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8:10 A.M. — Cross MansionMorning sunlight slipped through the curtains of the master bedroom.Aria slowly opened her eyes.For a few seconds, she remained still, staring at the ceiling.Then memories from the previous night came rushing back.Damian.The dinner.His arms around her.The way she had cried when she saw him walk through the front door.She suddenly sat up.Her heart squeezed.“Nothing happened to him…”She pressed both hands against her face.“God… He was alright.”A shaky laugh escaped her.All night, she had convinced herself that Damian was dead.She had imagined ambulances.Hospitals.Police.His lifeless body.And yet, he had come home perfectly fine.Aria lowered her hands.“Then what did Selene give me?”Her eyes fell on the nightstand.She could still remember the small plastic container Selene had forced into her hand.The white substance.The threat.Put it in Damian's food.Aria's stomach twisted.She had believed she was carrying poison.But if Damian was al
Aria sat on the edge of the bed in the master suite, phone clutched tightly in both hands. The soft glow of the bedside lamp was the only light in the room. Outside, the evening sky had already deepened into indigo.She had been waiting for hours.Waiting for a call. Waiting for any sign that Damian was all right.Her mind kept spinning the same terrible loop."Should I call Lucas and tell him I’ve completed the mission?" "No… no. Not yet." "I’m sure Damian has already been taken to the hospital." God, what have I done?The words slipped out under her breath again and again, a broken mantra. Her fingers trembled so badly she almost dropped the phone.Then it rang.The name on the screen made her pulse spike.""Ethan Cole.""She answered on the first ring.“Hello?”“Where have you been?” Aria’s voice came out sharper than she intended. “Your number hasn’t been going through. I’ve been trying—”“Mr. Richard has been monitoring my movements, dear,” Ethan replied, his tone low and
Hours later, after she had cried until there were no tears left, Aria finally decided to go home.By the time she drove into the Cross Mansion, her body felt completely drained.She remained inside the car for several seconds, staring blankly through the windshield.She didn't want to move.She didn't want to think.She didn't even want to feel.But eventually, she forced herself to open the door.Her legs felt weak as she stepped out of the car. She steadied herself against the vehicle for a moment before slowly making her way inside.The moment she entered the mansion, she noticed something strange.It was quiet.Too quiet.Aria frowned slightly.Then she heard a familiar voice."Aria?"She looked up.Grandma Eleanor was sitting in the living room, calmly reading a magazine.For a second, Aria simply stood there.Seeing Grandma made something inside her ache."Grandma..." she managed to say.Eleanor immediately lowered the magazine."My goodness, where have you been?"Aria forced a
8:15 A.M. — Cross MansionMorning sunlight streamed through the large windows of the Cross Mansion, filling the dining room with a warm golden glow.Aria stood quietly in the kitchen, staring down at the plate in front of her.Mashed potatoes.It looked completely ordinary.That was what made her stomach twist.Her fingers tightened around the edge of the counter.For several seconds, she simply stared at it.She could still hear Selene's voice in her head.Don't forget your task.Aria swallowed hard.She didn't want to do this.She didn't want to hurt Damian.But the recording...The threats...Prison...Everything was closing in around her.She slowly carried the plate to the dining table.Damian was already seated, scrolling through his phone.He looked up when she approached.“You made breakfast?”Aria forced a smile.“Yes.”Damian smiled back.“You didn't have to.”“I wanted to.”She placed the plate in front of him.Mashed potatoes with a few other sides arranged neatly beside i
11:15 A.M. – Still At Walter Group HeadquartersThe room fell silent.Aria looked at Lucas, her eyes fixed on the phone in Selene's hand.Her heart sank."Yo... you recorded our conversation?"Her voice trembled."How could you?"Lucas immediately shook his head."No."He pointed toward Selene."She did."Selene smiled proudly."Well, Aria...""You are not the only one who wants revenge."She let out a quiet laugh."I want revenge too."Aria stared at her."What are you talking about?"Selene stepped closer."I've been waiting for this moment for a long time."She folded her arms across her chest."And now...""I finally have something that can destroy you."Aria's expression changed."What do you want?"Selene smiled."Simple.""You do exactly what I tell you."Aria looked at Lucas."Is this your idea?"Lucas raised both hands."Don't look at me.""This is Selene's game."Selene laughed."Exactly."She reached into her handbag.For a moment, Aria didn't understand what she was doing.
10:15 A.M. – Federal Investigation OfficeRichard Carter sat across from the investigators with his back straight and his expression carefully composed.He looked nothing like a man who had been arrested the night before.His shirt was perfectly pressed.His silver watch rested neatly against his wrist.Even his hair was carefully combed.He looked calm.Untouchable.As though the room belonged to him.Across the table, two federal investigators sat with a thick file between them.One of them slowly opened it."Mr. Carter, let's begin with something simple."Richard leaned back."Go ahead.""How did Carter Group come into existence?"Richard didn't hesitate."I built it."The investigator raised an eyebrow."Built it?""Yes.""From what?""Capital. Business connections. Investments.""And where did that capital come from?"Richard's expression hardened slightly."My personal investments.""Your personal investments?""Yes."The investigator flipped through several documents."That's i
Selene barely slept. By morning, her nerves were frayed so thin they could snap. She dabbed extra concealer under her eyes, squared her shoulders, and marched into Damian’s office with a smile that looked like it had been glued on by a rookie makeup artist.“Good morning, babe,” she said, voice sof
The next morning, Damian paused outside Aria’s door, hand lifted, knuckles stiff. One breath.Two.Then he knocked.From inside, her voice floated out—calm, distant.“Come in.”He stepped inside… and she turned, surprise flickering just once before her walls snapped back up.“Long time, Miss Carter
Selene shut her bedroom door, locked it, and pressed her back to it.Her heart was thumping like a drum about to burst.“Gosh… what is all this?” she muttered, running a shaky hand through her hair.“No, no, no. This isn’t happening. It can’t be happening.”She grabbed her phone immediately and dia
Selene paced the room like a restless cat, phone in hand, nails tapping furiously against the screen.Ring… ring… ring…Voicemail. Again.“Damian, pick up your phone!” she snapped at the device.She sent the tenth message. And the eleventh. And the twelfth.By the fifteenth attempt, she was breathi







