ARIA‘Gideon is alive.’It was the first time that when I closed my eyes, I prayed that they would open again. “…what I said?”When I had woken up, I had found Fabiano looming over me. He hadn’t once left me alone.I so wanted him to leave me alone so I could go into my room and see if the woman was telling the truth or was she weaving a web of lies?It took me a few moments of remember everything correctly but once I did, I found myself believing the woman.I hadn’t really seen Gideon dying.Fabiano had never mentioned my friend again. Ever.What if Gideon was alive?I could feel a part of me getting happy and bright at the thought of seeing Gideon again. But the remaining of me was worried.What if Fabiano found out about everything?The woman, whoever she was, was clever. She had pictures of my sister that were taken from the mansion. I knew that Adriano was no fool and he was possessive. The security around his mansion was top-notch and he had increased the number of guards aroun

ARIA“What the fuck are you doing?”My head snapped up so quickly at the angry voice that raised red flags in my mind.I pressed my lips together, forcing myself to regulate my breathing. If he saw me breathing so vastly, he would have some serious doubts.He barged inside, pushing the door so hardly that it made a loud sound when it collided with the wall.I turned myself, leaning my back against the cabinet under the basin, and hid my trembling hands in my lap.He eyed me with suspicious eyes, taking me in as I sat on my knees on the floor. My eyes flicked past him and collided with Lina’s. She looked at me warily before her gaze flicked to the cabinet and back to me. She eyed me like she knew something and every friendly feeling I ever had for her disappeared leaving behind a ball of suspicions inside me.“What’re you doing down there?” Fabiano questioned, halting in front of me. I was at eye-level to his pants but I looked up. He looked so huge and big from down here, like he was

ARIAThat night, I didn’t go to sleep.Or that’s what I had planned but sometime during the night, I drifted to sleep.When I felt the weight of a stare; the prickles on my skin and the feeling of ants crawling over me, I bolted upright on my bed.She was here. Again.I blinked the sleep out of my eyes and turned my head, meeting her eyes more quickly than I had thought I would, making my heart jump.She was sitting at the edge of the bed, her eyes on her lap and legs dangling down from the bed.“How did you come in?” I questioned without any delay.She had done enough with me taking advantage of the fact that I was weak and stuck in my own mind.Not now. Not again.She wanted to mess with me. Fuck her! I would mess wither right back. People often targeted the weak. The only way to get rid of them was to become strong.And that’s what I was going to do.She played with her fingers but raised her head, staring into my eyes and smiling widely;“Men are foolish.”I prepared myself for an

ARIA“Secret tunnels.” I thought out loud.A chuckle filled my ears, bringing me out of my trance.“You’re smart.” I looked at her to find to grinning at me.“You’ve been using them.” My tone was accusing.Oh, dear Lord!That’s how she had been going in and out.A flash went before my eyes.When she had told me that my friend was alive, and harmed me, I had seen her disappearing into Fabiano’s closet.It meant…“I have to say.” She pursed her lips, “I wasn’t expecting you. I was expecting a dumb bitch but was shocked to find that Fabiano found someone like you.”Fabiano’s closet led to the secret tunnel. That’s how she had come in his room at night and disappeared without anyone knowing.“You’re smart. But then, that’s why you’re a prisoner.” She leaned forward and my eyes snapped to her neck where the blade was digging in her skin. “Maybe that’s why you’re still alive. If it were some dumbo skank, she would’ve killed herself knowing what Fabiano can do. Why are you alive, Aria?”The

ARIA“Hello?” A soft sound filled my ears.I fisted the phone and buried I in my chest as the sob echoed around me. I closed my hand over my mouth to stop myself from crying out loud.Gasping behind my hand, I brought the phone back to my ear.“Hello?” The voice filled my ears, “Is someone there?”My knees gave up on me. I fell down on the floor, rocking myself back and forth as I listened to her voice.One year.It had been more than a year.How I had yearned to hear her voice? How my eyes had cried for one glimpse of her?“Hello?” There was a tone of impatience in her voice and it made me smile shakily.I wiped my tears and lifted my hand off my mouth before gathering every ounce of courage.“I am cutting—”I spoke up, my voice shaky;“Hey.”I heard a sharp intake of breath on the other side before silence filled the line.A silent tear rolled down my cheek and I didn’t bother to wipe it away.“A-Aria?” I closed my eyes, relishing the sound of my name coming from her lips.“Is that