Chapter 3

Waking up to serious migraines, Aria found herself with her hands and legs tied to a bed, something she never thought could happen to her. The excruciating pain in her head made it difficult to recollect what had happened before she blacked out, and the blinding sunlight streaming through the gigantic windows only intensified her discomfort.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and a woman who looked like a Victoria's Secret model entered, dressed in a short, armless gown that accentuated her stunning figure. Even Marilyn Monroe would have been envious of her beauty, Aria thought as the woman strutted toward her, carrying a tray with a glass of water and what appeared to be a pill container.

Feeling weak, Aria attempted to sit up but fell back onto the bed. The woman regarded her with an unreadable expression, saying nothing as she forced a pill into Aria's mouth, followed by a sip of water. Aria struggled against her, but her strength was fading. As the woman turned to leave, she said, "The pill will get rid of the headaches. You should feel normal when you wake up." With that, she slammed the door behind her.

Confused about whether the mysterious woman was being kind or cruel, Aria pushed those thoughts aside. All she could think about was escaping and finding her brother. Questions swirled in her mind: Who was after Jace? Who had he mentioned that she needed to join? Why had he returned after years of silence? Who was the man that had abducted her?

As she fought against the effects of the pill, trying to stay awake, exhaustion finally took over, and she blacked out into a dark, hazy dream.

In her dream, she was at a club where people with skills like hers gathered. She had just succeeded in decoding messages that no one else could, a task she had worked on for weeks. Relief and happiness washed over her as she hit "send," delivering the decrypted file to her client.

Suddenly, her friend Alex tiptoed into her makeshift fort and blew air into her ears.

"Arghhhh!" Aria screamed. "Alex! You scared me! I told you to stop doing that, you dickhead."

"What? I'm not the one smiling creepily at a screen, you weirdo," Alex replied.

"I wasn't smiling at the screen, dumbass. I was smiling at my genius doings. I finally decrypted the file!"

"Really? Omg, we have to celebrate! Let’s go to Maison’s."

"Hell yeah! Let’s drink and party! But first, I have to go home to freshen up. I haven’t been home in weeks."

"That’s cool. Let’s meet in two hours, and you better be looking smoking hot and party-ready!"

They exchanged goodbyes, and Aria left for home. As she walked in the front door, she was about to yell her famous line when she froze. The furniture was in shambles, glasses and artwork lay shattered on the floor, the whole place looked like it was turned upside down.

"Mom! Dad!" she called out, but there was no response. As she ventured further inside, she found her mother lying in a pool of her own blood at the foot of the staircase.

"Oh my God, please! Mom, please wake up! Mom!" she cried, her face pale and streaked with crimson as tears streamed down her cheeks. She tried to call for help, as she stood up.

She screams in tears as she looks for her father. "Dad! Dad!" 

Then she rushed into her parents' room and found him with blood gushing out of him everywhere, he was soaked in his own blood and was choking on it. She ran to him lifting his head screaming, what happened? Who did this, omg dad! Dad! She called out to him.

"Dad! What happened? Who did this?" she screamed, lifting his head in desperation.

"Run, Aria," he gasped, blood spilling from his mouth. "They... they will be back."

"Who are they?" she cried, still holding his head carefully, but he stopped breathing.

Numb and in shock, Aria sat on the floor, staring around with wide eyes. Suddenly, she screamed, waking herself from the nightmare. Tears streamed down her face, not for any specific reason, but from sheer exhaustion.

A few minutes after regaining consciousness, she heard hushed voices arguing nearby. Not wanting to draw attention to herself, she lay still in bed, eavesdropping.

“¡Mierda! You need to think about this logically, Alejandro. You’re letting your emotions control you, which isn’t good right now!”

“Enough! Juan, I’ve heard enough! Stop talking to me like I’m a goddamn child! I’m very much aware of the situation and will do what’s right!”

Aria tried to shift her position, as she quietly tried to move on to her sides because her arms were starting to feel numb from the pressure of the ropes that had been on her legs for too long.

Suddenly, two faces loomed over her, both looking furious.

“Glad you could finally join us,” said a handsome man, whom she recognized as Juan. She turned her gaze to Alejandro, who was staring at her with an emotionless expression, scrutinizing her intently.

“Do you know why you’re here?” Juan asked, his voice groggy from disuse.

“No,” Aria managed to reply, shaking her head weakly.

“You’re here because your imbécil of a brother thought it was wise to kidnap Alejandro’s sister as leverage so he wouldn’t die or pay his debt after getting caught stealing,” Juan explained, giving her a disdainful look.

Confused, Aria wanted to ask what Jace had stolen and promised to pay it back if they let her go. She had an inkling of the dangerous business they were involved in, and it terrified her. Alejandro remained silent, his piercing gaze fixed on her.

Juan continued, his voice dripping with contempt. “You see, Aria, your brother’s been playing with fire. And now, you’re caught in the crossfire.”

“What... what did he steal?” she stammered, almost whispering.

Juan chuckled coldly. “Your brother thought he could steal from Alejandro’s shipment. Cocaine, to be exact.”

Aria’s eyes widened in horror, involuntarily flicking her gaze to Alejandro. His expression remained impassive, but his eyes seemed to bore into her soul.

“Oh God!” she whispered.

Juan leaned in closer, his breath hot against her ear. “You’re going to pay for your brother’s mistakes.”

Aria’s heart sank. She tried to speak, but her voice caught in her throat. Suddenly, Alejandro stepped forward, his presence commanding attention.

“Juan,” he said, his voice deep and menacing.

Juan straightened, his expression wary. “Yes, boss?”

Alejandro’s gaze never wavered from Aria. “Leave us.”

Juan nodded and swiftly exited the room, leaving Aria alone with Alejandro. The silence was oppressive, and her heart pounded in fear and anticipation of what would happen next. Overwhelmed, she burst into tears.