Soulmates

CHAPTER 2: Velvet Traps

“I know,” she replied. “But I’m not ready to walk away from something that’s just beginning to feel real.”

There was a silence between them — but this one wasn’t heavy. It was soft. Warm. Hopeful.

But in the shadows of the penthouse, Sabrina was watching. And in her heart burned a jealousy she couldn’t swallow.

“She’s not meant for him,” she muttered to herself.

And Fiona? She had already decided.

If Kiera was starting to win Aaron’s heart, then it was time to pull him back — by any means necessary.

The growing closeness between Aaron and Kiera didn’t go unnoticed — especially by the two people who most resented it: Fiona and Sabrina.

Fiona had always lived in a world of control — of polished dinners, influential friends, and a son who obeyed without question. But Kiera’s quiet presence was undoing that control. Aaron was changing — softer, warmer, no longer just the man Fiona molded.

And Sabrina… was unraveling.

One afternoon, Kiera found a designer gift bag on her bed — inside it, a dress worth thousands. She blinked in confusion. A note was tucked in the folds.

“Aaron wanted you to wear this for the gallery event tonight. Don’t embarrass him.”

But Aaron hadn’t mentioned any gallery event. Still, Kiera wore the dress. Simple. Elegant. A deep burgundy that made her eyes stand out.

When Aaron saw her that evening, he paused at the door.

“You look… amazing.”

Kiera blushed. “I didn’t know we were going to an event tonight.”

Aaron frowned. “We’re not.”

That’s when they both realized — someone was playing games.

That same night, Fiona hosted a wine gathering at the penthouse — small, intimate. Just close friends and Sabrina, of course.

As the night went on, the laughter grew louder. Kiera stayed near the back, watching, not drinking. She didn’t know these people, and they made little effort to know her.

Sabrina approached Aaron, champagne in hand, and leaned in too close.

“Funny how quickly she’s adapted,” she said, nodding toward Kiera. “All that sweetness… Do you really believe it?”

Aaron’s jaw tensed. “Don’t start, Sabrina.”

But she smiled, sly and calm.

“Just saying. People don’t change overnight. Maybe she’s not what you think she is.”

Later, when the guests had gone, Aaron confronted Fiona.

“Did you tell Kiera there was an event tonight?”

Fiona didn’t even flinch.

“She needed a reason to dress properly. That girl walks around like she’s still in Buffalo.”

“She’s doing her best,” Aaron snapped. “This isn’t easy for her.”

Fiona narrowed her eyes.

“And it’s been so easy for you? Marrying a stranger, dragging her into a world she doesn’t belong to?”

“She belongs,” Aaron said firmly. “She’s my wife.”

Fiona was silent for a moment. Then:

“You’re letting your emotions cloud your judgment.”

The next morning, things got worse.

Kiera entered the study to bring Aaron a coffee, only to overhear Fiona and Sabrina speaking in low, sharp voices.

“She’s clever,” Sabrina was saying. “The way she plays innocent. She knows exactly what she’s doing.”

“Aaron’s already slipping,” Fiona replied. “We need something stronger — proof that she’s not who she pretends to be.”

Kiera stood frozen in the hallway, her hands trembling.

That evening, Aaron noticed Kiera was quiet again. Distant.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she said too quickly. “I think I’m just tired.”

But inside, a storm had started. She was beginning to feel the cracks — and not from Aaron. From the house itself. From the whispers behind the walls, the twisting of truth.

Aaron gently placed a hand on hers.

“Whatever it is, talk to me. I’m on your side.”

And Kiera wanted to believe him.

But doubt, once planted, grows fast.

Meanwhile, Sabrina stood in Fiona’s room, holding an envelope.

“This will work,” she said, placing it on the table.

Fiona looked at the contents — a carefully crafted lie, with just enough truth to feel believable.

“It’ll ruin her,” she said softly.

“Exactly,” Sabrina smiled. “That’s what she deserves.”

The apartment had grown quieter — not because there was peace, but because there was suspicion in the air.

Kiera moved through the penthouse like someone walking on a frozen lake. Every step had to be careful. She had heard enough from Fiona and Sabrina’s conversation to know something was building — and it wasn’t good.

Aaron, on the other hand, was still trying. He had started taking his meals with Kiera, asking about her day, even making space in his tight schedule for long walks together in the city. Their relationship, while still young and awkward, had moments of real warmth.

But that warmth was about to be tested.

Two days later, Fiona “accidentally” left a letter in the kitchen — folded and half-hidden beside the fruit bowl. Kiera noticed it while making tea. It was addressed to Aaron.

The curiosity was unintentional — the paper fell open as she moved it.

And what she read made her heart stop.

It was a typed anonymous note — carefully worded, full of poison.