Ariana's breath caught in her throat.
"Betray… Adrian?" she repeated, her voice barely steady, as if the words themselves were too heavy to exist.
Adrian's mother stepped back slowly, her expression calm, almost amused by the reaction she had just provoked. There was no hesitation in her posture, no doubt in her eyes—only control. Absolute control.
"Yes," she said simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Ariana stared at her, disbelief mixing with anger. "You think I'd do that?" she asked, her voice sharpening. "After everything?"
The woman tilted her head slightly, studying her like one would study a piece on a chessboard. "I don't think," she replied softly. "I know what people are capable of when they're desperate."
Ariana's fists clenched at her sides. "I'm not like you."
A faint smile curved on the woman's lips. "No," she said. "Not yet."
Silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating.
Ariana forced herself to breathe, to think, to not let emotions cloud her judgment. "What exactly do you want?" she asked, her tone controlled now. "Say it clearly."
The woman didn't rush. She walked slowly around Ariana, her heels echoing against the marble floor, each step deliberate.
"I want loyalty," she said. "Not temporary obedience. Not emotional decisions. I want certainty."
Ariana didn't turn to follow her movements. She stood still, refusing to show weakness.
"And how do you expect to get that?" she asked.
The woman stopped behind her.
"By removing your distractions," she replied.
Ariana's heart skipped.
"Adrian," she added calmly.
Ariana turned sharply now, her eyes blazing. "He's not a distraction."
"He is," the woman corrected, her voice still calm but colder now. "He makes you hesitate. He makes you emotional. And emotions…" she paused slightly, "are liabilities."
Ariana let out a quiet, bitter laugh. "So your solution is to make me destroy the one person who's been protecting me?"
The woman didn't deny it.
"Not destroy," she said. "Deliver."
Those words hit harder.
Ariana felt something inside her twist painfully.
"You want me to hand him over," she said slowly.
"Yes."
"And then what?" Ariana demanded. "You'll just give me my daughter back and let us go?"
For the first time—
The woman's smile changed.
It became sharper.
More dangerous.
"You're not in a position to negotiate," she said.
Ariana's nails dug into her palms.
"Then give me a reason to trust you," she shot back.
A pause.
Then—
The woman reached into her pocket and pulled out a small device.
She pressed a button.
A screen lit up.
Ariana's breath stopped.
Lia.
Her daughter.
Sitting in a dim room, looking small and fragile, her eyes scanning the space as if searching for someone.
"Mom…" the child whispered faintly.
Ariana's vision blurred instantly.
"Enough," she said, her voice breaking as she looked away. "I've seen enough."
The screen went dark.
Silence returned.
"You have twenty-four hours," the woman said calmly. "Bring Adrian to me. Alone. No tricks."
Ariana shook her head slowly, still trying to process everything. "And if I refuse?"
The answer came without hesitation.
"Then you lose her."
The words landed like a final verdict.
Ariana's chest tightened painfully, her breath uneven now. She felt trapped—completely, brutally trapped.
One side—
Her daughter.
Her blood. Her life.
The other—
Adrian.
The man who had fought beside her, protected her, trusted her… even when everything was falling apart.
Her voice came out as a whisper.
"You're asking me to choose."
The woman met her gaze directly.
"I'm asking you to prove who you really are."
A long silence followed.
Then—
Ariana slowly straightened her posture.
Her expression changed.
The pain didn't disappear—
But it hid.
Buried under something colder.
More controlled.
"Fine," she said.
The woman watched her carefully.
"Fine?" she repeated.
Ariana nodded once.
"I'll do it."
Those three words echoed in the hall.
For a moment—
Even the woman seemed slightly surprised.
But then—
She smiled.
"Good," she said softly. "I knew you would understand."
Ariana didn't return the smile.
Inside—
Something was breaking.
Or maybe…
Something else was forming.
"Where do you want him?" she asked.
The woman handed her a small card.
"Tomorrow night," she said. "This location."
Ariana took it without looking.
"And remember," the woman added, her voice dropping slightly, "if you try anything clever…"
Ariana cut her off.
"I won't," she said.
Their eyes locked one last time.
A silent battle.
Then—
The woman stepped back.
"You may go."
The doors behind Ariana opened.
Freedom.
Or at least—
The illusion of it.
Ariana turned and walked away, her steps steady, her face unreadable.
But the moment she stepped outside—
Her hand tightened around the card.
Her breathing finally broke.
Because now—
She had to do the impossible.
Outside the estate, hidden in the shadows—
Adrian waited.
The moment Ariana appeared, he stepped forward.
"What happened?" he asked.
Ariana looked at him.
Really looked at him.
And for a second—
Her expression almost broke.
But then—
She spoke.
"They want you."
Silence.
Adrian's eyes darkened slightly.
"For what?"
Ariana hesitated.
Just for a fraction of a second.
Then—
She said it.
"They want me to bring you to them."
Adrian didn't react immediately.
He just watched her.
Carefully.
Because something felt off.
"Do you trust me?" Ariana asked suddenly.
The question caught him off guard.
"What?"
"Do you trust me?" she repeated, her voice steady but her eyes searching his.
Adrian held her gaze.
Without hesitation—
"Yes."
Ariana nodded slowly.
"Then come with me tomorrow night."
Adrian didn't ask another question.
He just said—
"Okay."
And that was it.
Trust.
Simple.
Dangerous.
Absolute.
But neither of them realized—
That this trust…
Was about to be tested in the worst possible way.
Cliffhanger:
👉 As Ariana walks away, she secretly tightens her grip on something hidden in her sleeve…
A tiny blade.
And whispers to herself—
"I won't lose either of them." 😈
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