The Woman From His Past
960 Words
Damien's eyes never left her face.
"Who sent that message?"
Aria's fingers tightened around her phone.
Her heart pounded so loudly she was sure he could hear it.
"I... I don't know what you're talking about."
It was a weak lie.
Damien took one step into the room.
"You've looked distracted since dinner."
Another step.
"Then your phone vibrated."
He stopped only a few feet away.
"And now you look like you've seen a ghost."
Aria swallowed.
He noticed everything.
Every expression.
Every hesitation.
Every lie.
"I received a message," she admitted quietly.
Damien's expression hardened.
"Show me."
His voice wasn't demanding.
It was urgent.
That surprised her.
"You think someone is playing a joke?"
"I hope that's all it is."
Slowly, Aria unlocked her phone and handed it to him.
His eyes moved across the screen.
The instant he read Isabella's name, every trace of color disappeared from his face.
His jaw tightened.
For several seconds, he stood completely still.
Then he locked the phone and handed it back.
"Delete the messages."
Aria stared at him.
"That's it?"
"Delete them."
"No."
Damien frowned.
"No?"
"I deserve an explanation."
His expression turned cold again.
"I've already told you. Isabella was someone from my past."
"And someone thinks I should know how she died."
Silence filled the room.
"You expect me to ignore that?"
Damien turned toward the window.
The city lights shimmered against the glass.
When he finally spoke, his voice was low.
"Five years ago... someone I trusted betrayed me."
Aria waited for him to continue.
He didn't.
"That's all?"
"It's all I'm willing to say."
She folded her arms.
"That's not enough."
"It has to be."
"Why?"
He slowly turned back to face her.
"Because the less you know..."
His dark eyes met hers.
"...the safer you'll be."
A chill ran down her spine.
Safer?
What kind of danger was he talking about?
Before she could ask another question, Damien's phone rang.
He answered immediately.
"Kingston."
His expression changed.
"What happened?"
A long silence followed.
Then his voice became dangerously calm.
"I'm on my way."
He slipped the phone into his pocket.
"What is it?" Aria asked.
"There was an accident."
"Who?"
"My chief financial officer."
Her stomach tightened.
"Is he alright?"
"We don't know yet."
Damien grabbed his jacket.
"I have to leave."
Aria nodded.
"I understand."
He walked toward the door before stopping.
Without turning around, he said,
"Lock your bedroom door tonight."
Her heartbeat quickened.
"Damien..."
He looked back.
"If anyone calls you..."
His eyes were darker than she had ever seen them.
"...don't answer."
Then he was gone.
The mansion suddenly felt enormous.
And empty.
Aria stood in the hallway until she heard the front door close.
A moment later, the sound of a car faded into the distance.
Silence returned.
She looked down at her phone.
The anonymous messages were still there.
She knew she should delete them.
Instead, she opened the conversation again.
There were only three messages.
No profile picture.
No phone number.
Just one word.
Unknown.
Taking a deep breath, she typed.
Who are you?
The message was delivered.
She waited.
One minute.
Two.
Nothing.
Just as she was about to put the phone away, it vibrated.
A reply.
Someone trying to keep you alive.
Her pulse quickened.
She typed again.
Who are you?
The answer came almost immediately.
Someone who knows what Damien Kingston is capable of.
Aria frowned.
She refused to believe a stranger over the man she had married.
If you know so much, tell me your name.
The typing indicator appeared.
Then disappeared.
A new message arrived.
Names don't matter. Evidence does.
A photograph appeared beneath it.
With trembling fingers, Aria opened it.
Her breath caught.
It was Damien.
Younger.
Smiling.
Standing beside the same woman from the photograph she had found earlier.
Isabella.
They weren't looking at the camera.
They were looking at each other.
Like two people completely in love.
A date was printed in the corner.
Five years ago.
Another message arrived.
She was engaged to him.
Aria froze.
Engaged?
Damien had never mentioned that.
Before she could think, another message appeared.
Three weeks later... she was dead.
The phone nearly slipped from her hand.
"No..."
She whispered the word into the empty room.
This couldn't be true.
Could it?
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.
"Mrs. Kingston?"
It was Clara.
Aria quickly locked the screen.
"Come in."
The housekeeper entered carrying a glass of warm milk.
"I thought you might have trouble sleeping."
"Thank you."
Clara placed the tray on the bedside table but didn't leave.
Instead, she looked at Aria with concern.
"Is everything alright?"
Aria hesitated.
Then she asked carefully,
"Clara... have you worked here a long time?"
"Twelve years."
"So you knew Mr. Kingston before I did."
"I did."
Aria took a slow breath.
"Do you know someone named Isabella?"
Clara's gentle smile disappeared.
For a brief moment, sadness filled her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Kingston."
Her voice became formal.
"I shouldn't discuss Mr. Kingston's private life."
She turned toward the door.
Before leaving, she stopped.
Without looking back, she said quietly,
"Some wounds never truly heal."
The door closed behind her.
Aria remained frozen.
She hadn't answered the question.
But she hadn't denied it either.
Which meant Isabella was real.
And whatever had happened five years ago still haunted everyone in this house.
Aria looked down at her phone one last time.
Another message had appeared.
Only seven words.
If you want the truth... don't trust your husband.
Aria's heart stopped.
She slowly looked toward the bedroom door.
For the first time since signing the marriage contract...
She wondered if the greatest danger wasn't outside Kingston Estate.
It was the man she had married.
End of Chapter 7
- Writer
