THE PAST THAT HAUNTS
720 Words
Aiden couldn’t sleep.
He stood by the window, glass of whiskey untouched in his hand. The city lights below shimmered like stars — so far away from the darkness in his mind.
Kiara was asleep upstairs. Resting. Healing.
And somehow… that mattered to him more than it should.
He hated it.
---
Memories flooded back.
Three years ago.
The hospital. The pale hand slipping from his. The sound of heart monitors going flat.
The voice of his father:
> “You’re a Laurent. Laurents don’t cry. We rebuild.”
He did rebuild. In silence. In control.
He closed off every emotion. Shut every door.
Until… Kiara.
She had barged into his perfect, structured world like a storm — messy, loud, soft, too real.
And he hated how she made him feel alive again.
---
The next morning, Kiara walked into the kitchen — still pale, but stronger.
“Good morning,” she said, voice light.
Aiden looked up from his coffee. “You should be in bed.”
“I’m fine.”
“Don’t lie.”
She smiled. “I learned from the best.”
He didn’t argue.
She poured herself tea and sat across from him.
“Can I ask you something?” she said, eyes curious.
Aiden gave a slight nod.
“Why don’t you believe in love?”
He froze.
The silence between them grew heavy.
“Because love makes people weak,” he said finally. “It’s a distraction.”
“Or maybe,” Kiara replied softly, “it’s what makes people strong.”
Their eyes met — no fire, no smirk, just raw truth.
And that scared Aiden more than anything.
---
Later that day, Aiden received a phone call from his assistant.
“Sir… there’s something you should know. A man came by the office asking for Kiara.”
His jaw tightened. “What man?”
“He said he was her... ex-fiancé.”
Aiden’s grip on the phone turned white.
“What’s his name?”
“Daniel Hakim.”
---
That evening, Kiara was reading on the couch when Aiden entered — his face unreadable.
“We need to talk,” he said.
She looked up. “Okay?”
“Someone came to my office today. Said he was your ex.”
Kiara froze.
“Daniel?” she whispered.
“So it’s true.”
She nodded slowly. “We were engaged… a long time ago. Before my dad got sick. I called it off.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because it didn’t matter,” she said. “Until now.”
Aiden paced the room. “He asked questions. He said he still talks to your family.”
Kiara’s stomach dropped. “Oh no…”
“He could expose this marriage.”
Kiara stood. “I’ll talk to him. I’ll handle it.”
Aiden stopped pacing and looked at her. “You sure?”
“I have to.”
---
That night, Kiara stood outside a quiet café, hands shaking.
Daniel arrived minutes later, still looking as polished and charming as ever.
“Kiara,” he said, smiling. “You look… married.”
She tried to smile. “I am.”
He folded his arms. “To the CEO of Laurent Corp? Come on. How did that happen?”
Kiara kept her voice calm. “That’s not your business anymore.”
He leaned closer. “I still care about you. I was there when your father got sick. I deserved a goodbye, not silence.”
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “But I’ve moved on.”
Daniel’s eyes darkened. “Does he know you still talk in your sleep? That you say my name?”
Kiara flinched. “That’s a lie.”
“Is it?” he whispered.
Before she could reply, a black car pulled up at the curb.
Aiden stepped out.
Kiara blinked. “What are you doing here?”
“I changed my mind,” Aiden said, walking past her. “I’m not letting you face this alone.”
He turned to Daniel. “Stay away from my wife.”
Daniel smirked. “Your contracted wife?”
Aiden didn’t blink. “Doesn’t matter how we started. She’s mine now.”
Then he gently took Kiara’s hand.
And for the first time… she didn’t pull away.
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