Aaron and I sat on that bench longer than I expected. The afternoon sun slowly shifted across the park, stretching the shadows of the trees over the small fountain in front of us. We had already talked about so many things—memories from childhood, the places he had traveled, the strange foods he had tried in different countries. Yet there was always something he avoided.
Every time I asked about his job, he would smile and steer the conversation somewhere else.
It was frustrating.
Aaron had always been honest with me when we were younger. Now it felt like he was carrying secrets heavier than the ones I held.
Finally, as the sky began to turn a soft orange, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Hazel," he said quietly.
I looked at him.
"There's something I need to say before I leave."
My chest tightened.
"You're leaving already?"
He gave me a soft smile.
"Yeah. I was only here for a short visit."
That didn't make sense. He had just arrived. Why would he leave so quickly?
"What do you mean?" I asked.
Aaron scratched the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable.
"My work… it's complicated."
I narrowed my eyes slightly.
"You keep saying that."
He chuckled lightly, but there was tension behind it.
"I know. And I hate that I can't tell you more. But it's better if you don't know."
That answer didn't satisfy me at all.
"Aaron—"
He lifted his hand gently to stop me.
"Trust me," he said softly. "If I could tell you, I would. But the less you know, the safer you are."
Safer.
That word echoed in my mind.
It was the same kind of language used in Alexander's world.
For a brief second, suspicion flickered through me.
Was Aaron involved in something similar?
But before I could ask anything else, he stood up.
"I should go."
I stood up too.
"So that's it?" I asked. "You come back after years, spend a few hours with me, and disappear again?"
He looked guilty.
"I'll come back again."
"When?"
He smiled faintly.
"When I can."
That wasn't an answer.
Before I could protest again, he suddenly pulled me into a tight hug.
"Take care of yourself, Hazel," he said quietly.
His voice carried something serious beneath it.
"Promise me you will."
I hugged him back.
"I promise."
A few moments later, he pulled away and started walking down the park path.
I stood there watching him disappear among the trees.
Something about it didn't feel right.
But there was nothing I could do.
The next day felt strangely quiet.
Alexander had been gone most of the morning again, and the mansion felt unusually empty.
After breakfast, I decided to leave the house and meet Angela.
She had texted me earlier, insisting we meet for coffee.
Angela was the type of person who refused to take no for an answer.
So I agreed.
The café we usually visited sat on a small corner street downtown. It was cozy and always smelled like freshly roasted coffee beans and cinnamon pastries.
When I arrived, Angela was already there.
She waved enthusiastically the moment she saw me.
"Evie!"
I laughed and walked over.
"You're loud."
She grinned.
"I missed you."
I sat down across from her.
"You saw me two days ago."
"Still counts."
The waiter came over, and we ordered drinks. Angela ordered her usual caramel latte, while I went with black coffee.
Once the waiter left, Angela leaned forward dramatically.
"Okay," she said.
"Spill."
"Spill what?"
She rolled her eyes.
"Your life."
I laughed.
"There's nothing to spill."
"Oh please," she said. "You live in a mansion with the most mysterious man in the city. Your life is definitely interesting."
I shrugged casually.
"It's not as exciting as it sounds."
Angela stared at me suspiciously.
"You're hiding something."
"Everyone hides something."
She opened her mouth to argue but suddenly paused.
"Oh!" she said excitedly.
"I forgot. There's someone I want you to meet."
My curiosity sparked.
"Who?"
Angela turned around in her seat and waved toward someone behind me.
"Over here!"
I turned slowly.
And froze.
Walking toward us was someone I recognized instantly.
Kyle Ackerman.
My brain stopped working for a moment.
Of all the people in this city, he was the last one I expected to see here.
He looked the same as always—calm, confident, and slightly intimidating.
Angela beamed.
"Kyle, this is Evie!"
I forced a polite smile.
"Nice to meet you."
Kyle nodded slightly.
"You too."
Angela's eyes darted between us.
"Wait," she said suspiciously.
"Do you two know each other?"
My heart skipped.
I shook my head quickly.
"No."
Kyle remained silent.
Angela looked disappointed.
"Huh. I thought maybe you did."
She turned back to Kyle.
"Evie and I work together."
Kyle nodded again.
"Interesting."
I tried to keep my expression neutral.
Inside, however, my mind was racing.
What was he doing here?
And how did Angela know him?
Trying to sound casual, I asked, "So… how did you two meet?"
Angela suddenly laughed.
"Oh wow, that's actually a long story."
She waved her hand dismissively.
"I'll tell you another time."
That answer only made me more curious.
But I didn't push further.
The conversation shifted to lighter topics—work stress, relationships, and random stories from Angela's chaotic life.
Still, I couldn't stop glancing at Kyle occasionally.
He barely spoke, but his presence filled the table with a quiet intensity.
Eventually he checked his watch.
"I should go," he said.
Angela pouted.
"You always leave early."
"Work."
He stood up, nodded politely at me, and walked out of the café.
I exhaled slowly.
Angela immediately leaned across the table.
"Okay," she whispered dramatically.
"What was that?"
"What was what?"
"You two were weird."
"We weren't."
She narrowed her eyes.
"You're hiding something."
I took a sip of coffee to avoid answering.
Angela suddenly grinned.
"You know what?"
"What?"
"We're going out tonight."
I nearly choked on my drink.
"What?"
"Yes," she said firmly.
"No arguments."
"Angela—"
"You need fun in your life."
I sighed.
Angela clapped her hands excitedly.
"Perfect! Tonight we party."
And for some reason…
I had a bad feeling about it.