The Untold Secret

The Untold Secret

"How are you, my dear?"

Alina flinched at the voice she had hoped to avoid. especially after all the recent chaos. Her shoulders stiffened as she sat there, clenching her jaw to keep her composure. The quiet ambiance of the upscale restaurant didn’t match the storm rising within her.

“Doing fine, Father,” she mumbled without meeting his gaze.

He gave her a sheepish smile, already helping himself to the sandwich she had ordered. The sight of him sitting there so casually made her stomach twist.

“You’ve grown up so much,” he said in that scratchy, overfamiliar voice. “You look rich now… like you were meant to be.”

She forced herself to keep a neutral expression.

Don’t react. Just don’t.

“The reason you called me,” she began, her voice soft but edged with steel, “let me guess… money?”

His chewing paused for just a second. He glanced up, caught off guard by her calm tone, but sharp enough to draw blood.

“My darling daughter,” he said with a crooked smile, “you’ve always been too smart.”

Alina exhaled slowly, almost tiredly. Of course. It was always the same with him.

She folded her hands on the table. “So, the money I sent last week is already gone? Care to explain why?”

He gave an awkward chuckle, avoiding her eyes. “Well, no, not gone exactly. I’ve been investing in stock markets. This one company ,huge potential. If it takes off, we’ll be rolling in money.”

She didn’t respond. She didn’t need to. She’d heard it all before. She knew exactly where the money went. horse races, underground poker tables, liquor.

Alina calmly pulled an envelope from her bag and slid it across the table. His eyes lit up instantly at the sight of it. Like a child seeing candy.

“Your check for this month,” she said, voice clipped. “Spend it wisely. I can’t keep pestering my in-laws to cover you every time you run out. They agreed to help you once, not carry your recklessness.”

He nodded eagerly, pocketing the envelope like it was a treasure chest. She was not couldn't accept the fact, how he had put a condition over the knight family to give him money every month, like she was supposed to give it if she wasn't married off. They also agreed to pay. It's going to be almost three months since she got married. But he has gotten the money five times.

She stood, reaching for the bill folder when his next words froze her in place.

“I’ve been thinking… Maybe I’ll go see Cassandra tomorrow. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Alina turned sharply.

The smile on his face died as soon as he saw her expression.

She stepped closer, slow and deadly calm, until she stood over him. Her eyes locked with his, cold and seething.

“Don’t you dare mention her again,” she hissed. “This is the last time I’ll say it. Never. Never go near her. You've already done enough damage. If I find out you even tried to see her…”

She didn’t finish the sentence. She didn’t have to.

His mouth opened, but no words came. He nodded quickly, looking away, finally silenced by something more powerful than guilt.

fear.

With one last look that could cut through steel, Alina turned and left.

She slid into the backseat of the car and slammed the door. “Drive.”

As the car moved forward, she leaned back against the seat, her fists trembling in her lap. Her father’s voice, his foolish dreams, his cowardice. It was all too much. But what truly unsettled her was that question. the one about Cassandra.

It pulled her backward… months ago… to the moment everything started to fall apart.

“I’m sorry, Noona… I didn’t do it on purpose…”

Her sister’s broken sob echoed in her head like a cruel melody.

Alina clenched her teeth and shook it away. She couldn't go back there. Not now.

It’s the past. It’s over. I survived it. Cassandra survived it. It’s over.

She repeated the words like a chant, forcing her breathing to even out.

But deep inside, she knew the truth. some things never stay buried.

….

At Knight Enterprises

Aaron Knight sat behind his sleek office desk, eyes fixed on his laptop. but his mind was miles away.

His thoughts refused to leave the lingering memory of her.

Alina.

The kiss they shared haunted him in the best way possible. Soft. Unexpectedly Unforgettable. It wasn’t just a kiss. It was a signal. A crack in the emotional wall she’d built between them.

He always knew there was no real barrier. at least not from his side, but now, he could feel her resistance fading.

Not completely. But enough to give him hope.

Lost in her memory, he didn’t notice someone entering the room.

“You haven’t changed a bit, have you?”

Aaron snapped out of his daze and looked up, startled. A familiar face grinned back at him.

“Eric?” he blinked, surprised. “When did you get here?”

His childhood friend stood there with his signature smirk, arms crossed.

“Right about the time you were zoning out like a robot. Don’t tell me you're still obsessing over business deals all day?”

Aaron rolled his eyes. “Says the guy who chases criminals for a living.”

Eric smirked, dropped his badge and gun onto the table, and walked over with open arms. “Enough of the jabs. Come here, man. It’s been too damn long.”

The two embraced tightly, the kind of hug that didn’t need words. A hug of years, distance, and brotherhood.

After settling on the couch, Eric sighed and leaned back.

“Got transferred back to Alaska. Big case. Thought I’d drop by first before things get messy.”

Aaron handed him a cup of coffee. “Good timing. We needed to catch up anyway.”

They talked casually, laughter filling the room as old stories resurfaced. Then Eric cocked a brow and asked, almost too casually, “So, Mr. Knight... any special lady in your life these days? Or still scaring off the entire female population with that poker face of yours?”

Aaron stayed quiet, sipping his coffee with a slight smirk.

Eric froze, halfway through biting into a snack. “Wait a minute. That look. What is that?” He asked him with a horrified expression.

“What?” Asked Aaron with a pretense clueless.

“You were supposed to give me a death stare. That's what you do every time. Now You’re not even denying it?”

Aaron shrugged with a knowing smile. “Did I say no?”

Eric’s eyes widened in disbelief. The snack fell out of his hand. “No. No way. Who is she? Actress? Heiress? FBI agent? Tell me everything!”

Aaron laughed. “Calm down. It’s serious. And... complicated. I’ll tell you when the time’s right.”

Eric narrowed his eyes, still stunned. He couldn't believe his ears. He was totally struck with the realization.

His ever so winder soldier friend was finally seeing someone. And even me mentioning it's serious. And not to leave out his smiling eyes.

“You’re in love.”

That's a statement more than a question. Aaron didn't blink for a minute when he registered what he just said. “What?”

“Don’t ‘what’ me. The way you talked about her... That little smile? That soft look in your eyes? I’ve never seen that on your face. Man, you’re gone for her.”

Aaron leaned back, stunned by the words. Love? He thought back to the first time he met Alina. It was supposed to be a one-time thing. Yet she stayed in his mind. In his blood. His soul. She challenged him. Changed him.

And after whatever happened afterwards, it's not something in his character. His every action is new and surprising.

He felt something different inside his heart when he thought of it all.

Was this what love felt like?

Hell.

This was real.

—

Later that day…

Aaron pulled up in front of an exclusive boutique tucked away from the city’s chaos. That's where Alina was currently shopping with his mother.

He couldn’t wait. Not after what Eric said. no, what he realized. He needed to see her. Now.

He stepped out of his car, walking toward the entrance with purpose. Just as he reached for the door, he felt arms suddenly wrap around him from behind.

For a heartbeat, his chest fluttered. Alina? But the overpowering perfume said otherwise.

He turned around, already frowning to see who dared to hug him this way. However his frown turned to surprise when he saw the person behind.

“Jennifer?”

A woman in her twenties staring at him with her brightest smile. Her eyes were almost twinkling seeing him. “Hi, Aaron. It’s been forever!”

Before he could respond, she leaned in, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

He stiffened. Didn't approve of her way of greeting. “What are you doing here?”

“Fashion Week,” she chirped. “I was hoping to bump into you. and here you are.”

Jennifer Wilson. The famous runaway model of the US. Ambassador of a few Beauty brands all over the country. A woman with a lot of achievements in a short time. And someone he has been in a hook up with a few years ago. Something he wasn't proud of doing in his milestone.

Jennifer clung to his arm, far too closely for his liking. His mind was still fixed on Alina. He didn’t have time for this.

“I’m actually in a rush. Meeting someone,” he said firmly, trying to move past her.

Just as he stepped forward, she slipped on the pavement. He instinctively caught her and unfortunately, her hair snagged on his shirt button.

“Ow!” she winced dramatically. “Aaron! Even your buttons are aggressive. Just like you.”

He was trying to untangle her hair with utter annoyance, and that's when he heard it.

A throat clearing sound from behind. It was sharp and icy.

His blood ran cold. His active fingers freeze upon the shock. He looked up and there she was.

Alina.

Standing a few feet away. Holding a shopping bag in one hand and gripping the phone with the other hand. . Eyes like daggers. Screwing deeper into his flesh of skin.

The death glare she gave him made him feel like a criminal caught red-handed.

He immediately let go of Jennifer, but her hair was still tangled in his shirt, making things even worse.

Fantastic.

This was definitely not how he imagined their meeting today to be.