UNDER ONE ROOF
1057 Words
Aria’s POV
The house didn’t feel like mine anymore.
It looked the same.
Everything was in place.
But something had changed.
Something I couldn’t fix.
Something I couldn’t escape.
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“Aria, come help me!”
My mother’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
I blinked and walked toward the kitchen.
She was standing by the counter, smiling like nothing in the world was wrong.
Like her life was perfect.
Like she hadn’t just married a man who was slowly turning mine upside down.
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“Cut these for me,” she said, handing me a knife and vegetables.
I nodded quietly and started working.
For a moment…
It felt normal.
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“You’ve been quiet lately,” she said casually.
My hands paused for a second.
“I’ve just been tired.”
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She looked at me.
Really looked at me.
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“You always say that,” she said softly. “But this time… it feels different.”
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My chest tightened.
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“I’m fine, Mom,” I said, forcing a small smile.
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She didn’t respond immediately.
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Instead, she stepped closer and gently touched my face.
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“You know you can tell me anything, right?” she said.
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That almost broke me.
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Because if she knew the truth—
Everything would fall apart.
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“I know,” I whispered.
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Before she could say anything else—
Footsteps.
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I didn’t need to turn.
I already knew.
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Damien.
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My body tensed instantly.
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“Smells good,” he said calmly as he walked into the kitchen.
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My mother smiled. “You’re just in time. Dinner is almost ready.”
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I kept my eyes on what I was doing.
But I could feel it.
His presence.
Too close.
Too aware.
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“You should let her rest,” he said suddenly.
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My hands stopped.
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“What?” my mother asked.
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“She looks exhausted,” he added.
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My breath caught.
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“I’m fine,” I said quickly.
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“I didn’t ask you,” he replied.
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The words hit harder than they should have.
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My mother laughed lightly. “She’s always like this. She pushes herself too much.”
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“Maybe she shouldn’t,” he said.
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Something about his tone felt off.
---
Not just concern.
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Something else.
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Something deeper.
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“I’ll be fine,” I repeated.
---
He didn’t respond.
---
But I could feel his eyes on me.
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Watching.
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Measuring.
---
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Dinner was worse.
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Because now…
It wasn’t just tension.
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It was pressure.
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All three of us at the same table.
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My mother talking.
Laughing.
Trying to pull us into conversation.
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And him—
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Quiet.
Observing.
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“Aria,” my mother said suddenly. “Why don’t you tell him about your school?”
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I froze.
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“There’s nothing to tell,” I said.
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“Of course there is,” she insisted. “You’re in your final year, right?”
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“Yes.”
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“That’s important,” she smiled. “You should be excited.”
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“I am.”
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A lie.
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“And your friends?” she asked.
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My chest tightened.
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“Fine,” I said.
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“Anyone special?” she added teasingly.
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My heart skipped.
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I felt it instantly.
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That shift.
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That attention.
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From him.
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“No,” I said quickly.
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Too quickly.
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My mother raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”
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“Yes.”
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Silence.
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Then—
“Is that true?”
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His voice.
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Low.
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Calm.
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Dangerous.
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I looked up.
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Big mistake.
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His eyes were locked on mine.
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Waiting.
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Challenging.
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“Yes,” I said again.
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He didn’t look convinced.
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But he didn’t push further.
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Not in front of her.
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After dinner, my mother insisted we sit together.
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“Family time,” she said with a smile.
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Family.
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The word felt wrong.
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Too heavy.
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Too complicated.
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We sat in the living room.
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She talked.
He listened.
I tried to disappear.
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Then—
“I ran into someone today,” he said suddenly.
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My heart skipped.
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My mother looked at him. “Oh? Who?”
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“A woman,” he replied.
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Something in his tone changed.
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Subtle.
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But I noticed.
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“And?” she asked.
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He paused.
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“Nothing important,” he said.
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But his eyes flickered.
Just for a second.
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And something told me—
That was a lie.
---
---
Later that night—
I stood by my window, staring outside.
Trying to clear my head.
Trying to breathe.
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“Aria.”
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I froze.
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His voice again.
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Behind me.
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I turned slowly.
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He was standing there.
Closer than I expected.
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“What do you want?” I asked.
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He didn’t answer immediately.
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Instead, he watched me.
Carefully.
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“Your mother worries about you,” he said.
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My chest tightened.
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“Then maybe you should stop giving her reasons to,” I replied.
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A faint expression crossed his face.
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“Everything I’m doing,” he said quietly,
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“is for a reason.”
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A chill ran down my spine.
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“What reason?” I asked.
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A pause.
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Then—
“You’ll understand soon.”
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My heart pounded.
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“I don’t want to understand anything,” I said.
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“You will,” he replied.
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His voice dropped.
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“Because this involves you more than you think.”
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My breath caught.
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“What does that mean?” I asked.
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But he had already stepped back.
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Creating distance.
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Like he had said too much.
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Or not enough.
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And just like that—
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He walked away.
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Leaving me standing there.
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With more questions than answers.
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And a growing feeling—
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That whatever was coming…
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Was going to change everything.
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