CHAPTER 4 - CANDLELIGHT

Aria's mother, Cornelia, glared at Asher, and with so much spite in her voice and the iciest look ever, she said, "You're not welcome here," then she walked away, but not before she spat on him.

Asher simply wiped the spit off his face and composed himself. He had come to the candlelight as per his lawyer's instructions, and he's not going to let anyone intimidate him, not even Cornelia, who once loved him and considered him a perfect fit for her daughter. It's funny how the tables are suddenly turned and now she hates him. He wasn't going to leave. After all, it's a public gathering, and he has just as much right to be there as everyone else.

He stood out from the crowd as he was clutching a bouquet of sunflowers. Despite the ridiculously large crowd, Asher could tell more than half of the attendees didn't even know Aria personally, just by the amount of roses scattered around.

Aria hated roses; she called them cliché. She, however, loved sunflowers. She claimed they matched her bright personality. But he knew the truth; her so-called bright personality was just a carefully crafted facade. Beneath all those bright facades, she struggled so much with sadness and self-esteem issues. Sometimes she even slipped into some form of depression. He couldn't understand. He saw a very beautiful girl, but it's like she never sees it, and their fights were often as a result of her insecurities, particularly when they went out, and Asher got hit on by other girls. She would somehow find a way to blame him for it. Initially, he found it cute that she got jealous, but her jealousy grew more each day to the point where it became plain overbearing.

He loved her so much; he really did, but he couldn't continue that way. It was like he was constantly being monitored and walking on eggshells. It didn't feel right, especially if he was considering spending the rest of his life with her. That was the main reason he planned to end the relationship. Asher was no longer happy, and he doubted she was either. Hence, why did she always need money for one thing or the other that would make her happy?

The candlelight procession was very beautiful; there was a tiny area decorated with pictures of Aria and her friends and family, and Asher didn't see any pictures with his face in it. It made him a little sad, but he got over it quick; after all, there's nothing he can do about that. Aria's friends and family took turns sharing heartfelt tributes. As it came to a close, Asher made his way to the stage and asked to say a few words. The coordinator hesitated but eventually yielded the microphone to him.

He stepped onto the makeshift stage, his voice echoing through the now-silent crowd as he said, "Aria was so beautiful, both inward and outward. She wasn't perfect, but she pursued perfection, and that was what I admired the most about her. She is and will always be the love of my life." He then paused, eyes scanning the crowd before he continued. "I know a lot of you suspect me of being involved in her disappearance, but I promise you, I had absolutely nothing to do with it. It hurts me deeply that she's missing, and I am desperate to find her. And to that end, I'm offering a reward of $1 million to anyone who can provide valuable information leading to her discovery or safe return. Thank you." He wiped off the tiny tears that had now formed in his eyes and handed the microphone back to the coordinator.

As he got off the stage, the crowd erupted in murmurs, obviously caught off guard by the enormous reward he was willing to state. He really didn't care; it's just money, and he had a whole lot of it. If that's what will clear his name, so be it.

"Are you out of your mind?" Jake screamed at him. "How can you stake such an amount of money?" Jake's face looked like a mix of anger and incredulity.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "It's just money, Jake." You said I should act more concerned, well, there is your act, Asher replied.

Jake raised an eyebrow as they walked away from the venue. "Well, at least it's good publicity for your brand. You're definitely going to get people talking," he said.

"Let's go to the club," Asher suggested to Jake. "I need a drink to wash away the memories of today."

Jake hesitated. "As tempting as that sounds, I don't think it's a good idea." By the way, how would it look if after what you just did, pictures of you in the club having a good time comes out, it'll literally cancel out all this your act and we'll be back to square one.

Asher let out a frustrated sigh. "For how long do I have to maintain this perfect image, for goodness' sake? It's very tiring, and it's just not who I am. I care about Aria's well-being; I really do, but I'm not one to crash out like this. Asher said, frustration etched in his voice.

Jake's expression turned sympathetic. "Just for a little while longer. At least until the news isn't so fresh."

He resigned, changing plans. "Fine, let's grab coffee instead."

As they got into the coffee shop, they were enveloped by whispers and stares. It was obvious that the news of the money had spread fast. The owner of the coffee shop walked up to Asher and offered him a complimentary cup of coffee while they waited for their drinks. He even received some sympathetic murmurs and condolences about Aria's disappearance. At least things were starting to look up.

The quick shift in perception of the public stunned Asher. All it took was one generous offer to change people's attitudes. Now he's hopeful things will get back to normal sooner rather than later.