♡♡♡

●WARREN POV●

Yesterday I got a phone call from a hospital. Apparently I was the last listed emergency contact for Penelope. Something had happened . I'm not cold or void of emotion , afterall I did love her at one point . So I go to the hospital to find out what was going on .

I met her fiance, a fellow in the finance world that I've run into a time or two . Very good guy from what I could tell . They wouldn't tell him anything but since I was her contact they told me . She had been very stressed the last few months and it turned out that she was very sick.

So sick that she neglected all her appointments with the doctor . They had given me her phone to hold onto and that's when I saw it . Outgoing and incoming phone calls from a familiar phone number .

I told him not to hurt Aria and then he pulls this? I thought he was over Penny but when she calls he comes running. I tried to call him and continued to call him throughout the evening to no avail . So as a last resort I pulled up the GPS tracker that I asked him to download.

I found his location and decided to pay him a little visit . Pulling into a quaint little beach house I walked to the front door and rang the doorbell . I could hear Alex talking to someone and when he finally opened the door his face fell .

Over his shoulder I could see Aria in an oversized shirt and a tiny pair of shorts . My heart squeezed because I didn't want to say all this in front of her . I don't want her hurting over a man that clearly hasn't moved on from his ex.

It didn't take much convincing to get Alex to go see Penny and without looking back he left, forgetting that Aria was still here with no way back . I balled my hand into a fist at the audacity . I love my little brother but this, this was downright cruel . I did not play around with women's feelings and to do it to her.

When she asked me to have the breakfast she ordered I couldn't say no to her . I don't think I could say no to anything she asks of me . I had to still be a good brother , even if Alex was acting like a total ass, and offered to take her home or the hospital . Her reply caught me off guard as she mentioned her picking all the 'faithful' ones in a sarcastic tone.

"Aria, it might not be what we think," I say to her . Trying to reassure her.

She gives me a look of defeat, "Am I that terrible that guys don't want to just stick with me? They have to go looking at other women?"

And who exactly has done this to Aria? Another man?

"Sit, eat . I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lash out," she says to me .

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"I don't know . I went from one cheating boyfriend to another. "

"You had another guy cheat on you?" I say not believing it .

She nods , "Dylan . I was with him for 3 years . Alex knew about this . I walked in on him and his assistant during his lunch hour . I was going to surprise him with a meal and instead I was the one who was surprised. The worse part?" She says as she takes a bite into her pancakes, "he proposed to that homewrecker and now I have to see them BOTH at Delilah's wedding."

"Why?"

"He's the best man, can't replace him since he's also the brother," she says in exasperation.

"When did this all happen?"

She lets out a bitter laugh, "almost 7 months ago."

I couldn't help but feel pained for her . He's a piss poor excuse of a man and I feel the need to apologize for him on behalf of men . Shoot, I have to apologize for Alex too .

"Don't," she warns

"Don't what?" I'm genuinely confused.

"I don't need pity . I just need a better man radar," she says and it caused me to chuckle .

"Do you know how much money you could get if you actually invented something like that? Hell, make a woman radar and you'll be golden," I say, unable to control my laughter .

She starts laughing with me and just like that the mood is brought up considerably.

After breakfast she went into the bedrooms to grab both her things and Alex's . I went ahead and helped clean up the kitchen and the patio since it looks like they ate out there as well . Once we were are done we headed back to my car.

"You drive a Kia?" She asked in disbelief.

"Hey, don't knock it until you try it," I say back to her.

"No, no it's just that I would've thought that you would be driving something a bit more expensive. "

"I'm a practical man, and I'm not into those kinds of things anyways . Considering I'm usually either at home or at work," I answer her, "Besides , you drive a Hyundai , practically the same company."

She concedes, "Yeah yeah. But as soon as I make partner I'm getting a new car," she proclaims.

"I know you have to visit Trip tomorrow , but do you have any plans for today?" I take a chance .

She shakes her head, "Do you want to come over to my place and have dinner?"

"Well, seeing as I've been ditched, sure. Just send me your address and I'll swing by around 6."

♡♡♡

●ALEX POV●

I am so pissed off . I can't believe I just abandoned Aria like that . What is she thinking of me right now? Probably not in a good light . Penny had been calling me nonstop . I ignored every call but then the messages didn't end . So , I called her back, hoping that me telling her that I'm not available would get through her thick skull.

Of course I felt bad when Warren told me that she was sick . And my first thought was to go see her and apologize but at the same time get my final closure from the mess that is Penny .

When I arrived her fiance was in her hospital room, feeding her some water . When she looked up at me she gave me a weak smile. She looked the same minus the ashen skin color that she was wearing .

"It's okay , can you leave me alone with Alex for a few minutes?" She asked her fiance .

"Sure thing, I'll come back to check up on you on 10 ," he got up and gave me a curt nod .

"What the hell Penny? You're sick?" Was the first thing I asked her.

"Yeah. I didn't think it would get this bad-"

"Warren told me that you neglected to get treatment."

"I went the holistic route . Obviously that didn't work. I was calling you to apologize for everything . Just like I did with Warren " she said weakly.

"We had our closure Pen. I've met someone," I tell her .

"It's that girl, huh?" She asks.

Obvious bewilderment on my face , "What?"

She took a deep breath , "Warren seemed different during our dinner . He seemed happier and much livelier . He mentioned that your family had reunited with a long lost family friend from childhood."

"Aria, my girlfriend," I state.

"She must be some kind of amazing person to have two brothers in love with her," she says with a far away gaze, "I wish I could have been that woman your brother smiled about like that."

Anger began to bubble , "Penny, I don't know what game you're playing at but don't try to put my brother and I against each other . That happened once , it won't happen again."

"Both of you would have had to be in love with me to be against each other . She's the girl , Alex . The one your brother never forgot about. And you were only infatuated by me . I took advantage of it because of my brokenheart and for that I'm sorry."

Shaking my head, "you don't know what you're talking about. My brother would never do that to me."

She gave me a surprised look, "He wouldn't, no , he's a true gentleman that way . But you , you swooped in and took the girl he had been keeping track of."

That last statement shook me to my core , "what?"

"Warren found her years ago and kept tabs. Not in a stalkerish way . Just on social media . He wanted to make sure she was okay," she tells me.

"I've got to go. I left Warren with Aria and what she must be thinking right now is not making me look good," before she can say anything I left .

I ran back to my car and called Aria's phone . It kept ringing and ringing . I tried dialing her again and when she finally picked up I heard Warren's voice in the background.

○○○