The call disconnected. Still holding the phone in my hand, I stared at the screen as it faded to black. I was shocked that Sienna had made such a firm stance, and angry that she felt she had no choice. I glanced up at the two men who’d caused it all.
“This is all your doing, Aria,” Connor accused.
“Excuse me?” I asked. “How the hell is this my fault?”
“Placing all of those foolish notions into my wife’s head,” Connor said.
“You should choose your next words very carefully, Dad,” Aiden warned. “You will not come into my home and disrespect my wife.”
“Stop. Please, both of you! Can’t you see what you’ve done already? You’ve let your rage drive you. You’re two of the most successful and intelligent business men in the world … but you’re both very stupid,” I said. And before either of them could reply, I walked out, leaving the two vengeful men alone in my office. They could do as they pleased—I wasn’t about to hang around and watch.
*****
Four days had passed since the Raine Industries announcement. The transfer of ownership was still trending on social media and it was still making the headlines of nearly every major news outlet. The stories were enmeshed with half-truths, suggestions of corporate espionage, and countless suppositions that encouraged even more press to assemble outside the gates of our home. Even at RPH, determined reporters were camping out, desperate to obtain the next front-page story. I’d thought the attention to my engagement and wedding had been bad, but that was nothing compared to the latest chapter of Raine family drama.
I had the unfortunate opportunity to witness the paparazzi at their finest, and it was a hot mess. They were stumbling over themselves to get an exclusive from anyone associated with R.I. The RPH security team escorted one disguised reporter after another from within the confines of Raine Publishing House, but they didn’t go far. They’d literally camped outside the building.
The phones were ringing off the hooks, email was flooded with claims of this and that. It went on and on, and the stress of it all had started to get the better of me. I would continue to support Aiden—that went without saying—but I didn’t want to deal with the backlash of his merger along with the other demands on my time. Aiden understood, and went as far as suggesting we take an impromptu family vacation after his upcoming press conference. I had so much on my plate at work that the timing of it all couldn’t have been worse, but with everything happening around me, I was barely able to get anything done anyway. A vacation was the only relief I saw in the horizon.
Later in the morning, Aiden was scheduled to appear before the press to quiet the rumor mills and set the record straight. I pressed a button on the console of my desk and the portrait on the wall moved to the right to reveal a large television monitor. The channel was already set to CNBC with a message scrolling across the bottom of the display, alerting viewers that a press conference would be interrupting regularly scheduled programming. Moments later, the podium in the lobby of Heart of Wyatt was on the screen.
Benjamin was standing before the press, requesting they be quiet and once the room fell silent, he introduced Aiden. And there he was—my husband and boss stepping to the podium as cameras flashed in his insanely gorgeous face. He was unaffected by it all. As if he’d been born to be a captain of industry. To be the center of attention.
Aiden provided pertinent details of the merger and his ten-point plan to revitalize Raine Industries—it was roughly a ten-minute discourse. Once he’d completed his outline, he allowed a few questions, and then he thanked the press and stepped away, slipping behind the main office doors of Heart of Wyatt. Reporters hurled several questions in the air, but Aiden didn’t acknowledge any of them. Benjamin thanked everyone for their attendance and that was it.
Not even five minutes later, Andrea announced a call from Aiden. Puzzled as to why he didn’t just call my cell, I quickly grabbed the receiver.
“Yes,” I answered.
“We need to head to Chicago as soon as Carl files a flight plan,” Aiden said. “I’m sending a car to get you.”
Alarmed by the tone of his voice, I asked, “What’s going on?”
“It’s Mother. No one has seen or heard from her since she last called you.”
“So she really left Connor?” I asked in disbelief.
“It appears so. She was gone when Dad arrived home. No indication as to where she was going and when or if she was coming back.”
“Have you tried calling her?” I asked.
“Yes, of course,” he said, irritation plaguing his tone. “Several times now, and she won’t answer.”
“Not even for you?” That was unheard of. That woman clung to any second of time Aiden would give her, so if she wasn’t replying to him, this warranted more than just a trip to Chicago.
“Actually, I don’t think her phone is on. I had my team run a trace, but they came up empty,” Aiden said.
“Maybe she …” I started.
“Maybe she what?” Aiden asked.
“I don’t know. I’m just shocked by this.” I’d wanted to say something to reassure him, but I was absolutely clueless as to the words that would do that.
“Dianna has Lyric all ready to go,” Aiden said. “I’ll see you in a few.”
“Okay,” I replied and returned the phone to the cradle. I never imagined Sienna making such a bold move. I’d criticized her position as the family matriarch on many occasions. I’d hoped she grow a pair, but I’d never expected anything as extreme as leaving her family.
*****
Stepping onto the jet, I found Aiden, Dianna and Lyric already in their seats. Lyric reached out as soon as he noticed me. My eyes rested on my son for a moment, wondering if he’d ever escape the burden of being a Raine. Aiden had once told me his name was just that—a burden. At the time I’d blown it off as total bullshit, but then the more I glimpsed of his world, the more I understood the encumbrance of his surname.
Not only had I given new life to it, I’d married into it. It was easy at times to forget about it, though. To just live in the moment with Aiden, blocking out the rest of the world, but it was always there and it would always be there. I understood more and more why Aiden had hidden his true identity in the past—why he didn’t want me to know about this part of his life.
I wondered what type of man Aiden would have been if he’d been just a normal guy. Would he have been as brilliant? As confident? As frustrating? I sighed as I settled into my seat. I felt Aiden’s eyes on me, but I focused on fastening my seat belt and then stared straight ahead.
“Hello, Mrs. Raine. My name is Teresa, and I’ll be one of your flight attendants today. Can I offer you something to drink or perhaps a snack?”
“Nice to meet you. A glass of wine, please.”
“Yes, ma’am,” she said. “Would that be a red or white?”
“Either is fine,” I replied.
“Would you like anything else?”
“No,” I said.
“Teresa, bring Mrs. Raine some cheese and fruit, please,” Aiden said.
“I said I didn’t want anything else,” I said, turning to him with a frown.
Aiden ignored me and gave a nod to Teresa.
“Are you okay?” he asked, once she’d stepped away.
“What do you think?”
“You can’t possibly be upset with me,” he said, clearly shocked that I was blaming him for his mother’s disappearance.
“I told you this would happen. I told you.”
“Can you not do this right now?”
“Not do what? I asked.
“You’re about to point every finger you can at me.”
“It’s not like your hands are clean in this,” I said.
“My mother is an adult. I can’t force her to do anything she doesn’t choose to do. And what happened to your supporting me? Or maybe you’re still bothered that I didn’t tell you everything beforehand—is that it? If you’re unaware of every detail of everything I do, you go on a rampage.”
“That’s not true,” I said.
“Sure it is, and I’m pretty sure that if the tables were reversed, and I asked the same of you, it wouldn’t go over very well.”
“You wouldn’t bother asking, you’d spy on me. That’s what you do. And you know, I don’t understand why you insist on doing things under the table, anyway. Why can’t you be upfront? One would think you would’ve learned a lesson by now.”
“And what would that be?” he asked. “To make sure everything I do is Aria-approved?”
“Whatever, Aiden. Do what you want. You will anyway.”
“And we’re off.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I asked.
“That this will evolve into another one of our showdowns. Can we postpone this one for later in the week?”
“You’re an asshole. And FYI, I don’t intend to waste my breath arguing with you now or later in the week.”
“That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day.”
“Good. And when it suddenly dawns on you how badly this has all backfired—and trust me, it will—don’t come to me seeking forgiveness, because I’m not giving it.”
“Then we won’t have a problem, because I won’t be asking.”
He shook his head and pulled out his phone. I reached for my laptop. I had no idea how long we’d be in Chicago and I wanted to do as much work as I could. Besides, it would keep me distracted. Anything to keep from focusing too much on the purpose of this trip. Sienna had been missing for four days, and she wasn’t returning any phone calls or texts. I was dreading whatever awaited us when we landed in Chicago. I knew it wouldn’t be good.
My husband and I didn’t talk any more to each other the entire flight. I could sense we both wanted to say something, but per our usual obstinate selves, we didn’t. Instead, we concentrated on work, our son, or our electronic gadgets, as Dianna quietly observed us through disappointed eyes.