The Beginning

Chapter Fourteen

I walked through the front door of my house. I hung my coat up before making my way to my liquor cabinet in my living room. I poured myself a glass of whiskey and took a sip. I turned to see Aria sleeping on the couch. I let out an aggravated sigh before finishing my whiskey quickly and walked over to Aria. It was fairly late and Aria should have been in bed but instead she was asleep on the couch.

"Aria", I whispered shaking her slightly. She groaned softly her eyes fluttering open slowly. "Why are you sleeping on the couch?", I asked her.

"I was waiting up for you and I fell asleep", she said softly. I looked at her and sighed.

"You don't have to wait up for me, you know that right?", I said.

"I wanted to. I was going to warm up dinner for you and make sure you ate", she told me.

I gave her a soft smile before brushing my thumb against her cheek. "Come on let's get you to bed", I said. I picked her up bridal style and carried her up the stairs and into the bedroom. I laid her on the bed and she smiled at me. She got under the covers.

"Make sure you eat", she said softly.

"I will. Thank you. Get some sleep it's late and I'll come up to sleep soon", I told her. She nodded before turning off. I walked out of the room and downstairs. I ate before walking into my office with a glass and a bottle of whiskey in my hands. I sat down in my chair and sighed before pouring myself a glass of whiskey.

I took a sip then looked around my office. There was a bookshelf on the back wall. Family photos on the left wall from over the years. I had pictures of Greta in my home office as well. I even had that photo. I picked it up and smiled. I took another sip of my whiskey looking down at the photo. A simple photo meant so much to me. It was a photo that had changed my life forever.

I set it down before getting up and walking along the left wall. I saw a photo of Lorenzo and me when we were younger. I walked down to see a picture of Greta holding her hand out showing her wedding ring from when I proposed. I saw another photo of Lorenzo and I but we were at my wedding. Then I saw a photo with my family, my parents, Lorenzo, and Valeria. It was when we were all young. Next to it was another one when we were older and then another one with our significant others. Greta with me, Lance with Valeria, and Riviera with Lorenzo.

We all met our significant others when we were young. We are all married, were married, except Lorenzo. He still hasn't popped the question to Riviera and I have no clue why he's waiting so long. They have been together since they were nineteen and Lorenzo is twenty-three. Four years. I asked Greta to marry me with only two years of being together but everyone is different.

I walked back to my chair and sat down. I poured myself another glass of whiskey before finishing it on one swig. I grabbed a piece of paper from my desk and looked at it. It was a copy of the peace contract. I looked at it to see my signature and below it Aria's signature. I set the paper down and looked at my wedding ring. I fiddled with it, twisting it around my fingers a few times. I obviously changed my wedding ring when I married Aria. This one was silver and the one I had before was a gold band and had Greta's name engraved in it. Greta had my name engraved in hers.

I opened the drawer and picked up the ring. I looked at the engraving. I kissed the ring before placing it gently back into the drawer. I wiped my right eye before any tear could fall from it. I finished one more glass of whiskey before leaving my office and making my way to my room. I got undressed until I was in my boxers and climbed into bed. I couldn't sleep and I didn't know why.

Aria moved in her sleep, I turned my attention to her. She looked peaceful when she slept. I huffed before I turned to my side and closed my eyes falling into a deep sleep.