THE FALL OF ARIA DONOVAN의 모든 챕터: 챕터 21 - 챕터 30

“I cannot believe this,” Anna whispered into the quiet room as she stared at her phone for what felt like the hundredth time.The screen lit up, showing nothing new. No missed calls. No messages. Not even a single typing bubble from Clara, the one who had taken her contact with a confident smile and a promise to call later.Anna dropped the phone on her lap and sighed deeply. She had been sitting there for more than an hour, refreshing the screen as though it would magically change. They were officially on the weekend, and the presentation was only two days away. Two days. And she still had no idea what her group even planned to do.Her room felt still and tense, like a classroom after school hours. Her textbooks sat open on her desk, the pages untouched since she kept glancing over at the phone instead. She imagined other students hanging out, relaxing, or watching shows, and she wondered if Clara was simply having the weekend of her life while Anna drowned in uncertainty.She picked

“I am so tired,” Anna murmured as she stared at her phone screen. Clara had finally sent her points. Messy notes, half-written sentences, and a few voice recordings that sounded like she recorded them while painting her nails. Rich kids rarely put in effort, and Clara was no different.Still, Anna began organizing everything. She typed and retyped, making Clara’s scattered ideas make sense. One day left before the presentation. One day to carry her entire group.She saved her draft and rubbed her eyes, ready to rest. But just as she put the phone down, it buzzed sharply.Unknown number.Anna hesitated, then answered. “Hello?”A cold, calm voice drifted through the speaker. “Anna Johnson.”Her stomach tightened immediately.Miles Haynes.“Yes,” she replied, unsure of what he wanted.“We need to review the project,” he said, his tone flat and direct. “I haven’t seen your work yet.”Anna swallowed. “I can send it to you now if....”“No.” He cut her off smoothly. “Come to my house. We nee

I had barely settled behind my desk when my phone buzzed with a message from reception.“Miss Amelia Doran, the manager would like to see you in his office.”The manager? I asked, not too certain.I had only met him once on the day I was employed. A brief handshake, a polite welcome, and then he disappeared into the maze of Harboline Imports like a ghost with a schedule too heavy to breathe.This would be the second time.My palms felt slightly damp as I walked through the corridor lined with glass offices. My heels clicked loudly, too loudly against the polished tiles.When I reached his door, I knocked lightly.“Come in,” a deep voice responded.I pushed the door open.There he was.The manager Mr. Rowan Hale.He looked younger than most department heads in the building, barely in his thirties, but his presence carried the weight of a man who had lived far more life than his age suggested.Rowan stood near the window, sunlight cutting across his broad shoulders. He wasn’t just tall,

“Please let this go well,” Anna whispered to herself as she stood at the front of the classroom, clutching her notebook so tightly her fingers ached.The classroom buzzed with noise. Students whispered, nudged each other, and kept stealing glances at Anna and Miles. He stood beside the projector with his hands in his pockets, calm and expressionless. Nothing about him revealed what he was thinking.“Ready,” he said quietly without looking at her.Anna nodded even though her chest felt heavy with nerves.Miles clicked the first slide.The room fell silent.Anna stepped forward. “Good morning everyone. My partner and I will be discussing the economic influence of emerging markets…”Her voice was steady at first, but her palms were sweaty, and her heart raced faster with each sentence. She could feel Mr Lawson, their lecturer, watching her every move. She could feel Miles beside her, unmoving and unreadable.Then it happened. She reached her second main point and her mind suddenly blanke

~SIENNA'S POV~“Where am I?”The question slipped out before I even knew I was awake. My voice sounded weak, almost distant, as if it did not belong to me.My eyes opened slowly, fighting the heaviness in my lids. The ceiling above me was low and made of wood, the kind that had aged under the sun for years. The air smelled like smoke from a small fire and something warm cooking nearby. When I turned my head slightly, I saw mud walls and a tiny window where sunlight crept through, creating a soft golden patch on the floor.I was lying on a neatly arranged mat with a blanket tucked around me. The last thing I remembered was running, falling, then arms lifting me up. Strong arms. Arms that saved me.The door opened with a gentle creak and the man who rescued me stepped inside.He was older, maybe in his fifties, but he carried himself with the steady strength of someone who had spent his entire life working hard. His hair was a mix of grey and black, cut short. His face was weathered, li