Chapter 227: Still mad at Viktor?

The words landed hard, and for a second something flickered across Aria’s face, quick and involuntary, the raw sting of hearing her dead parents used like a weapon. But it passed almost as fast as it came, because some part of her already understood this was just Viktor being Viktor, the man he had always been to everyone except Sienna.

Sienna was the only person he had ever softened for. And Aria was Sienna’s best friend. That mattered more than any threat he could throw at her, so she let it slide off without flinching.

"Oh, really, uncle." Aria took a step closer to him, lifting one finger and pointing it directly at his chest.

"We are not letting you off the hook that easily. You lied to her. You broke her trust. You looked down on her." She paused, letting each word land before the next one came.

"Wait, a second..." she said, and then stopped herself, shaking her head slowly, as if the full weight of it had only just settled properly in her own mind.

"Imagine telling a genius, a world genius, that she is dumb and can’t make decisions for herself. Do you see it now?"

She let that sit in the air between them for a long moment, watching his face carefully.

"Great," she said finally, softer now. "I think you do. Because it seems, uncle, that you finally do."

Viktor’s jaw was tight, his eyes still hard, but he said nothing. "Now," Aria went on, crossing her arms, "we will need more than ’I’m sorry, let’s go back home.’"

Viktor’s eyes cut toward Marcus, standing quietly near the door, and then back to Aria. "I’m going to kill you," he said, low and flat.

"Okay," Aria said, not moving an inch.

Viktor let out a slow breath through his nose, the fight draining slightly out of his shoulders. "Fine," he said. "What do you want?"

"Wrong question, uncle," Aria said, tilting her head slightly. "I don’t want anything. Sienna does." She let that sit for a beat before going on.

"The Kessler construction company and the automobile company in her name, and named CEO, won’t be a bad apology gift. She could buy it herself, of course. But this isn’t about buying it. This is you doing everything in your power to earn her trust again."

Viktor’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he did not argue. He turned his head toward the door instead. "Marcus. Do it."

"Yes, boss," Marcus said, already reaching for his phone.

"And," Aria added, holding up a finger before Viktor could think the conversation was over, "you will have to treat me with some tenderness and consideration from now on. I just lost both my parents. I almost died."

"You’re still alive, aren’t you?" Viktor said, flat, already turning away slightly. "Thanks to my wife. Be grateful."

Aria rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. There was no point pushing further, she knew that much. This was the only family she had left now, and he was never going to be the kind of man who wrapped a person up in warmth.

She had learned that a long time ago. She would simply have to accept it and move on, the way she had learned to accept most things about the people in this world. It helped, at least, that she still had Sienna.

Just then, the maid walked into the room, her steps light, her hands folded in front of her apron.

"Ah, Mr. Viktor, you’re here," she said, a small bow of her head accompanying the greeting. Then she noticed Aria and brightened.

"Miss Aria, I didn’t know you were up. Would you like me to serve lunch now, or should we wait for Miss Sienna to wake first? I saw the two of you fast asleep in the room earlier. I didn’t dare wake you."

Before Aria could answer, Viktor spoke over her.

"No. Don’t serve my wife lunch," he said. "We’re leaving." Then, almost as an afterthought, sharper than the first part, "And it’s Mrs. Kessler. Not Miss Sienna. She’s married. Get that right."

"Yes, Mr. Viktor. My apologies," the older woman said, bowing her head again, a little flustered.

Aria shook her head, a small, warm smile softening her face for the maid’s sake. "That’s okay, nanny," she said.

"Don’t worry about it. I’ll be leaving with Sienna too." She turned back toward Viktor as she said it, a mischievous glint returning to her eyes. "I mean, Mrs. Kessler," she added, drawing the name out just enough to needle him, and then walked off toward the bedroom without waiting to see his reaction.

Sienna was sitting on the edge of the bed when Aria walked into the room. She had not moved much since coming back in, just sat there quietly, her hands folded loosely in her lap, her eyes fixed somewhere on the pattern of the rug.

"Ready to leave?" Aria asked, pausing in the doorway. Then, before Sienna could answer, she added, softer, "I can buy you more time, if you want. I know it’s been a hell of a day. Seeing your mother, all of it. Just tell me what you need."

Sienna lifted her eyes and looked at her for a long moment.

"No, Aria," she said gently. "You’re doing it again." She patted the space on the bed beside her, a small invitation.

"You’re still grieving. So we’re going to focus on you today, okay, girlfriend?" A small, tired smile touched her lips.

"My life is a paradox I can’t unravel all at once. So I’m not going to try to think about it right now, because every time I do, it just gets crazier and messier." She let out a slow breath.

"So here’s what we’re doing. You’re going to pack a few things, and we’ll head back to the Kessler mansion. If we don’t, Viktor isn’t going to stop. We both know that. Then we go to the orphanage for the donation. And after that, I’m taking you somewhere very cool."

"I’m fine, Sienna," Aria said, though the words came out a little too quickly, a little too practiced.

"I know," Sienna said, standing up now. "I’ll make sure of it. Now let’s go."

Aria crossed to the closet and pulled out a large suitcase, setting it flat on the bed, unzipping it with one sharp pull. "Still mad at Viktor?" she asked, already reaching for the first stack of clothes.

"Yes and no," Sienna said, watching her. "But I’ll get over it. He’s making it impossible to stay mad at him."