Aria POV
I stepped into the hallway and froze. It wasn’t Damien. Instead, Lucas Hayes stood in my entryway, holding a bouquet of flowers, his warm smile in place.
"Lucas?" I moved toward the stairs but didn’t descend. "What are you doing here?"
"I saw the news." He held up the flowers. "Thought you might need a friend."
"How did you get in? There’s security."
"I told them I was your business partner. They let through." He climbed a few steps. "Aria, are you okay? Marcus Blackwood’s claims sound serious."
"They’re lies." I backed up, suddenly uneasy. "Lucas, this really isn’t a good ti."
"I know." He kept climbing. "But I couldn’t leave you alone. Not when you’re going through this."
The sll of the flowers hit then. Roses. Too many of them, too strong. The scent made my stomach turn. I could hear his shoes on the hardwood stairs.
"I’m not alone. Damien is."
"Damien is the reason you’re in danger." Lucas reached the landing. "Aria, I’ve been trying to tell you, that man is toxic. He’ll destroy you just like he destroyed his own brother."
"You don’t understand."
"I understand perfectly." He set the flowers on the hallway table.
The thud of the bouquet against the wood was too loud in the quiet house. I could see the water dripping from the stems, leaving a wet ring on the polished surface. Lucas had taken off his coat at so point. His shirt sleeves were rolled up. I noticed his hands were clenched into fists, then relaxed, then clenched again.
"I understand that you deserve better. That Noah deserves better. And I’m offering you a way out."
"A way out?" I took another step back.
My heel caught on the edge of the hallway runner. I stumbled but caught myself on the wall. The paint was cool under my palm. I could feel my heart beating hard in my chest, that uncomfortable flutter that ant sothing was wrong.
"Co to Singapore with . My company is expanding there. I can offer you a position, set you up in a penthouse, make sure you and Noah are safe." He moved closer. "You don’t need Damien Blackwood, you never did."
His voice had changed. The friendly tone was gone, now he sounded like he was reading from a script he’d practiced over and over. The words ca out too smooth, too rehearsed.
"Lucas, that’s very generous, but"
"But you still love him." His smile turned bitter. "Even after everything he did to you, even knowing he’s a monster."
"He’s not a monster."
"He threw you out when you were pregnant!" Lucas’s voice rose. "He called your child a mistake! And you’re defending him?"
The sudden volu made flinch. I could see a vein pulsing in Lucas’s temple. His face was flushed, red creeping up from his collar. He took another step forward. I could sll his cologne now, mixing with the roses. It was too much.
"Because people change!" I snapped back. "Because he’s trying, Lucas. Really trying to be better."
"For how long?" Lucas grabbed my arm.
His fingers dug into my bicep. I could feel each one, pressing hard enough to hurt. His palm was hot and damp with sweat. The grip was solid, unyielding. I tried to twist away but he held on tighter.
"Until the next crisis? Until he gets bored? Aria, you can’t trust him."
"Let go of ." I tried to pull away, but his grip tightened.
Pain shot up my arm. I could feel my pulse hamring where his thumb pressed against the soft flesh of my inner arm. His breathing was fast and shallow. His eyes were wide, pupils dilated. This wasn’t the calm, collected Lucas I knew this was soone else.
"Co with ." His eyes were intense now, almost desperate. "Please. I can give you everything he can’t. Stability, safety, loyalty."
His other hand ca up. For a second I thought he was going to grab my other arm, trap completely. Instead, his fingers brushed my cheek. The touch was light but it made my skin crawl. I jerked my head back.
"I said let go!"
The slap ca before I could think. My palm connected with his cheek hard enough to snap his head to the side.
The sound echoed in the hallway. My hand stung from the impact. I could see the red mark already forming on his face, the perfect outline of my fingers against his skin.
My breathing ca in short, ragged bursts. I could hear it as adereline flooded my system, making everything too bright. My legs felt weak, shaky, like they might give out at any mont.
The ringing in my ears was so loud I almost missed what Lucas said next. My other hand, I realized, was clenched into a fist so tight my nails were digging into my palm. My whole body was trembling now, the shock of what I’d just done hitting all at once.
He released imdiately, stumbling back. "Aria"
I could still feel where he’d grabbed . The skin was hot and tender. I rubbed at it with my other hand, trying to erase the feeling of his fingers.
"Get out." My voice shook. "Get out of my house. Now."
"I’m sorry, I didn’t an"
"OUT!"
He held up his hands and backed toward the stairs. "Fine. I’m leaving. But Aria—when Damien disappoints you again, and he will, don’t co crying to ."
He disappeared down the stairs. I heard the front door open and close.
I sank against the wall, shaking. What the hell was that? My phone rang. It was Damien.
"Are you okay?" His voice was tight. "Security just reported Lucas Hayes entered the house."
"I’m fine. He’s gone now."
"What did he want?"
"To rescue , apparently." I closed my eyes. "To take away from you."
Silence. Then: "Do you want to go?"
"What? No!" I pushed off the wall. "Damien, he ca to force , he wouldn’t accept a no when I told him I was not interested. That’s not rescue, that’s"
"I’m coming." His voice had gone cold and deadly. "Don’t move. Don’t go anywhere."
"The eting" I muttered, my breath coming out in gasps.
"Can wait." I heard a door slam on his end. "Nobody threatens you like that. Nobody."
"Damien, I handled it, you need to focus on the board"
"My focus is you." I heard the sound of an engine roaring to life. "Always you."
He hung up before I could argue. I stood in the hallway of my empty house, surrounded by half-packed boxes, and tried to process everything.
Marcus on TV, destroying Damien’s reputation. The board voted to remove him. Lucas showed up uninvited, demanding I choose him.
And Damien, leaving his company eting to race back to .
Everything was spiraling out of control.
My phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number.
My hands shook as I opened it.
Trouble in paradise? Don’t worry, sweetheart. It’s all part of the plan. By the ti I’m done, you’ll have nothing left. No company, no safety, no Damien. Just you and and our final reckoning. See you soon. -M
I dropped the phone like it was on fire.
Marcus wasn’t just attacking Damien’s company.
He was attacking everything.
And I had no idea how to stop him.
The front door slamd open.
"Aria!" Damien’s voice echoed through the house.
I ran to the top of the stairs. He stood in the entryway, suit jacket gone, tie loosened, looking barely contained.
"I’m here." I started down the stairs. "I’m okay."
He t halfway, pulling into his arms so tight I could barely breathe.
"I should never have left you alone," he muttered into my hair. "Never again."
"Damien, the eting"
"Screw the eting." He pulled back to look at . "Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?"
No. I slapped him and told him to leave." I managed a shaky smile. "I can handle myself."
"I know you can." His hands frad my face. "But you shouldn’t have to, that’s what I’m here for."
"To fight my battles?"
"To stand beside you while you fight them." His thumb brushed my cheek. "Always beside you, Aria. Never in front, never behind. Beside."
Sothing in my chest cracked open.
"We got another text from Marcus," I whispered. "He’s planning sothing. Sothing big."
"Then we’ll be ready." Damien pressed his forehead to mine. "Whatever he throws at us, we’ll handle it. Together."
"Together," I echoed.
And for the first ti since this nightmare began, I actually believed it.
We finished packing in tense silence, both hyperaware of every sound, every shadow. Security swept the house again before we left. As Damien loaded the last suitcase into his car, I took one final look at my house.
"Ready?" Damien held the car door open for .
I slid into the passenger seat. "Ready."
That Evening
"Mama, you’re not watching!" Noah’s voice pulled back to the present.
I blinked and focused on the TV where animated characters were doing sothing I’d completely missed. "Sorry, baby. Mama’s distracted."
"By what?" He climbed into my lap, Mr. Hoppy dangling from one hand.
"Work stuff." I kissed the top of his head. "Nothing important."
"Daddy says when you think too hard, your face gets all scrunchy." He poked my forehead. "Like that."
"Daddy talks too much," I muttered, glancing at Damien who sat at the other end of the massive sectional.
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