Chapter 5

Aria’s footsteps echoed softly against the polished hallway as she sprinted out of the club, her bag clutched tightly in her hands. Every step sounded louder than it should.

Her chest heaved with each breath, sweat slicking her palms, and the weight of last night’s chaos still pressed against her like a physical force.

The staff corridor was unfamiliar by day, stripped of its night-shrouded secrecy. The echo of her hurried steps was almost deafening.

Outside, the early morning air hit her with a cold slap. Damp from last night’s drizzle, it mixed with the scent of wet asphalt and city smoke. Aria drew in a sharp breath, letting it steady her, even as panic clawed at her chest. She had escaped the club, the process to leave, easier than entering.

Her bag felt heavy across her shoulder, the contents threatening to press her down, as if the universe were conspiring to remind her how fragile her position was.

Lena’s rules came back, sharp and unrelenting: Never stray. Always follow the rules. Watch your back.

She laughed, the sound sharp and tinged with sarcasm. She had followed the rules as far as she could. Now there was only one rule left: to survive.

After taking the bus out of the estate, she reached the familiar street leading to her house, from where she began to walk. The streets were quiet. She passed a bakery just opening for the morning, the smell of fresh bread tempting in a cruel way, a reminder of warmth and normalcy that was not hers. She kept moving.

Her mind briefly wandered back to Roman. His voice, the scent, the heat of his body pressed against hers. She shivered from the memory, shaking her head violently. Focus Aria. Now is not the time to think about him.

The apartment wasn’t far, but the weight of disappointment and fatigue pressed on her like a stone.

The city was still waking up. A few streetlights flickered, and the scent of wet asphalt from last night’s rain mixed with exhaust fumes from the early delivery trucks.

She imagined her mother slumped on the couch, waiting for her return. The thought brought a bit of relief, knowing that through it all, they still had each other.

Around the next bend, she caught sight of her building. Relief struck briefly but it was fleeting. Her stomach twisted. Something was wrong. The front door was slightly ajar, swinging gently with a creak that made her blood run cold. Her mind conjured every nightmare at once.

Aria didn’t hesitate. She bolted up the narrow stairwell, feet slapping against the worn concrete. Every step she took felt amplified, echoing into the empty building like a warning. Her keys rattled as she fumbled to unlock the apartment door, the lock catching in her trembling hands.

Finally inside, she froze.

The apartment was quiet. Too quiet. There was no faint cough, no rustle of blankets, or small, comforting sound that said Elise was nearby.

The living room was as it had been the night before, dimly lit, scattered with the marks of their life, but now devoid of any person.

A cold dread settled over her. Her chest tightened, lungs burning as panic surged. Aria’s hands shook as she pressed against the doorframe, trying to catch her breath. Her mother wasn’t here.

A jolt of panic hit her. She’d left her alone. Was she ok? Did something happen?

And then she noticed the note.

Her fingers trembled as she reached for the small table by the door. A note sat there, stark against the clutter of keys and bills. Her name was scrawled across it in hurried handwriting she didn’t recognize.

Hands shaking, she picked it up. The note inside was short, but enough to send her world spinning.

“Elise Brooks was rushed to St. Michael’s Hospital last night. She is stable for now. – Nurse on Duty”

She backed away, almost tripping over her bag. The apartment blurred around her. The pale gray light from the morning window turned everything cold and unreal.

Memories of last night, the club, the men, Roman flickered through her mind, but they all felt distant and insignificant compared to the thought of her mother lying in a hospital bed, alone.

Aria grabbed her phone from the counter, hands shaking violently. She dialed the hospital number, her voice breaking as she asked for details.

“Is… is Elise Brooks there? Please, can you tell me anything?”

The nurse’s calm tone did little to steady her panic. “Yes, she’s here. She was admitted late last night with a severe episode. She’s being monitored closely, but I must warn you, the condition requires immediate attention and continuous treatment.”

Aria felt her stomach drop, as if she had been punched. Continuous treatment. Expensive treatment. Treatment she wasn’t sure she could pay for.

“I… I’ll be there right away,” she whispered, voice cracking. She hung up before the nurse could respond.

Every flight of stairs she descended felt endless. The city streets, which had seemed so empty moments ago, now felt oppressively crowded with danger. Cars honked, the early morning deliveries clattered over the pavements, and a stray dog barked somewhere nearby—but nothing registered.

Aria’s mind was entirely focused on one thing: reaching her mother.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roman leaned against the polished bar of the Sapphire Club, eyes scanning the now-quiet lounge. The girl, the one who had slipped past him last night, was gone.

“Show me the footage,” he said sharply to the nearest security officer.

The monitors flickered to life, replaying the chaos from hours ago. Two men had pursued her, their intentions clear. And yet, she had vanished before they could reach her.

Roman’s jaw tightened, his gray eyes hardening like steel. Cold anger settled in his chest, a controlled fury that could chill even the most reckless.

“Who is she?” he demanded. No one answered. He didn’t know her name, but that didn’t matter. He would find her.

“Victor,” he said, turning toward his assistant. “I want every angle, every exit, every record. Find her. Bring her to me.”

Victor nodded, accustomed to Roman’s exacting command. “Understood.”

Roman’s gaze drifted back to the empty lounge, the amber lights casting long shadows. Power radiated from him, not in motion, but in presence. In that moment, the world bent to his will, and nothing not even the entire city, could stop him from finding her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She ran the last block, ignoring the ache in her legs and the sting in her lungs. The hospital loomed ahead, white and sterile against the pale dawn. Its windows glowed softly with early light, the hum of machines and the distant chatter of nurses filtering into the crisp morning air.

She burst through the sliding doors, nearly colliding with the receptionist.

“Elise Brooks! She- She’s my mum. Where is she?” she demanded, voice rising despite herself.

The receptionist’s expression softened. “Room 214. She’s stable, but was brought in critical condition. Please, follow me.”

Aria’s stomach dropped, the words barely registering. Critical. Critical.

Aria’s legs carried her faster than she thought possible. The corridor stretched long and sterile, lights humming overhead, machines beeping in the distance. Each step was punctuated by the fear gnawing at her insides.

Finally, she reached the room.

Machines beeped softly, each sound slicing through her chest like knives. Her mother lay on the hospital bed, pale under the harsh white lights, hooked to monitors and IVs. The thin hospital gown did nothing to hide her frail form. Tubes ran from her arms, a mask over her face, making her look almost unrecognizable.

Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, but Aria could barely breathe.

“Mom…” She choked. stumbling toward the bed, knees threatening to buckle. Her hands hovered, unable to touch her mother, as if the contact might shatter her fragile form.

“Mom, I’m here! I’m here!”

Elise’s eyes fluttered open weakly, and a small, pained smile curved her lips. “Aria… you came.”

Aria grasped her mother’s hand, clutching it like it was the only thing keeping her tethered to reality. Tears streamed down her face, unchecked. “I’m here, Mom. I won’t leave you. I promise, I’ll make this right. I’ll… I’ll figure it out.”

Her mother’s hand squeezed hers faintly. “It’s okay, I’m fine.” This was all she could say, before drifting into a state of unconsciousness.

She had escaped one danger only to be thrust into another, far more terrifying. The thought of the treatment costs, the hospital bills, and the continued care made her feel small and powerless.

The tears came then, hot and unrelenting. They slid down her cheeks as she sank to the floor beside the bed, hugging her knees. The feeling of helplessness suffocating.

“I… I should have been here,” Aria whispered through choked sobs. “I should have been here…”

“What am I going to do”

She pressed her forehead to the cold floor, feeling the weight of everything she’d been carrying, the late nights at the café, the Club, the fear, it all crashed down at once. She no longer had the will to pretend to be strong, she was just that, a terrified girl watching the only person she loved slip through her fingers.

Aria pressed her palms to her face, taking in ragged breaths. The machines beeped steadily, and for a fleeting second, she imagined she could let herself collapse completely. Reality sinking in that her mother’s life depended on her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suddenly, the soft click of the door opening drew her attention. A man in a dark suit stepped into the room quietly. He paused at the threshold, eyes scanning her figure before settling on her mother.

“Aria Brooks?” he asked, voice low but commanding.

Aria’s breath hitched. “Yes… Who are you?”

“I'm here to help”

Her eyes narrowed. “And you are?” Her patience running thinner by the second.

“I work for Mr. Knight, you met at the club last night.”

Aria’s pulse quickened.“I don’t… I don’t know what you mean,” she said, voice tight.

“As I said, I work for Mr. Knight and he’s willing to cover her medical fees, on a simple condition. If you agree, everything will be handled immediately”

At this moment, Aria looked at him, the same impeccable hair, and sharp suit, much like the men she’d seen the night before in the club.

“I said I don’t know what you are talking about, please leave”

“If you change your mind, you can reach me at this number” with that he left a card, white with gold writing on the only table, before leaving.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aria sat outside the hospital room, exhausted. Her eyes lingering in the hospital room door.

She thought of her mother, lying vulnerable and fragile, and then back to the man.

Everything in her screamed caution, every instinct warning her against strangers with promises. But the reality was brutal: Elise’s life depended on resources she didn’t have.

And in that moment, the weight of responsibility settled fully on her shoulders.

Whatever deal she would have to make, it would be for the best, if only to keep her alive.

After much thought, she came to a conclusion. I’ll do anything to save her.

With that, she stood up, picked up the card, and made a call.