Chapter 3

The next morning, I packed my final bag.

There wasn't much time left. I had to see Grandpa William one last time.

Pushing open the study door, I found the old Don handling family business.

He put down his papers when he saw me.

"Aria, what are you doing here so early?"

"You look terrible. Was last night's party too much for you?"

I walked toward him, forcing a smile.

"Grandpa, I came to say goodbye."

"In a couple of days, I'm going somewhere very far away."

Grandpa William's brow furrowed, his eyes filled with concern.

"Goodbye? Where are you going? Why so suddenly?"

"Did Grant do something again? You tell me, and I'll go have a word with him."

I shook my head and moved to his side. Grandpa took my hand. "But you'll come back, right?"

I hugged him. "Of course, I'll come back. Home is wherever you are."

The old Don patted my hand. "Remember, this will always be your home. I support you no matter where you go, but always remember the way back."

Tears threatened to fall, but I held them back.

After saying my goodbyes, I returned to my room to get my luggage.

The door flew open, kicked with enough force to crack the wooden frame.

"Aria! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

I stood there, confused.

"Grant, what are you talking about? I don't understand."

Grant sneered and began dragging me out of the room.

The commotion alerted Luca, the majordomo.

He approached cautiously. "Boss, where are you taking the young miss?"

A murderous look flashed in Grant's eyes. "Stay out of my way!"

Seeing Grant's fury, Luca had no choice but to step aside.

Grant shoved me roughly into an armored car. I pounded desperately on the window.

"Grant, where are you taking me!"

Grant gripped my shoulders, his face a stony mask.

The car sped off, heading toward one of the family's secret safe houses.

It was an old house in the suburbs with an ancient wine cellar in the basement.

"Get out!" Grant commanded coldly.

He pushed me inside the house.

The interior was dark and damp, filled with a musty smell.

"Look at what you've done!"

"You conspired with a rival family, planned Claire's kidnapping, and leaked the family's core secrets."

His eyes burned with rage, his voice low and dangerous.

"Now the entire underworld is laughing at us. Was this your goal?"

Claire approached, her face a mask of distress. She urged him in a trembling voice.

"Grant, that's enough. Maybe my sister had her reasons. Don't be so upset."

"I'm sure sister would never truly betray the family."

"I didn't do it, Grant," I shot back.

Grant refused to listen, the murderous look in his eyes deepening. "Enough! Your handwriting, your necklace, the evidence is all there. What else can you say?"

"You traitor. To think I once treated you like family."

That was it. I was reckless, I wasn't worthy, I was a traitor. It was all one-sided.

In Grant's heart, Claire was the loyal family member.

My own heart was already dead, so I stopped arguing.

"Say whatever you want."

As I turned to leave, Grant's hand clamped down on my wrist like a pair of pliers.

"Grant, what are you trying to do?"

I was exhausted and had no desire to continue this fight.

"What am I trying to do? First, I have some news for you." He turned to face me. "Our engagement is tomorrow."

Hearing the word "engagement" from Grant's own lips was like the gunshot at an execution.

"Engagement? Good."

I smiled. "Good. Congratulations, Boss, on finding a suitable match."

"But you will be locked in the wine cellar to reflect on what you've done until you confess."

At the words "wine cellar," my entire body began to shake.

It was the place I had feared most since childhood. Small, dark, and enclosed.

When I was six, I was kidnapped by a rival family and locked in a place just like it for three whole days.

When they rescued me, the first person I saw when I opened my eyes was Grant.

He had stayed up all night watching over me.

And now, he was going to personally send me back into that terrifying nightmare.

"No... don't..." I backed away, trembling.

"Grant, you know I'm claustrophobic. You can't do this to me."

"Please, lock me up anywhere else. Just not the wine cellar."

Claire's voice was laced with false pity. "Sister, it's the family rules."

"It'll just be for one night."

Several of his men grabbed my arms, twisted them behind my back, and roughly dragged me toward the gloomy cellar.

One of his Capos standing nearby spoke up.

"Boss, please, let Miss Aria go. She's been terrified of enclosed spaces since she was a child. Something could happen to her."

Grant's face was impassive. "Afraid?"

"She wasn't so afraid when she was plotting to kidnap Claire, was she?"

Claire's voice was soft. "Sister, just bear with it for a little while."

"I know you must have your reasons for doing all this, but there's nothing we can do. We have to give the family an explanation."

I grabbed the hem of Grant's pants, terrified and desperate.

"I really didn't kidnap Claire! And I didn't leak any family secrets, I swear!"

"Aria," Grant said coldly, prying my fingers from his clothes, "a traitor's word is worthless."

I collapsed to the floor, shaking uncontrollably.

The cellar was pitch black, with only a faint sliver of light coming from the top of the stairs.

I was surrounded by cold stone walls, the air thick with the smell of decay.

I curled up in a corner, breaking out in a cold sweat.

This was the last day of my second life.

I didn't want to die in this sunless place. I wanted to see my family.

"Please, just let me go to the cemetery to pay my respects to my mother and grandpa. After I get back, you can do whatever you want with me."

Grant remained cold and unmoved. "Impossible. You'll stay here quietly. After the engagement ceremony tomorrow, I'll consider letting you out."

"Grant!" I screamed, my voice cracking. "I don't have a tomorrow!"

Grant scoffed. "What, Aria? Planning to drop dead before then?"

My last shred of hope was gone.

I accepted my fate and stopped struggling.

Yes, I was really going to die.

The heavy iron door slowly swung shut, and darkness swallowed me whole.

I heard the key turn in the lock, followed by the fading sound of his footsteps.

The silence was absolute, broken only by my own ragged breathing echoing in the vast cellar.

I slumped onto the cold ground, feeling the last moments of my life tick away.

Maybe this was for the best. In this dark place, I could wait for death in peace.

I don't know how much time passed, but I could hear the sounds of celebration from far away.

It was the music and cheerful laughter of the guests at the engagement party.

And I couldn't stop coughing up blood. The metallic smell filled the cellar.

Minute by minute, I felt my life force draining away.

The pain in my chest grew sharper, and the blood I coughed up increased.

I closed my eyes, feeling my body grow lighter, my eyelids too heavy to lift.

This was it. The final moment had arrived. The last day the gods had granted me was over.

After the engagement ceremony, Grant finally remembered me.

He asked Luca coolly, "How is the traitor? Is she behaving?"

Luca wiped at a tear, his voice trembling. "Boss... Miss Aria won't be causing any more trouble. "

"We just found her... she's no longer breathing."