Chapter 3

Sarah was in front of the mirror, trying on another outfit. She spun around and asked Cooper, "What about this one? Do you like it?"

Cooper leaned against the wall, watching her with a smile in his eyes. "Looks good."

Aria had seen that smile before. He used to look at her like that when she cooked for him, when she gave him a massage, when she did exactly what he wanted. But that was all in the past.

"Here's the size S you wanted." Aria walked over and handed the outfit to Sarah.

Sarah took it and shot her a scrutinizing glance. That glance made Aria's heart drop.

It was the kind of look that sized her up from head to toe, and then, Sarah smiled and handed the outfit to Cooper, "Cooper, hold this for me. I'll go try it on."

She slipped into the fitting room.

The store fell silent.

Aria stood there, unsure where to go. She should be restocking shelves, or standing behind the register, or keeping busy. But her feet wouldn't budge.

Cooper didn't look her way. He held the outfit, head down, scrolling through his phone, acting like Aria didn't exist.

Aria started walking toward the register. She'd barely taken a few steps when he grabbed her wrist.

She knew that touch too well. Cooper had distinct knuckles and great strength. Whenever he held her tight, she could never break free.

"Where are you going?" Cooper's voice was low.

Aria's heart skipped a beat. "I-I was going to work."

Cooper didn't say a word. He kept a tight grip on her wrist and pulled her toward the fitting rooms.

"What are you doing?" Aria's voice shook as she kept it low. "Cooper, are you out of your mind? Sarah's still in there."

Cooper shoved open the empty fitting room next door, yanked her inside, and slammed the door shut behind them.

The fitting room was cramped, barely a few feet across. With both of them inside, there was hardly any space left. Aria could smell the familiar cedar scent on him, mixed with a faint trace of tobacco.

Her back was pressed hard against the icy wall, leaving her completely cornered.

"Cooper?" Aria's voice shook as she spoke.

Cooper lowered his head, his gaze fixed on her.

The lighting was dim, shadows pooling around them, but his eyes were so intense that Aria couldn't bring herself to meet them.

"Aria," Cooper murmured, his voice low, "is this all part of your plan?"

"What?" Aria replied.

"You knew we'd show up, so you started working here on purpose," Cooper said, his tone flat, like he was stating the obvious. "You wanted me to see you, to let my guard down, to remember you, didn't you?"

Aria froze. She tried to speak, to protest, but her words got stuck in her throat.

"I didn't," she finally forced out. "I had no idea you two would come here."

Cooper let out a cold laugh. That smile sent a chill down Aria's spine.

"You didn't know?" Cooper reached up, gripping her chin and forcing her to meet his gaze. "Aria, do you really think I'm that stupid?"

"I really didn't know," Aria whispered.

"Then why are you here?" Cooper's fingers pressed harder into her chin, making it sting. "Out of all the crappy cities, all the crappy stores, you happen to work here? Were you stalking me?"

Tears welled up in Aria's eyes, spilling over before she could stop them.

It wasn't the pain. It was because she felt so wronged. That feeling washed over her, overwhelming her completely.

"Cooper," Aria's voice broke into pieces. "I've been trying to stay away from you. Why would I ever want to stalk you?"

Cooper watched her cry, his brows furrowing.

He hated seeing her cry. He used to comfort her when she cried. Now, it annoyed him.

"Stop crying," he said.

But Aria couldn't help herself.

She didn't want to cry. She hated how useless she felt around him, hated how her knees always went weak whenever she saw him, hated how she kept crying as he held her chin like that. But the tears wouldn't stop.

Cooper watched her, her face covered in tears, and stayed quiet for a few seconds.

Then he let go, stepped back a little, leaned against the wall, and fished a cigarette out of his pocket, putting it between his lips without lighting it.

"Aria," Cooper said, his voice lazy and casual, "are you still loving me?"

Aria's sobs paused for a second.

"You ran off here all alone, living in that dump, working this lousy job." Cooper looked at her, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Isn't it all to make me care about you? To get me to come after you?"

Aria glared at him, tears still streaking her face, but she couldn't cry anymore. "I didn't."

"No?" Cooper let out a mocking laugh. "Then why don't you find yourself a better place? Why not get a decent job? Aria, are you really treating yourself like crap?"

Aria opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

She wanted to say, "Because I have no money. Because when I left you, I didn't take anything. Because I gave back that 150 thousand. Because this is all I can afford, and this is the only job I could get."

But the words wouldn't come. She could never get the words out when she was with him.

Cooper watched her, and his smile grew deeper.

"Aria," He leaned in, lowering his voice, "do you know what I like most about you?"

Aria tried to shrink back, but there was nowhere to go. Her back was already pressed against the wall.

"It's this." Cooper reached up to gently wipe away her tears with his thumb, like he used to. "You break down so easily, and a little sweet talk is all it takes to calm you down. You're so easy to control."

Aria's heart felt like it was being crushed in someone's fist.

"I told my buddies you were too easygoing," Cooper said with a casual grin, like he was chatting about the weather. "They didn't buy it. But look. Wasn't I spot on?"

Aria's tears started streaming down her face again. It wasn't because she was heartbroken. It was because she finally saw the truth.

He had never once treated her as an equal.

She was an object, a plaything, something he could parade around to his friends and boast about how easy she was to manipulate.

"Cooper," Aria's voice shook. "What am I to you?"

Cooper looked at her like her question actually amused him.

"What are you to me?" he echoed, laughing. "Aria, you tell me."

Aria couldn't get a word out.

"You're a woman to me," Cooper said. "The one who warms my bed, cooks my meals, and does whatever I tell her. Isn't that enough for you?"

Aria looked at him as if he were a stranger. No, he was not a stranger. He was someone she'd never really understood.

"Sarah's out there," Aria said, her voice drifting, almost like it wasn't hers. "Don't you care if she finds out?"

Cooper's smile faltered for a second. "Is that a threat?"

"No, I'm not," Aria whispered.

Cooper's voice went cold. "Aria, don't try anything. Sarah's not like you. She's the one I'm going to marry. If you so much as say anything to her..."

He didn't finish, but Aria understood exactly what he meant.

Suddenly, Aria let out a soft laugh. Her smile was light and faint, tears still clinging to her cheeks. "Cooper, don't worry. I won't say anything."

Cooper looked at her, his brows furrowing.

"Because I'm not good enough, right?" Aria continued, her voice soft. "Someone like me isn't allowed to talk to your Sarah.

"All I'm good for is cooking in your kitchen, keeping you company in bed, and getting out of your way whenever you're done with me."

Cooper froze for a moment.

"You're right," Aria said. "I'm too soft. I can't stay away from you."

Her tears kept falling, but her voice stayed strong. "Cooper, do you know why?"

Cooper stared at her, silent.

"Because I'm trash," Aria said. "I know exactly what kind of person you are, I know how you see me, but I still..."

She couldn't go on.

She lowered her head, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, but the more she wiped, the more they kept falling.

Cooper stood there, looking at her.