THE SECRET
1265 Words
Chapter 5 — The Secret
Aria stared at Elias's message for almost a minute.
Elias: We need to talk.
Her heart sank.
After everything that had happened, she already knew what this could mean.
Maybe he wanted to end the contract.
Maybe his family had finally convinced him.
Maybe Victoria had been right all along.
Aria slowly typed.
Aria: Where?
His reply came quickly.
Elias: My office. After your class.
She put her phone down.
"Okay."
But she wasn't okay.
Not even close.
---
When Aria arrived at Valencia Corporation that afternoon, the building felt different.
The lobby was crowded, but everyone seemed unusually quiet.
She walked toward the elevator.
Before she could press the button, Elias's assistant approached her.
"Miss Santos?"
"Yes?"
"Mr. Valencia is expecting you."
Aria nodded.
"Thank you."
The elevator doors opened.
As she stepped inside, she noticed two security guards following her.
She frowned.
Something was definitely wrong.
When she reached the thirty-second floor, Elias was standing near the window.
He turned when she entered.
"You're here."
"You said we needed to talk."
"Yes."
Aria put her bag down.
"Then talk."
Elias looked at her for a moment.
"Someone knows about the contract."
Her expression changed.
"What?"
"I received another message."
He showed her his laptop.
Aria read it.
Her face became pale.
"How did they find out?"
"I don't know."
"Could it be Victoria?"
"I don't think so."
"Your father?"
"Possibly."
Aria looked at him.
"What are we going to do?"
"You're going to stay away from me for a while."
She stared at him.
"What?"
"Until I find out who's behind this."
"No."
"Aria."
"I'm not going anywhere."
"This isn't a joke."
"I know."
"You could be putting yourself in danger."
"And you think sending me away will fix everything?"
"It will keep you safe."
She shook her head.
"No."
Elias frowned.
"You don't get to decide that alone."
Aria's voice softened.
"You told me this morning that I was part of your life."
He didn't answer.
"So let me be part of it."
For several seconds, they simply stared at each other.
Finally, Elias sighed.
"You're stubborn."
"You knew that when you signed the contract."
A small smile appeared on his face.
"Unfortunately."
---
That evening, Elias took Aria home himself.
The car was quiet.
Aria watched the city lights pass by.
"Elias?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"Why don't you trust your father?"
He remained silent for a moment.
"Because he has lied to me before."
"About what?"
"My mother's death."
Aria turned toward him.
He rarely talked about his mother.
"What happened?"
"My mother wanted me to leave the family business."
"Why?"
"She believed my father cared too much about power."
Aria listened carefully.
"One day, she disappeared from the company."
"What?"
"My father told everyone she left voluntarily."
"And you believed him?"
"I was young."
Aria looked down.
"I'm sorry."
Elias nodded.
"I spent years believing she simply abandoned us."
"Then what changed?"
"I found some old documents."
He paused.
"They proved she had been trying to expose something."
Aria's eyes widened.
"Something about the company?"
"Yes."
"What?"
"I don't know yet."
The car became silent again.
Then Elias said,
"That's why I can't trust my father."
Aria slowly reached for his hand.
She hesitated before touching it.
Elias looked down at their hands.
Neither moved.
For once, the touch wasn't part of the contract.
It was simply comfort.
---
The following week was strangely peaceful.
No messages.
No mysterious cars.
No Victoria.
Aria almost believed everything was over.
Then one afternoon, she received an envelope.
There was no name.
No address.
Just her name written across the front.
ARIA SANTOS
She opened it carefully.
Inside was a photograph.
Her eyes widened.
It showed her aunt talking to Elias's father outside the company.
On the back was a handwritten message.
Ask your aunt what she knows.
Aria's heart started racing.
She immediately called her aunt.
"Auntie?"
"Aria? What's wrong?"
"Can you tell me something about Valencia Corporation?"
There was silence.
"What kind of question is that?"
"Did you know Elias's father before you started working there?"
Another pause.
"Yes."
"How well?"
"Aria, why are you asking?"
"I received a photograph."
Her aunt's breathing changed.
"What photograph?"
"One of you and Mr. Valencia."
Silence.
"Auntie?"
"I need you to listen to me."
"I'm listening."
"Don't trust anyone in that family."
Aria froze.
"What?"
"I shouldn't have let you get involved."
"What are you talking about?"
Her aunt lowered her voice.
"Come home."
"Why?"
"Just come home, Aria."
The call ended.
Aria stared at her phone.
Her hands were trembling.
---
She immediately called Elias.
He answered on the second ring.
"Aria?"
"I need to see you."
"What happened?"
"I got a photograph."
His voice became serious.
"Where are you?"
"At school."
"Stay there."
"Elias—"
"I'm coming."
Twenty minutes later, he arrived.
Aria showed him the photograph.
The moment he saw it, his expression changed.
"Where did you get this?"
"It was sent to me."
"Who sent it?"
"I don't know."
He studied the photograph carefully.
Then looked at Aria.
"Did you talk to your aunt?"
"Yes."
"What did she say?"
"She told me not to trust anyone in your family."
Elias became silent.
Aria watched him.
"You know something."
"No."
"Elias."
"I'm trying to understand it."
She frowned.
"Why does everyone know something except me?"
"Because I'm trying to protect you."
"I don't need protection. I need the truth."
He looked at her.
"You'll get it."
"When?"
"When I know what it is."
Aria shook her head.
"No more secrets."
"I promise."
She looked into his eyes.
"Promise?"
"I promise."
---
That night, Elias returned to the company.
He went directly to the archives.
After hours of searching, he found an old file.
It belonged to his mother.
Inside were financial reports, company records, and several letters.
One name appeared repeatedly.
Marissa Santos.
Elias froze.
He read the first letter.
His mother's handwriting was unmistakable.
«Marissa, if anything happens to me, make sure Elias knows the truth.»
Elias's hands tightened around the paper.
He continued reading.
There was another sentence.
«The person responsible is someone he trusts.»
Elias stared at the page.
Then he heard footsteps behind him.
He turned.
His father stood at the entrance.
"What are you doing here?"
Elias slowly closed the file.
"What happened to my mother?"
His father's face changed.
"Where did you find that?"
"Answer me."
"You don't understand."
"Then explain it."
His father stepped forward.
"Some truths are better left buried."
Elias's eyes hardened.
"Not anymore."
---
Across the city, Aria sat beside her aunt.
Her aunt finally looked at her.
"I should have told you years ago."
"Told me what?"
She took a deep breath.
"Your parents weren't the only people who knew about Elias's family."
Aria's heart stopped.
"What does that mean?"
Her aunt reached into a drawer and pulled out an old envelope.
"This belonged to Elias's mother."
Aria stared at it.
"Why do you have that?"
"Because she trusted me."
Aria slowly opened the envelope.
Inside was a letter.
And the first line made her blood run cold.
Dear Aria,
She stopped reading.
"Why would she write to me?"
Her aunt looked at her sadly.
"Because she knew one day you'd meet Elias."
Aria's hands trembled.
The contract.
The threats.
Victoria.
Elias's father.
His mother's disappearance.
None of it was a coincidence.
And now Aria was beginning to realize that her relationship with Elias might have started long before the day she accidentally opened the wrong door.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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