Chapter 125: The Ghost of the Future

“All for you, baby.”

Ethan’s voice was low and rough, like gravel wrapped in velvet. The heavy door of the Maybach clicked open, breaking the silence of the countryside. He stepped out first, his leather shoes crunching softly on the gravel driveway. The air out here was different than in the city. It was sharper, colder, smelling of pine needles, damp earth, and memories that had been left to rot.

He didn't wait for the driver. He walked around the back of the car, his movement fluid and eager. He opened Aria’s door and extended his hand. His palm was warm, open, and inviting. It was the hand of a man who wanted to give her the world, unaware that she was planning to steal a piece of it to save herself.

Aria looked at his hand for a second. In the dim light of the evening, the lines on his palm looked like a map she wanted to get lost in. She took a deep breath, pushing down the knot of guilt in her stomach, and placed her hand in his.

His grip was firm. He pulled her up gently, his other hand going immediately to the small of her back to steady her. Aria’s heels sank slightly into the loose stones of the driveway. She stumbled just a fraction of an inch, and Ethan was there, pulling her flush against his chest.

“I’ve got you,” he whispered into her hair. “Always.”

Aria looked up at him. The travel fatigue from his trip to Tokyo was still etched around his eyes, but they were bright with happiness. He looked at her like she was the only living thing in a dead world.

“I know,” Aria whispered back.

She turned her head to look at the house.

It was just the two of them except the three bodyguards tailing along them. The guards were professionals. They had exited the follow car—a sleek black SUV—and were already fanning out. They didn't speak. They didn't intrude. They simply melted into the perimeter, standing by the iron gates, by the side of the house, invisible but present. They were reminders of the cage Aria lived in.

They were in the old estate and the view was just exactly how they left it the last time they visited it.

It was a massive structure, built of gray stone that seemed to absorb the light rather than reflect it. It stood tall and imposing against the darkening sky. The windows were dark, like empty eyes staring back at them. Ivy crawled up the sides of the walls, thick and unruly, trying to reclaim the building for nature. It was beautiful in a haunting way. It was a place of secrets.

Aria shivered. It wasn't from the cold. It was from the memory.

This was the place. This was where Ethan had brought her months ago, back when she was just starting to fall for him. Back when she was just a spy trying to do a job. It was after the engagement. She remembered wandering the halls. She remembered finding the library. She remembered the drawer in his room and the files she had glimpsed inside.

Those files. The ones with the Malcovich seal. The ones that kind of proved everything.

It was because of those files that Marcus had punished her. He hadn't done it here, but the beating she took, the months she spent locked in that slum apartment, all of it started here. This house was the beginning of her pain. And now, she hoped it would be the end of it. Maybe if she can get the information Marcus, she might save herself and also restore her father's legacy.

“Does it look scary to you?” Ethan asked, noticing her shiver. He rubbed her arm up and down, trying to generate heat. “I told you it’s a bit of a tomb now. This is not the time to visit here….. We can go back to the city if you want.”

“No,” Aria said quickly. She forced a smile. “No, it’s perfect. It’s quiet. That’s what we need. Just us.”

Ethan smiled, relieved. “Come on. Let’s get inside before we freeze.”

He led her up the wide stone steps to the front door. He fished a heavy iron key from his pocket. It looked old, like something from a fairy tale. He slid it into the lock. The mechanism turned with a loud, heavy clack that echoed in the silence.

Ethan pushed the door open. It groaned on its hinges, a sound of protest from a house that wasn't used to visitors.

They stepped inside.

The air in the foyer was stale and still. It smelled of dust, old wax, and dry wood. The furniture was covered in white sheets, looking like ghosts standing guard in the hallway. A grand chandelier hung overhead, dark and dusty.

“Welcome home,” Ethan said dryly. “Or, welcome to the museum of my childhood.”

He let go of her hand to walk over to a panel on the wall. He punched in a code, and the lights flickered on. They were dim, casting long shadows across the floor.

Aria walked into the center of the room. She looked up at the grand staircase. Somewhere up there was the library. Somewhere up there was her salvation.

“It’s beautiful, Ethan,” she lied. “It has character.”

“It has dust,” Ethan laughed. He walked back to her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. He rested his chin on her shoulder. “But with you here, it looks a lot better.”

He turned her around in his arms. The playful mood from the car ride shifted. The air became thick with something else. Intensity. Longing.

“I missed you,” Ethan said. He wasn't smiling anymore. His face was serious, his eyes searching hers. “In Tokyo… in the meetings… in the hotel room. It was like a part of me was missing. I kept checking my phone just to see your face on the screen.”

Aria felt her chest tighten. “I missed you too, Ethan. Solara Heights was too big without you.”

“It’s not just about missing you, Norah,” Ethan said. He brought his hand up to cup her face, his thumb tracing her lower lip. “It’s about needing you. When I was on that plane coming back, I realized something. I don't want to spend another night away from you. Not ever.”

“Ethan…” Aria breathed.

“I mean it,” he said. “My life… It's complicated. My father, the business, the enemies he does mention… it’s a lot of noise. But you are quiet. You are the only thing that makes sense.”

Aria smiled and replied too, but her heart was breaking. “You make sense to me too, Ethan. You are the only person who sees me.”

It was true. He saw her. He just saw the wrong version of her.

They walked into the living room. It was a massive space with a high ceiling and a large stone fireplace. The furniture here was also covered in sheets.

Ethan walked over to a large sofa in the center of the room. He grabbed the corner of the white sheet and pulled. Dust motes danced in the air as the sheet slid off, revealing a deep, plush velvet sofa in dark blue.

“Your throne, my lady,” Ethan joked, bowing slightly.

Aria laughed, a genuine sound this time. She walked over and sat down. The cushion was soft. It smelled faintly of lemon polish and age. Ethan sat down next to her immediately. He didn't leave any space between them.

Ethan pulled her legs over his lap. He took off her heels, dropping them onto the rug. He began to rub her feet, his large hands working out the tension.

“So,” Ethan said, leaning in to kiss her neck. “What does the birthday girl want to do first? Explore the old house? Start a fire? Or just stay right here?”

“Stay here,” Aria whispered. She leaned her head back, closing her eyes as his lips moved from her neck to her jawline.

He kissed her softly at first, tasting her. Then the kiss deepened. His hand moved from her feet to her calf, then up to her knee, sliding under the hem of her dress. His skin was hot against hers.

They kissed for a long time, the only sound in the massive house being their breathing and the soft rustle of clothes. It felt like they were the only two people on earth.

Ethan pulled back slightly, his forehead resting against hers. He looked at her with a dreamy expression.

“You know,” he said softly. “I was thinking about the future.”

Aria stiffened slightly. “The future?”

“Yeah,” Ethan said. He played with a strand of her hair, twirling it around his finger. “About us. About this.”

“We need to set a date, Norah,” he said. “I know we just got engaged. I know you said we would take it slow. But why wait? I have the money. I have the power. We could get married next month. We could get married next week if you wanted.”

Aria felt a cold splash of reality. Marriage.

She laughed, pushing him gently on the chest. “Ethan, stop. You are jet-lagged. You are talking crazy.”

“I’m not crazy,” Ethan said, grinning. “I’m in love. There is a difference.”

“A wedding takes time, Ethan,” Aria said, trying to keep the tone light. “You can’t just throw a Malcovich wedding in a week. Your father would have a heart attack. The press would go insane. And besides…”

She looked away, trying to hide the pain in her eyes.

“Besides what?” Ethan asked.

“Besides, we barely know each other,” Aria joked. “I don't even know if you snore.”

“I don't snore and you know that,” Ethan said, pretending to be offended. “I sleep like a silent guardian.”

“Okay, Mr. Silent Guardian,” Aria said, poking his chest. “If we get married, we have to talk about the important things. Like kids.”

Ethan’s eyes lit up. “Kids? You want kids?”

“Maybe,” Aria said, looking at the ceiling. “Three of them. Two boys and a girl.”

“Three is a good number,” Ethan agreed. “What would we name them?”

“Well,” Aria said, tapping her chin. “The first boy has to be strong. Something classic. Maybe… Leo?”

“Leo Malcovich,” Ethan tested the name. “I like it. It sounds like a boss. What about the girl?”

“Something soft,” Aria said. “Maybe… Lily? Or Rose?”

“No flowers,” Ethan shook his head. “She needs to be tough. She’s going to be a Malcovich woman. She needs a name that commands respect. Like… Victoria.”

“Victoria,” Aria repeated. “Okay. Leo and Victoria. And the last boy?”

“That one is up to you,” Ethan said. “But no weird celebrity names. No ‘Apple’ or ‘North’.”

“I was thinking… Nathan,” Aria said softly. It was her father’s name.

Ethan looked at her. He didn't know the connection. He just smiled. “Nathan. It’s a good, solid name. Nathan Malcovich.”

“But here are the rules,” Aria said, pointing a finger at him. “No nannies. I don't want strangers raising them. I want to raise them.”

“No nannies?” Ethan raised an eyebrow. “Norah, we are busy people. I run a corporation. You manage huge projects. Who is going to change the diapers?”

“You are,” Aria said, grinning.

Ethan burst out laughing. “Me? Changing diapers? I don't think so.”

“Oh yes,” Aria insisted. “You wanted them, you cleaned them. That’s the deal.”

“Okay, okay,” Ethan laughed, holding up his hands in surrender. “I will change the diapers. But I am buying the best diapers money can buy. Gold-plated diapers.”

“And no boarding school,” Aria added. “I want them home. I want to cook dinner for them. I want to help them with homework.”

“You can cook?” Ethan asked, teasing her.

“I can learn,” Aria said. “I’ll make terrible lasagna and force them to eat it.”

Ethan laughed so hard he fell back onto the cushions, pulling Aria with him. They lay there, tangled together, laughing at the image of billionaire Ethan Malcovich changing diapers while Aria burnt a lasagna.

It was perfect. It was a beautiful, happy dream.

But then, the laughter died down. The silence of the old house crept back in.

Ethan looked up at Aria. He brushed the hair away from her face. His expression changed. The playfulness vanished, replaced by a deep, intense sincerity that scared her to death.

He sat up slightly, propping himself up on one elbow so he could look down at her. He didn't blink. He looked right into her soul.

“Norah,” he said.

Aria stopped smiling. “What is it?”

He took her hand. He kissed her palm.

“I know we were joking just now,” he said softly. “But I meant it.”

Aria’s breath hitched. “What?”

“About us. About the future.”

Ethan squeezed her hand tight.

“Seriously, we need to plan for the wedding Norah.”

He wasn't asking. He was stating it.

“I don't want to wait anymore. Life is too short. Being in Tokyo… being away from you… it made me realize that anything could happen. I could lose you. I almost lost you once when you disappeared. I don't want to risk it again.”

Aria felt like the walls were closing in. This wasn't a game anymore. He was making plans. Real plans. Plans that involved lawyers and priests and vows.

“Ethan…” she started, her voice weak.

“No, listen,” he interrupted. “I want to marry you. I want to have those kids. Leo, Victoria, Nathan. I want that life. I want to wake up next to you every day in this house, or any house you want. I want to build a world where we are safe.”

He looked around the dusty room.

“I used to hate this place,” he confessed. “It reminded me of being lonely and especially it reminded me of whom I lost years back. But sitting here with you… talking about our family… it doesn't feel lonely anymore. It feels like a beginning.”

He looked back at her, his eyes shining with tears.

“Let’s do it, Norah. Let’s set a date. Let’s get married this summer. Just say yes.”

Aria stared at him. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't speak.

She was looking at a man who was offering her everything she had ever dreamed of. Love. Family. Safety.

But she knew she couldn't take it. Because she was Aria Delaney. And Aria Delaney was here to burn this house down, not to build a nursery in it.

She looked at his hopeful face, and her heart shattered into a million pieces.

“Ethan,” she whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

He thought they were tears of joy. He smiled, leaning down to kiss her.

But Aria knew they were tears of goodbye.