Song Recommendation - Broken Girl by Matthew West

"So, what do you want to do now Aria?" Daniel asked with a serious look on his face, Aria had told him all that had happened with her father and how the three men she had come to trust eventually were the ones who had taken him with them. As happy as she was on finding her father safe and happy, she was deeply saddened by their lies.

"I don't know Danny. Though I understand their motives, I cannot come to terms that they lied to us." Aria said, her face losing all its color when she thought about Noah's face when she left him in the hallway after he had apologized to her.

"Do you want to break up with him now?" Daniel threw the question at her carefully as he knew this was a very sensitive topic especially to Aria who was new to these kinds of things. It was her first relationship and it had only been a few months since she had started dating Noah and he had already hurt her.

Daniel was in no position to ask her to break up or leave him as it was not his matter to interfere. Aria was a smart woman and she capable of handling things on her own. It was just that he did not want her hurt. If she wanted to go ahead with the relationship, he would support her completely and if she didn't, he would always be with her. Now, it was her choice to make. However, he preferred her to stay with Noah as he knew that the man was the best and his friend would not get a man better than him. He may have some shortcomings, but who didn't?

Daniel had seen genuine love in Noah's eyes for his friend and he was sure that Noah was the man with whom Aria would be the happiest. The man with his power and position could get any girl he wanted and even force the girl he loved. However, he had decided to give space for Aria and this showed how much he cared about her and her opinions. He might be a man of power, but before his friend the man was powerless. Noah was nothing less than a slave in front of his woman.

"I don't know Danny. I don't know. I am so confused and angry and... hungry." She added when her stomach grumbled loudly embarrassing her in front of her childhood friend. The serious situation took a complete turn when her stomach rumbled and Daniel could not help but laugh out loud. Aria was too cute at times and he could not help but smile seeing her adorable self.

"Let's fill something in that stomach of yours or do you have plans with someone?" Daniel asked as he picked up his coat and his briefcase.

"No. I have informed Ivy to not wait for me. I am not going back to his mansion even if Dad's there. I might flip out seeing Noah there. What about you? Do you have any plans?"

"No. I am perfectly free today. Let's go."

Aria and Daniel left his office and Ronnie, who was still waiting for his Madam in hopes that she would return with him to his Boss, could not help but feel unhappy. He waited until Aria and Daniel drove away when he too left the place. His job was done for the day and now it was up to Aria if she wanted to return home or not. His Boss could only do things and apologize to her, but it was her who had the right to accept his apology.

Aria and Daniel went to a nearby restaurant and since there was still another hour for dinner time, it was empty. They did not have to worry about getting a seat and placed their orders.

"So, Aria how was your stay at the border? Was it interesting or scary?" Daniel asked hoping to divert her mind from Noah for a few minutes at least. But the poor guy, who knew nothing about the incident that had taken place with his friend, only ended up making her more miserable. Seeing her crestfallen face, he realized something to have happened to her there.

"What happened Aria?" The smile on his face vanished and he looked at her with a serious expression.

"I cannot hide things from you, can I?"

Daniel shook his head and Aria told him everything that had happened and how she had killed a man. Her words only made Daniel stare at her in shock, which was more of a pleasant admiration. "Aria, that is so cool. You killed a traitor and I need to salute you for your bravery."

"I know, I know. I realize now that what I did was a good deed."

"Don't tell you freaked out after you killed him?" Daniel asked with a perplexed face. Seeing his friend nod her head, he started laughing out loud. He laughed until tears formed in his eyes.

"You are laughing here right now, Do you have any idea how scared I was out there? Seeing the man dead and his blood everywhere, I was spooked and I had nightmares every time I closed his eyes." Aria said, her face turning red seeing her friend laughing at her face. It was true that she had been scared but after speaking to her Dad, her thoughts had cleared and she felt relaxed. Kevin's death did not affect her as much as it did before.

"Aria, do you have any idea how cute you are right now?" Daniel stopped laughing only when he got a deadly glare from her. "Okay, okay. I'll stop. Aria, what you did was nothing but self-defense. It was either he was going to die or you would be killed by him. The man deserved to die and he died. Don't you worry about it and make your life miserable. You are right in your place. So, don't regret whatever you did. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Good. Now let's discuss something else. What have you thought to do about you and Noah?" Daniel came back to the same topic again. He had to find what the woman before him intended to do and stop her from hurting herself.

"I don't know Danny. I am very angry at him but I don't hate him. Even though what he did was wrong, he was doing good for my family."

"Agreed," Daniel nodded. "Aria, the man may have taken the wrong route to do things, but he had your well being in mind. He loves you Aria and I can confirm on it. We men have some instincts when it comes to other men just like you women have and from what I know, his feelings for you run deep. This might be the first and last time for him to do something like this."

"My heart and mind is a mess. My heart wants to accept him, but my mind is revolting against it and now I am having a headache." Aria groaned and held her head in her hands. Daniel chuckled seeing her state.

"Aria, let me tell you something which your father might have missed out."

This got Aria attention and her eyes fixed on Daniel. She wanted him to continue speaking, but the waiter arrived with their food and so the conversation paused until the food was served.

"What do you want to tell?"

"I think you Dad did not tell you somethings about the reason why Noah might have hidden him."

"No, he told me. He said that his life was in danger and people knowing about him would only land him and even us in trouble."

"Yes, but that is not the complete truth."

"What do you mean?" Aria gave him one perplexed look.

"Aria, when uncle went missing, people started to follow you and Ivy. I had noticed it a few times. They kept their eyes on you everywhere you went and if I am not wrong, Ivy must have noticed this too."

"What?" Aria was shocked now. She did know not a thing about it and Ivy had not told her about it too. She wondered why Ivy her hidden this from her.

"Yes, those men, if I am not wrong, might be the ones to poison uncle. They must have wanted to get to you both. But suddenly out of nowhere, they disappeared and coincidentally you guys shifted your houses at the same time."

"Okay. How does this even relate to Noah and Dad?"

"It does. If I am not wrong, it might be Noah and his men who were protecting you secretly. Also, there is one more thing that I found out just recently, after you left to join the war. Somebody had erased all possible details that relate you or Ivy to your Dad."

"What?" Again Aria was startled by this newfound information. Nobody had told her about it and if her intuitions were right, even Ivy must not be knowing about it.

"Yes, if those people got to know about you and Ivy being related to Mr. West, they would have killed you long back. It was Noah and his men who have protected you from the dark."

It took some time for Aria to digest all she had learned. It was a lot for her and her mind was already dizzy. Daniel noticed the state she was in, but she had the right to know the truth. So, he did not stop halfway.

"But he could have told us about it right? How will it affect My Dad or even us if we knew about him? It was not like we would go around telling about my Dad? Why would we try to endanger our lives ourselves?"

"This is something only Noah can answer. But I am sure he must be having some reasons for everything he has done so far. Please talk to him and find out."

"But.." Aria was very confused now. Her mind was fried and a lot of questions popped into her mind.

"Aria, Noah is not a bad person. Take your time to think through it, but please do talk to him."