At that moment, Ariana felt she had indeed made a deal she couldn't get out of.
"Be your wife?" She asked looking at him.
"Yes. I need to get married soon" Azaiah didn't plan on telling her about his feelings just yet.
"Why do you need a wife?" Ariana asked, confused.
To Ariana, Azaiah was no doubt a very handsome, fulfilled and sexy man who could get any woman he wanted and wouldn't have a problem finding a wife or girlfriend.
Azaiah found it hard to tell Ariana the truth but he did.
"I don't have the luxury of time anymore" he said and Ariana had a bad feeling about that sentence.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"I fear I have developed the same illness that took my father's life. It's fatal and I don't have much time anymore" he explained and Ariana felt her chest tighten.
Her mind flashed back to the time Denzel Hawthorne died; Azaiah was still in highschool. The news spread around the school and when she heard it, her heart softened for Azaiah.
Then, she wasn't aware of what took the man's life but now, hearing Azaiah say this, she felt bad for him.
She thought her life had took a rough turn but then, knowing the position Azaiah was in, it was obvious he was having a more crooked path than her.
She immediately became emotional and was almost tearing up but decided to keep it in.
"What about your mother? Where is he?" She asked and it seemed she shouldn't have asked that because Azaiah's expression turned blank.
She was about to apologise for asking him that when he answered "She felt me. She felt my father, even after knowing he was sick".
Azaiah scoffed and his aura changed, making Ariana a bit scared.
"After finding out that I might also get the illness, she divorced my father. Saying she didn't want to give birth to cursed offsprings. She felt the illness was a curse. Well, it indeed feels like one" Azaiah said, gritting his teeth.
He had grown to despise his mother since then. He always wondered why a wife would leave her sick husband to die without even being there for him before or in his last moments.
He hated the fact he was birthed by such a cruel woman. Wasn't marriage supposed to be in sickness and in health? He had always asked himself.
He wondered if his father would have survived if she had stayed in the marriage. After his mother left, his father's condition became worse before eventually leading to his death and a part of Azaiah blamed his mother.
"I'm so sorry" Ariana said, feeling horrible after knowing Azaiah's condition.
"You don't need to have feelings for me. We can act, just like the way we did tonight. My grandfather would love to see me with a woman before I pass and I want to grant him that wish" Azaiah explained.
"But would it be right to do that to him? I mean, at the end of the day it would still be fake. How about you find someone you actually like and live happily?" Ariana asked, concerned.
"It might be fake but it's still worth trying. Who knows what will happen along the line?" Azaiah gave a small smile but Ariana didn't see any reason he should be smiling.
"I'd also help you build whatever business you desire. Whatever you want, I'd give it to you and I'd also do my best to protect you. So you don't need to worry about the Sterling group or whatever anyone has to say online." Azaiah said in all seriousness.
Ariana felt a lump in her throat as she had been trying to control tears from escaping her eyes. But now, the lump was coupled with her heart thumping rapidly.
This wasn't an easy decision. But she felt bad for Azaiah.
"What if you actually die?" She said, staring at him.
"Then I'd die knowing I spent my days with someone worthy of it". His response came sharp.
Ariana felt her eyes well up, unable to hold back anymore.
"I thought you disliked me" she said, her voice almost sounding like a whisper.
Azaiah turned to her and used his finger to lift her face to his view. Locking eyes with her.
"I never hated or disliked you Ariana. Back then I really just wanted your attention and I'm sorry I did it in a wrong way" he admitted.
Staring into his eyes which now appeared black due to the lack of light in the car because it was night time, Ariana felt that somewhere between his words were feelings he didn't want to admit.
But Ariana wasn't going to remain in that unsure state. "Why did you care about my attention then?" She asked, not moving her face.
"I don't think you're ready for this conversation tonight Ariana" Azaiah stopped holding her face and was about to start the car when Ariana stopped him by placing her hands on his.
He didn't want to confess his feelings to her just yet though he had already given her a hint. He felt everything would be overwhelming for Ariana in one night.
Also, he knew she still harboured feelings for Rodrigo and didn't plan to rush things. Though he was running out of time, he still wanted to plan carefully.