His Christmas Present

Aria's POV 

I woke up with a headache that was as though somebody was knocking in my skull.

Damon.

The stranger from last night.

All came back to my head. The alcohol, the dancing, and then the manner in which I lose myself. I awoke in alarm and sat up. I didn't even look at him again. I simply got dressed, picked my bag on the floor and hurried out of the room, out of the club.

The moment I arrived to the street I stopped a cab.

"Drive me to this address,"I said to the driver.

The ride felt long. All the time my hands were trembling. I did not know whether it was shame, heartbreak or the hangover.

As I reached aunt's place, I silently walked in but she was already in the living room. As soon as she saw me, her eyes were opened.

"Aria? What happened to you? Why do you look like this?" she asked, rushing toward me.

I couldn't answer. I simply stood and stared at her. My aunt held my shoulders.

"Talk to me. Was there anything wrong at the dinner?"

I swallowed hard. "Aunt... the groom... the man Selene is marrying... it is Caleb."

Her eyes widened even more. "What?"

I broke down. All my tears that I had kept since the night before broke out. She took me to the couch where she sat next to me.

"Talk to me baby, tell me what happened ," she said.

So I did.

"I demanded an explanation," I said wiping a tear. "I called him, I texted him, I went to his office, I got kicked out, demanded to know why he ghosted me. He claimed that I was the one who refused to follow him. He said he owed me nothing. He acted like I left him!"

My aunt squeezed my hand.

I continued. "Selene and Helena joined him. Even my father. They all charged me with being jealous, and that I desired to keep Caleb to myself. And like I did not mean anything. I left. I couldn't stay there. I attended a club, and encountered this man-" 

My aunt drew me closer to her. I cried so much my chest hurt. After some time, when my tears subsided, she rubbed my hair.

"And the one-night stand?" she questioned, not judging , not questioning, merely worrying.

I rubbed  my hands over my face. "I regret it. I do not even know how I allowed myself to do it. I was just... hurting. I didn't care anymore. I did not want to remember anything."

"It's okay," she whispered. "You're human. You were hurting. You made a mistake. You do not have to hate  yourself for that." 

I said nothing because  I was somehow embarrassed. The other part  was angry with Caleb. Angry at myself. Angry at everything.

I said, "I had never thought Caleb would do this to me. Not him. Not like this. And Selene and Helena, they knew I dated Caleb!" 

"Then let him go," my aunt said. "Move on. Make a person so powerful and successful that he will know that he has lost something precious. It is you who should not be ashamed. They should."

I wiped my face. "Thank you, Auntie."

She smiled at me and stood up. "Good. Now take a bath and rest. You need it."

My phone was about to buzz me to go to my room. I checked the screen. It was an email.

I found myself with a wide eye after reading it.

"What is it?" my aunt asked.

I said to myself, "they... they gave me a job. A  company I applied to. I did not expect them to choose me. I have applied because the description sounded easy and seemed to me that I did not even need to grace the interview in order to be hired." 

"What job?"

"CEO's secretary."

A smile was on my aunt's face. "Then go! Aria, you do not know where this may go."

I nodded reluctantly but I did not agree. It may have  be a glitch  in the system. 

I took a bath, dressed well and tied  up my hair. When I was prepared I gave the cab driver the address.

It was a large and contemporary structure, all glass. I felt small and odd when I entered it, but I forced myself through the nerves. A young man, well, older than I, was standing in the lobby. 

When he saw me, he froze.

His eyes were wide  and he came nearer. "Liana?"

I blinked. "No... I'm Aria."

He blushed at once. "I apologize, miss."

"Oh." I didn't know what else to say.

"I'm sorry miss," he said, "welcome to the company. I'm Daniel. Your employment has already been authorized by the CEO. I will give you the tour and tell you what you are to do." 

He continued to refer to the name of the CEO- Damon as he spoke.

Damon.

I tightened my stomach when I heard it. It couldn't be. There was no way.

Daniel led me to a private elevator which stopped in front of a big office. My small office was linked to a bigger one via a glass door.

"This is your desk," he said. And that, he indicated, " and that is the office of the CEO. You will be working hand in hand with him."

I nodded although my heart was racing too hard.

Daniel went to the office of the CEO and sat in a manner that showed  he was waiting. I saw him looking through the glass at me over and over again. He appeared bewildered and horrified, the same  he appeared when he said Liana.

Why then did he appear to be shocked at seeing me?

I tried to ignore it. I sat at my desk, and looked as though I were reading the big book on my desk.

Then the office door opened.

I looked up.

A man walked in first. Then there came in another man behind him.

I froze.

It was him.

Damon.

The Damon from last night. The man I slept with.

My one-night stand was with a man who was my new boss.

The CEO.