"Wait here." saying this Aaron left and came back a minute later. He handed over a glass of coloured liquid to Livia. "You look strained so it might help."

Livia took the wine and gulped it down in one go and started coughing. Aaron patted her back gently so as to ease her discomfort.

Then he crouched on his knees in front of her and took her hands in his. Livia tried to pull her hands back from his hold but Aaron didn't let go. He looked into her eyes and said,"We need to talk Livia. You can ask me whatever you want."

Livia looked at him for a moment and then finally decided to ask all her questions.

"Ok then." Livia looked at him angrily and asked,"What were you doing in Miranda's house in the middle of night? Why did you lie to me about the business trip when all you wanted was to just go and meet her?"

"Livia, I never lied to you. When I said that I missed you I meant it. When I said that at this moment I wanted to be with you, it was true. Meeting Miranda at that party was just a coincidence and when I saw her there I decided that I should formally cut off all my ties with her because I have you in my life and you are all I want and need Livia."

"Don't you think you were a little late to break those ties?" Livia asked.

"I wasn't in contact with her for the past 5 months and I got busy with my business and then the marriage. I had completely forgot about her and the day I married you, it was just you and me. But then she came to me at the party and wanted to continue with all this."

Livia searched his eyes for any lie or deceit but found none. He looked sincere.

"I invited her for a dinner," Aaron continued "and told her that I'm married now. I broke up with her, Livia. She got drunk that night and I couldn't leave her alone in the bar or let her drive on her own. So we left the bar around 12:00 and reached her apartment around half past one. After dropping her off to her apartment I left in around 10 minutes. Nothing happened between us, Livia. Trust me, please."

She wanted to trust him. His each and every word. She wanted to trust the sincere look in his eyes but she was scared to do so.

Then she asked her next question.

"Why did you call Miranda here? She said that you are still in a relationship with her and that you both are going on a vacation."

"What? She said that?"

"Yes."

"She is lying, Livia. I agree I called her but-" Livia tried to pull her hands away from his hold but he held her hands tightly. "Stop trying to run and listen to me." Aaron gave her a look which was stern and pleading at the same time.

"When I came back from the trip you were so angry that you were not even ready to listen to me."

"But you didn't come for the next 2 weeks too."

"I'm sorry Livia. I ...I am a free soul, free bird as in your words," he laughed remembering their conversation in the hotel. "Never in my life have I explained my actions to anyone. I never gave a damn to what people might think of me but when you got mad at me I wanted to prove my innocence but didn't know how to. The agony I went through when you thought that I was cheating on you was too much to bear. So, I thought if I call Miranda here to explain everything then maybe you will believe me."

"You could have come to me and told me directly."

"I thought you won't believe me. I had tried to explain that night but you weren't even ready to listen. Since I have explained everything now so-"

"Wait! How did you know I was with Evan?"

Aaron after a bit of hesitation said,"My bodyguard informed me."

"Oh..so you have your spies on me." Livia said angrily.

"Livia, they are for your protection. How could I have allowed you to roam around and fall into trouble. Do you have any idea how worried I was when he told me that you cried after meeting Miranda and then left with a stranger."

Aaron frowned as if he remembered something important. "Who was that man?"

Livia wanted to lie. To say that he was her boyfriend or at least her ex-boyfriend but then she chose to tell the truth.

"He is my friend since college days. Everyone used to think that we are a couple." Livia smiled at the memory.

"But we always treated each other as siblings."

"Yes of course. You both look more like siblings and not like a couple." Livia's attention shifted to his handsome face and now she wanted to laugh at his expression.

"He isn't even that good-looking." Aaron continued.

"Hey! He was one of the most handsome guys in our college and girls used to drool over him."

Aaron held her chin between his finger and thumb to make her look at him,"You should have eyes only for your husband and that is me. Calling someone else handsome or attractive in front of your husband is not something that a wife should do."

Livia eyed him for a moment and then finally asked,"Are you jealous, Aaron?"

Aaron went quiet and Livia thought that he will change the topic now but he finally answered.

"Yes. I am jealous. I was jealous when you smiled at that flight attendant. I was jealous when I heard another man calling your name so intimately."

Livia wanted to believe her fantasies and cling to her hope but she was scared.

"Why were you jealous?"

" I don't know." Aaron looked confused. "There are many things that I'm not sure of especially when I'm around you. Around you it seems like my head stops working."

Aaron once again after explaining everything looked at Livia and asked, "Since I have made everything clear now so are we ok?"

He was asking so carefully as if he was talking to a child who was about to throw a tantrum.

Livia looked at him but wasn't sure how to reply.

'Will it really be alright if we went back to the way we were before? I have already gone too far in this one sided love, will I be able to handle another heartbreak?'