Chapter 7: The Notice

Aria's POV 

***

The knock came again. This time, it was louder. I looked at the front door. Nobody moved. Dad stood beside the dining table, his eyes fixed on the handle.

Ethan quietly picked up the flashlight from the table and pointed it at the floor instead of the door. The room fell silent. Rain tapped against the windows.

Then a man's voice came from outside. "Mr. Cole."

My eyes snapped to Dad. He knew that voice. I could tell by the way his shoulders stiffened.

"Open the door."

No one answered.

The man didn't knock again. Instead, he spoke calmly. "I know you're home."

Dad slowly closed his eyes.

"What does he want?" I whispered. No one replied. I looked at Adrian. He wasn't looking at the door. He was watching my father. Like he was waiting to see what he'd do next.

Another voice spoke outside. "We're only here to deliver a message."

Dad let out a shaky breath. Adrian finally spoke.

"Don't."

Dad looked at him. "They'll keep coming."

"They'll keep coming anyway."

The words hung in the air.

I frowned. "What is going on?" Still nothing.

I threw my hands up. "Does everyone in this house enjoy keeping secrets?"

Ethan cleared his throat. "They work for Mr. Blackwood."

I turned to him. "Who's Mr. Blackwood?"

Ethan hesitated. He glanced at Adrian before answering.

"My employer."

I blinked. "Your employer?"

He nodded once. "And Adrian's father."

The room suddenly felt smaller.

I slowly looked at Adrian. "So your father sent them?"

"Yes."

"Does he know you're here?"

"No."

"Then why are they here?"

"They're following orders."

I folded my arms. "What orders?"

He met my eyes. "To bring you to him."

A chill crept down my spine. "Me?"

"Alive."

I frowned. "Why do you keep saying that?"

No answer. Of course.

Outside, the man spoke again. "Mr. Cole."

His voice was polite. Almost friendly.

"You've made this more difficult than it needs to be."

Dad swallowed. "I won't open the door."

There was a brief silence.

Then the man laughed softly. "I wasn't asking."

My heart skipped. I looked toward the entrance. For the first time that night, I was afraid someone might actually come in.

Ethan walked to the window and carefully moved the curtain aside. Only an inch. He looked outside. Then let it fall back into place.

"There are four of them."

Dad's face was drained of color.

"Four?"

Ethan nodded.

"One at the gate."

"Two by the cars."

"And their leader is at the door."

I looked at Adrian.

"You know who he is, don't you?"

"I do."

"Who?"

"He has worked for my father for almost fifteen years."

"So... he's loyal?"

"He doesn't know how not to be."

The answer stayed with me. There was something strange about the way Adrian said it. Not angry, not proud. Just disappointed.

The man outside knocked once more. "Mr. Cole."

His voice became firmer. "My employer asked me to remind you of your promise."

Dad's breathing grew uneven. Promise?

I looked at him. "What promise?"

He didn't answer. The man continued.

"You know what happens if promises are broken."

Dad lowered his head. "I know."

My heart sank.

Whatever this was, it had started long before I ever signed that contract. And somehow, I had just become part of it.

Dad took a slow breath. "You've delivered the message."

"I have."

"Then leave."

The man outside didn't answer immediately. A few seconds passed. When he spoke again, his voice carried the same calm politeness.

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

My stomach tightened.

"Why not?" Dad asked.

"My employer expected that response."

I looked at Adrian. His expression hadn't changed, but I noticed something different.

His shoulders had stiffened. Almost as if he already knew what was coming next.

Outside, the man continued. "He also asked me to bring Miss Cole."

My heart skipped. I instinctively took a step backward.

"No." Dad's answer came instantly. "She isn't going anywhere."

"I'm sorry you feel that way." There wasn't a hint of sympathy in the man's voice.

It sounded rehearsed. Like he'd said those words a hundred times before.

Dad walked toward the door.

Adrian moved even faster.

He caught Dad's arm before he could reach the handle.

"Don't."

Dad looked at him. "I can't hide forever."

"No." Adrian's voice remained steady. "But you can stop making bad decisions."

For a moment, they simply stared at each other.

Then Dad pulled his arm free. "You don't get to lecture me."

"I wasn't."

"You think this is easy for me?"

"I know it isn't."

"Do you?" Dad's voice cracked. "You have no idea what I've sacrificed."

Adrian held his gaze. "I know exactly what you've sacrificed."

The room fell silent. Neither of them blinked. Neither of them looked away. I frowned. There was history between them. Years of it. Far more than either of them wanted me to know.

Ethan suddenly spoke. "They're moving."

Everyone turned to him. He had returned to the window.

"They've left the porch."

Dad's face brightened for a second. "They're leaving?"

Ethan slowly shook his head. "No." He looked toward the hallway. "They're heading around the house."

A chill crept down my spine. "What?"

"They're checking every entrance."

The words hung heavily in the room. Dad whispered something under his breath. I couldn't make it out. Adrian walked to the window himself. He pulled the curtain aside just enough to see outside. Only for a second. Then he let it fall.

"They're not trying to get in."

I frowned. "Then what are they doing?"

"They're making sure no one gets out."

The realization settled over me like ice water. We weren't trapped by accident. We were being watched.

I wrapped my arms around myself. "This is insane."

"No," Adrian said quietly. "It's planned."

I looked at him. "You say that like you expected it."

"I did."

My eyes widened. "You knew they were coming?"

"I knew my father wouldn't wait long."

A dozen questions rushed through my mind. "If you knew all this, why did you come here?"

His answer came without hesitation. "Because if I hadn't..." His eyes met mine. "...you would've been alone."

For reasons I couldn't explain, those words stayed with me. He hadn't said them to impress me. He hadn't even said them gently. He'd simply stated a fact.

Outside, an engine started. Then another.

Ethan frowned. "They're leaving." Nobody celebrated. Nobody relaxed. We all knew it was too easy.

The sound of the cars faded into the distance until the street became quiet again.bOnly the rain remained.

Dad slowly lowered himself into a chair. "They'll be back."

Adrian didn't disagree. Instead, he reached into the inside pocket of his coat and placed a folded document on the table. Dad stared at it.

His face drained of color. "No..."

Adrian slid it toward him. "You should read it."

Dad didn't touch it.

"What is it?" I asked.

Neither of them answered. My patience was hanging by a thread. I stepped forward before anyone could stop me and picked up the document myself. Across the front, in bold black letters, were five wo

rds that made my pulse pound.

NOTICE OF MARRIAGE ADVANCEMENT

I frowned.

"What does that mean?"

Dad closed his eyes.

Adrian answered. "It means the wedding has been moved."

My throat went dry. "Moved?"

He looked straight at me. "It's tomorrow morning.”