The mansion grew quiet.
Too quiet.
Aria stood still long after Rowan left the hall, her eyes fixed on the empty space where he had been standing just moments ago.
Her heart was still racing.
But her face—
Calm.
Controlled.
Careful.
She slowly loosened her clenched fists, forcing her breathing to even out. Panic wouldn't help her now.
Not here.
Not with him.
Because Rowan wasn't just watching her actions.
He was reading her.
And that made him far more dangerous.
Aria turned her head slightly, her gaze drifting around the hall.
Every detail mattered now.
Every door.
Every window.
Every possible exit.
But most importantly—
Every weakness.
She took a slow step forward.
Then another.
Testing.
Listening.
Waiting.
No footsteps.
No voice.
No sign of him.
Good.
Her bare feet moved silently across the cold floor as she walked toward the staircase again—but this time, not running.
Thinking.
Her fingers brushed lightly against the railing as she climbed up slowly, her eyes scanning everything.
The layout.
The turns.
The distance.
If she had to run again—
She needed to know exactly where to go.
Halfway up the stairs, she paused.
A strange feeling crept up her spine.
Like she was being watched.
Her body stiffened.
Slowly—
She turned her head.
Nothing.
Empty hall.
Silent walls.
But the feeling didn't go away.
It lingered.
Heavy.
Unsettling.
Aria swallowed hard and continued walking.
Don't panic.
Don't react.
Not yet.
Upstairs, the corridor stretched long and dimly lit.
Doors lined both sides.
Closed.
All of them.
Aria stepped closer to the nearest one.
Her fingers hovered over the handle.
Then—
She twisted it.
Locked.
Of course.
She moved to the next one.
Locked.
Another.
Locked.
A humorless smile tugged at her lips.
"A perfect cage…" she whispered under her breath.
But even cages had flaws.
They had to.
Aria continued down the corridor, testing each door one by one.
Until—
Click.
Her breath hitched.
Unlocked.
Slowly—
Carefully—
She pushed the door open.
The room inside was dark.
Cold.
Unused.
A faint smell of dust filled the air.
Aria stepped inside, her eyes adjusting to the dim light filtering through the curtains.
It looked like a storage room.
Old furniture.
Covered sheets.
Boxes stacked in corners.
Nothing important.
Or so it seemed.
She moved further in, her gaze sharp.
Searching.
Looking.
Because she knew—
Rowan wouldn't make it this easy.
Her fingers brushed over a nearby table—
And froze.
A photo frame.
Half covered in dust.
Aria frowned slightly and picked it up.
Her breath stopped.
It was her.
Standing beside Rowan.
Smiling.
Happy.
Her fingers trembled.
"No…" she whispered.
Her eyes scanned the picture again.
The way Rowan was looking at her—
Not cold.
Not dangerous.
But—
Soft.
Possessive.
Protective.
Like she meant everything to him.
Aria's chest tightened painfully.
"This… doesn't make sense…"
Her head started to ache.
A sharp, sudden pain.
Images flickered—
Laughter.
Warmth.
His voice—
"Stay with me."
She gasped and dropped the frame.
It hit the floor with a dull thud.
"No… no…"
Her breathing quickened again.
This wasn't right.
None of this was right.
If they were like this before—
Then why—
Why did he lock her up now?
Why did she feel afraid of him?
A sound echoed behind her.
Soft.
But enough.
Aria froze.
Slowly—
She turned.
The doorway.
Empty.
But—
She wasn't alone.
She could feel it.
That presence again.
Watching.
Waiting.
Her pulse spiked.
"Who's there…?" she whispered.
Silence.
Then—
A step.
Aria's heart dropped.
Because she knew that sound.
Slow.
Measured.
Controlled.
Rowan.
He stepped into the doorway, his figure partially hidden in shadow.
His eyes locked onto her immediately.
Sharp.
Unreadable.
"You're curious," he said quietly.
Not a question.
A statement.
Aria swallowed hard, forcing herself not to step back this time.
"I just… opened a door," she replied, trying to sound normal.
Rowan's gaze flickered briefly to the fallen photo frame on the floor.
Then back to her.
"And found something you shouldn't have."
Her chest tightened.
"Why is it here?" she asked before she could stop herself.
A pause.
Rowan didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he walked into the room.
Slowly.
Closing the distance between them.
Aria held her ground.
Barely.
"That," he said, nodding toward the photo, "is from a time you don't remember."
His voice was calm again.
Too calm.
"Then tell me," Aria shot back, frustration slipping through. "Why don't I remember?"
Rowan stopped right in front of her.
Close.
Too close.
His eyes searched hers.
Deep.
Intense.
"As if I haven't tried," he murmured.
Aria frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Rowan exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair.
For a brief moment—
He looked… tired.
But it disappeared just as quickly.
"You lost more than just memories," he said quietly.
Aria's breath caught.
"What else…?"
His gaze darkened.
"Trust."
The word hit harder than she expected.
Silence filled the room again.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Aria looked away for a second, her thoughts spinning.
If she didn't trust him before—
Then maybe—
Maybe there was a reason.
Her eyes slowly lifted back to his.
"Did you hurt me?" she asked.
The question hung in the air.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
Rowan didn't react immediately.
Didn't get angry.
Didn't deny it either.
Instead—
He stepped even closer.
Until there was almost no space left between them.
"If I did," he said softly, "you wouldn't be standing."
A chill ran down her spine.
That wasn't comforting.
Not even a little.
But strangely—
It didn't feel like a lie.
Aria's heart pounded.
Her instincts screamed at her to push him away.
To run.
To fight.
But she didn't.
Not this time.
Because she was learning.
Watching.
Waiting.
Just like before.
Rowan's hand lifted slowly—
And for a second, she tensed—
But he didn't grab her.
Didn't trap her.
Instead, his fingers gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
Soft.
Unexpected.
"You always get like this," he murmured.
"Like what?" she asked quietly.
"Brave," he replied.
A pause.
"Even when you're terrified."
Her breath faltered.
He noticed.
Of course he did.
Rowan's lips curved slightly.
Not a full smile.
But something close.
"Be careful, Aria," he added softly.
"Curiosity can be dangerous."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"So can secrets."
For a second—
Something flickered in his expression again.
Approval.
Amusement.
Maybe both.
Then—
He stepped back.
Breaking the moment.
"You should rest," he said flatly.
The shift was instant.
Back to control.
Back to distance.
Aria didn't argue this time.
Didn't push.
Didn't run.
She just nodded slowly.
"Okay."
Rowan studied her for a second longer.
As if trying to read something beneath her calm expression.
Then—
He turned and walked out.
Leaving her alone.
Again.
The moment he disappeared—
Aria exhaled sharply.
Her entire body relaxed slightly.
But her mind—
Faster than ever.
Her gaze dropped to the broken photo frame on the floor.
She bent down slowly and picked it up again.
Her fingers traced over the image.
Her.
Him.
Together.
"There's something you're hiding…" she whispered.
And she would find it.
No matter what.
Because now—
She had proof.
Proof that things weren't always like this.
Proof that Rowan wasn't always—
This dangerous.
Her grip tightened on the frame.
And her eyes hardened.
This wasn't just about escape anymore.
This was about truth.
And if Rowan wouldn't give it to her—
She would take it.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Patiently.
Just like she planned.
Because in this twisted game—
Aria wasn't just the prey anymore.
She was learning how to hunt.