Chapter 3

“And I did it again. I told you, Aiden, you’re going to Founder’s Night with me whether you like it or not,” Mitz said in a low voice as we combed through racks of outfits inside the boutique. She had already ratted me out to Mom about the event, and of course, she was quick to push me to attend. Even after I tried convincing her I didn’t want to, she reminded me how I had skipped every big event during high school including the graduation ball.

“If Mom would only give me the choice, I’d still stay home,” I muttered, stopping in front of a slim-cut gray suit with a low V-neck vest and clean lines that hugged the shoulders perfectly. The moment I spotted the price tag, I frowned. “This is the most affordable one here, and it’s still expensive enough to completely drain our savings…”

“Don’t even look at the tags. Pick what you actually want,” Mom called from the opposite side of the rack, her warm but firm smile making me feel guilty.

“I can just borrow something from Mitz's brother,” I said quickly. “He won’t mind.” I glanced at Mitz, who grinned and flashed two enthusiastic thumbs up. “See?”

Mom shook her head. “The last time you bought any clothing for yourself was your first year in college. You’re in your third year now, Aiden. You’ve earned this,” she said, her voice softening. “Think of this as a reward for working so hard and keeping your grades high.”

“If you’re still worrying about shoes, stop,” Mitz cut in, slinging an arm around my shoulder. “Pick any pair you want. I’ll pay.”

“Mitz…”

She just grinned and shushed me with a finger. “Don’t argue. Your dad would’ve wanted to see you at events like this,” she said quietly. “And honestly, I want to see you there too. You’ve got no idea how unfairly good-looking you are. It’s time people noticed.”

I rolled my eyes at her choice of words, though I couldn’t help but chuckle. Mom and I thanked her for her generosity.

Mom excused herself shortly after, telling us to finalize our choices while she stepped outside. Mitz and I split up to browse separately so we could save time. Eventually, I decided on a deep red, off-shoulder suit jacket embroidered with roses creeping up the collar and lapels. It was dramatic without being over the top. I paired it with a cream-toned dress shirt and low-heeled shoes in a matching tone with delicate floral details that made the whole thing feel complete.

When I finally tracked Mitz down, she was at the counter chatting with a sales assistant. I hung back, not wanting to interrupt, but as soon as she turned and saw me, her face lit up with a grin so wide it looked like her cheeks might burst.

“Guess what,” she said, nearly bouncing. “We don’t even have to pay for your outfit anymore.”

My jaw practically hit the floor. “What? How?”

“The owner of the boutique apparently told the staff that you could take whatever you wanted free of charge,” she explained, brimming with excitement. “How lucky are you?”

“No,” I said firmly, shaking my head. “We don’t even know who owns this place, Mitz. We can’t just accept stuff from total strangers. There’s always a catch. This… it’s not right.”

She paused, considering my words, then slowly nodded. “Okay… yeah, I guess it’s a little suspicious.”

I let out a breath, relieved. But when we tried to pay, the cashier politely refused my card.

“Sir, everything you selected is complimentary,” she said gently. “We were given clear instructions not to charge you.”

I frowned. “Can you at least tell me who owns this place? Maybe I know them.”

The staff exchanged nervous glances before one of them finally answered. “The boutique is co-owned. One of the owners is Maris Drayke. The other owner prefers to remain anonymous.”

The name didn’t sound familiar at all. I nodded slowly. “Alright. Please just thank them for me.”

Mitz was still buzzing as we left the boutique, muttering that this was the first time anything like this had ever happened to him. His curiosity about the anonymous owner even led us to do a quick online search, but we found nothing. Whoever it was clearly didn’t want to be known.

When we met up with Mom again, her face instantly sent alarm bells ringing in my head. She was pale, trembling so badly she could barely keep her bag from slipping out of her grip.

“Mom?” I rushed to her side. “What’s wrong?”

Her wide eyes met mine, full of fear. “T-They’re here,” she whispered.

A chill shot down my spine. “Who’s here?”

“The people who… killed your father,” she said, her voice barely audible.

My blood went cold. My heart pounded erratically, deafening in my ears.

Killed? My father was killed?

The ride home felt like a blur. I stared out the window at the empty streets, my reflection looking back at me hollow and unrecognizable, while Mom sat rigidly beside me, saying nothing. I bit down on my lip hard enough to taste blood just to keep from breaking. The tears came anyway, silently burning my eyes.

I never got the chance to know him. And now… I had to face the truth that he didn’t just die, he was murdered. The thought ripped something apart inside me. It felt like I was trapped behind a pane of fogged-up glass, watching the rest of the world move on without me.

Why? Who would want him dead?

Mitz parked in front of the house and gave me a careful look. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” she asked softly.

I forced the smallest nod. “Thanks for today,” I murmured.

“If you and your mom need anything… you know I’m just a call away, right?” she said gently.

I waited until she drove off before going inside. Mom was already seated at the dining table, her hands wrapped tightly around a glass of water as if it could anchor her. I sat across from her, my voice firm but quiet.

“Mom,” I said. “I know you don’t like talking about Dad, but I can’t stay in the dark anymore. Please… I need to know the truth.”

She slowly lifted her gaze to me, her expression fractured. “Your father… was killed because of forbidden love,” she whispered.

I froze. “W-What?”

As she began unraveling the story she’d been hiding for years, I just sat there, unable to move. The tears rolled freely, my body numb, as I realized that whatever life I thought I had left was about to change forever.