“So, this was the plan all along?”

I glanced between Daniel and Bella, my hands clenching slightly by my sides.

“Wait until after the wedding… and then tell me?”

Bella let out a dismissive breath, her lips curling into a faint smile as she tilted her head.

“You always dramatize everything,” she said lightly. “It’s not that deep.”

And just like that, the dam inside me broke.

Before I could think, my hand shot out, the slap landing across her cheek with a sharp crack that sliced through the silence of the room. The sound was deafening, a physical release of everything I had kept bottled up for too long.

Bella stumbled back, her eyes widening in disbelief as she held her cheek.

But the moment was shattered by the voices at the door.

“What’s going on here?” My mother’s voice was clipped as she and my father stepped in, their gazes immediately locking on Bella.

Their attention shifted so quickly, so naturally, that it was like I wasn’t even there.

Bella, ever the actress, pointed a trembling finger at me. “She slapped me.”

My mother moved swiftly toward her, her eyes full of concern as if Bella were the one who had suffered, and I was the villain. “Aria… is that true?”

I let out a bitter laugh, the sound sharp and hollow. “Of course that’s what she says.”

My father’s voice grew firmer, like it always did when he needed to assert control. “Then explain yourself.”

“She insulted me,” I shot back, the words almost choking me as they left my lips. “But none of you care about that.”

My mother didn’t even look at me. She stayed by Bella’s side, her expression softening as if to shield her from the consequences of her actions.

My father’s face darkened, a frown deepening as he glared at me. “Apologize to your sister.”

I froze for a moment, my gaze fixed on them, disbelief simmering beneath the surface. Slowly, I shook my head. “No.”

Daniel, silent as ever, stood off to the side, watching the scene unfold. His presence once comforting, felt cold now. Like he wasn’t even a part of my world anymore.

I took a breath, stepped back, and turned on my heel. “I’m done here.”

Without waiting for another word, I walked out, their voices trailing behind me.

I walked, my steps automatic, until I noticed a bar ahead.

I slowed, then pushed the door open and stepped inside, heading straight for the counter and sitting down.

How had it come to this? First, I caught my fiancé cheating on me with my own sister, and now my parents were what? Defending her like I was the one who’d committed a crime?

I didn’t even know how much I drank. I wasn’t counting. I wasn’t thinking. All I knew was that I needed to drown out the chaos inside me.

A new drink appeared in front of me, and my vision blurred at the edges. I took it without hesitation, bringing it to my lips but just before I could swallow—

A hand shot out, grabbing the glass from me.

I blinked in confusion. Who the hell…?

I stared at the figure sitting across from me, feeling an odd sense of recognition—Daniel?

No, it couldn’t be him. That idiot was busy screwing my sister. The audacity of everyone around me, acting like I wasn’t the one being torn apart.

“Hey!” I screamed, the anger boiling over. “What the hell do you think you're doing?”

But he didn’t even flinch. He just sat there, calm, composed, as though I hadn’t just screamed at him.

He was dressed in a fitted shirt, sleeves rolled up to reveal a watch that looked expensive, clean, completely out of place in this mess of a night.

“What’s a pretty girl like you doing here, drinking like this?” he asked casually, his tone almost… amused.

Did he just call me pretty?

My mind was racing, the alcohol clouding my thoughts, but it was the nerve of this guy that hit me the hardest. This brat, sitting across from me, acting like I was some damsel in distress. He wasn’t any different from my cheating fiancé. I didn’t have time for this. I didn’t want anything from him.

“I don’t know you,” I muttered, my voice shaky but still filled with defiance. “Just give me back my drink.”

But he didn’t budge. His hand still gripped the glass firmly, not even an ounce of hesitation in his gaze.

“I’m Adrian and you've had enough,” he said, his voice low but firm.

Oh, now he was playing the caring stranger?

The anger flared again, hotter this time, but I was too drunk to think clearly. All I knew was that I needed to forget everything. This was just a distraction, a way to make the pain in my chest stop.

I hesitated, my vision swimming. Then I let out a slow, defeated breath and pushed myself up from the stool. My legs were unsteady, but I forced myself to stand.

He didn’t touch me, but he moved closer, just enough to guide me through the bar and toward the exit. He didn’t say a word, but his presence felt like a strange kind of support, even though I didn’t want it.

The night air hit my face like an icy slap, but it didn’t clear my mind. It just made the world feel even more distant.

He opened the car door for me. I got in without a word, slumping into the seat, too tired to argue.

The drive was quiet, the hum of the engine a lullaby that made me want to close my eyes and forget everything.

After what felt like hours, the car finally came to a stop.

He stepped out first, then opened the door for me.

“Can you walk?” he asked, his voice soft but insistent.

I nodded weakly, holding onto the door for balance before stepping out. My legs wobbled, but I followed him inside.

The place was calm. Quiet. A stark contrast to the chaos I had just left behind.

He led me down a short hallway and opened a door. “This is the guest room,” he said, his voice low.

I walked in slowly, like a stranger in my own body. I sank onto the bed, my hands resting in my lap as I stared at the unfamiliar room.

“…Thank you,” I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, turning slightly, ready to leave.

“Don’t go,” I said quickly, the words soft but pleading.

He paused, glancing back at me with an unreadable expression. “You need rest.”

“I know,” I replied, pushing myself up slightly, moving closer. “Just… stay for a bit.”

There was a long silence between us, thick with hesitation. He didn’t move, but the distance between us felt like it was closing, even if he didn’t step forward.

I reached for him, my fingers brushing lightly against the fabric of his sleeve.

“Please…” I whispered.

His breath hitched slightly, but his gaze held mine, unwavering. For a moment, I thought he might turn me away, but then he exhaled, a slow breath, and his eyes softened.

“We shouldn’t—” he began, but before he could finish, I leaned in and kissed him.

And then everything happened too fast, too frenzied, the night spiraling into a blur. I couldn’t keep up with my own thoughts, couldn’t make sense of anything anymore.

When I finally opened my eyes, the room was still. Silent.

I felt a deep, bone-deep tiredness, as if I’d slept too long.

For a moment, I stared at the ceiling, trying to piece together the fragments of the night. The bar. The drive. The room. It all felt distant.

I turned my head slowly.

He was beside me, still asleep.

My heart gave a painful tug, but I forced it back.

I stayed still, letting the memory of the night sink in like ink, and then my phone vibrated on the nightstand.

I reached for it and saw the message that chilled me to the core.

It wasn’t Daniel, It was my father.

“Aria, come home now. Something has happened.”

I stared at the screen, my mind racing, my grip tightening around the phone. What could it be? What happened?

My father’s message didn’t give me time to think. I grabbed my things and left immediately, my heart racing as I stepped outside, knowing I was going back to people who chose her over me, but still my family anyway.

My mind was already racing as I walked, thinking about everything waiting for me at home, my father’s anger, my mother’s silence, and the way no one even tried to hear me out before taking her side.

I reached the main road and stopped, raising my hand for a taxi without wasting time, my eyes moving quickly from one car to another.

None of them stopped.

I stepped slightly forward again, trying to get a clearer view of the road.

For a brief second, I noticed a black car parked across the street. It hadn’t moved since I got there.

I frowned slightly, my eyes lingering on it just a second longer before I looked away.

That was when I felt someone behind me.

Not too close at first, just enough to make me feel uneasy.

I turned slightly just to check who was behind me, and that was when I saw a shadow move too fast for me to fully understand.

Before I could react properly, a cloth was pressed over my mouth from behind.

The shock hit me instantly. A sharp smell filled my nose, and my body reacted before my mind could even catch up.

My breathing stopped for a second as I struggled against someone stronger than me.

I kicked, I twisted, I tried to scream, but nothing came out.

My vision started breaking at the edges, like everything around me was splitting apart. The road, the lights, and the noise all started fading away at once until everything went blank.

~ ~ ~

I don’t know how long I was unconscious.

My head was throbbing painfully when I started coming back, my body feeling weak like I had been drained of all strength.

I forced my eyes open slowly, trying to understand where I was.

I was in an abandoned building.

Cold air hit my skin immediately, and I tried to move, but I couldn’t. I could feel it now, my hands and body were tied to a chair, and I couldn’t move no matter how much I tried.

There were seven men around me, all wearing masks that covered their faces.

My eyes moved around the room again, slower this time… until something didn’t sit right.

These men didn’t look disorganized. Everything about them felt planned… controlled.

Like they weren’t just random people who grabbed me off the street.

I stayed still immediately as I listened closely to their voices moving around the room.

“She’s still out,” one of them said, calm and certain.

“Good,” another replied. “Keep her that way for now.”

There was a short pause before another voice spoke, lower and more controlled than the rest.

“Your father has been a problem for a long time,” he said, anger clear in his tone. “He thinks he can interfere in things that don’t concern him and go Scot-free?”

A quiet, cold laugh followed.

“So now the result of that interference is sitting right here.”

My chest tightened at his words, confusion mixing with fear.

What exactly did my father do…?

And why did it feel like I was the one paying for it?

My fingers twitched slightly at the mention of my father, but I forced myself not to move. I didn’t understand what they meant, but I knew one thing clearly now, this wasn’t random, and I was not taken by mistake.

Something metallic shifted beside me, and my stomach tightened, but I forced myself to stay still.

“Let’s see how long she stays unconscious,” the same voice said again, and I could hear footsteps moving closer to where I was sitting.

That was when my body reacted before I could stop it, tensing slightly, just a small movement, but it was enough.

“She’s waking,” one of them said immediately.

“Hold her,” another voice ordered sharply.

Footsteps came closer, steady, like the person didn’t need to rush at all.

A hand grabbed my chin and forced my face upward. I flinched slightly, my eyes opening more clearly.

A man stood in front of me, wearing a mask like the others, the same man that was talking about my father. He was calm, in control, he was the one everyone answered to.

“Oh, you’re awake,” he said, almost amused. “Good.”

His grip tightened slightly on my chin as he tilted my face from side to side like he was studying me.

“Aria Collins,” he said slowly, like he was tasting the name. “Daughter of William Collins.”

He paused, then gave a small laugh.

“I must say… you are more beautiful than I expected.”

My chest tightened, but I didn’t respond. I just stared at him, trying to stay steady even though fear was rising.

He let go of my chin and stepped back slightly, then turned to someone behind him.

“Maybe I should start by ruining that beauty,” he said casually.

My stomach dropped immediately.

I thought, Oh God… why is this happening to me? First my wedding… now I’m being kidnapped.

He reached for something nearby and pulled out a metal rod already burning red at the tip.

I froze as he brought it closer, slowly, like he wanted me to see every second of it.

I tried to pull back, but the chair held me firmly in place as he lifted it toward my face—

“Let’s see how strong you still are,”

—and just then a voice cut through the room like a gunshot, making everyone freeze instantly.

“STOP.”

My head jerked up at the sound, my heart still racing as the room fell into a sudden silence.

For a second, no one moved. Not the man in front of me, not the others around him, not even me. It was like everything had been forced to pause at once.

Confusion hit me immediately, sharp and disorienting, because nothing about this made sense.

And then I looked up, and I saw him.

Adrian.

How did he even find me?

My mind refused to accept what I was seeing, because there was no reason for him to be here, standing like he belonged in this place. Confusion and fear hit me at once, because he was the last person I expected to find me.

The man in front of me reacted first, breaking the silence with a slow, irritated laugh as he turned fully toward Adrian, the burning metal rod still in his hand.

“Oh well, well… who do we have here?” he said, letting the rod fall from his grip with a sharp metallic clink against the floor.

Adrian didn’t answer immediately.

He stepped forward instead, calm and steady, his eyes locked on the situation in front of him before briefly flicking to me, and something in his expression tightened the moment he saw me tied to the chair.

“Let her go,” he said finally.

His voice didn’t carry urgency.

It was too calm… like he had expected this.

The kidnapper let out a short laugh, shaking his head like he had just heard something amusing.

“Why should I?” he asked casually. “As far as I’m concerned, this whole thing is none of your business.”

My pulse spiked as I watched them, my body still restrained, my mind struggling to process how quickly everything had shifted from silence to confrontation.

Adrian didn’t react to the mockery. Instead, he took another slow step forward, unbothered, like he already knew how this would end.

“I’m giving you one last chance,” he said, his voice dropping slightly, becoming colder and more controlled. “Let her go, and I’ll leave here quietly.”

The man’s lips curled into a smile like that answer amused him even more.

“No, I won’t,” he replied simply.

That single response changed everything as Adrian stopped completely, the air in the room turning heavier like something had snapped, and then without warning he moved.

One second he was still, the next he grabbed the man by the collar, and slammed him hard into the metal pillar. The impact echoed through the warehouse as the room erupted into chaos before anyone could react.

“Now,” Adrian said sharply.

Men rushed forward, but his team moved in behind him just as fast, spreading out and cutting them off as the warehouse exploded with noise, bodies crashing, footsteps pounding, and metal hitting concrete.

Everything was happening too fast…

And yet, there was something about the way Adrian moved—

Like none of this was catching him off guard.

My heart pounded as I flinched at the violence, my wrists still bound and my body helpless while everything spiraled out of control, too fast and too loud to process, yet I still couldn’t look away.

Through it all, my eyes kept finding him.

Adrian moved like none of it touched him, every action precise and already decided. When someone came at him, he took them down instantly, and when another followed, it ended the same way.

It didn’t feel like a fight; it felt like control, like he had already decided how this would end, and then suddenly he was right in front of me.

“Untie her,” he said, his voice steady and commanding.

No one moved at first as silence stretched across the room.

He took a slow step closer, not rushing, not hesitating.

“Now,” he said again.

One of them immediately rushed forward and untied the ropes around my wrists, and the pressure vanished at once, though my hands still trembled as my body struggled to steady itself.

As the ropes fell away, I looked at him again—really looked this time.

And for a second… it didn’t feel like he had just found me.

It felt like he had arrived exactly when he intended to.

Before I could fully process it, Adrian was already in front of me again, close enough that I instinctively froze, and then his arms were around me, pulling me firmly into his chest.

My body stiffened instantly, caught off guard by the sudden contact, my mind still trying to catch up with everything that had just happened.

“Hey,” he said quietly, his voice softer now, calmer than before. “You’re safe now, Aria.”

The words didn’t fully register at first, but his hold did.

My fingers tightened around his shirt without thinking, like my body had decided he was the only thing keeping me grounded.

I was still shaking, still trying to breathe properly, and I couldn’t let go, while he didn’t pull away.

Instead, he held me tighter, like he understood I wasn’t okay yet.

The noise around us started fading, or maybe my mind just stopped processing it.

Either way, nothing else mattered in that moment.

Before I could fully process what was happening, he lifted me into his arms.

A small gasp escaped me, but I didn’t resist. My strength was gone, and my thoughts were still scattered.

My head rested against him as he carried me out, my grip still locked on his shirt like letting go wasn’t an option anymore.

The outside air felt different when we stepped out, but my body still hadn’t caught up with reality.

He placed me carefully into the back seat of a car, his movements slower now, controlled, like he was making sure I wouldn’t break under everything that had just happened.

My hands lingered for a moment before finally releasing him.

The door closed, the engine started, and silence filled the space, heavy, unfamiliar, and almost suffocating after everything.

My thoughts were scattered and unable to fully form into anything clear as nothing felt real, not the escape, not him, and not any of it.

As I sat there trying to steady my breathing, one thought settled in slowly, heavier than everything else.

I wasn’t going home.

I was going with him.

And somehow, that scared me just as much.

The car was silent except for the faint sound of the engine as he turned toward me, his gaze locking onto my face in a way that made me still without realizing it.

He didn’t speak at first, just looked at me like he was confirming I was really there and safe, like even he couldn’t fully believe it yet.

His hand lifted slowly and brushed my cheek, his thumb lingering there as if checking I was okay.

I froze, my breathing uneven, confused by how soft his expression had become compared to everything I had just seen in him.

He leaned slightly closer, close enough that the silence between us felt heavy and impossible to ignore.

“Adrian…” I whispered. “What are you doing?”