The Door Behind the Wall

“Riva.”

Her father's voice came through the wall again.

“It's time you came home.”

Riva couldn't move.

She had spent eleven years imagining this moment.

In some versions, her father appeared at the front door.

In others, she found him sick and broken in some distant hospital.

Sometimes she imagined him walking toward her with tears in his eyes.

Sometimes she imagined herself screaming at him.

Asking why he had abandoned them.

Why he had let her mother die believing she was alone.

Why he had allowed Riva to grow up believing she had lost both parents in the same year.

She had never imagined this.

A voice behind a wall.

A hidden room filled with photographs of her.

Ares stood beside her, weapon raised.

“Who are you?”

The voice laughed softly.

“You know exactly who I am.”

Riva's lips trembled.

“Dad?”

Silence.

Then—

“Yes.”

Her knees almost gave way.

Ares caught her elbow.

She barely noticed.

“Open the door.”

Her father's voice became quieter.

“No.”

Riva stared at the wall.

“Why?”

“Because if I open it, they will know.”

“Who?”

“The people who have been watching you.”

Ares stepped closer.

“Who has been watching her?”

Her father's voice hardened.

“You.”

Ares's jaw tightened.

“I've spent years protecting her.”

“And yet they found her.”

“Because of you.”

A silence followed.

Ares's expression changed.

Riva looked at him.

“What does that mean?”

He didn't answer.

Her father spoke again.

“Riva, listen to me carefully.”

She pressed her palm against the wall.

“I'm listening.”

“Do not trust anyone.”

She swallowed.

“Not even Ares?”

A long silence.

Then—

“Especially Ares.”

Ares's eyes narrowed.

Riva's heart sank.

“Why?”

“Because he doesn't know what he carries.”

Ares stepped toward the wall.

“What are you talking about?”

“Your father's sins.”

“My father is dead.”

“No.”

The answer was immediate.

Ares froze.

“What?”

“Your father is not dead.”

Riva stared at the wall.

Ares's voice became dangerously quiet.

“You're lying.”

“I wish I were.”

“Where is he?”

“Closer than you think.”

Ares took another step.

“Tell me.”

The wall remained silent.

Then Riva heard a faint clicking sound.

Something unlocked.

A narrow section of the wall opened inward.

Darkness waited behind it.

Ares immediately moved in front of Riva.

“Stay behind me.”

This time she obeyed.

They stepped through.

The passage was narrow.

Stone walls.

No windows.

Only small amber lights spaced along the ceiling.

The air smelled old.

Damp.

And faintly metallic.

Riva held the edge of Ares's jacket.

He looked down at her hand.

She didn't let go.

Neither did he comment.

They walked deeper.

After nearly thirty feet, the passage widened.

Ares stopped.

At the end stood a man.

Older.

Thinner.

His hair streaked with gray.

A beard covered the lower half of his face.

But his eyes—

Riva knew those eyes.

She had inherited them.

“Dad.”

Her voice broke.

The man looked at her.

For one terrible second, neither moved.

Then he whispered—

“Riva.”

She ran.

Ares reached for her.

“Wait—”

Too late.

Riva threw herself into her father's arms.

He caught her.

He was real.

Warm.

Alive.

She pressed her face against his chest and sobbed.

“You're alive.”

Her father closed his eyes.

“I know.”

“You're alive.”

“I know, sweetheart.”

“You let me think you were dead.”

His arms tightened.

“I had no choice.”

“You always had a choice!”

He flinched.

Riva pushed away from him.

“You let Mom die without you.”

Her father's face crumpled.

“I know.”

“You let me grow up alone.”

“I know.”

“You watched me?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“From a distance.”

She slapped him.

The sound echoed through the passage.

Her father didn't react.

Riva's hand shook.

“You don't get to say you protected me.”

“I don't.”

“You don't get to call yourself my father.”

“I don't.”

“Then why are you here?”

He looked at her.

“Because they're coming for you.”

Ares stepped between them.

“Who?”

Her father looked at him.

“You.”

Ares's expression hardened.

“You've said that already.”

“And you still haven't understood.”

“Then explain.”

Riva's father looked toward the passage.

“We don't have much time.”

“Then talk.”

He nodded.

“Your father and I made a deal.”

Ares stiffened.

“My father?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of deal?”

“The kind that destroys families.”

Riva frowned.

“Dad.”

Her father looked at her.

“Eleven years ago, your mother discovered what we had been involved in.”

“What were you involved in?”

“An organization.”

“Which one?”

“It's not an organization in the way you think.”

He swallowed.

“It was a network.”

“A network for what?”

“Debt.”

Riva's stomach twisted.

“People.”

Her father nodded.

“People who owed money. People who needed protection. People whose families had nowhere else to turn.”

Ares's voice was cold.

“And they bought those people.”

“Yes.”

Riva whispered, “You were part of it.”

Her father closed his eyes.

“Yes.”

She stepped backward.

“No.”

“I was.”

“You sold people?”

“No.”

“Then what did you do?”

“I created contracts.”

Ares stared at him.

“Contracts that turned debtors into property.”

Her father looked at him.

“Yes.”

Riva felt sick.

“But you said you tried to stop it.”

“I did.”

“After helping build it.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Her father looked at her.

“Because of you.”

Riva shook her head.

“Don't use me to justify this.”

“I'm not.”

His voice broke.

“I am telling you the truth.”

He looked toward Ares.

“Your father was the man who controlled the network.”

Ares didn't blink.

“My father.”

“Yes.”

“What was it called?”

Her father hesitated.

“The Covenant.”

Ares's expression changed.

Riva noticed.

“You know it.”

Ares looked at her.

“I've heard the name.”

“From your father?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“Because I thought it was dead.”

Her father laughed bitterly.

“It was never dead.”

Ares turned toward him.

“Then who controls it now?”

Her father didn't answer.

“Who?”

“Devraj.”

The name landed like a gunshot.

Riva's father looked at her.

“Your father and I tried to destroy him.”

“You said my father was part of it.”

“He was.”

“Then why would he try to destroy it?”

“Because he realized what Devraj wanted.”

“What?”

Her father's gaze dropped.

“You.”

Silence.

Riva's skin went cold.

“Why me?”

“Because you were born into the wrong family.”

Ares's voice was sharp.

“Explain.”

“Your father had a son.”

Ares frowned.

“What?”

“Before you.”

Ares went completely still.

“My father had another son?”

“Yes.”

“Where is he?”

“Dead.”

Riva's stomach dropped.

“Why?”

“Because he was the heir.”

Ares stared at him.

“And Devraj killed him?”

“No.”

Her father looked directly at Ares.

“Your father did.”

Ares didn't move.

Riva saw something break behind his eyes.

“No.”

“He killed his own son.”

“Why?”

“Because the boy refused the Covenant.”

Ares's breathing became heavier.

“My father never told me.”

“He wouldn't.”

“Why?”

“Because after his son died, he chose you.”

Ares's expression hardened.

“Chose me for what?”

“To inherit everything.”

Riva understood first.

“The Covenant.”

Her father nodded.

“Yes.”

Ares stared at him.

“My father wanted me to take over.”

“Yes.”

“And you stopped him.”

“I tried.”

“Then why did you arrange my marriage to Riva?”

Her father looked at Riva.

“Because I needed a way to keep her outside the Covenant.”

Ares's voice dropped.

“You used our marriage as protection.”

“Yes.”

“And the debt?”

Her father nodded.

“I created it.”

Riva's heart sank.

“You made me a debt.”

“I made you untouchable.”

“By making me someone's property?”

“I thought if I tied your name to the Malhotras, Devraj couldn't claim you.”

Ares looked at him.

“Until he realized I loved her.”

Her father went pale.

“Yes.”

Riva looked between them.

The note.

HE WILL FALL IN LOVE.

It finally made sense.

Someone had predicted Ares would love her.

And someone had built a plan around it.

Her father's face tightened.

“That was the one thing I couldn't control.”

Ares stepped toward him.

“What happened to Maya?”

Her father froze.

Riva looked at Ares.

The question hung between them.

“Maya?” her father repeated.

“Yes.”

“She wasn't your wife.”

Ares's eyes narrowed.

“Then who was she?”

“A decoy.”

Riva's heart raced.

“A decoy for what?”

Her father looked at her.

“For you.”

Ares's face darkened.

“Explain.”

“Devraj knew about Riva.”

“So he created another woman who looked enough like her?”

“No.”

Her father shook his head.

“Maya was the first girl they tried to use.”

Riva frowned.

“They?”

“The Covenant.”

Ares's expression hardened.

“She was chosen because she had the same birthmark.”

Riva froze.

Her hand instinctively moved toward her collarbone.

The small crescent-shaped mark she'd had since childhood.

Ares noticed.

“So Maya wasn't your wife.”

“No.”

“Then why was she wearing my ring?”

“Because they needed everyone to believe she was.”

Riva whispered, “What happened to her?”

Her father's eyes dropped.

“She escaped.”

Ares stared.

“She survived?”

“For a while.”

“Where is she?”

Her father looked at him.

“That's the problem.”

Ares's expression changed.

“She disappeared.”

“When?”

“Three days ago.”

Riva's stomach dropped.

Three days.

The same day the mysterious messages began.

Ares reached for his phone.

Nothing.

Then it rang.

Unknown number.

He answered.

No one spoke.

Ares's face changed.

A distorted voice whispered:

“You finally found him.”

Ares's eyes narrowed.

“Devraj.”

A laugh.

“No.”

A pause.

“Someone much closer.”

The call ended.

Riva's father suddenly grabbed her arm.

“Get down!”

A gunshot exploded.

The bullet tore through the wall where Riva's head had been.

Ares dragged her to the floor.

Another shot.

Then another.

The passage erupted in chaos.

“Stay down!”

Ares fired toward the corridor.

A figure ran.

Riva's father pushed open a hidden door.

“Go!”

“Dad—”

“NOW!”

Ares grabbed Riva and pulled her through.

They ran.

Behind them, footsteps thundered.

Riva looked back.

Her father remained in the passage.

“Ares!”

“I've got you.”

“He's still there!”

“We have to move.”

“He'll die!”

Ares stopped.

For one second, he looked at her.

Then he turned back.

Riva saw the decision in his eyes.

He ran toward her father.

“Ares!”

Gunfire erupted again.

Then silence.

Riva stood frozen.

“Ares?”

Nothing.

“Ares!”

She ran back.

The passage was empty.

Her father was gone.

Ares was gone.

Only blood remained on the floor.

Riva's breath stopped.

Then her phone vibrated.

One message.

You wanted your father.

Another.

Now you can have him.

A third appeared.

But if you want Ares back, come alone.

Riva stared at the screen.

Her blood went cold.

Because the final message contained a photograph.

Ares.

Kneeling.

Blood running from his mouth.

A gun pressed against his temple.

And behind him—

Her father.

Alive.

Terrified.

The final line appeared beneath the photograph.

Choose which man you are willing to lose.