Chapter 2

Aria should have walked away the moment she said it, because the answer she gave him was simple enough to end everything right there without leaving room for anything else to grow out of it, and she knew from experience that the longer she stayed in situations like this, the harder it became to keep things controlled, but even with that awareness sitting clearly in her mind, she didn’t move immediately, and neither did he, and that small delay was enough to shift the moment from something she could have walked away from into something that was starting to stretch beyond her control.

Sebastian didn’t respond the way most people would after hearing something like that, because instead of nodding and letting it go or moving on to someone else like the rest of the room was doing, he stayed where he was and kept his attention on her, not in a way that would make it obvious to anyone watching, but in a way that was steady enough for her to feel it, like he was trying to figure something out without saying it out loud, and even though his expression didn’t change much, there was a slight shift in the way he looked at her that made it clear something about the situation didn’t sit right with him.

When he finally spoke again, his voice remained calm and even, but there was something under it that didn’t match the casual tone, something that made it feel like he wasn’t fully convinced by what she said, and Aria noticed it immediately even though she didn’t react to it, because reacting would only make things worse, and the last thing she wanted was to give him a reason to look any closer than he already was.

She held his gaze anyway, keeping her expression exactly where she wanted it, because she had learned how to do that over time, how to stand in front of someone and give them nothing even when there was something to give, how to keep her thoughts from showing, how to make sure the past stayed exactly where she left it no matter how close it tried to come back.

He mentioned that she looked like someone he used to know, and the way he said it made it sound like it didn’t matter, like it was just a passing thought that didn’t hold any real weight, but the words still landed heavier than they should have, because they were too close to the truth, and even though she didn’t let that show, she felt it clearly enough to know that this conversation was already more than she wanted it to be.

She tilted her head slightly like she was thinking about it, like it was something that could go either way without making a difference, and then she said that if the person mattered, he wouldn’t have to ask, and the moment the words left her mouth, she knew they carried more than she intended, because they didn’t just answer his question, they pushed back in a way that made the moment sharper.

Sebastian didn’t react the way most people would to a comment like that, because he didn’t laugh it off or brush it aside, he just kept looking at her, but this time there was more focus in his attention, like he wasn’t just observing her anymore but actually thinking about what she said and what it meant, and that shift was small enough that no one else would notice it, but it was clear enough for her to feel it.

When he asked what made her say that, the question didn’t feel casual anymore, it felt like something he actually wanted an answer to, and Aria could feel the change fully at that point, the way the conversation had moved from something simple into something that required more care, and she knew that staying there any longer would only make things harder, so she let out a small breath and kept her tone light when she told him that if the person mattered, he wouldn’t be asking, making it sound simple even though it wasn’t.

The silence that followed didn’t feel empty or awkward, it felt like something sitting between them that neither of them was willing to say out loud, and Aria understood that she needed to end it before it stretched any further, because moments like this had a way of turning into something bigger if they weren’t cut off early, so she shifted her attention slightly and said that it was nice not being someone he remembered, letting the words close the conversation in a way that didn’t invite anything else.

She moved then, stepping around him with the intention of leaving for real this time, because she had already stayed longer than she should have, and every second she remained in that space made it harder to keep things as simple as she wanted them to be, but before she could get far enough to break the moment completely, she heard her full name again, and the way he said it made her stop without meaning to.

“Aria Bennett.”

This time there was no question in it, no uncertainty, just a clear statement, and that alone was enough to make her turn back again, slower than before, more aware of what was happening, because something about the way he said it told her that the situation had already shifted.

He pointed out that she hadn’t told him her name but that he had heard it before, and the way he said it made it clear that he wasn’t guessing, that he had already connected something, even if it wasn’t everything, and Aria knew that people like him didn’t miss details once they started paying attention, which meant that staying calm now mattered more than anything else.

She let a small smile settle on her lips again, keeping it polite and easy like nothing had changed, and told him that the city wasn’t that big and that he had probably heard her name somewhere, choosing a simple answer that didn’t give him anything more than he already had, even though she knew it wasn’t enough to stop him completely.

He didn’t move out of her way, didn’t step aside, didn’t let the moment end the way she expected, and instead he continued, saying that she worked with “Carter Holdings in a tone that made it clear he already knew the answer, and the fact that he had that information meant that he had already been paying attention long enough to place her in his world, even if he hadn’t fully connected the past yet.

Aria nodded once, keeping her response calm, even though she could feel the small tension building under the surface, because this wasn’t just a random interaction anymore, it was turning into something that would follow her outside this room whether she wanted it to or not.

When he said he had a meeting with “Carter Holdings the following week, it confirmed what she was already starting to realize, that this wasn’t going to end here, and when he followed it by saying that it wouldn’t be the last time they saw each other, the meaning behind it was clear enough that it didn’t need to be explained, because now it wasn’t about chance, it was about something that was going to continue.

Aria held his gaze for a second longer than she should have, long enough to feel that reality settle in a way she couldn’t ignore, long enough to understand that this was already becoming something she couldn’t control as easily as she wanted to, and then she let her expression return to that same calm distance she had been holding onto from the beginning and said that business was a small world, keeping her tone light even though the situation was anything but.

This time when she walked away, she didn’t hesitate or slow down, because she knew staying any longer would only make things worse, and even as she moved through the crowd, putting space between them, she could still feel it, the way his attention stayed on her, the way the moment didn’t fully end even after she stepped out of it.

And for a moment, she thought that would be it, that the worst part was over, that she could leave and go back to the version of her life that didn’t include him, but just as she reached for her phone, just as she started to move toward the exit, it buzzed in her hand, and when she glanced down at the screen, her steps slowed without her meaning them to.

Unknown number.

A new message.

And even before she opened it, something in her already knew, she shouldn’t have looked, she should have ignored it, she should have kept walking.

But she didn’t, because when she opened the message, there were only a few words there, simple enough to read in a second, but heavy enough to stop her completely.

We need to talk.

And beneath it… was

“Sebastian Drake.