The Kidnapped Heiress

Chapter Six

“Meilleur amie!” Brie exclaimed as Aria arrived.[1]

Aria smiled as they kissed each other’s cheeks in greeting. The pair had been good friends since middle school. At the time, Brie had been nursing a crush on Caden, but it quickly became obvious he had no interest. When she asked Aria about it, the other shook her head, saying he already had a girl he was interested in.

At first, Brie had been jealous, wanting nothing more than to face her rival, but Aria was quick to inform her she would have to go across the ocean for that. The twins' bicoastal lifestyle had always intrigued her, but she quickly realized it was a problem. If Caden was truly interested in a girl in America, then there was no way she could ever really compete for his attention.

She did try for a short time, but it was clear he didn’t have any interest. Eventually, she gave up. But her friendship with Aria remained strong. They were like mirror images of each other. In fact, their personalities were so similar, many asked if they were sisters. If it wasn’t for Brie’s brown hair and eyes, she and Aria might have contemplated switching places just to see how many people they could fool.

It was Aria’s bright red locks Brie was most envious of in fact. Her hair made her stand out, and it was impossible to fade into the background, unlike Brie’s hair, which was straight and plain. She was also rather jealous of the ease with which Aria could travel, going to Berlin, Milan, Barcelona, London as well as multiple trips to the States. It was a lifestyle Brie would have loved to emulate.

When they first met, Brie had to admit her impression of Aria wasn’t the best. She thought the latter was conceited and more than a little self-absorbed with all her stories about her family and travels. However, after getting to know Aria, Brie realized the other’s somewhat flippant attitude stemmed from the fact she didn’t see her travels as anything special.

It was just the way her life had always been, and she didn’t seem to realize other people lived differently. In many ways, it made Aria rather naïve. Once Brie figured that out, liking her became a lot easier.

And, truth be told, Aria was a great friend and an excellent confidant. Since starting their secondary education, they had taken several trips together, attended parties and weathered several crises. It had been Aria who was there when her first boyfriend broke her heart. It was Aria who held her hand when she went in to terminate an unplanned pregnancy. And, of course, it was Aria who was there when Brie first announced her engagement.

“So, is your brother off to claim his love?” Brie asked with no hint of envy.

“Yeah, he left a few hours ago,” Aria said as the bartender brought them the first round of drinks.

“I hope it turns out all right for him,” Brie said. “He’s been nursing this crush for a long time.”

“It will,” Aria assured her. “My brother might be a little dense, but when he sets his mind to something, he never backs down. He already bought the ring.”

“He already bought the ring?” Brie gasped. “You have to be kidding. He hasn’t even talked to her yet.”

“That’s just the way he is,” Aria shrugged.

Brie pressed her lips together in thought. Sometimes the DaLair siblings were simply too much, but it was also sweet in its way. She could only hope that the woman Caden had been pining for wouldn’t break his heart. Brie knew that he was far more sensitive than he generally let others see. And while it may be more than a little premature to buy a ring now, it was also romantic.

“What is it?” Brie asked, noticing Aria’s thoughtful look.

“Oh, it’s probably nothing.”

Brie raised a brow.

After a moment, Aria explained, “It’s just, last holiday before—everything—Theo asked me if Caden was interested in anyone.”

“You did not tell him your brother likes his sister!” Brie exclaimed.

“Of course not!” Aria snapped, “but I did hint Caden was interested in someone that was currently unavailable.”

Brie shook her head. If everything Aria said was true, then it was certainly enough for Theo to connect the dots, if he was inclined to do so. According to Aria, it was obvious Caden was in love with Alexis. However, it also seemed as if she had no clue, so perhaps her brothers didn’t either.

The whole family seemed close, as far as Brie could discern. How could someone ignore their feelings for another? Even if Caden waited to make the first move, certainly Alexis could have done it instead. That’s how she ended up meeting her own fiancée after all. Sometimes a woman had to take matters into her own hands.

“I just hope he doesn’t make trouble, after everything,” Aria sighed.

She didn’t want her mess to interfere with her brother’s happiness. Caden had always been the calm, reliable one. He had more patience than Aria could ever muster. When it came to minding their younger siblings, their parents always went to him first. She was quite certain their parents and siblings didn’t realize just how much he did for them.

“So, how are you doing?” Brie asked, trying to gage her expression. “I mean…with everything.”

Aria sighed, “I don’t know. I want to cry most of the time, especially when I see him out with one woman after another. I guess I should be glad.”

“He cheated on you, and you should be glad?” Brie scoffed.

“Well, it’s not just one woman,” Aria shrugged. “It’s always a new girl every time, so whatever he’s searching for he hasn’t found.”

“I guess,” Brie frowned.

She supposed that did make it easier, in a way. If he stuck with one woman, Aria would naturally obsess over what the other woman had that she didn’t. Since it was always someone new, it was clear he was still looking or was never serious from the beginning. It didn’t make it hurt less though.

After a moment, Brie declared, “I still think you should give me his number and let me have a go at him. He’s being childish.”

“No. I want to handle it myself.”

Speaking of childish, Brie couldn’t help but grimace before she asked, “So how is the make him jealous plan going?”

Aria sighed, “I don’t know. Caden mentioned I don’t even know if he’s seeing any of the pictures with me going out. If he’s not, then I guess it’s all pointless.”

Brie nodded. It was the same argument she had given Aria when she first devised her plan. Though she hadn’t discussed it with Caden, it seemed he shared the same concerns. It was comforting she wasn’t the only one Aria didn’t listen to.

“May I make a suggestion?” Brie finally asked.

“Sure.”

“I think your brother is right. I don’t think you going out like this is having much of an impact.”

“So, what should I do?” Aria sighed.

“I think you should move to New York.”

Aria frowned, “I can’t. I can’t see him out with other women.”

“I know. I know it’s hard, which is why you came back to Paris,” Brie nodded. “I’m not saying you were wrong. You obviously needed some space, but you can’t run away from the problem.”

“Well, if he wanted, he could come here.”

“Aria, men are simple creatures. You can’t expect him to read your mind. The ocean has always been a barrier between you two,” Brie said. “And now, you are using it as a crutch. If he really cares, you think he’ll come for you.”

“Well, he should.”

“Ma choupinette, most men are not that smart, and they lack courage to make such grand gestures,” Brie shook her head. “And they are simple creatures: out of sight, out of mind. If he doesn’t see you, he won’t think of you. That’s just their nature. If you want to make him jealous, you must throw it in his face. If he sees you right in front of him, he won’t be able to ignore you.”[2]