Episode 15
Aria sat by the window, watching the rain trace patterns on the glass. Each droplet was a thought she couldn't catch. Lucien had kissed her like she meant everything—yet told her she was the question he didn't know how to answer.
What did that even mean?
He hadn't said he loved her. He hadn't said he didn't.
Just that he didn't know.
And now her mind was spinning with questions she had no business asking. Who had called Lucien to save her? What was he protecting her from?
Why did she feel like the world around her was layered in masks?
She closed her eyes, the faint sound of thunder in the distance. Then came a knock.
Not at her bedroom door. At the front gates.
She stood up quickly, instinct tugging at her. When she glanced at the security screen, her breath caught.
A woman in a long black trench coat stood outside the gates, soaked from the storm, her hair clinging to her pale face. But it wasn't just any woman.
It was Dr. Evelyn Hart.
The psychiatrist from the hospital.
Aria rushed downstairs. By the time she reached the gates, Dominic was already there, umbrella in hand.
"Let her in," Aria said.
Dominic hesitated. "Mr. Blackwood hasn't authorized—"
"I am Mrs. Blackwood. Let her in."
Dr. Hart stepped through the gates, her expression unreadable. Aria guided her inside quickly, giving her a warm towel and motioning to the lounge.
"I didn't think I'd ever see you again," Aria said softly.
Dr. Hart looked around the luxurious estate. "You're not exactly easy to reach."
"Why are you here?"
Dr. Hart hesitated. "Because someone needs to tell you the truth. Before it's too late."
Aria sat across from her, heart pounding. "Truth about what?"
"About the clinic. About what happened to you before the accident. About the man who claimed to be your fiancé."
Aria went cold. "Alec Draven?"
Dr. Hart nodded. "He forged documents. Lied to the hospital board. He wasn't your real fiancé. We only realized it after Lucien intervened."
"Why would he do that?"
"Because he wanted control over your treatment. And more importantly—access to you."
Aria's stomach twisted. "Access? For what?"
Dr. Hart lowered her voice. "We believe he was conducting psychological conditioning. He requested private sessions, unsupervised therapy. There were reports of unauthorized drugs."
"Are you saying... I was his experiment?"
"We can't prove it. All records were wiped the day you were transferred to the private wing. But some of us knew something was wrong. That's when someone contacted Lucien."
Aria leaned forward. "Who?"
Dr. Hart hesitated, then finally said, "Someone you trusted. A nurse named Isla. She saw things. Recorded evidence. But she disappeared soon after."
A chill ran through Aria. She remembered Isla—warm eyes, gentle voice. A comforting presence in the haze of her recovery.
"Isla is gone?"
"Missing," Dr. Hart said grimly. "And Alec Draven has vanished, too. But he's not finished. Men like him don't just walk away. They wait."
Aria's voice trembled. "What does he want from me?"
Dr. Hart looked at her, a mix of sorrow and warning in her eyes. "You were part of something, Aria. Something bigger. And he believes you know more than you do."
Suddenly, the lights flickered.
A moment later, Lucien entered the room, dripping from the rain.
His gaze locked onto Dr. Hart, sharp and assessing. "What is she doing here?"
Aria stood. "She came to tell me the truth. About Alec. About me."
Lucien's eyes darkened. "You should've come to me first."
"I tried," she said, voice firm. "But you give me riddles, not answers."
Dr. Hart rose slowly. "I just wanted to warn her. Alec Draven isn't finished. And next time, he won't be subtle."
Lucien nodded tightly. "I appreciate the warning. Now leave."
Aria watched silently as Dominic escorted Dr. Hart out. The moment the door shut, she turned on Lucien.
"You knew about Isla. About Alec. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because the less you remember, the safer you are."
"Don't you think I deserve to know why someone drugged me and called themselves my fiancé?"
Lucien walked to the window, staring into the rain. "You think I didn't want to tell you? Every day I battle with the risk of unlocking what's been buried inside your mind."
"What if I want it unlocked?"
He turned to her. "And what if what you find destroys you?"
The room fell into silence.
Then Aria said quietly, "Maybe I need to be destroyed. So I can rebuild."
Lucien walked toward her, his voice low. "I won't lose you. Not again."
"You never had me," she whispered.
His fingers brushed her cheek, rough with emotion. "Then help me fix that."
They stood there, storm raging outside, secrets swirling between them like shadows waiting to pounce.
And upstairs, in Aria's closet, a red rose sat on the vanity. One she didn't place there. Fresh. Fragrant.
A small card beside it bore a single line:
"Roses remember. Do you? - A.D."