CHAPTER 31 — CHOSEN
902 Words
The world stopped.
Everything stopped.
The gunfire.
The shouting.
The battle.
The chaos.
None of it mattered anymore.
Because only four words echoed inside Aarya's head.
Your mother volunteered you.
"No."
The whisper escaped her lips.
Weak.
Broken.
Disbelieving.
Chairman Han watched her carefully.
Like a scientist observing an experiment.
Like a predator watching wounded prey.
"You're lying."
Her voice shook.
Han smiled.
"Am I?"
The answer wasn't enough.
The certainty in his eyes made it worse.
Much worse.
Because for a moment—
for one terrible moment—
Aarya doubted.
Her mother.
The woman she had spent years mourning.
The woman she had spent years missing.
The woman she desperately wanted to believe in.
What if Han was telling the truth?
"No."
She shook her head harder.
Almost angrily.
"You're lying."
This time she wasn't trying to convince Han.
She was trying to convince herself.
Suddenly—
a painful cough echoed behind her.
Minho.
Everyone turned.
The wounded man struggled to breathe.
Blood stained his shirt.
His face pale.
His strength fading rapidly.
Yet his eyes remained focused.
Sharp.
Determined.
"Don't..."
He coughed violently.
"Don't listen to him."
Silence filled the room.
Aarya immediately looked at him.
"What?"
Minho forced himself upright.
Ignoring the pain.
Ignoring the blood.
Ignoring death itself.
Because some truths mattered more.
"He always does this."
Another cough.
"He twists facts."
Chairman Han's smile disappeared.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Because for the first time—
Han looked irritated.
Minho pointed weakly toward Aarya.
"Your mother didn't volunteer you."
Relief hit Aarya instantly.
Powerfully.
Then Minho continued.
"She volunteered herself."
The room froze.
Aarya blinked.
"What?"
Minho closed his eyes briefly.
Gathering strength.
Then spoke.
"The original Project Aarya wasn't designed for children."
Silence.
"It was designed for adults."
Aarya stared.
Trying to understand.
Trying to connect the pieces.
Minho continued.
"Your mother worked inside the program."
A pause.
"At first, she believed it could help people."
The room became quiet.
Because that sounded believable.
Painfully believable.
Not evil.
Not malicious.
Not cruel.
Just a scientist who believed she was helping.
Until she discovered the truth.
"The experiments failed."
Minho's voice grew weaker.
"Subjects died."
Aarya clenched her fists.
"Then she found out Han planned to continue."
A pause.
"Using unborn children."
The room went silent.
Even the distant gunfire seemed to disappear.
Because the truth was horrifying.
Absolutely horrifying.
Minho looked directly at Aarya.
"When she became pregnant..."
Her heartbeat accelerated.
"...she tried to stop the project."
Another pause.
"But by then it was too late."
Tears filled Aarya's eyes.
Because suddenly—
she could see it.
A young scientist.
A frightened mother.
A woman trapped inside something monstrous.
Trying desperately to save her child.
Trying desperately to fix her mistakes.
Trying desperately to survive.
Chairman Han laughed softly.
"Beautiful story."
The sarcasm dripped from every word.
Then his gaze darkened.
"But incomplete."
Silence.
Han took a step forward.
"Tell her the rest."
Minho froze.
For the first time—
real fear appeared in his eyes.
Aarya noticed immediately.
And her stomach dropped.
Because there was more.
Always more.
"There is no rest."
Minho answered.
But nobody believed him.
Not even himself.
Suddenly—
Jungkook stepped forward.
Enough.
Enough lies.
Enough manipulation.
Enough games.
His dark eyes locked onto Han's.
"You're leaving."
The statement wasn't a threat.
It was a promise.
A deadly one.
Han smiled.
"No."
The answer came calmly.
Confidently.
Because he wasn't afraid.
Not yet.
Then—
another explosion rocked the estate.
Much stronger than before.
The entire building shook violently.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Several guards stumbled.
The situation deteriorated instantly.
"Boss!"
One of Jungkook's men rushed inside.
His expression said everything.
"We're losing the east wing."
The room froze.
Because that wasn't supposed to happen.
The east wing was heavily fortified.
Very heavily fortified.
If it had fallen—
things were much worse than expected.
Far worse.
Then another guard entered.
This one looked terrified.
Absolutely terrified.
"Sir..."
Jungkook turned.
"What?"
The guard swallowed.
Hard.
"We identified the person in the photograph."
Silence.
Everyone froze.
Including Chairman Han.
Especially Chairman Han.
Because suddenly—
his confidence vanished.
Only for a second.
But it was enough.
Aarya noticed.
Jungkook noticed.
Minho noticed.
Everyone noticed.
The guard looked at the photograph.
Then back at Jungkook.
His voice barely worked.
"Sir..."
A pause.
"The man in the reflection..."
Another pause.
"...isn't connected to Chairman Han."
Confusion spread instantly.
Then who was he?
The guard looked directly at Aarya.
And delivered the bombshell.
"He's connected to you."
Aarya's heart stopped.
"What?"
The guard hesitated.
Then finally spoke.
"The man in the photograph..."
Silence.
"...is your uncle."
The room exploded.
"No."
Aarya staggered backward.
She didn't have an uncle.
Her father never mentioned a brother.
Never.
Yet the guard continued.
"He disappeared twenty years ago."
Another pause.
"After stealing research from Project Aarya."
Chairman Han's expression darkened immediately.
Because the secret was out.
And judging by his reaction—
this mysterious uncle wasn't just important.
He was dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Then—
something happened that nobody expected.
Chairman Han smiled.
A genuine smile.
Cold.
Cruel.
Victorious.
Because he knew something they didn't.
Something important.
Something terrifying.
And his next words sent ice through Aarya's veins.
"Your uncle isn't missing."
Silence.
"He never disappeared."
The room stopped breathing.
Then Han leaned forward slightly.
His eyes locked onto Aarya's.
And whispered—
"He's been watching you your entire life."
- Writer
