The loud shout of Morgan's name echoed through the mansion. Aria froze on her bed, and her heart began to pound again as fear circulated throughout her entire body. The voice downstairs sounded extremely angry, and Morgan's face became cold instantly. His eyes sharpened, and his body tensed like a predator preparing to attack its prey. He moved toward the bedroom door, but before he left, he gave Aria a serious look. "Do not leave this room," he ordered in a calm but firm manner. Aria nodded slowly, but curiosity burned deeply within her. She wondered who was downstairs and why they were shouting Morgan's name, but she dared not move from her bed to satisfy her curiosity.
Morgan opened the door quietly and stepped into the hallway, his footsteps composed and controlled as he moved, shutting the door behind him. Aria sat down alone in her room quietly. The entire room was silent, but the shouting downstairs continued. She heard angry voices and detected that it was two men yelling, and her anxiety grew stronger.
Aria stood up slowly from her bed. Her body ached a little as she moved, but curiosity pushed her forward. Ignoring Morgan's order, she walked toward the bedroom door. Her hand hesitated on the doorknob as she remembered Morgan had told her to stay inside, but she needed answers, so she slowly opened the door. The hallway was empty as she stepped out quietly, her heart pounding as she moved. The shouting became clear gradually, and she noticed it was coming from the main hall downstairs. She walked slowly toward the staircase, careful not to make a sound, gripping the railings lightly with her sweaty palms and leaning forward to get a clear view of the men.
Aria saw two men standing in the hall, and Morgan stood in front of them with his back facing the stairs. The men looked furious. One of them was wearing a black suit; he looked rich and powerful, while the other man looked like a bodyguard—tall and muscular. Aria watched everything closely as the tension in the room thickened.
The man in the suit smirked coldly, his eyes cruel and sharp as he stared at Morgan. "So it's true," he said mockingly, "you are hiding her here." Aria's breath paused for a second after hearing this; her fingers tightened on the railing. They were actually talking about her.
Morgan's voice became icy. "Leave," he said.
But the man laughed out loud. "Still so cold, Morgan," he said arrogantly, his smile widening. "You always liked dangerous games," he continued.
Morgan didn't react to this statement. His eyes remained calm, but his body radiated warning. The bodyguard noticed and shifted his stance slightly.
"You shouldn't be here," Morgan said to him, his voice low and controlled.
The man shrugged casually. "I came to check something," he replied, looking around the mansion slowly as if he owned the place. "Is she still alive?" he asked suddenly.
Aria's chest tightened upstairs as fear spread through her veins. Morgan's eyes darkened dangerously. "That's none of your business," he said angrily.
The man chuckled softly. "Oh, it is my business," he replied, his smile becoming colder. "After all... I was there that night."
Aria's mind exploded with shock. That night? That night I almost died? she wondered. Morgan's expression changed slightly as his eyes flashed with anger. "Be careful," he warned quietly.
The man stepped closer to him, fearless and arrogant. "Why?" he asked mockingly. "Afraid the little girl will remember?" Aria felt like her stomach dropped instantly. Her head began to ache again, and several images flashed in her mind. She saw a glass table, a dark figure of a man, a broken window, and heard someone arguing loudly and a voice shouting, "You betrayed me!" Her breathing became uneven. She believed the memory was actually close to her, but she still wanted to remember all of it.
Downstairs, the man in the suit smiled widely. "You can't hide her forever," he said, putting his hands in his pockets. Morgan didn't move because his presence alone filled the hall.
"Watch me," he replied quietly.
The bodyguard looked nervous now, but even when he felt the danger from Morgan, he still sighed dramatically. "Fine... I'll come back later," he said finally.
The man turned toward the door, but before leaving, he stopped and glanced toward the staircase. Aria quietly ducked, afraid that he might have seen her.
"You should tell her the truth, Morgan," he said, smirking. His voice echoed through the hall.
Morgan's eyes widened. "About what?" he asked calmly.
The man smiled again. "About who really betrayed her," he replied. The words hung heavily in the air, making Aria's mind spin. Did someone I trusted so much actually betray me? she thought.
The man laughed softly and said, "Or maybe you are afraid she would remember." His statement made Morgan's patience finally snap. He stepped forward suddenly in a fast and threatening movement, but the bodyguard instantly blocked him. Tension filled the hall.
"Leave now," Morgan warned angrily. The man raised his hands mockingly. "Relax. I'm leaving," he said, wearing a cruel smile. "Tell Aria I said hello."
Aria froze completely. He knew she was here, and this sent a chill down her spine. Morgan's eyes burned with fury. He clenched his fist tightly.
"Say her name again," Morgan said quietly, his voice dangerous.
The man grinned widely. "Aria Vale," he said. Her full name echoed through the mansion. Hearing her name felt strange, like a distant memory.
Morgan tried his best to control his anger and seeing that Morgan did nothing to him, the man walked toward the door, completely relaxed. "We'll meet again soon," he glanced back one more time. "Very soon," he said and exited the mansion. The bodyguard followed him and slammed the front door shut.
Though the whole place became silent, the tension still remained. Morgan stood still for several seconds, clenching his fist as rage burned behind his calm face. Upstairs, Aria slowly breathed again, but her body continued to tremble. The man knew her name, and he was there that night she almost died. Fear crawled through her chest as she thought about it.
Morgan slowly turned toward the stairs, and his eyes met hers instantly. Aria gasped softly, knowing that she had already been caught. Morgan walked toward the stairs wearing an unreadable expression that made Aria nervous and terrified of the truth, but she was also curious to know, not minding its dark side.
Morgan reached the staircase, his gaze locked on Aria. "I told you to stay in your room," he said, calm and composed.
Aria lowered her head slightly, as if guilty. "I heard shouting," she said timidly.
Morgan let out a sigh as his anger began to fade. He walked up the stairs. Aria stepped back a little, her heart beating fast again. When Morgan reached her, he studied her face. "How much did you hear?" he asked.
She hesitated at first but answered honestly. "I heard everything."
His expression darkened immediately. He had expected that answer, but it still frustrated him.
"Who was that man?" she asked, her voice serious this time, showing no sign of fear, only determination.
Morgan remained silent, thinking carefully and choosing his words. "Someone dangerous," he finally said.
That answer annoyed Aria. "You always say that," she said, stepping closer to him. Her eyes searched his as if trying to pull the truth out of them. "Was he the one who hurt me?" she asked.
Morgan paused, his silence heavy. "No," he finally replied.
Aria was shocked. If it wasn't the man who tried to hurt her, then who was it? Her confusion grew deeper.
"But he was there that night," Morgan added quietly.
Aria's stomach tightened badly. "Then he must know what happened," she said. Morgan nodded slowly. Fear spread through her whole body again as she remembered the man's words: Tell her the truth. What truth was he talking about? She thought, which made her begin to hurt again.
Images suddenly flashed in her head. She could see a man's face shouting angrily, she saw someone pushing her, and glass shattering loudly. The memory was slowly coming closer to her. It was almost clear, but still hidden.
Aria suddenly grabbed Morgan's arm, her eyes widening in shock. "I saw something," she whispered.
Morgan's attention sharpened instantly. "What did you see?" he asked quickly.
"There was someone else..." Her voice trembled as she spoke. "A third person."
Morgan froze. "Are you sure?" he asked.
Aria nodded slowly. "I heard a voice," she said as her hand trembled. "Someone was shouting," she completed her statement.
Morgan's jaw tightened. He already knew who that voice might belong to, but he silently hoped she would not remember yet. The truth was far too dangerous for her to know.
"What did the voice say?" Morgan asked carefully.
Aria closed her eyes, trying to remember. The memory became louder and stronger in her head. Then suddenly, her eyes snapped open, shock filling her completely as she said, "They said your name."
Silence fell instantly. Morgan didn't move, his expression unreadable, but Aria could not understand it. She stared at him, confused, not knowing what to do.
"Morgan..." she whispered, her voice shaking. "Why were you there that night?"
He didn't give her an answer, and his silence terrified Aria. Morgan felt that his answer would change everything entirely, and he wasn't ready at all to give it yet.