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CHAPTER THREE — THE TRAP
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2026-01-31 18:40:55So Lucien didn't trust her either. Smart man.
"That's fine," I said.
Twenty minutes later, the elevator doors opened and Lydia swept in like she owned the place.
She was stunning as always, designer dress, perfect hair and flawless makeup. The kind of beauty that came from having endless time and money to maintain it.
She rushed toward me, her arms outstretched.
"Aria! Oh my God, I was so worried!"
She wrapped me in a hug as I forced myself not to stiffen.
"I'm fine," I said, pulling back reluctantly. "Really."
Lydia's eyes went to my bandaged wrists as I saw something flash across her face. It was a flicker of satisfaction, quickly hidden behind concern.
"Fine? You tried to kill yourself!"
"I didn't try to kill myself," I said carefully, injecting just the right amount of weariness into my voice. "I just... I had a moment of weakness. I'm so tired, Lydia. So tired of all of this."
Perfect! Let her think I'm still broken and still desperate.
"I know, sweetheart. I know." Lydia grabbed my hands, her grip just a little too tight. "That's why you need to get out of here. Away from him."
"It's not that simple," I said, playing my part. "You know it's not. His security is everywhere, I can't just leave."
"That's why Ethan and I have been planning something." Lydia's eyes gleamed with barely concealed excitement. "We can get you out, Aria. But we need your help."
Here it comes, I thought. The trap.
"What kind of help?"
"There are some papers. Legal documents that would give Ethan power of attorney over your affairs. Just temporarily," she added quickly, seeing my hesitation. "Just until we can get you away from Lucien safely. That way, Lucien can't freeze your accounts or cut you off financially when you leave."
My stomach turned.
In my previous timeline, I'd signed those papers, signing away everything.
"I don't know, Lydia. That sounds risky."
"Risky? What's risky is staying here with a man who's clearly unstable! He has isolated you, Aria. He is clearly controlling you. Last night you were so desperate that you had to hurt yourself!" She squeezed my hands tighter. "Please. Trust me and trust Ethan. We only want to help you."
I let doubt and fear show on my face. "Can I think about it?"
Lydia's expression tightened with frustration, but she still forced a smile. "Of course. Of course you can think about it. But don't take too long, okay? Ethan is waiting. He wants to see you so badly."
"I know," I said softly. "Tell him... tell him I miss him too."
The lie tasted bitter on my tongue, Lydia's face lit up instantly.
"Really? Oh, Aria, that makes him so happy. He's been planning something special for you. A surprise." She leaned closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "He wants to take you away, just for a weekend. Somewhere Lucien can't find you, somewhere you can finally be free."
Somewhere they could finish what they started, I thought coldly.
"That sounds wonderful," I said, letting hope creep into my voice. "But how? Lucien watches me constantly."
"Leave that to us," Lydia said confidently. "Just be ready. And in the meantime, think about those papers, okay? It's really important."
She stood up, smoothing her dress as I caught the subtle calculation in her eyes as she happily thought she was winning.
"I should go," she said. "But I'll text you later. And Aria?" She touched my cheek with false tenderness. "Everything will be okay, I promise. You'll be with Ethan soon, and all of this will just be a bad memory."
The elevator doors closed on her satisfied smile.
I stood there, my hands clenched into fists.
Soon after, Marcus appeared in the doorway. "Mrs. Blackwood?"
"I'm fine," I said. "Is Lucien monitoring the apartment?"
Marcus hesitated, then nodded. "Audio only. He'll review the recording when he returns."
“He would think I'm playing him… again.“ I thought as I sighed heavily.
My phone buzzed.
Lydia: I'm so glad you're finally seeing reason! Ethan is thrilled. He says he loves you and can't wait to see you. I'll send you the papers tomorrow. Just sign them and we can start planning your escape!
I stared at the message, then typed a response.
Me: Okay. I'll look at them. Thank you for being such a good friend, Lydia.
Another message came through, this time, it was from Ethan.
Ethan: Lydia told me the good news. I knew you'd come around, beautiful. I've been patient, but it's been killing me being apart from you. Soon, very soon, you'll be mine, where you belong.
The possessiveness in his message would have thrilled me once, but now it just made me sick.
But I needed to keep up the act.
Me: I've missed you too. I'm sorry for making you wait.
Ethan: You're worth the wait. But don't make me wait much longer, Aria. My patience has limits.
And there it was, the subtle threat underneath the romance.
I set down my phone and went to the window, looking out at the city.
Seven months. I had seven months to turn the tables on them and seven months to somehow earn back Lucien's trust.
Though after he heard today's recording, I know that trust would be even more shattered.
The front door opened and my heart leaped involuntarily.
Lucien was back earlier than expected.
He strode into the living room as I gasped at his impeccable physique accentuated by his long legs. But there was something darker in his expression now.
Marcus approached him immediately, speaking in low tones.
Instantly, I saw Lucien's jaw clench as his hands curled into fists at his sides.
Then he started moving toward me with that predatory grace as I shivered at the fury laced in his grey eyes.
"To my office," he said, his voice deadly calm. "Now!"
I followed him, my heart pounding hard.
As soon as we entered the office, he stop abruptly in his track and turned to face me making me hit his sturdy and firm chest with my little face.
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FORCED TO WED THE BILLIONAIRE CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX — THE MATRIARCH'S SUBTLE REGRET
Aria's POVThe morning sun filtered through the high-performance glass of the medical wing, turning the sterile room into a soft, hazy gold color. Lucien was still asleep, his breathing deep and even for the first time in hours. I hadn't moved from his side. My head was rested on the edge of his mattress, my hand still tucked firmly in his.The quietness was shattered by the sound of heavy, rhythmic footsteps in the hallway. These weren't the silent, tactical steps of Chen or Marcus. They were deliberate and commanding.The door slid open, and Helena Blackwood stepped inside.She wasn't wearing her usual structured boardroom armor. Instead, she wore a simple black silk wrap, her silver ha
FORCED TO WED THE BILLIONAIRE CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE — A LOVE MEAL
Aria's POVI sat by Lucien’s bed for hours, my hand locked in his. The nurse’s words looped in my mind, Genetic. Chronic stress. Alcohol. I looked at his pale face. This man, who moved mountains to keep me in a gilded cage, was crumbling from the inside out. Every time I had fought him, every time I had looked at him with cold suspicion, I had been pushing him closer to this bed. The guilt was like a heavy weight in my chest, heavier than the wooden box still tucked in my jacket.I didn't want to ask about Vane anymore. I didn't care about the boy on the beach or the "J" on the compass. Not right now. I just wanted the man in front of me to breathe without a machine.Around 4:00 A&z
FORCED TO WED THE BILLIONAIRE CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR — UNFORSEEN DISCOVERY
Aria's POVI stood outside the glass doors of the private medical suite, watching the rhythmic rise and fall of Lucien’s chest. He looked fragile, pinned to the bed by plastic tubes and glowing wires. The high-tech hum of the monitors felt like a countdown I couldn't stop.Marcus stood by the door, his arms crossed over his chest. His suit jacket was off, his shirtsleeves were rolled up, and his eyes were bloodshot. He looked like a man who had been at war for forty-eight hours straight."He’s stable," Marcus said, though his voice lacked its usual iron. "But the doctors say the next few hours are critical. The strain on his heart was too much."I turned to him, the wooden box with the silver compasses still heavy in my pocket. "Marcus, talk to me. What really happened? You said it was the mission, but I saw the scars. That wasn't just shrapnel. That looked like a lifetime of trauma."Marcus tightened his jaw. He looked at
FORCED TO WED THE BILLIONAIRE CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE — THE UNEXPECTED COLLAPSE
Aria's POVLucien was still standing by the darkened television, his silhouette cast in jagged red by the emergency lights. He looked like a king standing amidst the ruins of his palace. His chest was heaving, his hand still white-knuckled around the grip of his gun."Lucien?" I stopped in my tracks as I called out.My voice was cold, filtered through the new layer of distrust I felt. I still had the wooden box tucked behind my back, the silver compasses biting into my palm. I wanted to scream at him. I wanted to demand the name of the boy in the photo.But Lucien didn’t turn around.He stayed frozen, staring at the black screen where Vane’s face had been moments ago. Then, a strange sound came from him, a harsh, wet wheeze that sounded like air being forced through a crushed pipe.His gun slipped from his hand. It hit the thick carpet with a dull thud."Lucien!"My suspicion vanished, replaced by the sharp, electric jolt of my
FORCED TO WED THE BILLIONAIRE CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO — STRANGER
Aria's POVThe library was too cold. The air felt thin and clinical, like everything else in the high-tech prison Lucien called a home. I stood against the mahogany shelves, my fingers tightening around the small wooden box. Inside, the silver compasses clinked. The sound was soft, but in the dead silence, it sounded like a warning.I turned the bent compass over and I felt the tiny, jagged engraving on the back.J & A.The letters were old and faded. A was for Aria. That was me. But the J was like a hole in my life. My mind searched for a name, a face, or a voice but I found nothing. The amnesia was a solid wall, cold and unyielding.Lucien had told me I was alone. When I woke up in that hospital bed, he was the only thing I had. He told me my parents were dead. He said I had no siblings. He said he was the only anchor I had left in a dangerous world.Liar.The thought didn't come from my brain. It came from my
FORCED TO WED THE BILLIONAIRE CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE — THE SHADOW AT THE DOOR
Aria's POVThe silence following my question was more than just an absence of sound, it was a physical weight. Lucien’s hand, usually an immovable anchor of strength, was trembling against my waist. The "Dark Lord" who had just dismantled a boardroom full of predators looked like he was staring at his own executioner."Lucien," I repeated, my voice dropping to a whisper as I searched his face. "Who is Vane? Why are you reacting like this?"He didn't answer. He couldn't. He looked at Marcus, a silent command passing between them that I couldn't decipher. Without a word, Lucien hauled me toward the private elevator, his stride frantic and disjointed.As the doors hissed shut, plunging us into the high-speed descent, Lucien finally turned to me. His eyes were no longer silver, they had darkened to something terrifyingly black."Vane is a ghost I thought I had buried, Aria," he rasped, his voice sounding like grinding stones. "
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