Aria waited.
That was the hardest part.
Waiting for the house to fall asleep…
Waiting for the silence to settle…
Waiting for the courage to stop shaking inside her chest.
Midnight had long passed.
The mansion was quiet again.
Too quiet.
Perfect.
She slipped out of her room slowly, careful not to make a sound.
Her heart was already racing.
Not from fear alone—
But from determination.
Tonight… she was getting answers.
Lucien's office door was closed.
Just like before.
But this time—
She came prepared.
Aria glanced around once more before pulling a small pin from her hair.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she knelt by the lock.
"I really hope this works…" she whispered under her breath.
A few seconds passed.
Then—
Click.
Her eyes widened slightly.
It worked.
She pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside.
The room felt exactly the same.
Dark. Cold. Controlled.
Just like him.
Aria moved quickly this time.
No hesitation.
Straight to the desk.
She opened the first drawer.
Nothing important.
The second—
Documents. Files. Names she didn't recognize.
Her breathing grew uneven.
"Come on… there has to be something…"
Then she saw it.
A black folder.
Different from the rest.
Hidden at the back.
Her heart skipped.
Slowly… she pulled it out.
Her fingers hesitated for a second before opening it.
Then—
Everything changed.
Inside were documents.
Old ones.
Reports.
Photographs.
And right at the top—
A name.
Her breath caught.
"Bennett Industries."
Her family's company.
Her hands started shaking as she flipped through the pages.
Financial reports.
Debts.
Transactions.
And then—
A signature.
Her father's.
Right next to another name.
Lucien Knight.
Her vision blurred.
"No…"
Her chest tightened painfully as she kept reading.
Her father hadn't just known Lucien.
He had been involved with him.
Business.
Deals.
Money.
Lots of it.
And then—
One final document.
Stamped.
Closed.
"Asset Transfer Agreement."
Her heart pounded violently.
Transferred… to Lucien Knight.
Her fingers trembled as she read the details.
Everything her father owned…
Everything…
Was signed over.
Her breath became uneven.
"This… this doesn't make sense…"
Her father would never—
He couldn't—
Then her eyes dropped to the bottom of the page.
And she saw it.
A note.
Handwritten.
Short.
Cold.
Final.
Failure to repay will result in full acquisition.
Her heart stopped.
Repay?
Debt.
Lucien was telling the truth.
"No…" she whispered, shaking her head.
Tears blurred her vision.
"This isn't real…"
But it was.
Everything she believed—
Everything she held onto—
Was breaking apart right in front of her.
"So you finally found it."
The voice came from the doorway.
Low.
Calm.
Familiar.
Aria froze.
Her entire body went still.
Slowly…
She turned.
Lucien stood there.
Watching her.
Her grip tightened around the file.
"You lied to me," she said, her voice shaking.
"I didn't."
"You said it was just a debt!"
"It was."
Her chest rose sharply.
"This isn't just a debt!" she snapped, holding up the file. "You took everything from him!"
Lucien's expression didn't change.
"He signed it willingly."
"Because he had no choice!"
Her voice broke.
"You trapped him!"
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Lucien stepped inside, closing the door behind him.
The sound echoed.
Loud.
Final.
"You don't understand the situation," he said.
"Then explain it!" she shot back. "Because from what I'm seeing—"
She held up the papers again, her hands shaking.
"—you destroyed my family!"
The words hung in the air.
Sharp.
Painful.
Unavoidable.
For a moment…
Lucien said nothing.
And that silence—
It hurt more than anything.
Tears slid down Aria's cheeks now.
Unstoppable.
"You took everything from me…" she whispered.
Her voice broke completely this time.
"My home… my family… my life…"
Her chest tightened painfully.
"And then you married me?"
Her laugh was hollow.
Broken.
"What kind of person does that?"
Lucien's jaw clenched.
But still—
No denial.
No apology.
Nothing.
That was it.
That was all she needed.
Aria shook her head slowly, stepping back.
"I hate you," she said again.
But this time…
It sounded different.
Stronger.
Real.
Lucien's eyes darkened slightly.
But his voice stayed calm.
"Then hate me."
Her heart clenched.
Because somehow…
That hurt more.
"Give it back," she said suddenly.
His brows furrowed slightly.
"What?"
"Everything you took from my family," she said, her voice trembling but firm. "Give it back."
Silence.
Then—
"No."
The word hit like a slap.
Her breath caught.
"You can't be serious…"
"I am."
Her chest rose sharply.
"Why?" she demanded. "Why are you doing this to me?!"
Lucien stepped closer.
Slowly.
His gaze locked onto hers.
"Because," he said quietly,
"you're the only thing left of that debt."
Her heart dropped.
"What…?"
The words barely came out.
His voice lowered.
Darker now.
More dangerous than before.
"Your father couldn't pay," he continued.
"So he lost everything."
A pause.
Then—
"And now…"
His eyes held hers completely.
"You're mine."
The words sent a chill through her entire body.
Not just fear.
Not just anger.
Something deeper.
Something heavier.
Aria stepped back, shaking her head.
"No… no, I'm not—this is just a contract—"
"Is it?" he interrupted.
Her breath hitched.
Suddenly, the room felt too small.
Too intense.
Too much.
She turned quickly, trying to move past him—
But he grabbed her wrist.
Not rough.
But firm.
Stopping her.
"Let go of me," she said, her voice unsteady.
He didn't.
Her heart pounded wildly.
"Lucien—"
"Look at me."
The command was quiet.
But powerful.
She hesitated…
Then slowly lifted her gaze.
Big mistake.
Because the moment their eyes met—
Everything shifted.
Again.
This wasn't just anger anymore.
This wasn't just hate.
This was something else.
Something dangerous.
Something neither of them could control anymore.
And for the first time…
Aria realized—
She wasn't just trapped in a marriage.
She was trapped in something much deeper.