CH 12
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The darkness clung to the walls like a living thing—thick, silent, and heavy. It felt almost deliberate, as if the night itself wanted to swallow every breath inside the room. Aria stood frozen, her heart pounding so hard she could hear it echoing in her ears. A shadow had moved—she knew what she saw. And yet now, the silence was so complete it felt as though even her fear had disappeared into it.
Ethan’s hand tightened around hers. His grip was firm, protective… almost desperate.
“Aria…” His voice was low, barely audible, but there was something trembling beneath it. Something he was trying—failing—to hide.
Aria swallowed. “Who was that?” she whispered.
Ethan didn’t answer immediately. He took a slow breath, the kind a man takes before choosing between truth and protection
