All Chapters of Heir Of Deception : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Lucien looked at me, surprise clouding his features.“Your assistant?” “I need to know the reason, Lucien. I need to know why she’d do this to me.”Not waiting for his response, I took flight into the building, Lucien yelling my name and hot on my tail. I didn't stop though, I ran up the stairs and finally arrived at her door, tears blurring my vision. I stood in front of the door, unmoving, too scared to see what’s beyond the door. Door 345. The elevator pinged and Lucien walked out, his face stern. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself after looking at me. He walked to me, took my hand, and gave it a light squeeze. He started going for the doorbell when I stopped him. “Wait…”Lucien turned to look at me.“I’m scared, Lucien.”“You have nothing to be scared of, Aria. I’m right here with you.”“What if she’s really my blackmailer? Lucien, I…” “Shh” He cut me off, “If she’s the one, then she’s undeserving of your trust.”I nodded, signaling him to go a

Lucien didn't say anything for a long moment, that was the part that scared me more than anything. Lucien always had something to say, a command, a correction, a low cutting remark for Asher. The silence felt like watching a held breath. When he finally looked up, his jaw was a hard flat line I recognized from the night at Stella’s door. He led me out of Asher’s office and we entered the elevator and he pressed the button to the roof terrace. The elevator ride up was awkward and quiet, the doors opened and Lucien walked me out. “Explain.” That was not a question, it was an order.“I may be wrong,” I said quickly. “It’s a feeling. But it fits, Lucien. He knows and loathes me enough to pull a stunt like this.” “Hmm.” Lucien looked to be deep in thought. “I want his address. Right now.” “I can take you there.” I told him.“No, Aria. You’re staying. God help me, Aria. You don’t want to test me right now.”I really do not like his tone. I narrowed my eyes at him, “No. You do not

****Rated 18+ I stared at Helena’s name on Asher’s screen until the letters stopped making sense as a word and just became a shape, something I couldn’t look away from and couldn’t process either. Five years of chocolate bars and late-night calls. All of it sitting on top of a woman who’d spent months posting malicious things about me and also sending me photographs designed to break me. “Aria.” Lucien’s voice cut through the static in my head. His hand found my shoulder, steady, grounding. “Breathe.” “I gave a toast at her birthday last spring,” I said, my voice strange to my own ears. “I told a room full of people she was the sister I never had.” “People show you exactly what they want you to see,” Asher said, quieter than his usual self, which told me even he didn’t know what else to say. “Doesn’t make you a fool for believing it.” Stella crossed the room and wrapped both arms around me before I even realized I needed it. I’d been so lost in it, I hadn’t noticed her come

The room didn’t erupt the way I expected. Instead it went quiet, so quiet, I could practically listen to my own breathing. The reporters that were buzzing around earlier with their cameras, all stood still, frozen.I took a deep breath and continued, “For the past months, someone I trusted completely has been sending me threats. They’ve been stalking me, sending pictures and messages designed to make me believe I had no choice but to let them control my life.”A hand shot up somewhere near the front. I ignored it and kept going.“They posted things about me online that were never true. Rumors about my personal life, stories meant to make me look reckless, unstable and undeserving of the life I built. I let it happen for a long time because I was afraid of what would come out if I fought back. But right now—” I paused, looking at the faces of the reporters.“I’m not afraid anymore.”“Who is it?” Someone called out from the crowd.“Everything is being handled by the police now. I’ve han

I stared at the unfamiliar woman, long and hard, different emotions coursing through my mind.“What did you just call me?” I couldn’t look away from her face, the resemblance so uncanny it was unsettling.She smiled softly at me, “My baby. I’m your mother, Aria. I can’t believe Sebastian didn’t tell you about me.”I looked at her, dumbfounded. Dad always shut down whenever I asked about her, so I naturally thought she didn’t want me and had left me with him. Or even that she wasn’t alive anymore, and talking about her made memories he’d been running from resurface.Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought she’d seek me out herself. Why now?“I really think you’ve gotten the wrong person, Ma’am. My mother died twenty-three years ago.”She flinched as if I had just hit her, the soft smile she’d had plastered on her face slowly slipped away.“Why would you say that, Aria?” She trembled, unshed tears threatening to spill.I only stared back, numb. What are you supposed to feel for