เข้าสู่ระบบRyan’s POVThe car hummed low on the road as the city lights faded behind us. I was behind the wheel, but my mind wasn’t on the road so much as it was still replaying every moment from the cemetery earlier. Ava sat beside me, scrolling through her phone.We had just dropped Grandfather at home, and now it was just the two of us in the car again.For a moment there, I honestly didn’t know what to think.At the Kian's house… then at the cemetery… when those officers told us they found a body?I’d felt something like panic rising inside me.What if… what if it was Aria?Even though I was the one who made sure she was locked up in a house far away from the city, even though I’d arranged every detail with precision, my brain still twisted in confusion for a moment. Had she escaped? Had something gone wrong?It was a strange, sick kind of fear — the kind that creeps up on you when things don’t go exactly as planned.But once we realized it wasn’t her?Oh, that relief…Ava broke the silence
Aria’s POVThe room was dim, the only source of light a small bulb in the ceiling that flickered once in a while like it could go out any second. The air felt thick, damp and heavy. I’d gotten used to the smell—sort of. A strange mix of old dust, something moldy, and faint traces of cigarette smoke. I didn’t know how long I had been here. Days? A week? Time didn’t feel real anymore. The windows were locked tight with heavy bars, and the door hadn’t opened unless someone was bringing me food or water.I sat curled up on the cold mattress in the corner, arms wrapped around my knees, staring at the blank wall. My head throbbed slightly from lack of sleep, or maybe it was stress. Or fear. Or hunger. I didn’t even know anymore.Ever since that night—the night I stupidly went to meet that man—I had been locked in here. They’d forced me into the back of a car, masked and silent, like they’d been waiting for me. I’d screamed and fought. But it didn’t matter. They brought me to this quiet hous
Kian's POVThe moment the officer said I had to come and confirm if it was Aria’s body, my knees buckled.I staggered backward and nearly crashed to the ground, only managing to grab the edge of the table nearby to keep myself from collapsing. My entire body went cold. My hands were shaking, sweat dripped down my temples, and my heart was slamming so hard in my chest it felt like it was trying to break out.No. No, no, no.My mind was spiraling. I could barely hear anything around me. Just a dull ringing in my ears and the echo of those words. A body… pregnant… matched her description…It’s a lie. It has to be.Aria can’t be dead. She wouldn’t leave me like this. Not my Aria. No—never."Are you sure it’s her?" my grandfather’s voice cut through the fog in my head. He sounded shaken, something I rarely ever heard from him.One of the officers stepped forward. “We can’t say for sure yet, sir. But the victim fits the description Mr. Kian gave. That’s why we need him to come and identify
Kian's POVI dropped the glass in my hand with a dull clink. My fingers twitched, my head heavy and spinning. I tried to stand, but the dizziness hit like a wave, and my knees buckled. Ava caught me. “Kian!” she gasped, grabbing my arm.I yanked away from her touch like it burned. I didn’t want her pity. I didn’t want anything.Dragging myself forward, I made it to the living room, my legs barely cooperating. Ava trailed behind like a shadow I couldn’t shake. And there they were. My grandfather sat stiff and proper on the chair, his hands clasped in front of him. Ryan leaned lazily against the wall, eyes already gleaming with mockery.I sank into the couch before I collapsed. Every bone in my body ached.“You’re here,” Grandfather said quietly.Ryan's eyes swept over me from head to toe, and then just like that he burst into a loud, mocking laugh that scraped at my nerves like nails on glass.He walked around me, slow, deliberate, like a predator circling its wounded prey.“Damn, Ki
Kian's POVI jerked awake, the stiffness in my neck reminding me I had dozed off in the car. My eyes flew to the dashboard clock—7:03 AM.“Shit…” I muttered, rubbing my hands over my face. How the hell did I sleep off?I quickly reached for my phone—no missed calls. No messages. Nothing from Aria. My heart sank.“Maybe… maybe she went home.” I muttered, trying to hold onto the hope. “Please let her be home.”I stepped on the gas, racing through the almost empty streets, not caring about speed limits or the stares from other drivers. I needed to see her. I needed to know she was okay.I burst into the mansion, startling the maids who were just beginning their morning duties.I didn’t greet anyone. I stormed up the stairs, heart thudding, lungs tight. I swung her door open. It was empty.“Aria?” I called, my voice already strained. No answer. I checked the bathroom. Her balcony. Even her closet. Her scent was still lingering but she wasn’t there.I rushed back downstairs, almost trippi
Kian’s POVI didn’t even wait to knock.My heart was pounding violently in my chest, rage clawing at my throat as I stormed up to Ryan’s door. I twisted the knob and shoved it open with a loud crash.The music stopped.Ryan and Ava froze mid-laughter, a glass of wine in Ryan’s hand and Ava swaying lazily to the rhythm. They both turned, startled. But what hit me first, and what made my stomach twist was the sight of Ava. At Ryan’s house?What the hell was she doing here?They looked so damn cozy, like they were celebrating something. Drinks on the table. Empty glasses. Music still echoing faintly from the speaker. Ava was barefoot, curled on the couch. Ryan’s shirt was halfway unbuttoned.It didn’t matter. I didn’t come here to solve their twisted reunion.I stormed in, fists clenched.Ryan shot up from his seat. “Kian? What the hell are you doing here?! Why the hell would you barge into my mansion like you fucking own it?”His words didn't even move me. I closed the distance in secon







