CHAPTER 2: The Beginning of the End
Julian’s face drained of color. The arrogant smirk vanished, replaced by a raw, primal terror. He looked at her eyes—the unique, striking amber eyes he thought he had successfully buried in the past.
"You..." Julian gasped, stumbling half a step backward. His hands began to shake.
"Is everything alright, Julian?" his father, the patriarch Arthur Vance, stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he sensed the sudden shift in the atmosphere.
"She's... she's..." Julian couldn't finish the sentence. His throat felt tight. He realized this wasn't a clumsy maid messing up his suit. This was a trap. This was the beginning of his end.
Aria smiled—a polite, professional smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Everything is perfectly fine, Mr. Vance. Just a small spill. I’ll make sure it’s properly liquidated. Just like the truth."
Before Julian could scream for security, Aria turned gracefully and walked out of the ballroom, leaving a trail of absolute panic in her wake. Julian rushed after her, pushing past the confused guests, but by the time he reached the grand hallway, she was gone.
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In her place, left neatly on a silver tray by the door, was a single, dusty silver locket. Julian picked it up with trembling fingers and snapped it open. Inside was a photo of a five-year-old girl, and behind it, a microchip labeled: The Night of the Disappearance.
She wasn't back for revenge. She didn't want their blood. She wanted the truth, and she had the evidence to tear their entire empire down to the bedrock.
