The silence after Lena's words felt suffocating.
---
"...He said the same thing before."
---
Aria couldn't breathe.
Her eyes slowly turned to Ethan.
Searching.
Pleading.
Breaking.
---
"Tell me that's not true," she whispered.
---
Ethan didn't answer immediately.
---
And that hesitation—
That tiny pause—
Was enough to shatter something inside her.
---
"It's true," Lena said softly, stepping in before he could speak. "He used to look at me the same way."
---
"Stop," Ethan's voice cut in sharply.
---
But Aria didn't look at Lena anymore.
She only looked at him.
---
Because now—
Nothing else mattered.
---
"Did you love her?" she asked.
---
The question was simple.
But it carried everything.
---
Ethan's jaw tightened slightly.
---
"That's not your concern."
---
Her chest tightened painfully.
"That's not an answer."
---
Silence.
---
Then—
"Yes."
---
The word hit like a blow.
---
Aria felt it in her chest.
In her throat.
In the way her fingers slowly curled into her palms.
---
"And now?" she asked, her voice barely holding together.
---
Ethan didn't hesitate this time.
---
"No."
---
Lena's expression flickered slightly.
Just for a second.
But Aria saw it.
---
Good.
---
But it didn't make anything better.
---
Because the damage was already done.
---
"Then why is she still here?" Aria demanded, her emotions spilling over again. "Why are you keeping her in your life?"
---
Ethan's gaze darkened.
---
"Because some things don't end when you want them to."
---
That answer only made everything more confusing.
---
Before Aria could respond—
---
Lena spoke again.
---
"You're asking the wrong questions," she said calmly.
---
Aria turned toward her, frustration burning in her chest.
"Then what should I be asking?"
---
Lena smiled slightly.
---
"You should be asking why he recognized you the moment he saw you."
---
Aria froze.
---
Her heart skipped.
---
"What…?"
---
Slowly—
She turned back to Ethan.
---
"What does she mean?"
---
This time—
Ethan didn't look away.
---
But something in his expression changed.
---
It wasn't cold anymore.
---
It was distant.
---
Like he was looking at something far away.
Something buried deep in the past.
---
"You don't remember," he said quietly.
---
Aria frowned.
"Remember what?"
---
A pause.
---
Then—
Ethan took a step closer.
---
And for the first time—
His voice wasn't cold.
---
It was… softer.
---
"There was a night," he said slowly,
"a long time ago."
---
The room seemed to fade.
---
"Rain," he continued. "Just like this."
---
Aria's heart began to beat faster.
---
"You were there."
---
Her breath caught.
---
"I was… what?"
---
Ethan's eyes stayed on hers.
---
"You found me."
---
Silence.
---
"I was injured," he said. "Alone."
---
A flicker of something crossed his face.
Something rare.
---
"You didn't know who I was," he continued.
"You didn't care."
---
Aria's chest tightened.
---
"You helped me anyway."
---
Something stirred in her memory.
Faint.
Blurry.
---
A night.
Rain.
A boy sitting on the ground—
---
"No…" she whispered.
---
"You stayed with me," Ethan said.
"You gave me your umbrella."
---
Her breath hitched.
---
"You said…" he paused slightly,
then continued in a quieter voice—
---
"'It's okay. You won't be alone tonight.'"
---
The memory hit her all at once.
---
Her eyes widened.
---
"That… was you?"
---
Ethan nodded once.
---
"Yes."
---
The room felt completely different now.
---
Aria's mind raced.
"That was years ago… I was just a kid…"
---
"You were the only one who didn't look at me like I was something to fear," he said.
---
Her heart tightened.
---
"That's why…" she whispered, realization slowly sinking in.
"That's why you chose me?"
---
A pause.
---
Then—
"Yes."
---
Lena let out a quiet laugh.
---
"How nostalgic," she said. "A childhood memory turned into obsession."
---
Aria ignored her.
---
Because something didn't add up.
---
"If that's true…" she said slowly,
"then why—"
Her voice faltered slightly.
---
"Why destroy my family?"
---
The question shattered the moment.
---
Ethan's expression hardened again.
The softness gone.
Replaced by something colder.
---
"Because that had nothing to do with you."
---
"That's not true!" she snapped. "Everything has to do with me now!"
---
Silence.
---
Then—
Lena spoke again.
---
"He's right."
---
Aria turned sharply toward her.
---
"What?"
---
Lena's eyes were calm.
Too calm.
---
"You were never the target," she said.
---
Aria's heart pounded.
---
"Then who was?"
---
A pause.
---
Then Lena smiled.
---
"Me."
---
Everything stopped.
---
"What…?"
---
Aria looked between them.
Confusion. Shock. Fear.
---
"This doesn't make any sense."
---
Lena stepped closer.
---
"It will," she said softly.
---
"Because the truth is…"
---
Her gaze shifted to Ethan.
---
"He didn't just destroy your family."
---
A pause.
A breath.
A truth that changed everything.
---
"He was trying to destroy mine."
---
Silence exploded in the room.
---
Aria's mind went blank.
---
"…What?"
---
But before anyone could explain further—
---
A loud knock echoed through the penthouse.
---
All three of them turned.
---
The tension shifted instantly.
---
One of Ethan's men rushed in, his expression urgent.
---
"Sir—there's a problem."
---
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
---
"What is it?"
---
The man hesitated for just a second.
---
Then—
"Your wife's mother…"
---
Aria's heart stopped.
---
"…she's missing."
---
Everything shattered.
---
*To be continued…