Chapter 10

Aria didn’t move when the second car door opened, she stayed exactly where she was with both hands still on the wheel and her eyes locked forward like she wasn’t reacting to anything at all even though everything in front of her had already changed in a way she couldn’t ignore, because this wasn’t part of what he said, this wasn’t part of what he controlled, and the fact that someone else just stepped into the same space without hesitation meant that whatever this situation was, it wasn’t as contained as he made it sound.

“Sebastian,” she said, her voice low but steady because she wasn’t about to let anything slip now, not when the person was already walking closer, not when the space around her had gone too quiet, not when the car behind her still hadn’t moved and the one in front was already becoming the bigger problem.

“I see them,” he replied, but there was a difference now, something small but clear enough for her to notice because the calm he had before wasn’t exactly the same, it was still controlled but not as certain, and that alone made everything feel sharper.

“That’s not yours,” she said, not looking away from the figure walking toward her because there was no need to confirm something she already knew.

“No,” he said, and that answer came too easily, too fast like he had already accepted it.

“Then say something useful,” she added because right now she didn’t need calm, she needed clarity.

“Stay in the car,” he said, and she almost pushed back again but this time she didn’t, not because she agreed but because stepping out now didn’t make sense, not when the person was already closing the distance without slowing, not when they were moving like they already knew exactly where they were going, her eyes shifted slightly without turning her head fully, just enough to track movement without making it obvious because the worst thing she could do right now was react too clearly and whoever this was, they were watching closely enough to notice it,

“They’re coming straight to me,” she said.

“I know,” he replied... but that didn’t help because if he knew then he should have known this part too.

“How,” she asked,.. that was the only question that mattered now.

I don’t know,” he said, and that was worse because it meant this wasn’t just something outside his control it was something he didn’t even expect, and for someone like him to not expect something like this meant this situation had already moved past what either of them planned.

The person got closer with no hesitation no checking surroundings no slowing down, just straight toward her car like it was the only thing in the structure that mattered and her grip tightened again not enough to show panic but enough to hold control in place because if she lost that now then everything else would follow.

“What do they want,” she asked.

“If I knew, we wouldn’t be here,” he replied, and that wasn’t wrong but it wasn’t helpful either.

The person stopped a few steps away from her car, not too close, not too far, just enough to be seen clearly through the windshield, a man mid thirties maybe with a calm face no rush no fear and that was what stood out, because someone who wasn’t supposed to be here would look around, would hesitate, would check something but he didn’t he just stood there looking at her directly.

“They’re not guessing,” she said quietly.

“No,” Sebastian replied, and her eyes didn’t leave him because now that he was this close, every small detail mattered.

The way he stood, the way his hands stayed relaxed at his sides, the way he didn’t even glance at the car behind her which meant he already knew it was there.

“Then this was planned,” she said.

“Yes,” he replied, and that settled something, not everything but enough because now it wasn’t random anymore it was intentional,.

The man stepped closer, one step at a time, still calm still direct.

“Don’t open the door,” Sebastian said.

“I wasn’t going to,” she replied, but her voice was lower now, more focused because the distance between her and the man was closing faster than she expected and she didn't like it.

He stopped again right beside her window, not knocking, not speaking, just standing there looking at her like he had all the time in the world.

“What is he waiting for,” she asked.

"You,” Sebastian said, and that didn’t make sense but it did at the same time because the way he was standing there, the way he wasn’t rushing, the way he wasn’t forcing anything meant he didn’t need to.

"He thinks I’ll step out,” she said.

"He knows you might,” Sebastian corrected, and her jaw tightened slightly because that wasn’t wrong either.

Her phone shifted slightly against her ear as she adjusted her grip again, her eyes still locked forward not turning, not reacting, not giving him anything beyond stillness.

"Say something,” she said quietly.

“Not yet,” Sebastian replied, and that was the problem, everything was; not yet, not here, not now, but something had to happen, the man finally moved again, not away, but closer, leaning slightly toward the window, not enough to invade space but enough to make it clear that distance wasn’t something he cared about.

Then he spoke, not loud, not aggressive, just clear enough to reach her.

“Step out of the car,” and Aria didn’t move, didn’t react, didn’t even blink immediately because that wasn’t a request that was instruction and the way he said it meant he expected it to be followed.

“Sebastian,” she said.

“I heard him,” he replied.

“Now say something useful,” she added again because this wasn’t something she could stall forever.

"Wait,” he said, and she almost laughed not because it was funny but because that was the only thing he kept saying.

“Waiting is not solving anything,” she said.

“It is right now,” he replied, and that didn’t feel true not with the man still standing there, not with the car behind her still there, not with the situation already moving forward whether she responded or not.

“Step out of the car,” the man said again, same tone, same calm, like repeating it would eventually make it happen.

Aria exhaled slowly, her fingers tapping once against the wheel before stopping again because this was the point where things shifted, where waiting stopped being an option and choosing something became necessary.

"If I don’t,” she said quietly.

"He forces it,” Sebastian replied, and that was all she needed, her eyes flicked once towards the mirror, the black car behind her still there, still watching, still part of it.

Then back to the man, he's still calm, still waiting, still sure.

"Then we don’t give him that,” she said, and before Sebastian could respond she moved fast, not opening the door, not stepping out, she threw the car into reverse hard, the tires catching sharply against the concrete, the sudden movement breaking the stillness instantly, as the car behind her reacted too late, not expecting her to move that way and the space between them closed for a split second before she cut the wheel and pushed the car back into a sharp turn, forcing space where there wasn’t supposed to be any.

“Aria,” Sebastian said but she didn’t answer because this wasn’t about waiting anymore this was about moving first, the man stepped back immediately, not panicked, not rushed, just enough to avoid being hit and that was the part that stood out, because he didn’t react like someone surprised, he reacted like someone who expected her to try something.

“They knew,” she said under her breath.

“Yes,” Sebastian replied, the black car started moving again, faster now, no more pretending, no more distance.

“They’re not watching anymore,” she said.

“They’re taking you,” he replied, and just like that, this wasn’t control anymore, this was a chase.