26. Keep It Hidden

Ari had saved the picture he and Ned had appeared in the newspaper. It felt surreal to stand beside him during an extravagant event, introduced to everyone as one of his elite secretaries. In contrast, Lia stood on his left side, every one congratulating them on their wedding and a successful business merger.

Only four people who had been present knew of his identity, the three of them and Ned's father, who pioneered the event. Everyone else in the know had probably watched them in the news or read about the event on the internet. Luckily, a week after the information aired, the pictures were taken down, and the story was rewritten to replace the original. Ned had warned Ari of that happening, labelling it the 'power of the rich'; however, Ari managed to keep himself a picture of the three of them together with Ned's wife, Lia.

Lia had been sweet when they'd first met. However, her lover later joined them with the excuse of being late for work, and just like Ari, Lia's lover was an office man who held much understanding to Lia's situation. If anything, he had been the reason Ari decided not to continue fighting Ned over his marriage. Besides, Lia was already with a child, and even though it had not been revealed to the public, the two lovebirds had decided to keep it private until the divorce between her and Ned had been finalized. It was funny that Lia was willing to take the fall for their 'failed' marriage using the pregnancy as the issue, but Ned was against it.

'Let us not taint an innocent child because of our decisions. I'd rather if it didn't know anything nor made the sacrifices we were forced to make.'

"Perhaps I'm beginning to like him," Ari murmured. He appears arrogant on the outside but is a man of integrity."

"Mr. Ari, why are you smiling all by yourself?"

"Ms. Lia!" Ari immediately stood up and put the picture inside his pocket. He had been lost in thought to have not noticed Lia entering Ned's office. "Are you done with the meeting?"

"Yes, but the Chairman will join us soon with a team of lawyers. Perhaps it would be best to grab a pen and a paper for image purposes and..." Lia stopped midway for a team of two men and women walked in, Ned appearing right behind them. He shut the door and urged each of them to take a seat. He then introduced Ari as his trusted secretary and nodded for him to play the part.

After the introductions were concluded, their meeting commenced without delay. For the most part, Ari couldn't stop staring at Ned, for he was yet to get used to this formal side of him. Whilst on the trip months back when he'd been assigned the responsibility of his speech, Rey attended functions with him while Ari remained behind to catch up on sleep. Looking back, he regretted not participating actively in the event but hoped to put up a believable display of his current predicament.

"Everything was in our favour from the very beginning. It was evident our opponent was not well prepared."

"What a desperate display that was. At one point, I didn't feel the need to continue the negotiations. I still don't feel victorious fighting someone as weak as such."

"Let's not become complaisant, Chairman Ned. He plays dirty."

"Don't worry, my dear Lia. He has a lot more to lose than we do. Besides, he betrayed the organization, his family and the public. Embezzlement of funds is not taken lightly."

"I was shocked when he threatened to kill himself if we didn't let go of the matter."

"And you were to wed him in my place. Your family's reputation would be in shambles."

"Speak for yourself," Lia smirked, then tilted her head to face Ari. "Your secretary is here."

Ned shrugged and leaned back in his seat as if he'd understood the warning. "I suppose you are right. I, too, have much to lose, but I can still take our opponent easily by law. Pinning him down will be a lesson to his sympathizers."

A long silence followed Ned's remark, Ari wondering if he'd missed the meaning behind the words, and Lia sensed his tension. "I suppose everything went according to the script."

One of the lawyers quickly replied, "With the verdict in our favour, the merger calls for a need to enrol new executives."

"That is your call, my dear Lia. I'm excited to see what team you will develop, and I speak for my family when I say you require no coronation. You got what you wanted."

"You have some nerve. We are both pawns for our families. Whatever outcome or profit merits me not."

"Aren't you getting your freedom back?" One of Lia's lawyers replied and reached to comfort her by holding her hand. "Including claim to your family's assets as the only heir."

There was no doubt Lia had a close relationship with her team, and an outsider would have immediately noticed and wondered why Ned was unresponsive to such intimate affection given by other people to his wife.

"I merely took back what rightfully belongs to my family."

"Do not be ridiculous. We may share a common enemy, but he is much more vindictive towards you than my family. The two of you were betrothed from childhood before I took his place; hence there is no way you made only one enemy today. But, on the other hand, his entire family will scrutinize yours to the last dot for any mistakes. My advice is you remain vigilant until our deal is off."

"Then there is no need to wait any longer," Lia said and nodded to one of her lawyers, who placed two sheets of paper in front of her and Ned.

"All documents are in order, assets undivided."

"Ned," Lia said. "You can trust my two lawyers to execute our settlement without involving us."

"Of course. I'm sure all the paperwork has undergone the necessary legal scrutiny. Perhaps you should get in touch with your secretary for a celebration. I wonder why he is not here."

Lia chuckled and then stood up, her two lawyers following suit. "You and I are not marriage material. I'm confident your secretary Mr Ari offers no objection either."

Turning to leave, Lia straightened her dress and then added as she strode towards the door. "Prepare the necessary documents for our partnership and have them on my desk in the morning. I have an urgent appointment; therefore, I'll be leaving first."

"I equally have an hour to spare before my next appointment," Ned said, then looked at Ari, who remained seated whilst pretending to jot down something in his notebook. "Mr. Ari, I'm looking forward to preparations for my next client, so I hope you can brief me whilst my lawyers keep me out of the legal matters."

As if they understood his remark, the two women left, leaving Ned and Rey alone in his office.

"Is it over?"

"Almost," Ned replied, wearing a broad smile, extending his arms wide for an embrace. "You heard everything. Our divorce has commenced, and soon, I can be all yours in a few weeks."

"I noticed something," Ari said after pulling away. "Do you have a preference for women?"

"Huh?" Ned tilted his head, not comprehending the question.

"Your four secretaries are all female. So are your lawyers."

"I see what you mean." Ned chuckled, crossing his hands on his chest. "Just like you, I take my work very seriously. I used to have no preference before but ended up wanting to bed every male staff on my floor. Some resigned out of fear, afraid to report their superior for sexual harassment. Of course, I compensated them; however, in the end, they chose to leave after promising to keep their mouths shut."

"That's...not right, Ned."

"I know, but you see, I worked on myself and kept only females around me. I do not desire any man out there except you, my dear Ari."

"Ugh..." Ari frowned. "I despise your lip services."

Ned laughed at Ari's irritation then pulled him for a kiss. "I meant every word I said."

"Aren't you two afraid your plan will be discovered?"

"It doesn't matter. Each of us got what we wanted. Besides, Lia is running out of time. Soon, her belly will begin to show."

"People will think you abandoned her at such a sensitive time."

"Yes, however, soon, another scandal will emerge, and all will be forgotten."

"A scandal like finding out you are gay."

"That's nothing."

"Not to me. I have a lot to lose. I meant for us to discuss this since I've been apprehensive about the matter. Remember, your family accepted you, but mine didn't."

"Why do you care about what others think of you?"

"Because that's all I have! My reputation. You have your family, wealth, power and support. I only have Mun."

"You have me too."

"It's not the same, Ned. You become complaisant sometimes and forget then reach out to hold my hand in public. I have to pretend not to see it to protect our reputations."

"Perhaps it's time I met your family to show you that you needn't be ashamed of who you are."

"I'm not ashamed. I'm being careful. I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable, that's all."

Ned remained silent for a while, thinking that Ari's trauma was perhaps more profound than he thought. Unlike him, he probably endured a lot, and there was more Ari had chosen to keep hidden than what he'd openly shared. His only hope was that, with time, Ari would trust him enough to speak of his past comfortably.

"As you wish, my dear. I'll be more discreet from now on."