Chapter 58: Fallen from grace
Next time, Aria was kidnapped without letting school people get to know.
Aria who was fainted due to suffocation woke up soon in the car to hear loud music and unknown men around her. She started to cry immediately asking to take her to Oliver.
Not being able to control or coax her, they had hit her until she ate her pain and sat silently weeping in the car.
Lucas Cooper didn't know Oliver had kept people around Aria for her safety. As soon as they got to know, they locked down in the old factory and brought Aria back to Oliver.
Aria had seen Lucas Cooper with the men who looked scary in the second kidnap hence she was reserved when he went to the Cooper mansion.
He had coaxed her saying they were playing hide and seek with Oliver which Aria believed it and sat with him until Oliver returned home after work.
Oliver couldn't get time to react as Lucas pulled a dagger out and pointed it on Aria's neck clutching her hair tight, "Oliver, don't you love your daughter? Let me see whether you need money mansion and company or your muddled daughter?"
Even though Aria was little she could understand Lucas Cooper was threatening her father about killing her for money. She started crying due to a painful clutch on her hair.
When Lucas moved, he dragged her by the hair and moved the knife near her throat which slit a few layers of skin panicking Oliver.
Oliver kept all the money which was at home and quite a few villas, shares papers, vehicles, and some other property papers which were in the mansion. The mansion and many properties were in Aria's name so he couldn't do anything until she reaches the legal age.
While escaping Lucas Cooper noticed Aria wasn't crying or moving. He was dreaded and ran away. Oliver quickly admitted her and got to know it was due to blood loss and shock.
Aria hadn't let anybody touch her excluding Oliver for quite a few days. He had to make her realize and understand things before she could start to mingle back with everyone.
----
After that day, Aria saw Lucas Cooper in the school. Her father had assured her Lucas Cooper wouldn't meet her anymore and no other information about him was known to her.
Alan understood she had to be mature due to all the things and it wasn't because she wanted to be mature. He sat next to her for sometime before getting up to use the bathroom in his room.
He returned back and was going towards day bed, Aria screamed as she sat up and started checking her neck in her trembling hands breathing heavy.
Alan quickly tended to her knowing what must be her dream. It dawned on him that she had said nightmare saying she was getting kidnapped in a car when she was in his villa, he understood it wasn't just a random dream.
"It's alright... You are in your room. Nothing happened to you."
Aria felt her head throb and realized she was in the Morgan mansion. "I'm sorry, I'm such a troublesome."
Alan made her drink water and pulled tissues from the bedside drawer before dabbing on her precipitation, "You aren't... Don't think all that. Sleep for a little longer, I will wake you up."
Aria couldn't stop him who held her both palms in one hand.
She felt like she was being treasured by him. She shook her head, "I don't want to sleep." she wasn't ready to get a dream again.
She paused before speaking, "Thank you Young Master Morgan for everything today. That man... he is factually my... my grandfather in relation but he had~"
Alan cut in, "I got to know everything. Dad told me. You just relax and stop thinking about him. I will manage the rest."
Aria pursed her lips and hummed. Alan wiped her corner of eyes as he asked, "You like my grandfather, don't you? Shall we visit him this weekend?"
He thought to change the surroundings for her.
Aria spoke knowing why he asked, "It's okay. I don't want to increase your workload." He was with her for half of the working hours stopping him from working, so she didn't want to trouble him more.
He very gently flicked on her nose, "Haven't I told you not to worry about my work and company?... We will leave after dinner with your three friends... President Cooper! Can we use your private jet?"
Aria smiled hearing him give respect as if she was his boss, "Hmmm! CEO Morgan, we will do as you say."
Alan sighed inwardly seeing her faint smile. He dropped a message to Rian about their plan. Aria followed him to the study and randomly studied a book before she designed a few outfits in her sketchbook.
The trio teenagers bolted inside the study and checked on Aria before sighing. Eva asked her carefully, "Who was that?"
Aria replied bitterly. "Lucas Cooper"
The trio looked at each other before Eva hugged her tight. "Don't worry!"
The trio knew about Lucas Cooper hence they didn't ask further. After asking Alan, they brought her out and time passed with her as they played, talked and laughed.
Eva helped her to pack as her bag was already sent from home. Noah's clothes were sent by his family, Rian and Alan had their clothes in their grandfather's villa.
After dinner, they all left county A and returned Monday morning.
---
Lucas Cooper returned to an old unmaintained villa away from the city. He was fuming in anger remembering Aria slapping him and running away from him.
He wanted to get hold of Aria before she could be at the legal age. He didn't want to hurt her. He wanted to look after her so well that he wanted her to trust him blindly to the state she could sign on any papers he would give her. That way he could have the complete assets and company under him.
About Aria? He didn't really care about her.
He just wanted what was valuable.
Or he just valued the things that he could price them.
He smoked as he thought about how to control Aria and keep the Morgans away. He knew Morgan's power in the B city increased greatly after Alan took over the CEO position in Skyline Industries and became the legal guardian of Aria.
Alan held high power in many fields by two companies which made it difficult for many small scale companies to survive. The fields he couldn't control was the government, law, and public.
Lucas Cooper dialed a string of numbers and heard, "Mr.Cooper?" It was a middleaged man's rigid voice.
Lucas Cooper came to the point directly, "I want my grandaughter's legal guardianship and power of attorney at any cost."
There was a long silence before a response could be heard, "It isn't impossible. Ms.Cooper has the right to choose her guardian and to whom to give her power of attorney. So we have to create a bunch of lies leaving her no choice but give her power of attorney and you become her guardian."
Lucas Cooper's wicked smile appeared on his face hearing the advocate. "Then what are you waiting for? Go ahead. I have to teach that little bitch a lesson soon."
Lucas's expression didn't stay long and heard a scornful laugh through the speaker. Advocate mocked after controlling himself, "Mr.Lucas Cooper, I think you forgot, you have nothing now and you are asking one of the elite lawyers to stand for you. (Smirked) You are fallen from grace a long time back. Mr.Cooper."
The advocate hung up the call without letting him continue.
Lucas Cooper was fuming stubbing the cigarette on the ashtray. He clearly understood the advocate could get him what he wanted but Lucas Cooper couldn't afford him.
He needs wads and wads of cash...