Arlo's POV

When I woke up, there was this giddy feeling knowing that Goldy was just in front of my room, under the same roof.

She changed a lot, now she curses out loud.

I left my bed, brushed my teeth and wore my swimming shorts before swinging my towel on my neck and opening the door. The door opposite to me was ajar, so I peeked in through the gap only to find an unmade bed, maybe she was in washroom, so I went inside but the room was empty. I thought of all places she could go this early in the morning. Maybe she was with Adrian and the his door was locked, they might have a sleepover. So I went to the terrace for my daily swimming.

Whoa!What the hell? Aurelie was swimming in the pool! She was swimming butterfly stroke, the movements precise and graceful yet fast like lightning bolt. Each stroke was perfection. This exhibited years of hard work and practice. And then it came to my mind, 'she said she would probably carve a career out of swimming', she is confident of her talent.

"Aurelie?" I call out slowly.

"Arlo? What are you doing here?" she pulls down the goggles and looks at me.

She was wearing a teal swim suit, with a bare back.  she was having a flower tattoo on her back.

She looked just breath taking. But then I caught her checking me out, automatically a smirk made its way to my lips.

"Well I was going to ask you the same question" I say.

"I'm swimming" she says.

"Can I join you? I mean I usually swim just to relax, you can take a side and do what ever you were doing" I offer.

"Why not, just make sure you stay out of my way, you might get hurt" her words proved that even though she changes from outside, she's still the same caring old girl.

I just take an earpod and listen to some soft instrumentals while I floated like nothing mattered.

After sometime she leaves the water and starts wiping herself.

I stare at her, her beautiful figure and think about the things I wanted to do to her right now.

I didn't even realize when I said-

"Done so quickly?"

"Yeah, over exerting your body is not good for swimmers" she explained while tugging her oversized T-shirt.

"Oh okay, see at breakfast then" I felt low.

She just slightly nods before going off.

For some more time I floated there, re-watching the encounter. 

It was nearly 8:15 when I left the pool and went for a shower in  my bathroom. After shower I got ready, today there is a meeting.

I was nearly 9 when I went down to the table only to find Goldy and Rian laughing.

"Why are you two laughing like idiots? I ask, standing in front of Goldy.

"Marilyn?" my father's deep voice comes.

She turned around and looked at him and rushed towards him to hug him.

She hugged mom, dad and Rian but not me? Why not me? Did she not like me?

"How are you?" he asked.

"Not better than you. Tony you're still the same I-I mean look at you, you're still young" she said, giggling.

"And look at you, you're surely Marilyn Monroe now" dad commented.

"Ok ok enough of joking come sit. Now" mom scolds us all.

We start with our food and after a few moments a notification sound comes and Goldy picks her phone up from the table.

"Um I have some urgent call, I'm just coming back" she says before getting up from the table and moving a few feet away.

She presses the phone to her ear.

"Bonjour" she says.

(Translation- Hello)

Pause.

"Pourquoi m'avez-vous demandé d'appeler?Est-ce que tout va bien??" she asks.

(Translation-Why did you ask me to call?Is everything alright?)

Again Pause.

"Vraiment?" 

(Translation- Really?)

"Aurelie, come and eat first" I called out, getting irritated.

"Will call you later, bye"she said into the speaker and  returned to the table.

"Who is Sebastien?" I inquired, before putting some beacon in my mouth.

"What?" she asks.

"You know I do understand French, rather I'm quite fluent in it" I remind her..

"I know, and Sebastien is none of your concern" she  snaps at me and continues munching on the sandwich she was having.

Dad just smiles and Mom shoots a glare at him.

"Is he you boyfriend? Ex?" Rian starts asking.

"Rian can we talk about this later?" she  glower at him.

"Mmmh" he nods.

"Does Simon know of your surprise visit?" Dad asked her.

"No no no don't tell mom and dad, it's a surprise for them. When are they coming?"she asked in return.

"Today noon" he answers.

"Mom I might be late today. I have a meeting" I  said leaving my seat and  wiping my face with the tissue.

"Oh ok" mom nodded.

Goldy also gets up grabbing that fucking phone from the table and swipes on the screen.

"Oh god no" she says.

"Fuck! this dickhead got my number!" she chokes.

"Aurelie language" I yell.

"What is it dear?" mom asks, concerned.

"Arlo what the hell is your problem?" she yelled back at me.

Did she just yell at Arlo Ricardo? How dare she! I hate being screamed at.

"You will not yell at me" she spit through gritted teeth before storming off to her room and closing  the door with a loud bang, letting me know of her anger.

I take my car keys from the key hook and stomp towards the garage to my Serenity.

"I thought she changed for the good, but who am I kidding, now she's yelling at me? Fucking Arlo Ricardo? One of the most successful as well as dangerous businessman in the whole world?" I run my hand through my hair.

I start driving, with a speed and reach my office within minutes. 

I storm in my office and Angela stares at me.

Angela is my assistant and a very good friend.

As expected she knocks and comes in and asks-

"What happened Arlo?" 

"Just some family issues" I grumble.

"Well did Aurelie come? How is she? Did you like her?" she smiles.

"The problem is with Aurelie only"

"What is it?"

She was older than me, by nearly 5 years. Her husband died after two years for their marriage since then she works as my assistant. She knew about Aurelie,. I told her that she was coming. She was like a big sister to me.

"She has changed a lot Angela, a lot!"

"Good changes or bad changes?"

"Both...she is an amazing swimmer as well as singer but on the other hand, she's become more savvy and she- she has a blasphemous mouth I-I mean she wears a lot!"

"Well what do you expect? She's a girl who lived in France for half her life without parents and family to guide her" she reasons.

"Today I yelled at her and she yelled back at me" I inform her.

"Really? she yelled back at you?" she asks incredulously.

"Yeah cause I yelled at her"

A knock at my door interrupted the conversation.

"Come in"

"Sir, these are the deal papers, of the Smiths" Martin kept an envelope on my desk.

"What status of the last deal?" I ask, my tone professional.

"Well that was successful but I'll send you the files by today noon, sir" he says.

"Okay" I say and he leaves.

"Arlo, you have a meeting next thirty minutes. We will talk in the lunch time" she says before leaving the room.

I go through the deal papers and find a few places where we could negotiate.

I get up from my chair and rush out of my office, to the meeting room. As I entered the room, everyone stood up except of Dave Smith, and wised me good morning.

There 'The Smith's' CEO, Dave Smith was sitting with his few employees and the rest of them was my employees, including Angela. I took my seat in the head of the table. 

"Good morning Mr Ricardo" Dave wished me. I was already in a sour mood and this man was...

"Good morning Mr Smith" I emphasize the last part.

"Sir should we start with the presentation?" Angela asks.

Thank God she interrupted!

"Sure, if that is okay with Mr Smith" I say.

"You can start. Miranda be attentive" he said to a girl next to him.

That girl was acting weird, like she was eyeing me and biting her lips. Then I realized she was trying to flirt with me but was failing. 

Fucking Whore.

 The deal was sealed,but not before doing some negotiations. I signed the agreement. If there was any loss it will be Smith's not mine.

After the meeting, which lasted for nearly two hours, I leave the room and go straight to my office to take my car keys.

"You called me?" Angela comes in.

"Yeah let's go out for coffee. You have to help me" 

"Okay" we move out of my office, I lock the door and we get inside the elevator.

"Tell exactly what happened" she said.

"We were having breakfast and she I mean Aurelie called a guy, they were talking in french thinking no one would understand but I was there, I knew everything she spoke. I couldn't keep my curiosity under check and blurted out who Sebastian was, she snapped at me saying it was none of my business. At that time only she again looked through her phone and muttered 'Fuck! this dickhead got my number!'" I try to imitate her, " then I yelled at her to keep her tongue under control" I finish.

"I can get it, she's well soft and pretty private, she doesn't like intrusion, being commanded and being yelled at, right?" she guesses.

"Mhhm" I nod while striding towards the garage where my Serenity was standing proudly.

"You can sincerely apologize or bring some gift or something like that" she suggests me, buckling her seat belt.

I also do the same and insert the key in the ignition. The car purred back to life and I drove it out of the garage towards the main road.

"I don't know what she likes but I think I can apologize first and if that doesn't work then I can go for the gift option" I let her know.

"Does she like books?I mean is she a reader?" she asks.

"When we were young, I and Aurelie used read together and she used to memorize the quotes and stanzas with two reads" I say, imagining the past.

"Okay enough of daydreaming, you can maybe apologize my narrating a stanza on apology, maybe you can become Darcy for a while" she puts forward.

"But listen, whatever you decide, it's up to you but just remember to be sincerely and yourself" she said.

We pulled over near a cafe and got inside.

"What do you think we should do with this Dave Smith?" I ask her.

"Well you are the one who will decide, maybe you can ask Mr Ricardo for some suggestions" she said.

"Yep" 

I order a black coffee while she orders a cappuccino. We discuss business matter for sometime before paying the amount and leaving.

As we get inside the office premise again, Angela starts saying-

"Um I've something to say"

"Mhm go on" I park the car in the garage.

"Do not yell or you know like scold Aurelie, psychology was my minor, so from what you said about that girl, it seems like she takes everything to heart, even if she pretends not to. She's...softhearted but strong. Is she a bit stubborn?" she asks.

"Hell yeah she's more stubborn than a bull, and after she came back, she is even more stubborn"

"I guessed that" she smiles.

I get back to my office while she goes to her.

6 hours later

A knock on my door.

"Come in" I call out.

"Martin what is it?" I ask.

"Sir the status of the last two deals with the Smiths but those two were signed under-

"Dominic Smith" I complete for him.

"Yes sir and now after his sudden death Dave Smith has taken over"

"Okay tell Maria to give me the last months financial documents and investment charts" I send him off.

It was nearly 7:30 so after this I'll head towards home.

"Sir?" I voice comes from behind the door.

"Come inside"

"Sir you asked for the files?" she said walking over to the table and keeping the files on the table.

I take the files and go over them, but suddenly I remember Maria was standing.

"Sit down Maria"

She sits down in front of me and looks at the pens on my table.

"I think we should work on the Florida unit" I let her know.

"Okay Sir"

I flip through the pages and a satisfied arrogant smirk tugs my lips. The second richest world wide enterprise is the Ricardos.

"This is good but I want improvement, last month Florida's monthly was 50 hundred dollars more" I observe.

"Um Sir can- can I ask something?"she stutters.

"Yes?" I ask a bit softly.

"Can I bor-borrow five hundred dollars? I promise to pay you back as well as work extra" she asks with pleading eyes.

Maria was a good girl, her mother had migraine  and brother was a drug addict, in rehab, her father was dead. She is one of the most hard working employees I've ever had. And now she's asking for money.

"Why?" I ask carefully.

"Sir my mother needs to have a surgery, her migraine has grown" she replies, sorrow thick in her voice.

"Don't worry Maria, I will give you five hundred dollars for your mother, you can keep them no need to return, instead just work hard, we are second,but we want to be first" 

"Thank you sir, you not only saved me but my mother too" she said with a genuine smile.

She quits the room and I get up with the financial and investment file and leave the office room.

"Oh Arlo I mean Sir" Angela says as she looks around.

"What?" 

"I'm gonna take a break tomorrow so I'll work for some more time. By the way best of luck with your apology mission" she winks at me.

I smile and say-

"Thank you, you are granted a half day leave"

"What! After so many advices and help you're giving me only half time? Why not full?" she pouts.

"Fine fine you can have a full day" I chuckle and make my way towards the elevator. I fish my phone out from the slack pocket and text to the number I saved as Aurelie-Goldy.

"Aurelie wait in my room by 9. ~ Arlo" 

I walk towards my car and open the door to find, I glance at the message I sent only to find that it has been read. I get in the car and bring Serenity back to life with a dorky smile on my face.

I race down the road to reach home.

To reach Aurelie and apologize.

So some aesthetics down!

Our Arlo!

These pictures are taken from Pinterest 

Your comments fill my heart

All my love~Lily