief, Arielle sat next to her best friend, Julia. She turned, ready to smile and greet her, before stopping. Julia's eyes were glued to her phone and her facial expression immediately told Arielle that she wasn't okay.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Arielle whispered while nudging her unsuspecting friend. The gentle tap against Julia's arm shocked her and caused her to jump what seemed to be a foot high while taking in a loud sharp breath.

Arielle jumped back in surprise.

"Oh my!" She yelped. Her breaths were fast and her hand stayed atop her chest in a feeble attempt of calming herself. It took her a moment before she acknowledged Arielle's question. "Oh, this, um-" her words stumbled over one another.

Arielle watched with raised brows as her friend's tired eyes blinked endlessly, possibly searching for stability along with words. She could see her grasping for straws and she felt bad for her. These past few weeks hadn't been easy on her.

Arielle reached out her hand, placing it gently on her shoulder, "You don't have to tell me. I'm sorry. You just seemed out of it tonight." She reassured her. Julia's life had quickly become an emotional rollercoaster ever since her breakup. There were moments when joy would overtake her, but then in just a few hours, the pain would return, leaving Julia tear stricken before bed each night.

"No, no. I should share it with someone or else it might drive me crazy," she mumbled. Sighing, Julia handed the phone in her hand to Arielle. She nodded her head toward it, urging Arielle to begin reading.

A gasp could be heard coming from her mouth as she scanned over a long list of messages and his name practically screamed at her. Ben. He had been adamantly texting for days- weeks it seemed.

The messages stemmed from the first, "I'm sorry" message to long-winded digital love letters.

"Wow," Arielle whispered in surprise. "I didn't realize he reached out to you so soon..." Her voice drifted as she thought back to the smiling boy next door that had stolen her best friend's heart. Arielle sighed and grabbed Julia's hand.

"I know you love him, but please, take time to heal and to think about what you're doing next." She studied Julia's reaction, hoping her advice wouldn't fall on deaf ears. Her friend's lips flattened into a tight line. Shaking her head, Julia took her phone back.

"I don't want him back. If he can put me through this now-"

"What else would he do?" Arielle completed it for her. Julia nodded.

"Exactly." She replied. The look in her eyes exposed the sorrow that resided in her heart.

"People can change. God does miracles, but even then, take time to pray about this. Please. Maybe Ben is the man for you, maybe not- either way, lean on God. I don't want the emotions to swallow you whole. It's not a good feeling." Arielle expressed quietly. Julia's eyes filled with tears, but she didn't fight them. They fell down her cheeks like dew drops as she nodded.

A cleared throat pulled their attention from each other.

Alexander stood in front of them, his laptop held carefully under his arm.

"Ladies," he began. Arielle saw his adam's apple bob and his fingers twitched quickly.

He was nervous, she thought.

She quickly glanced over at Julia, realizing that she likely didn't want the attention on her during such a vulnerable moment. Coming to a stand, Arielle gestured toward Alexander.

"Oh, where are my manners? It's late. Would you like to take some food with you?" Arielle beelined it toward the pot and pan on the stove. The stack of perfectly placed meal prep containers was soon disrupted by her. Grabbing one, she began to fill it, not awaiting his response.

Alexander watched her, a light upward pull to his lips.

"Thank you. Your mother's cooking is wonderful." He complimented as he walked forward. Arielle hummed and nodded as she filled the container and began to close it. Her ponytail bobbed and the curls that didn't fit in it were strewn across the name of her neck. Even in her most causal state, Alexander felt entranced by her beauty.

"That is true. I've been blessed to taste all of her dishes." She replied with a brilliant smile. He found himself wanting to stare at her as long as she would let him, but he didn't want to mess things up again so he forced himself to look away and grabbed the container held out to him.

"Will I get to try yours one day?" He asked quietly.

Arielle's mouth fell slightly open. Cooking for her boss? Or, well her friend. He had become a friend to her. Her gaze dropped. She felt his stare lingering earlier, but just as she did, he managed to look away.

"Maybe." She responded shortly after placing it in his hand. She would be lying if she denied feeling flustered by his question. It wasn't an odd question, but knowing what she knew, it made it all the more real. He was the man that she was to marry. He didn't know that yet, and it would still be his choice. She couldn't force his hand. Yet with how he's treated her and questions like that- she felt as if she wouldn't need to.

She felt excited at the prospect of doing kind things for him, but she stopped herself from thinking of it any further. All of these thoughts had already wandered in her mind after she first learned of that, but they only intensified once she saw him again. Thankfully, no obscene thoughts entered her mind, just joyful thoughts and peaceful hopes for her future.

A soft whimper took them out of their silence. Arielle's eyes widened as she heard her sweet friend tearing up by the couch. Without saying another word, she scurried over to her, grabbing a tissue on her way.

"Jules... I'm so sorry. Did you want me to talk to him?" Arielle kept her voice low for the sake of her friend's privacy, or as much privacy as she could offer,

Julia happily accepted the tissue and shook her head. "No. It doesn't matter. I- I miss him and I hate that I miss him." She cried and buried her head in Arielle's shoulder. Arielle's heart broke as she watched Julia cry over the man that hurt her.

Alexander walked over awkwardly, the container still in hand.

"Is everything okay here ladies?" He asked but winced. The intense urge to facepalm presented itself, but he stifled it. He could see that everything was not okay. Arielle's friend, he believed her name to be Julia, had rivers flowing from her eyes. Had there been no salt in her tears, the world's issue of thirst could be resolved.

"That was a silly question. Instead, is there anything I can do to help?" He asked sincerely, the concern never leaving his eyes.

"You can tell me why boys are cruel and why they break hearts that would be willing to sacrifice so much for them." She cried as she kept her head nestled on Arielle's shoulder.

"Ah..." He said as he began to know the issue. Alexander watched the two women carefully. Being an only child, with his closest relative as Vincent, he had never given much dating advice to women, but a tug at his heart pulled him to the seat across from them.

"I know you need to go. You don't have to stay." Arielle explained with a glance in his direction.

"No no, it's okay. Really." He reassured Arielle before turning his body to face Julia. "Do you feel comfortable telling me a little about this? It's Julia? Right?" Alexander asked. Julia's sniffles followed rapidly and she raised her head. Her small, yet careful gaze studied him for a moment before she looked over to Arielle.

"Only if you feel comfortable," Arielle whispered in her ear. She had been silently praying as she comforted her friend. Never being in a situation like this, she didn't know how to bring ease to her pain all too well and she hoped that this would be an answer to her prayer.

Julia nodded and kept her eyes focused on her hands which fidgeted slightly.

"Ben, short for Benjamin, was my boyfriend of four years. My parents were moving and I didn't want to move out of state with them, but I also didn't have a place of my own yet. Ben offered and even begged me to stay with him- well to move in with him, so I did, against my own convictions." She whispered. "It became a trainwreck and he broke up with me, leaving me with no place to stay, but Arielle and her mother offered me a place to stay here. I-" she paused, steadying her voice.

"I thought I could move on." She whispered, keeping her face down, facing her feet. "I just needed time away from him and it was working at first, but- but he began to message me telling me how much he missed me and how much he loved me and- and-" a choked sob canceled out her words. Arielle's heart tore as she pulled her friend, who was more like a sister, into her arms.

"It'll get better. We're here for you." Arielle whispered in Julia's hair.

Alexander sighed. In all his dating history, he rarely encountered a woman who didn't want him for his fame or the fortune he acquired. Seeing a true heartbreak was something that he had only witnessed a few times in his life and this found its place on the same list.

"What's the name?" He asked as he held his hands together on his knee. Arielle glanced up at him with a raised brow. She looked back at Julia who nodded before responding.

"Ben, short for Benjamin."

"Last name?" He continued plainly.

"Sprawling..." Arielle replied slowly. "Why do you ask?"

Alexander shrugged. "I like to get to know who I'm discussing before taking any steps."

Arielle opened her mouth to push further in her questioning, but her boss turned to face Julia.

"He knows that his words will hurt you and make you wonder- "What if we tried again?" or "He can change." He drawled off as if it were the list of excuses he had heard before. "But I want you to know, that if he wants to change, he will and if he does, you will know. You won't have to wonder or hedge a bet on him and your heart-it may feel like it's being ripped in two different directions right now, but that doesn't have to continue."

Julia stared at him, trying to process his words, but her mind was foggy.

Catching the glimpse of confusion in her gaze, he leaned forward, "For him to do what he did leads me to believe there was either a horrific lapse in judgment due to some other issues he may have kept from you or another woman. Of course, relationships can end for other reasons, but he's back. You know him better than I do, so what do you think?"

"I-I think it was a lapse in judgment," she whispered. Arielle sighed. Although she wished for it to be the least painful answer for her best friend, she didn't put anything past Ben. If he could do this to Julia, what else could he have done?

Alexander shook his head but didn't give a rebuttal to her response. "Well, if he truly loves you and if it was a genuine lapse in judgment, then he will respect any space you need. Even if it were the latter-" he began, which caused Julia to intake a sharp breath. "I know that's hard to hear, but if he did the latter and if he truly feels remorse for your sake and not just his own, then he will respect your space. More so, if you conclude that you're better off without him and he you, then he will respect that too. Until then, I suggest that you take some time away from him and his messages."

Jules swiped at the tears as they flowed. The young woman shook softly as she leaned into Arielle. She knew that what he said was true.

Arielle rubbed Julia's shoulder and threw a smile Alexander's way.

"Thank you," she mouthed.

Alexander nodded. He didn't feel quite ready to pull his gaze away from her, but home was calling and work wouldn't care if he were sleep deprived. As he walked away, he could feel her eyes following him. What felt like bubbles of hope grew within him, but stifling some of that, he made his exit.

Arielle could be seen quickly scurrying to close the door behind him. He'd like to tell himself that it was to see him for a second further, but as she waved a quick goodbye, he wondered if it was to limit the cool air that would surely push its way past the seemingly thin wooden door.

The night had fallen, enveloping the sky, but Alexander found peace in the silence. His eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness and nearly everything could be seen under the dark hue of blue under the moonlight.

Hums of old tunes left his mouth as he neared his vehicle. Far away, he could see two cars sitting, keeping watch on Arielle's home. Noticing them brought him comfort. Romantic feelings aside, he did not want any of his employees facing danger for his own rivalries and the problems that came with them.

With a gentle hum and a click, Alexander pulled open the dark car door. He would have quickly swooped in, but something caught his eye. A small red light attached to something fluttering gently in the wind- a note.

Flicking on the light in his car, he yanked the flashing red object and the piece of paper. His eyes scanned over it quickly and his fist clenched at his side. With narrowed eyes, he flung the beeping red light onto the ground, crushing the micro camera beneath his feat. The candid note read, "It would be wise to leave the girl alone. Your guards aren't as wise as you think."

Alexander took a deep breath and got into his car. His grip on the steering wheel turned his knuckles a deep red.

How could he leave, knowing someone would be out here? Watching her? His jaw clenched as he leaned his seat back, temporarily closing his eyes.

The answer was clear. He simply wouldn't.

The night had fallen faster than he was prepared for it too. The sun had long since tucked itself behind the mountains, but he didn't allow that to steal his focus. He occasionally glanced at the small home slightly down the road, but his eyes constantly scanned the trees in the distance.

For a moment, he wondered if that note placed there had just been a bluff in an attempt to scare him or somehow steal his focus. Since his stakeout had begun, nothing had come of it. Not even a shadow.

He huffed in frustration, for a moment, he contemplated leaving as he saw that a familiar officer and guard were already on the street. What more could he do? His office would be in shambles if he were away any longer. Vincent made it seem as if there were only two hairs left on his head and the moment they were gone he'd likely lock the building for good.

With a sigh, Alexander sat up slightly in his seat, readying himself to leave, but that's when something did catch his eye.

A shadow sped past nearby. It was quick. Running under one of the few lamps on the street. Alexander's body stilled as he watched for it to reappear. Another street lamp, nearing Arielle's home was further down the road and would reveal who they were, but he found himself waiting for nothing.

He wanted to bolt from the car, but something felt off; wrong.

Don't. He didn't exactly hear but felt. Something within him was warning him not to get out and the warning was loud.

He felt groggy from the long day he had between catching up on work and socializing, but the stakeout had made him fully exhausted. Sitting out here for what felt like hours had pushed him to the brink of passing out.

And for a moment he wondered if that's what they wanted. For him to be at his most vulnerable.

He sat there longer, waiting for the shadow to reveal itself, but when it didn't happen, he felt a chill run over his body. They had been following him, not her. That was clear. He didn't know how long this had been going on, but he knew that this time around, he was their target.

His eyes quickly peered down at the lock on his door. A sigh of relief flew from his mouth when he realized that he had locked it soon after entering his vehicle. Leaning his head back, he relaxed his body while pondering his next move, but Alexander's relaxation didn't last long as he caught notice of a dark figure running towards the car.