THE SECRET FILE

Liam’s POV

“She was in the lab earlier today, but I think she’s left now,” Dr. Helena said through the phone. “Though, I am keeping a close watch on her,” she added.

I sat up straight in my chair, turning to face the monitor. Aria stood near the glass counter, looking at the samples with those same deep eyes I once knew so well. My heart clenched as I watched from the replayed CCTV footage—what had already been recorded hours earlier.

“She doesn’t remember anything,” I whispered to myself.

Years ago, we lost everything. Aria was part of a dangerous experiment. It was called the Surrogate Project. It wasn’t just science—it was pain, risk, and sacrifice.

We shut it down after so many things went wrong. She was the only one who survived. But she forgot it all—me, the truth, and our child.

Yes, our child.

The little boy downstairs, the one who plays with puzzles in the daycare, is our son. She doesn’t know.

She can’t remember giving birth. I couldn’t bring myself to tell her—not now, not yet. I needed her to find out slowly, on her own. Otherwise, she might run. And I wasn’t ready to lose her again.

“Keep your eyes on her,” I told Dr. Helena. “And let me know if she asks too many questions. Give me all the information on time.”

“I will, sir,” she replied. “But I think she’s getting close.”

I ended the call and leaned back in my chair as I watched the screen. Aria’s hand moved carefully as she picked up a small vial. She read the label and frowned. My chest tightened.

She’s smart. She always was.

We first crossed paths under strange circumstances—she dropped her file, and I picked it up, handing it back without a word. Back then, she didn’t recognize me. Now, years later, she walks past my office, flipping through research notes, believing that’s the reason she’s here. She has no idea I’m the man from her past. No idea that every deal, every layer of this company, has been built with one purpose in mind.

To protect her. And the child.

If the truth came out now, everything could fall apart.

The other day, after I watched her live on the CCTV camera, walking to and fro suspiciously and jumping from Dr. Helena’s desk to hers, I knew something was wrong. I rushed downstairs into the private lab just as she was going to shut down the computer and close for the day.

She raised her head and her eyes caught mine. “Mr. Westwood. I didn’t expect to see you here. Hope all is well?” she asked in that familiar voice, the one I remembered clearly.

“I like checking on my staff. That’s why I’m here,” I said, forcing a small smile and trying to hide my curiosity.

She nodded. “The samples… they are strange. Some of them seem very old, but still active.”

I shrugged. “These are old research materials probably left behind.”

“Really?” she said. “I just want to…want to know because I… I came across one file…it mentioned a project. Something called—” her voice cracked.

“You don’t need to worry about anything,” I quickly interjected.

She raised one eyebrow. “But—”

Dr. Helena, who had arrived a minute later, gently cut in, “Your job is to study, not to investigate the past.”

Her eyes searched mine for a moment, trying to read me. I could feel it.

“Of course,” she said softly, and turned away.

Even though her words were tempting, I tried not to reveal too much. I walked out before I said anything I’d regret.

Back in my office, I stared at the photo on my desk. It was of her. From before the incident. Before she lost her memory.

I never stopped loving her. But now, I had to pretend we were strangers.

Later that night, the intercom crackled. I pressed the button, and Dr. Helena’s voice came through: “Sir? I think we have a problem.”

“What is it?” I asked.

“Aria accessed a file… the one that was supposed to stay locked. The one with the original test subject.”

I shot to my feet. “How? That file was sealed.”

“I don’t know, but she saw something. I noticed her acting unusually before she left.”

“What exactly did she see?” I asked, panic rising in my chest.

“I’m not sure, sir. She left the lab immediately after.”

I grabbed my coat and ran toward the lower floor.

This can’t be happening…Not yet. Not yet!

I pushed the door open, and everywhere was empty. Aria wasn’t in the lab. I drove down to her apartment, which was also empty. No sign of her. My heart raced as I walked to the daycare. I opened the glass door and immediately my eyes fell on him, sleeping in his small bed. I let out a heavy sigh and leaned against the wall as I watched him.

Is she aware now?

I turned to Dr. Helena, who had followed me down to the daycare. “She found something,” I said. “And now… I think she’s gone.”

Dr. Helena nodded slowly. “Do you want me to track her?”

I closed my eyes for a moment. “No. Not yet.”

“Why not?”

“Because she will come back if she remembers anything.”

I walked out, heading to my office when my phone beeped. It was a message from Aria, just four words:

We need to talk.

I stared at the message on my phone for a long time—We need to talk. Just those four words but my heart felt heavy.

Where was she? Was she angry? Maybe she now knows the truth but she’s too scared to talk.

I picked up my phone again and typed back:

Where are you? I waited for a while; she didn't respond.

I called her, it rang twice, and went to voicemail.

“She’s remembering, and this could be dangerous,” I whispered. “She saw something, and now the pieces are coming back.”

I walked over to the large glass window that overlooked the city. The lights below flickered like stars, but nothing could calm my racing thoughts.

I thought I had more time. I thought I could control when the truth came out. But Aria was always smarter than I gave her credit for.

Dr. Helena knocked gently on the door. “Any word from her yet?”

I shook my head. “Not yet. She hasn’t replied.”

She sighed. “She’s strong, Liam. But if she finds out everything at once…”

“She might seek revenge and not trust me,” I said, finishing her sentence. “I know.”

I moved away from the window.

“She deserves the truth. But I wanted her to hear it from me… not from a file buried in the system.”

Another message slipped into my phone again.

Aria: Don’t bother looking for me. I never knew you could hurt me this way.

My heart shattered first, but I maintained my cool. It’s all clear that Aria now knows what we know—the past we thought was hidden, she knows it all.

And the boy…she might come for him.

But I won't let that happen.

She has to understand that things don't always work the way she plans.

“There’s no going back Aria, you already signed this remember!” I typed in the text box and stared again before sending.

I swallowed down the pain that settled in my throat like saliva. My chest tightened.