Chapter 5
1679 Words
Aria’s POV
By the time my shift ended, my feet were aching, and all I wanted was to go home and rest. I untied my apron, kept it aside and pushed the door open—only to freeze on the steps outside.
There, parked right across the street, was a sleek black car. His car.
My heart thudded. No way.
The tinted glass rolled down smoothly, and there he was. Adrian Ryenes. Sunglasses hiding his eyes, one hand on the steering wheel.
I swallowed hard and crossed the road. Sliding into the leather seat, I turned to him, still trying to process it. “How long have you been here?”
“A couple of minutes,” he said without looking at me, already steering the car into the road.
I frowned. “You waited?”
He didn’t answer, just pressed harder on the gas, the car gliding faster than I liked. “Where are we going?”
He didn’t even blink. “You’ll see.”
When the car slowed and turned into the mall’s parking lot, my mouth fell open.
He cut the engine and finally looked at me, his face unreadable.
I stared at him. “Adrian, I don’t need...”
“Aria.” He said my name slowly, like he was reminding me who was in charge. “Get out.”
I sighed but followed as he led the way inside.
The moment we stepped through the glass doors, all eyes turned. Heads tilted, whispers rose, and phones lifted discreetly into the air.
Women stopped mid-step, their gazes locked on him like he was some god they’d only ever seen in magazines.
Some of them looked at me too—some with open envy, others with curiosity, a few with admiration. My cheeks warmed.
He stopped in front of a luxury boutique. “Pick whatever you want. Don’t look at the price tag.”
My eyes widened. “What? No..Adrian, this isn’t...”
“I have a call to make.” His tone left no room for debate. He said already stepping away, “Pick anything you want. Don’t argue.”
And just like that, he was gone, phone pressed to his ear, walking out toward the open space.
The boutique smelled of leather and expensive perfumes. Clothes shimmered on racks, shoes gleamed under spotlights, jewelry sparkled like trapped stars. My heart raced.
But the more I walked around, the less I wanted anything. Nothing felt like me. Then, tucked on a lower shelf, I spotted them. Sneakers. White, perfect.
I smiled faintly and picked them up. But then I paused. Just sneakers? Adrian would laugh. No, I had to take something else.
That’s when I saw it. A silver necklace with a small letter “A” pendant.
I picked it up, holding it gently. Something about it drew me in. Maybe because it reminded me of him in a way I couldn’t explain.
At the counter, I placed the sneakers and necklace down. “You’re with Mr. Ryenes?” she asked, almost whispering.
My head shot up. “What?”
“He referred to you as his girl earlier. Said to give you whatever you wanted. So… who are you to him?”
My throat went dry. His girl?
I forced a small smile, sliding the bag toward me. “Just… me.”
Her brows lifted, but she didn’t push further.
Outside, I adjusted the bag on my arm, still replaying her words in my head. Did he really say that?
I spotted him by the glass railing, his phone still pressed to his ear. I started walking toward him, but then.
His voice was low, serious. “She doesn’t suspect a thing.”
My stomach dropped.
The moment he saw me, he ended the call. He took the shopping bag from me with one hand and opened the car door with the other. “Ready?”
I nodded quickly, slipping inside. My mind was spinning, but I couldn’t let him see it.
The drive was silent. Too silent. He glanced at me once. “It was a business call. Nothing more.”
“Mm,” I hummed, pretending to believe him.
But my chest felt tight, my mind refusing to rest.
Why did it feel like I was walking deeper into a game I didn’t understand?
The hum of Adrian’s car felt louder than it should’ve been, like it was trying to fill the silence that stretched between us. He hadn’t said much since he offered to drop me off, just the usual polite tone that masked something deeper. But before I could thank him and step out, he glanced my way with that unreadable look again.
The car stopped in front of my house, the engine humming quietly.
“Goodnight, Aria,” he said simply.
I opened the door, heart still trying to decode his words. Suspect what? But I didn’t ask. I just stepped out and closed the door gently behind me, refusing to turn back even though a part of me wanted to. I couldn’t let him see how his words had settled in my mind like a puzzle I wasn’t ready to solve.
As soon as his car disappeared down the street, I exhaled. My body felt heavy, tired—but my thoughts were running wild. But then, the rich aroma of stew and spices hit my nose and pulled me out of my thoughts.
My stomach growled in betrayal. It had been a long, exhausting day at work— the chaos, the boss’s endless demands, and the unexpected encounter with him—food sounded like heaven.
I walked inside quietly, trying not to alert anyone. But voices drifted from the kitchen.
“…you have to be careful,” my mom was saying in her firm voice. “Play your cards well, Evelyn. Aria is smart—too smart. She could find out.”
I froze mid-step. Find out what?
My brows furrowed as I moved closer. I turned the corner and stood by the kitchen doorway. My mom sat at the table, spoon in hand, while Evelyn was leaning forward, whispering like they were plotting something.
“What will I find out?” I asked, my voice cutting through the room.
Both of them turned sharply, eyes wide like I’d caught them doing something illegal. The spoon in Mom’s hand clattered against her plate. Evelyn’s lips parted, but no words came out.
“Aria,” Mom said quickly, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You’re home! Go freshen up and have dinner, sweetheart.”
I crossed my arms. “You didn’t answer my question.”
She glanced at Evelyn—just a flicker, but I saw it. That silent exchange people make when they’ve got a secret to protect.
“What are you keeping from me, Mom?” I asked again, softer this time.
Evelyn was the first to speak. She smiled, but it looked forced, like her lips were tired of lying. “Aria, you’ll see it soon. Please just… be patient, okay?” she said, standing up and coming toward me. “Now come, tell me how your day with Adrian Ryenes went.”
My stomach tightened. “How did you know I was with him today?”
Evelyn’s eyes darted to my mom for a second. Then she stuttered, “Uhmm… I saw his car pull up outside earlier.”
Right. Of course she did.
I didn’t believe her, but I didn’t push it either. Something in the air already felt off—too heavy to poke further. I decided to stay quiet and observant. Sometimes silence spoke louder than questions.
We ate dinner like nothing happened. Mom asked the usual things—how work went, if I was tired, if I needed help with laundry. Evelyn laughed at random things I said, trying too hard to make everything feel normal. But underneath it all, there was tension.
After dinner, I went straight to my room.
The moment I closed the door, I let out the sigh I’d been holding all evening. My laptop sat open on my desk, the blue light of the screen spilling softly across the room. Designing always calmed me—it was the one place where I didn’t have to guess people’s intentions.
I plugged in my earphones and pulled up my unfinished design—an idea for a hoodie line I’d been secretly working on. The online brand I freelanced for didn’t know my real name, and I liked it that way. They just sent payments through a platform every two weeks. It wasn’t much, but it was mine. My own little world.
Hours slipped by. The quiet click of my keyboard mixed with soft lo-fi beats until I lost track of time. Then the door swung open without a knock.
“Aria!” Evelyn’s voice sounded breathless.
I looked up. “What’s wrong?”
She clutched her phone tightly, eyes wide. “Have you seen the news?”
“What news?” I asked, frowning.
She rushed to my side and handed me her phone. My stomach dropped before I even saw it.
And then—there it was.
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