Aria kept looking at the phone in her hand long after she had hung up.
The screen was already black.
But her father’s words stuck.
This was not how you were meant to discover.
It was as if her whole life had been written suddenly by somebody else.
The decisions she thought she had made.
The marriage she thought was for business.
The relationship she thought had been slowly disintegrating because two people didn’t understand each other.
What if there was always something else?
Something secret.
Something neither she nor Damien knew.
“Aria.”
Damien’s voice brought her back.
She looked at him.
For once he didn’t look like the mighty CEO they all feared.
He looked like a man searching for answers as desperately as she was.
“What did your dad say?”
She stumbled.
Then he answered truly, “‘Our marriage was an accident,’ he said.
Damien’s face hardened.
What else?
“My parents promised your family twenty years ago,” he said.
The silence that came after was more thick than before.
Damien looked away.
Your mother said, Your father knew the truth.
“And my father says my parents did too.”
They both stood there and saw the same thing.
Their families had been connected long before.
And in some way…
They were the last two people to know
Two hours later, Aria was in the passenger seat of Damien’s car.
Neither had expected to be traveling together.
But when Richard Vale had asked both of them to come to his house, there was no reason to pretend that this was only Aria’s problem.
The drive was uneventful.
They made their way toward the Vale family estate and the city drifted away behind them.
Aria glanced out the window.
I don’t understand.
Damien watched her.
“What?”…If our families had been linked…
She stopped.
“”Why didn’t somebody tell us?
He did not reply at once.
Because he didn’t have an answer.
““Maybe they thought they were guarding us.
Aria gave a small, humorless laugh.
““Is that what people say when they’re hiding things?”
Damien glanced at her.
And she went on, That they’re rescuing you?
Her voice became softer.
“People don’t keep secrets, secrets don’t disappear.
He knew.
For his life had been a tissue of secrets
The Vale estate was not so large as the Laurent mansion had been.
But warmer.
The second Aria walked in, memories rushed back.
Her young age.
Family suppers.
Her mother’s voice.
The scent of her father’s old books.
She hadn’t been here in nearly a year.
Not since she and Richard had fought about her marriage.
Her father had never liked the way Damien held himself apart.
But he’d never said why.
A housekeeper greeted them.
“Miss Aria.”
The woman’s expression softened.
Your dad’s in the study waiting.
Aria nodded.
Damien went for him.
The study door swung open.
Richard Vale stood next to his desk.
He looked older than she remembered.
His hair was grayer now.
His shoulders looked heavier.
But his eyes were identical.
Serious.
Watch out.
Like a man who’d been carrying something too heavy for years.
“Aria.
She went inside.
“”Why didn’t you tell me?
Richard closed his eyes a second.
I knew this day would arrive.
“That’s not an answer.”
Damien stood quietly beside her.
Richard saw him.
Monsieur Laurent.”
The greeting was civil.
But there was tension beneath it.
Richard.
Obviously they had met earlier.
Aria spotted it.
You know one another.
For a moment neither man spoke.
That alone made her suspicious.
You’ve known each other for years.
” sighs Richard.
“Yes.”
She looked at the two of them.
How?’
This time Damien answered.
““Our fathers worked together.
Richard nodded.
But that wasn’t the only link.”
Aria crossed her arms.
““Then explain.”
Richard walked to the desk and picked up an old photograph.
He laid it before them.
Aria looked down.
She drew a breath.
It was a picture of four people.
Her father and mother.
Damien’s parents.
Standing side by side.
With a smile.
Like friends do.
Not strangers.
When was this taken?
Richard looked at the picture.
“Twenty-one years back.”
Aria frowned.
Why didn’t I see this before?
‘Cause after what happened…
He paused.
“What went wrong?”
There was no immediate answer from Richard.
Damien noticed.
Richard.
The older man regarded him.
And your mother and I made a promise.
Damien’s jaw tightened.
“What promise?
Richard glanced at Aria.
Then Damien.
A promise that our children would protect what we could not protect.
Aria trembled.
“What do you mean?”
Richard sat down slowly.
“Twenty years ago, Laurent Holdings was not only having financial problems.
Damien listened carefully.
“There was a threat from inside the company.” Who?
Richard shook his head.
“We never found out the whole truth.” Then why drag us into it?”
Richard looked at Aria.
Because your mother and Elena believed their children would be safer together.
The words seemed impossible.
“”Safer?”
Aria stared.
You mean our marriage was arranged to protect us?
Richard didn’t say anything.
And he was silent enough.
Damien’s expression soured.
All these years…
His voice grew colder.
“You made me think it was business.”
Richard looked at him.
I let you think whatever you had to think.
That is not your decision.
No.” Richard’s voice broke a little.
“But it was the only choice I had.
The room was tense, silent.
Then Aria asked the question neither man wanted to answer.
If this was about protecting us..
She looked up at her father.
‘Why do they want to destroy us now?’
Richard’s expression changed.
Fear arrived.
Real fear.
Somebody knows that promise was never fulfilled.
Damien frowned.
“”What promise?”
Richard glanced at the window.
And then he spoke once more…
His voice was little above a whisper.
“The promise that was meant to conclude with your marriage.
Aria felt a chill.
“What’re you talking about?
Richard looked back.
Your marriage did not protect you.”
And he stopped.
It was the beginning.
Before someone could ask another question…
And the lights in the house went off.
It was dark in the room.
Then a loud crash came from down stairs.
Somebody had broken into the Vale estate.
The darkness was only a few seconds.
But in those few seconds everyone in the room understood one thing.
Now it was not a question of rumors.
Someone had come to get them.
Damien answered first.
“Stay here.
It was automatic.
Aria found the irony almost laughable.
Even after all that had passed between them…
Divorce papers, and years of silence later…
His first instinct was still to protect her.
“I’m not a child.
“I know.
His eyes landed on hers.
And that’s why I’m asking you to stay.’
Before she could speak there was a loud crash from downstairs.
Richard went at once to the door.
“No.
Damien cut him off.
“Stay here.”
The older man looked affronted.
“This is my home.” And whoever comes in knows where to find you.”
Damien moved out into the hall.
And Noah, who had been waiting outside with security, was right there.
“Mr.
Laurent.
His hand was already close to his phone.
What happened?
The cameras went down three minutes ago.”
Damien’s face hardened.
““Inside job.
Noah nodded.
“”I thought so too.
Aria stared at them.
Somebody cut the security system?”
Noah hesitated.Yeah.
The answer made her uneasy.
Because whoever did this wasn’t some random burglar.
They were familiar with the house.
They knew the systems.
They knew what the hell they were doing.
A noise from the lower floor.
Footsteps.
Slow.
“ Calm.
Not someone who is running away.
Someone who wanted them to feel their presence.
Damien was in front of Aria in a flash.
She observed.
And she saw that he didn’t even think of doing it.
It was an instinct.
The same instinct he always hid behind his cold personality.
Damien “Stay behind me.
That’s not a game plan.” “It’s the best choice.”
She wanted to fight.
But before she could….
A voice came from below.
“Richard.
Everyone stopped.
The voice was known.
Not to Aria.
But for Damien.”
His expression shifted.
Noh.
Not afraid.
Recognition.
“Who is that?”
Aria whispered.
Damien said nothing.
The footsteps went on.
And then the person showed himself at the bottom of the stairs.
A man in his 50s.
Dressed in a dark coat.
Silent.
Yeah.
He looked like he belonged.
Richard’s face turned pale.
You.
The man’s lips moved.
Hello, Richard.
Damien moved forward.
Who the hell are you?
The man looked at him.
Then smiled.
“Finally, Elena’s son wants answers.
Damien’s eyes narrowed.
How do you know my mother?
The man did not answer the question.
Instead he turned to Aria.
And you must be Aria.
Her body stiffened.
Who are you?
The man’s eyes flicked back and forth.
The two children who were supposed to fix their parents’ mistakes.”
Damien’s face grew hard.
“Respond to the question.
The man laughed softly .”Still impatient like your father.”
Richard took a step forward.
“Why are you here?”
The stranger met his gaze.
“Cause you didn’t make it.”
The words were harder than he expected.
“Twenty years.
The man walked slowly into the room.
Twenty years acting like it was all buried away.
He looked around.
“”But secrets don’t stay buried.”
Aria’s heart pounded.
“”Was it you who leaked the photos?”
The man’s smile grew wider.
Smart.
Damien’s expression grew dangerous.
“Why?” “Because I needed everyone looking the other way.”
The answer was cool.
What were you covering up?
The man looked at Aria.
Not secret.’
He corrected him.
“Revelatory”
He reached into his coat.
Noah stepped forward at once.
But the man held out nothing but an old envelope.
He pitched it on the table.
The envelope fell at Aria’s feet.
It was in her name.
Her full name was.
Vale Aria Isabella
She gawked.
“I never saw that.
“Certainly not.”
The man grinned.
“”Your father made sure you wouldn’t.
Richard’s face was changed.
“Don’t.”
The stranger looked at him.
“”You don’t get to tell the truth now.
Damien picked up the envelope.
What’s in there?
The man looked at him.
Ask your missus.
Everyone stared at Aria.
She grimaced.
“What is it?”
The man smiled.
“”Open it up.”
Aria took the envelope, deliberately.
Her fingers twitched a little.
There was a paper inside.
A shiver ran down her spine at the first line.
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE VALE FAMILY AND THE LAURENT FAMILY
She kept on reading.
The document bears the date of twenty years ago.
The same year Damien’s mother went missing.
The same year their families were united.
But she was totally thrown by one sentence.
Richard Vale agrees to have his daughter, Aria Isabella Vale, marry Damien Laurent when they are of age, in exchange for protection.”
Silence fell in the room.
She looked up to her father.
Then Damien…
Then back to the document.
“No.
It was soft.
But everybody heard.
“This isn’t real.”
Richard looked deflated.
“Aria—“No.” She took a step back.
“You knew?
Her father’s silence was his reply.
You knew it?
Her voice cracked.
“”You knew all along?” “I wanted to tell you.
When do you say?
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
“After I’d married him?
Richard looked away.
‘Before.” “But you didn’t.
Aria laughed, a bitter laugh.
““So all my life…
She glanced at the document.
“…my marriage was arranged before I was old enough to know what marriage meant?”
Damien glanced at the contract.
He looked betrayed, as she felt, for the first time.
Because he didn’t know, either.
The stranger looked at them hard.
“That’s why you were chosen.
Aria looked at him.
“For what?
You chose!”
The smile left the man’s face.
For the inheritance.”
Silence.
Inheritance?
What inheritance?
The guy looked at Damien.
Then Aria.
“The one your families killed to protect.
A cold feeling went through the room.
Richard said at once, “That’s enough.
But it was too late.
The truth was ripping apart everything they already believed.
The man was facing the door.
“You have bigger issues than your divorce.
Damien moved forward one step.
You can’t go.
The man grinned.
“When you’re ready for the truth, you’ll find me.”
Before security could move…
The lights went blink.
There was a loud sound.
Everyone looked around.
For a second.
And when they looked back…
The man had left.
There was only one thing left on the table.
Another shot.
Damien picked it up.
His face altered.
For the picture had shown something impossible.
A photo taken twenty years ago.
Of Elena Laurent…
Standing alongside the very man who’d just come out.
And on the back there were five words.
Your mother had faith in me.