Aria heard Alan. She couldn't talk to him on phone call hence she thought she started to expect his presence since he used to be there whenever she was down and cried.

Hearing him call her name repeatedly, she stopped crying but was scared to raise her head to see Lucas Cooper instead of Alan. Because she had seen locks getting broken when Lucas Cooper was demanding her to go out. ​​

Alan reached her and rubbed her head gently who had stopped crying and mumbling. "Aria! I'm here."

Aria loosened her grip on her legs and raised her head to see Alan who was extremely concerned and gently wiped her cheeks, "Don't cry! I'm here. Nothing will happen to you."

Aria's tears started to flow again, she clutched his shirt sleeve tight and pleaded in a hoarse voice, "I... I don't.... want to go with him. I... I... I don't want to go with him. Take me from here else... else he will take me away. I don't want to go with him."

Alan noticed Aria didn't address Lucas Cooper as a grandfather and just used pronouns. He continued to wipe her tears as he assured, "No one will take you away from me. I'm here, I will not let anybody reach you... Can you walk?"

Aria nodded. Alan helped her to stand and held her shoulder to help her walk if in case she couldn't walk then he could be there for her but Aria went behind him clutching his waistcoat.

Alan looked at the door where Lucas Cooper was standing after seeing her reaction as she again started to tremble and took shallow breaths. He turned to Aria and cupped her face raising her head to face him, "Trust me! I will not let anything happen to you."

Hearing his certainty Aria nodded and followed him holding his arm tight.

Lucas Cooper realized Aria's confidence was Alan now.

He knew Aria had taken quite a few days when he had last met her and Oliver had to keep her around him during those times. He knew Oliver and Rowan were best friends but he didn't expect them to care about Aria so much.

But he wasn't ready to let the chance go, "President Morgan! As I'm here, I will look after my granddaughter. You don't have to worry about..."

'Pak'

He couldn't finish and looked at Aria in bloodshot eyes.

After hearing Alan, Aria knew he wouldn't let other's hurt her. So hearing 'Granddaughter', she slapped him ignoring his age and relation. "You... You were dead to me six years back. Don't call me your granddaughter with your filthy mouth."

"Aria" Lucas yelled at her. He didn't expect her to trust Alan to the extent she dared to raise her hand disregarding their last encounter and her fear.

Alan easily shielded her and looked at the principal, "If you don't want me to ruin the school reputation and close down it in the near future, keep the grime away."

He took Aria out ignoring the fuming Lucas Cooper in the office. Both didn't talk and left school. He passed her water and drove.

He wanted to ask what happened six-year back that she was so scared of Lucas Cooper and disgusted by hearing him call her granddaughter.

But he didn't ask her who was still trembling looking outside.

---

Lucas Cooper left the school taking his useless allies. The principal breathed a sigh of relief after they left. He didn't know what was going on and didn't know what to do. He just understood he shouldn't let anybody meet Aria just because they say it.

Emma who saw Aria leaving with Alan sighed a breath of relief and dropped a message to the trio who were waiting to know about Aria.

The trio decided to meet Aria after the school.

---

Alan took Aria to her room before sending her to get fresh firmly saying her 'I will be waiting for you outside' so that she shouldn't cry inside.

He had lunch with her in her room before asking her to sleep even if she didn't want to. After making sure she fell asleep, he moved to the day bed and made a call to Rowan.

"Dad!" He greeted him and waited for the response until he asked his question.

"Dad! What had happened between Aria and her grandfather?" His voice was void of emotions but he heard a panicked voice.

"Alan, why are you asking about that man? Did he come back? Don't let Aria see him. Don't let him near her."

Alan glanced at Aria. Rowan wasn't the one who would say 'That man' to anybody and that too for an elderly man.

"Dad, Lucas Cooper went to school and met Aria. I brought her home. He is her grandfather after all. What happened six years back that traumatized her?"

Rowan snorted, "Do you call him grandfather if you know he kidnapped his own granddaughter twice to threaten his own son? Do you call him grandfather if you know he almost slit her throat for mere shares and money?"

Alan felt hard to breathe hearing Rowan looking at Aria. He couldn't believe she had gone through so much at such a young age and even lost her father.

Alan heard Rowan brief about Aria's incidents before hanging up the call. He sat next to her and caressed her head.

--- Six years back ---

Aria was an early teenager who was adored by many. She didn't have her mother from a very young age and grew up under father's love and care.

Lucas Cooper would occasionally visit them at the Cooper mansion.

Lucas Cooper had started the company in clothing when he was in the thirties and had a mistress who he loved dearly despite having a wife. That mistress was very demanding and spent his money like water and stole quite a lot of capital before she ran away with her lover.

His company went bankrupt and closed down hence he started to visit his son Oliver asking money in millions every time.

The cooper mansion and Skyline Industries was built from scratch by Oliver. Lucas Cooper had no right on anything.

Oliver gave him money considering he was his father. It continued for many more months and his demands started to increase. He asked for villas, plots, shares, billions of money, Chairman or President or Vice President position in Skyline Industries.

Oliver investigated him and got to know Lucas Cooper was addicted to gambling and sold all his properties and a villa that Oliver had given him to stay put.

Lucas Cooper forced Oliver to take him to the Cooper mansion but Oliver never allowed him to stay after one or two days because he would steal expensive things from the mansion every day.

Aria who was an innocent kid didn't know anything about all those things other than hearing her father and grandfather shouting at each other in the study room occasionally.

One day, Lucas Cooper visited Aria at the school and took her with him saying Oliver sent him to pick her up. Aria happily went with him after informing the Home teacher while taking her bag. Her home teacher had called and informed Oliver that Aria left with her grandfather.

Oliver quickly acted and traced him down soon before taking Aria with him after warning.

But what he made a mistake was he never tried to explain it to Aria thinking she was very young.