ARIA’s POV
I threw my arms around Dad’s neck, holding him tight as he spun me around in a circle. It felt so good to have him home again! I had missed him so much.
As we hugged, I couldn’t help but think about how much had changed since he left. Matteo and I had grown so close, and our relationship had become stronger than ever. And I knew my Dad would love to hear all about it but I couldn’t tell him.
“Dad, I’ve missed you so much!” I exclaimed, my voice muffled against his chest.
“I’ve missed you too, sweetie,” he replied, his voice warm and loving. “I’m glad to see you.”
As we pulled back, he asked about Matteo, and I hesitated for a moment before launching into a lie about our travels and adventures together. I left out the parts about Evelyn and the drama, not wanting to worry him. For now, I just wanted to enjoy having him back without any complications.
“Where’s Matteo?” Dad asked, his eyes scanning the room as if expecting him to appear.
I hesitated for a moment before responding, “He’s, uh, already left for work.” I recalled Matteo leaving abruptly that morning without saying a word dressed in black dress shirt and slacks, but I understood he was still in mourning
.
Dad’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t press the issue. “Okay, well, I’m sure I’ll catch up with him later then.”
I nodded, feeling a mix of relief and guilt. I knew Dad would eventually find out about the drama with Evelyn and Matteo’s past, but for now, I just wanted to enjoy having him back home without any tension or conflict.
“Ah, Mrs. Fletcher?” Dad asked, his eyes scanning the room as if expecting her to appear.
I hesitated, my heart skipping a beat. How could I tell him the truth? That Mrs. Fletcher was gone, murdered in our own home? No, I had to protect him from that painful truth.
“Uh, Mrs. Fletcher is… um… on a vacation,” I stammered, trying to sound convincing. “Matteo sent her on a well-deserved break. She’s been working so hard, you know?”
Dad’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t press the issue. “Ah, okay. Well, I’m sure she deserves it. I’ll have to catch up with her when she gets back.”
I forced a smile, feeling a pang of guilt for lying to my father. But what else could I do? The truth was too terrible to share.
Dad’s eyes took on a nostalgic glaze as he spoke, “You know, I really miss her ginger tea. It was always a highlight of my day, anytime i found myself here.”
My heart ached, knowing that I could never share the truth with him. I couldn’t bear to tell him that Mrs. Fletcher was gone, that she’d been taken from us in such a senseless act of violence. So I just smiled and nodded, trying to keep the charade going. “I know, Dad. I miss it too. But maybe we can try to make some ourselves? I’m sure Matteo can help us figure out her secret recipe.”
Dad’s face brightened slightly at the suggestion, and he nodded. “That’s a great idea, sweetie. Let’s do that.”
As we sat there catching up, Dad’s phone suddenly rang, breaking the warm atmosphere. He apologized and answered the call, his expression turning serious as he listened to the person on the other end.
“Okay, got it. I’ll be right there,” he said curtly, his brow furrowed in concern.
He ended the call and turned to me, his eyes apologetic. “Sweetie, I’m so sorry, but I have to go. That was an emergency call from the office. I need to get there right away.”
I felt a pang of disappointment wash over me, our reunion being cut short just as we were getting to know how we spent our time away. “Okay, Dad. Go ahead. I’ll be okay here with Matteo,” I said, trying to sound understanding.
Dad gave me a quick hug and a kiss on the forehead, his expression still troubled. “I’ll be back soon, Aria. I promise. And we’ll catch up some more, okay? I want to hear all about what I’ve missed.”
I nodded, feeling a mix of emotions: happiness that he was back, but also worry about hiding everything from him. He deserved to know
“Yeah, Dad. I’ll be here. Go take care of whatever it is.”
As he rushed out the door, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. I had become very sensitive because of Elizabeth’s death, and I didn’t want it in my loved ones.
Immediately, my dad’s car left the compound, and my phone rang. I hesitated, my finger hovering over the “end call” button, but I answered the call. Carter’s voice was unsettling, a low and menacing tone that sent a shiver down my spine.
“What is it, Carter?” I asked finally, my voice firm but cautious.
“Listen, Aria, I know Matteo has said terrible things about me” Carter began, his voice dripping with malice. “But I have information you need to hear. Information about Matteo.”
My heart began to race as I felt a surge of unease. What could Carter possibly know about Matteo that I didn’t?.
“What are you talking about?” I pressed, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Walk into the woods by the lak. You’ll come across an old shed. Your husband’s secrets lie there, ” Carter replied, his voice dripping with an air of mystery. “You need to see who he really is.”
With that, the line went dead, leaving me staring at my phone in a mix of fear and curiosity.
As I walked through the dense woods, the trees seemed to close in around me, casting long, ominous shadows on the ground. The rustling of leaves and snapping of twigs beneath my feet echoed through the silence, making me feel like I was being watched. I had always loved these woods, exploring their depths and secrets with Matteo, but now they felt eerie and foreboding. My heart raced with every step, my senses on high alert.
The old shed came into view, its weathered boards worn and faded, almost blending into the surroundings. Could this shed hold the answers I was searching for? The thought sent a shiver down my spine.
I approached the shed cautiously, my hand instinctively reaching for my phone in my pocket. I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should call Matteo or Carter, but something held me back. I needed to know what was going on, and I needed to know now. I couldn’t shake off the feeling that my life was about to change forever.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the creaky door, the sound echoing through the silence. I stepped inside, my eyes adjusting to the dim light. The air was musty and stale, filled with the scent of decay. I fumbled in my pocket for my phone to use as a flashlight, my eyes scanning the dim space for any sign of what Carter had hinted at.
My heart racing, I spun around, trying to locate the source of the screams. But the shed was empty, with only old equipment and cobwebs filling the space. The screams seemed to come from all around me, echoing off the walls. I felt a chill run down my spine as I realized that the sounds were muffled, as if they were coming from somewhere else, somewhere distant.
I took a step back, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios. Who was screaming? And why could I hear them here, in this abandoned shed? I tried to call out, “Hello? Is anyone there?” But my voice was barely audible over the cries.
As I pushed a displaced floorboard away with all my strength, it creaked, and I groaned, revealing a hidden staircase leading down into darkness. I felt a surge of fear, my heart racing with anticipation. What was I about to uncover? The air that wafted up from the depths below was musty and dank, filled with the scent of decay.
I held my phone tighter and turned on the flashlight, casting a weak beam of light down into the darkness. The stairs creaked beneath my feet as I began my descent, the sound echoing off the walls. With each step, the screams grew louder, more intense, and sent chills down my spine.
As I reached the bottom, I found myself in a cramped, dimly lit basement. The air was thick with the smell of mold and rot. I coughed, my eyes watering from the dust and debris that filled the air. But I pressed on, my flashlight casting eerie shadows on the walls as I followed the sound of the screams.
They seemed to be coming from the far corner of the basement, where a faint light flickered like a candle in the darkness. I approached cautiously, my heart pounding in my chest. What was I about to find? The screams grew louder, more desperate, and I knew I was getting close.
Suddenly, the light flickered and went out, plunging me into total darkness. I froze, my breath caught in my throat. The screams stopped, replaced by an oppressive silence. I stood there, my heart racing, my senses straining to pick up any sound. And then, the screams were back again.
I stumbled forward in the dark cause for some reason my phone had to die in this situation, my hands outstretched in front of me, the screams grew louder, more urgent. I tripped on a step, my heart racing, and almost fell, but managed to catch myself just in time. The darkness seemed to swallow me whole, but I pressed on, driven by a sense of dread and a need to find the source of the screams.
And then, suddenly, I saw another faint light in the distance. I stumbled towards it, my eyes fixed on the scene before me. Evelyn was tied to a chair, her hair a tangled mess, her face wet with tears. Her eyes were wide with fear, and she struggled against the ropes that bound her.
But it was who stood before her that made my blood run cold. My husband, Matteo, stood tall, his eyes fixed on Evelyn with a cold, calculating gaze. His face was twisted into a snarl, and his hands were clenched into fists. I could see the tension in his body, the coiled energy waiting to strike. I couldn’t breathe. He looked like a monster. The sleeves of his black dress shirt folded up, and he looked dangerously. He didn’t notice me. Neither did she.
He just kept staring at Evelyn, his eyes burning with a fierce intensity. And then, in a flash of movement, he raised his hand and struck her across the face. The sound of the slap echoed through the basement, and I felt a scream rise up in my throat, but I covered my palm over my mouth. He grabbed something from the table and used another to pull out her tongue forcefully. He was a totally different person.
Matteo. Matteo. The words couldn’t fall out of my mouth. He pulled her tongue out forceful as she screamed and begged, then used another tool that looked like a scissors to begin cutting it. Her screams filled the air as her blood dripped from her mouth. He didn’t stop, and that was when my screams began. He turned to me. His eyes, a different shade. He looked like an animal who had just found it’s prey.
“Aria”. He mouthed with his eyes widened.