Chapter 4: Happy birthday, Aria!

“You are 29 now, Aria. Men will not keep wagging their tails after you.”

“Don't worry Dad.” Aria stood up and walked towards the kitchenette. Now that she has avoided her father's fury, she could relax and just talk calmly with him. She liked talking to her father, by the way. He was the only man she trusted unconditionally.

“Didn't you say I am aging backward? I don't believe they will stop coming as long as I have this face of mine.” She joked.

Anthony rolled his eyes and stood up. “So, what's next? I heard you are heading to Hawaii?”

“Hmm,” Aria answered as she poured some red wine into two cups by the small fridge in the kitchenette area of the room.

“Can you not taunt the media this time around?” Anthony flinched just remembering Aria's actions in the past.

Oh, that's true. I have completely forgotten those busy bees. Aria groaned.

“Don't worry, Dad. This vacation is not a fun vac. I need to rest, not jump around.” She chuckled.

She picked up the cups and handed one to her father.

“Cheers.”

They clicked their glasses and took a sip of the wine.

“Good wine.” Anthony complimented. “If you are good at picking men like you pick your wine, I wouldn't have grown this old.” He scoffed jokingly.

“Why don't you just pick one for me, then.” Aria joked as she went to sit down. Anthony started following her back to the sitting area.

“For real?” He paused then hurried up to her, trying to see if she was serious. It never occurred to him to do that, but if she agrees to something like an arranged marriage, wouldn't things get easier?

Aria snorted at his bewildered face. “With what did you pick for Amy? I wouldn't want to risk that”

“Hey, I have nothing to do with that? It was all her mother's doing.” Anthony defended himself indignantly.

“If you didn't approve, would she have gone ahead with it?”

“Amy wanted him. What was I supposed to do? Stand in the way of true love?” He spread his hands dramatically. Aria shook her head in amusement before sitting down.

“Shouldn't you advise her to get a divorce?” Aria asked after some silence.

“How did you think she got him to agree to go in this time?”

“He doesn't want a divorce?”

“He doesn't.”

“Wow!” Aria was surprised. “Matt is such a piece of work.” She mused aloud.

Matt Lumberton is Amy's husband. Amy is Aria's step-sister. Her father had adopted Amy after marrying her mother a long time ago.

Aria picked up her phone and contacted Robin, who was still waiting by her car. “Bring in the cake. Everything is fine now.” She sent the text and then smirked at her father. “So far so good, my man-picking skills are still better. The ones I pick only cheat and have illegitimate sons. Her husband doesn't just cheat and have multiple illegitimate kids, he is a druggie and an alcoholic too. If you ask me, I am doing just fine compared to her.” She said triumphantly.

“Stop bad-mouthing your sister, Aria.” Anthony scolded, but his scolding has no heat.

“The truth is the truth.” She kept smirking.

“I should return to my room. I came straight to the restaurant from the airport.” Anthony stood up and emptied his glass of wine.

“At least eat some cake. It will soon be here, Dad.” Aria also stood up.

As if on cue, someone rang Aria's doorbell.

“Ah! That's the cake!” She exclaimed and then hurried to open the door.

A 10 inches (ca. 25 cm) cake, covered in chocolate ice cream with tiny candles, rolled into the room. A male server in uniform, Robin, and Teddy came in after the cake.

“Happy birthday” Teddy and Robin chorused in unity until they saw Anthony and clamped shut.

"Uncle!” Teddy greeted him. “I didn't know you were still here.” She said,

“Teddy, how are you?” Anthony replied.

“I am fine, Uncle.”

Suddenly, Teddy felt something fast coming her way. It was aiming for her chest. She quickly jumped out of the way and the object hit the wall. Everyone was startled. They all paused and turned toward where the object landed. It was a slip-on. Aria's favorite slip-on, to be precise.

“Aria, are you trying to kill me?” Teddy wrinkled her nose with a small laugh. She dared not be loud.

“Get out. You are not my friend anymore.” Aria stared at her best friend.

“With your reputation, do you think there is anyone who wants to be friends with you? I am the only one who dares to.” Teddy snorted at her. She then walked up to the server with the cake.

“Put it over there.” Teddy pointed to the center table. “You can leave after that.” She concluded. Subsequently, she went to the kitchenette and started opening the small cupboards, looking for cups, plates, and knives.

Aria ignored Teddy's words and walked over to the sitting area. She settled herself on a couch and watched as the server transferred the cake from the trolley to the table.

“Why are they fighting?” Anthony asked Robin, who was quietly standing aside all this while.

“She is angry that Teddy didn't tell her about the proposal.”

“Oh, I better hurry and leave then.” Anthony chuckled.

“Uncle!” Teddy calls out remorsefully. “Were you not the one that forbade me from telling her? Why are you ditching me now?” She pouted, sounding wrong.

“I don't know what you are talking about.” Anthony waved Teddy off and turned to Aria, “Where is my cake?”

Aria shook her head as she couldn't help but let go of her grievance.

She had planned a quiet birthday with just Robin sharing the cake with her. Lucas had suddenly shown up and forced her to start the first hours of her 29th year in the worst way possible. But now, Just looking at the room, all the people she truly cared for were here. She should be happy.

Aria smiled as she got up and collected the disposables Teddy got from the cupboards. She cut out a large piece of cake for her father. She handed it to him with a kiss on the cheek. “I love you, Dad.” She muttered.

“I love you too, darling,” Anthony replied. He scooped up some moist cake with the plastic fork stuck in his piece and raised it to Aria's mouth. “You should have the first bite.”

Aria opened her mouth and took the cake. It was perfect. Just the way she liked it. “Hmmm, this is good stuff. She mumbled.

“Happy birthday.” Anthony greeted her with a kiss of his own planted on her forehead.

“Thanks, Dad.”

Aria cut large pieces of cake for her best friend and personal assistant too. They all moved to the balcony and enjoyed their cake and wine with small talk and a long silence, completely oblivious to the storm Aria had created on the internet.

Oblivious? More like; 'not bothered.'

4 am, Dallas.

The room was shrouded in darkness, and the only sound that could be heard was the shallow but steady breathing of whoever was on the bed. Suddenly, a ringing tone invaded the peace. It was soon joined by the ruffling of sheets. A dark figure rose, and a clicking sound joined the cacophony. Light flooded the right side of the room. It came from a cube-shaped bedside lamp. The man on the bed; Lorenzo Walter, grabbed his still ringing phone off the bedside drawer. He cursed fervently when he saw the time. He hardly got 2 hours of sleep and …

“Roy, I am going to kill you.” He groaned into the phone the moment he picked.

“Not after hearing what I have to say.” The man called Roy confidently replied from the other side.

“Whatever it is, can't it wait? It's 4 am, goddammit!”

“Aaah! That's true.”

Roy didn't think of the time before calling. He was an early riser, and the first thing he does every morning is to check out the news online. This morning wasn't an exception. When he saw what was trending, all he could think about was that Lorenzo, his elder brother and favorite person in the world, must know. So he called.

“What is it?” Lorenzo asked, still finding it hard to wake up.

“Why don't you find out for yourself, bro? It's all over the internet.” Roy replied then disconnected the call, infuriating Lorenzo all over again.

“I swear, I will kill this boy one day,” Lorenzo muttered under his breath as he started surfing the net.

And when he saw it, exactly as Roy expected, Lorenzo's eyes cleared up. His fatigue was forgotten. The trending headline was like a miracle to him.

“She broke up with Lucas! Hahaha, she is single again! Aria, my Aria is free again!”

Lorenzo's joyous laugh vibrated throughout the house as he jumped off the bed with renewed energy.