Chapter Fourteen

“What?”. 

“Dylan met him years ago. 

He mentioned that my father was not known by the same name. He advised Dylan to avoid me as he would be better off without knowing the truth. 

Damian's shoulders trembled with anxiety. "Now we believe everything he has said?". 

I said no. But "I believe, and I can't let that stop.". 

Damian let out a lengthy breath. His silence lasted for about a minute.' 

He calmly asked, "Why didn't you tell me how scared you were?". 

"Your behavior is consistent, pretending that nothing can ever happen to you.". 

Like you can handle everything. But I can't. I'm not like you, Damian.”. 

He walked over and reached out to me, but I held back. It was so bold. 

“Aria…”. 

“I need space,” I whispered. 

He swayed as I had struck him. 

I loathe the silence that ensued. It wasn't angry. It was worse. Heavy. Wounded. 

After some time, he asked if his love for her had changed. 

My eyes stung. 

I gave a nod. "Yes, of course.". 

“Then don't push me away.”. 

“I'm not trying to. 

I'm just… trying to breathe.”. 

His hands slid. “I'll let you go.". But not forever. I've already lost too much to spare you either. 

I halted my gaze before the tears began to flow again.' 

I was becoming lost due to his lack of understanding. 

I didn't sleep that night. I found myself sitting in the living room with the folder in my lap and Damian's words reverberated through my mind. 

I received a message at three o'clock. 

Unknown number. 

At the corner of 5th and Lorne, you can find me to tell your father's true story. Come alone. 

My heart thumped hard. 

I didn't even hesitate. 

The city streets were quiet. Too quiet. It seemed as though the night had just begun.' 

I stood at the corner of 5th and Lorne, clutching my coat with a flickering streetlight. It was like... 

Then I heard footsteps. 

And I saw him. 

Older. Tired. Thinner than I remembered. 

But I knew that face. 

“Dad,” I whispered. 

He halted just a few feet away. 

He whispered, "Oh sir, Adria." “You look like your mother.”. 

I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream. I intended to hug and strike him. 

You've just gone, you know, I said "You left us."?... 

"I was obliged to do it," he declared. "If I hadn't, they would have ended our lives.". 

“What do you mean?”. 

They found out I was going to the police. 

About the fraud. Concerning the Cole family's offshore assets. They wished for me to take the fall. I ran to protect you.”. 

"I shook my head in disbelief. However, they claimed that you had taken the money.". 

His laughter was intense. "They acted as though they were.". People who possess power would act accordingly when threatened by someone. 

"I stated that they are not their peers," I said. 

He looked at me with a sad expression. "Aria, their blood is still there.". 

“I love him,” I said. 

He came closer. ‘Then don’t tell him we met tonight.'”. Don't trust him with this.”. 

“Why not?”. 

He shook his head in excitement, warning that the Coles might discover his survival. "If they do, they'll come after me.". 

My skin went cold. 

And then..behind him, I saw movement. 

A black SUV. 

Windows tinted. 

Rolling slowly toward us. 

My father's eyes widened. 

“Run,” he whispered. 

Aria. 

"I ran," he whispered once more, but my feet were frozen in place. 

A warning sound caused the engine of the SUV to come to a halt across the street. 

After I said, "Come on Aria." My dad held my arm. Now.”. 

The back door of the vehicle opened, allowing someone to exit. 

Not just any man. 

Lucian Cole. 

Damian's uncle. 

My gaze was sealed by his eyes like a bird watching a hawk's eye contact with prey. Calm. Cold. Calculating. 

Despite not seeing him for years, I can't remember what his face looked like. I'll never forget it. 

Ariana, smiled at him like we used to be friends. “You’ve been really into me lately.” You mean, you mean the girl. 

"Leave her alone," my father said to me. 

With a head tilt, Lucian declared: Henry, you were dead before it was too late. 

With my heart racing, I whispered "Dad.". 

Then, two more men emerged with Lucian's hand raised. Big. Armed. 

"Do you think I could authorize you to waltz back into town and start digging bones?" Lucian asked. "After all, we had already put them there.". 

“We've proof,” my father said. 

Despite the blinking, Lucian advised to burn it. 

I grabbed my phone slowly. There was no point in me sitting there, doing nothing.". I held my phone in my pocket and tapped it as Damian's number. 

One ring. 

Two. 

Lucian moved towards. "Aria, I have always admired you.". Sweet girl. Smart. It seems like you're no longer playing with dolls. You're now on the leading edge. 

Three rings. 

Four. 

My dad cautioned me to "go away." "She's not involved in this, so let it go.". 

“Oh, but she is. 

"She's the final link," Lucian declared with a smile. She was always present. The weakness. The crack in the empire.”. 

Then my phone buzzed. 

The question was not on my mind - I simply answered without even considering the situation. 

“Aria?” Damian's voice came through. 

But I couldn't respond. Lucian's eyes narrowed. 

He drew his eyes closer, asking, "Who is this person?". 

"My dad pushed me behind him. Let's head to the alley.". Now.”. 

With a nod, Lucian approached his men. "Take her away.". 

The thing took me out of it. 

I ran. 

Panic was just pure, not graceful or confident. Footsteps and I heard shouting from the walls behind me.’ The. 

There was a sensation of fear and anxiety within me. My bag still held the folder containing the files. I would be taken by them if they found me. 

Suddenly, I heard a car screech in front of me. 

Tires. Horn. 

A crash. 

And shouting. 

It wasn't until I was two blocks away, facing a wall, and struggling to breathe. What happened?... 

I pulled out my phone. 

Still connected. 

"Where's your place?" Damian hollers. "What the hell is this place?!". 

"Fifth and Lorne," I screamed. "Lucian found us.". 

He made an effort to have men carrying weapons. 

“Stay there. 

I'm coming.”. 

“No no, I'm not there anymore. 

I ran. "My dad, I cried. He didn't stop to stop them," I said. 

Dead silence. 

“What?!”. 

“I think they've him.”. 

Damian instructed him to remain where you are. "Please share your location with me.". 

Right now.”. 

With my hands shaking, I dropped a pin and hit the send button. 

With my knees rubbing against the pavement, I fell to the ground. 

I became aware that this was no longer just a family drama. 

This was war. 

I had no idea whether I would make it through. 

My whereabouts were discovered by Damian after seven minutes. 

Before me standing upright, he pulled over in his black car, exited, and suddenly appeared. 

He held me close by, his hands on my face and eyes upon mine. 

“Are you hurt?”. 

With a raspy voice, I replied with reluctance, but they still took him. 

The appearance suggested he was about to explode. "Lucian?". 

"I nodded in agreement. He had plans to take my life." I remarked. Maybe me too.”. 

"Dizzy was warned to stay away from me," he growled. "And that's why.". 

You shouldn't have been alone tonight. 

I retreated from him, anger rising in my spine. "Damian, I'm not young.". My goal was to shield myself. To find the truth.”. 

He said: 'You don’t know who you are dealing with. 

“Oh no, I don’t comprehend.” She screamed. 

It's mine too now. It is my choice whether I want to or not to be involved in this. 

He stared at me. 

Despite my initial reaction, he didn't raise his voice. 

Just pulled me in the gut. 

“Aria, I deeply apologize,” he whispered. 

I didn't say anything. I prefer to be held by him. 

He was the only one who prevented me from falling apart, even though he belonged to that family. Why? 

Amid the silence, I felt something terrifying. 

Lucian, if he took my dad... 

He wouldn't stop there. 

I looked up at Damian. 

“We're not safe.”. 

His jaw clenched. “No. We're not.”. 

Just in time, he looked me in the eye. 

He declared, "I'm going to rectify this.". 

“How?”. 

He didn't answer. 

But how did he perceive his own eyes? 

It said everything. 

Whatever it takes.