Chapter 14 – The Proposal
792 Words
The rooftop moment had been perfect.
Lucien’s quiet proposal, the sincerity in his eyes, the simplicity of the ring, it was everything Aria never knew she wanted.
But the world outside didn’t care about perfection.
It cared about power.
And power, once disturbed, always bites back.
Three Days Later
Aria adjusted the simple silver band on her finger as she stood outside a small café tucked in a quiet street corner. Despite everything, life had moved forward—students returned to Blackthorn, tabloids began calming, and the Vault’s ripple effect slowly unraveled across the globe.
But she couldn’t ignore the gnawing in her gut.
Something wasn’t right.
The barista called her name, and she reached for her drink just as her phone buzzed violently.
Unknown Number.
She hesitated, then answered.
A voice distorted and low spoke:
“You think you’ve won, Miss Winters. But all you did was expose the head. The body lives on.”
Click.
Aria froze.
Her blood ran cold.
She didn’t recognize the voice, but the threat was clear.
The Vault wasn’t dead. Not fully.
Later That Evening – Vale Estate
Lucien was reviewing files in his home office—what was left of the Vale empire. The once grand, gold-trimmed room felt emptier now. Not in a bad way—just quieter, honest.
Aria entered, her face pale.
Lucien immediately stood. “What happened?”
She handed him her phone. “Someone called. They said the body still lives.”
He scanned the call log. “Untraceable. Scrambled origin.”
“Lucien… they’re still out there.”
He set the phone down and drew her into his arms.
“I won’t let them touch you,” he whispered.
“I’m not asking for protection. I’m asking for truth. Who else was involved?”
Lucien hesitated. “I don’t know for sure. But Ronan had allies. People who profited off the Vault. They won’t go quietly.”
Aria pulled away, fire in her eyes. “Then we don’t go quietly either.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You want to fight?”
She smiled darkly. “No. I want to finish what we started.”
The Next Morning – Blackthorn Law Archives
They moved quietly through the restricted wing of the law archives, a favor granted by Lucien’s last few remaining allies. Hidden files, sealed documents, old codes of the original Blackthorn Trust—if there was a name left behind, it would be here.
“Look,” Aria whispered, pointing to a folder labeled: THE INNER CIRCLE.
Lucien opened it.
Inside were faded documents, offshore accounts, codenames. Only one stood out.
“Project WRAITH”
Aria’s stomach dropped.
“That’s not new,” Lucien murmured. “It predates even my father.”
They flipped through pages.
Project WRAITH had one goal: ensuring the Vale name lived on—through shadow influence. Through silence. Through successors.
And at the bottom, a line of scrawled handwriting:
“If either Vale falls… the Wraith rises.”
That Night – Unknown Location
In a room cloaked with smoke and candlelight, figures sat at a long table.
The Inner Circle.
One figure leaned forward, lips barely visible behind a crimson mask.
“He’s gone rogue. Ronan failed. We can no longer control Lucien.”
A woman in a dark veil nodded. “Then it’s time for the girl.”
“Aria Winters?” another voice asked.
“She’s the key. She doesn’t know it yet… but her mother was one of us.”
Gasps.
“Then she has the blood,” the masked figure whispered. “She is not just a threat… she’s the heir.”
Back at the Estate
Lucien stared at Aria in disbelief. “Your mother… was part of the Vault?”
“No,” Aria said, shaking her head. “She fought the Vault. She must’ve gone undercover.”
Lucien’s jaw tightened. “Then her death wasn’t an accident.”
It hit them both at once.
Her mother had been murdered. Silenced.
Aria clenched her fists. “Then it’s personal now.”
Lucien walked to the window, the city lights reflecting off his eyes.
“We need a plan.”
“First,” Aria said, stepping closer, “we need to get married.”
He turned, confused. “What?”
“If they want to use us—our names, our bloodline—we take control of it. Make a public stand. You and I. Together. Unmasked.”
Lucien searched her face. “Are you proposing to me now?”
“I’m declaring war,” she said. “In white.”
A slow smile spread across his lips. “Then I’ll get the tux.”
They kissed again but this time, it wasn’t soft.
It was a promise.
- Writer
