VI

I went downstairs to the dining room with mixed feelings. The room is grand, adorned with a crystal chandelier and a long mahogany dining table. Behind the large glass windows, there is a mesmerizing view of the ocean. The aroma of fresh food and coffee wafted over me, making my stomach, which had been empty, struggle.

In the center of the table, an array of food that makes me almost forget everything is spread out. Warm croissants with a shiny surface, soft-boiled eggs served on toast, and pieces of fresh fruit arranged neatly like art. A cup of black coffee and fresh orange juice was next to it.

Aaric sat at one end of the table, look like a king in his palace. When he saw me, he smiled a small smile that I never really trusted.

I chose to ignore him and cut into the croissant. It was sweet and soft, but I could barely savor it because of Aaric's gaze lingering on my face.

"How did you sleep?" he asked, his voice as if this was a casual conversation between old friends.

"Like a nightmare," I replied without looking at him.

He chuckled. "Ah, but you survived. And it's thanks to me."

I stopped.

Aaric leaned back, his smile turning into a grin. "I think you want to know how I helped your reputation, don't you?"

I rolled my eyes. "What are you doing, Aaric?"

He carefully set his coffee cup down, then folded his hands on the table. "Michael Rowe is being questioned right now. The charges: extortion, libel, and of course... defamation against you."

"What?"

He shrugged casually like it was a trivial matter. "I have my own people, Princess. They're moving fast. We already have enough evidence to start an investigation. Rowe won't have time to drag your name out again. At least, not without receiving a serious blowback. And I’d despise anyone daring to stain the name of someone who now belongs to me."

I widened my eyes. "You... moved that fast?"

He sipped his coffee, his gaze not leaving my face. "You asked me to help, and I obliged. I never half-ass anything, Maya."

Something in his tone of voice made me shudder. I hugged myself, trying to digest everything. Rowe, a powerful politician, was now backed into a corner, and it was all because of Aaric.

"You make it sound easy," I muttered, trying to mask the shock in my voice.

"Of course, it's easy. You forget who I am?" he chuckled. "I'm sure you won't forget who I am, no matter how hard you try."

I swallowed. I rubbed my face, trying to calm my whirling thoughts. "So, when will you ask for... my body?"

The question came out of nowhere, making my face heat up with embarrassment. But I had no choice but to face him.

"Maybe later," he said in a playful tone, but his eyes remained cold. "I'd rather wait for an interesting time for that."

I felt my heart stop for a moment. His words hung in the air like an invisible threat. I bit my lip, trying to divert the strange feeling coursing through my body.

"Until when am I going to be your plaything, Aaric?" I asked, my voice almost a whisper.

He leaned back in the chair, looking at me with a never really warm smile. "Six months, Maya. That's the duration. During that time, you are mine. All your decisions are mine. After that, you are free."

Six months.

Those words felt like a hammer slamming down hard on my wall of faith. But before I could reply, Aaric continued in a more serious tone.

"But, there's one more thing you should know," he said, the look in his eyes turning sharp. "During those six months, if you try to run away from me, not only will I destroy your already moribund career... I'll make sure you lose the people you have left."

I froze.

The threat wasn't just empty words. I knew Aaric and knew he had the power to make it happen.

My body felt weak, and I could only stare at him wordlessly.

"Enjoy your breakfast, Princess," he said with a smirk, then got up from the chair and walked out, leaving me trapped in this circle of hell.

>>>> 

When I opened the door to my apartment, a familiar scent greeted me. The lavender candle I'd left burning still lingered, mixing with the sharp smell of paper and Megan's perfume. But before I could take a deep breath, two voices ambushed me.

"MAYA!"

Megan and Ashley immediately got up from the couch, their faces full of emotions, anger, and relief.

"Where were you?" Megan immediately stepped closer, her eyes scrutinizing my face sharply. "We've been looking for you everywhere! I think something bad happened!"

Ashley followed, carrying her phone in her hand, the screen still showing dozens of missed calls. "You didn't answer your landline last night! We almost went to the police!"

I raised my hand, asking them to stop. "I'm fine," I muttered. "Just... need some alone time."

"Time alone?" Megan repeated sarcastically, her arms crossed over her chest. "Maya, you disappeared for a whole night with no word, and now you're just saying you need some alone time?"

I sighed, walking into the kitchen without answering. The fridge buzzed softly as I opened the door, looking for something cold to ease my mind. Orange juice. I poured it into a glass with shaking hands, trying to block out Megan's questions that kept coming.

Ashley spoke up. "But there is good news, Maya."

I turned my head slightly, raising an eyebrow.

"Michael Rowe," Ashley continued in an excited tone. "You won't believe this, but he's currently under investigation. The charges include defamation and—"

"Extortion," I cut in expressionlessly, finishing her sentence.

Ashley was surprised, and Megan looked at me suspiciously. "Did you find out?"

I drank my orange juice slowly before answering. "Yes. Aaric told me this morning."

Ashley immediately paled. "Aaric? Wait, where did you spend the night?"

I put the glass on the table, looking at them tiredly. "That's not something you need to worry about right now."

"Of course we're worried!" Megan exclaimed, her voice rising. "Maya, this is Aaric Bernardi we're talking about. You know what he's capable of!"

Ashley looked at me confusedly but chose to remain silent, while Megan continued to stare at me like a disappointed mother.

"I know who he is," I said, my voice flat. "And I know what I'm doing."

"Really?" Megan challenged. "Because from where I'm standing, you look like you're walking into disaster."

"It'll be over. My career will be back on track," I told them. "So do what you have to do. In the meantime, I have to go to New York—two days—to attend my sister’s engagement. She persuaded me to come for a month. Book a ticket to New York now." I ordered both of them.

"I'll come," Ashley said.

"Me too," Megan said.

"Then order three."

>>>>> 

New York, De Cruz Family Mansion.

When we arrived at the De Cruz family mansion, I immediately felt my breath stop.

The mansion stood majestically like a palace with towering white pillars and huge windows gleaming in the afternoon sun. But to me, this place was no longer a home—it was more like a graveyard of memories I wanted to escape.

I swallowed, trying to ward off the sting that crept into my chest. Five years ago, in one of the rooms upstairs, Dylan was found lifeless. The wound on his neck, the flowing blood, and his mother's anguished cries that echoed throughout the house are still vividly imprinted in my mind.

"Maya?" Megan touched my arm, waking me from my reverie.

I nodded, trying to smile. "I'm fine."

My steps were heavy as we stepped inside. The scent of fresh flowers from the arrangements adorning the room mingled with the laughter of the guests who had gathered for a small party before Mellan's engagement.

In the main living room, the extended De Cruz family had gathered. My overly chatty cousins swarmed around me like bees, discovering a new flower.

"Maya!" exclaimed Miranda, my most gossipy cousin. "We saw the news. So, what really happened with Senator Rowe? Are you really... well, you know."

I held my breath, trying not to show anger. "There's nothing to discuss," I replied coldly, trying to break free from the circle of questions that kept raining down.

But their inquisitive gazes stuck to my back even as I tried to find a way out. In the corner of the room, I saw Mom and Dad standing, talking to a guest. Their flat and cold gazes immediately shifted to me when they noticed my presence.

They didn't smile. No wave. There was no warmth.

Since Dylan died, our relationship has become something hard to explain. Mom and Dad, who had always been my stronghold, were now only a shadow of their former selves.

I took a deep breath, pushed the pain deep inside, and forced a small smile. I won't give them, or anyone else, a reason to see me as weak.

"Hey, Maya," Mellan's voice suddenly saved me. She smiled brightly as she walked over to me. "You finally came."

"Of course I did," I replied. "I'm here for you, Mellan."

"I know you're going through a difficult time. I'm very sad. But those rumors, I don't believe them." She shook her head. "I know you. I know how you struggle, and they're just baseless rumors."

I hugged her. "Thank you for believing in me."

"You're welcome, big sister." She hugged me tightly. "Now .... I want you to meet my fiancé. I deliberately didn't tell you who he was because I wanted it to surprise me."

My smile widened slightly, though my heart began to fill with curiosity. Mellan kept saying that her fiancé was the perfect man who made her feel like the luckiest woman in the world.

I could only hope that he really was.

"Come on," she said, pulling me toward the smaller crowd on the other side of the room.

Her steps were fast, almost dragging me along.

I tried to match her enthusiasm, but as we got closer, something changed in the atmosphere.

The air felt colder and heavier, and a strange feeling tingled at the back of my neck.

"This is him," Mellan said excitedly, stopping in front of a tall man who stood with his back to us.

He wore a perfectly cut dark gray suit, his black hair neatly styled.

The man turned slowly, and as his face came into view, the world around me seemed to stop spinning.

Aaric Bernardi.

That face—the dark hazel eyes I had just met this morning, the thin, secretive smile, and the dangerous aura that never really went away—came back like a hard blow to the chest.

I stood still, my breath caught. My stomach felt twisted like something was entangling me from the inside. Aaric stood there without the slightest sign of surprise on his face.

Instead, he seemed to savor every second of my shock.

"This is my fiancé," Mellan said with a loving smile. "Aaric Bernardi."

Aaric extended his hand casually, a warm smile I could never believe gracing his face.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Maya," he said, his voice soft yet resonating like a knife stabbing slowly. "Since I usually only get to see you on television, your sister often talks about you as her hero.”

Those words were like a taunt.

I couldn't say anything. My hands were frozen at my sides, my body too stiff to move. My heartbeat was racing, pumping blood into my head until it felt like I was about to faint.

"We met at a charity gala last year, and I knew right away... he's the man I want for the rest of my life." Mellan said.

I tried to swallow, but my throat was dry.

Aaric remained standing there, his gaze fixed on me, his smile never fading.

He knew.

He knew this was going to happen, and he was enjoying it.

"Are you okay?" Mellan asked, his voice showing a hint of concern.

I forced myself to smile, even though my face felt like a broken mask. "Yeah... I'm just surprised," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Aaric gave a small chuckle, looking down slightly at me. "I hope this surprise isn't too much for you."

His words made my head pound. I wanted to say something, scream, maybe run. Mellan hugged his arm sweetly, destroying any chance of reacting.

"So, how is it? Do you agree with me, Maya?" Mellan asked cheerfully, oblivious to anything. "Isn't he perfect?"

I looked at Aaric, the man who was now my sister's fiancé.

Mellan looked at us in turn, his face filled with happiness, and he did not realize the storm that had just exploded inside me.

"He is."