Chapter 18 Chapter 18.

Chapter 18 Chapter 18.
"Hey, Mommy! Catch me!" Jamie's voice rang in Aria's head, his laughter echoing around the compound like a bittersweet melody. The sight of him running with unbridled joy played vividly in her mind, intertwined with Nathan's soft voice saying, "I love you a lot, sweetie."

But as swiftly as the fond memories came, they were replaced by the haunting images of their lifeless bodies, a dark cloud casting a shadow over her heart. She gasped, jerking upright in bed as a tear slid down her cheek. The guilt weighed heavily on her chest, and she buried her face in her palms, whispering, "I'm sorry," over and over. The words felt both like a plea and a confession, as she relentlessly blamed herself for their deaths.

A sudden knock on the door shattered her bleak reverie, momentarily pulling her from the depths of her grief. "Who's it?" she managed to ask, her voice weak and barely above a whisper.

The knock came again, more insistent this time, and Aria reluctantly rose from her bed to answer it. When she opened the door, Francesca stood there, her expression hovering between annoyance and impatience.

"Do I have to come wake you up every morning? Are you a five-year-old?" Francesca shot at her, a sharp tone lacing her voice.

Aria mustered a smile, though it lacked any trace of joy. "Thank you, you just gave me exactly what I needed," she replied coolly, before shutting the door in Francesca's face. The small act stirred a fresh surge of anger within her, a motivation she desperately needed to kick-start her day.

With purposeful strides, Aria walked into the bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face, wiping away the remnants of her tears with a towel. After changing into a sporty outfit that hugged her frame, she tied her hair back into a sleek ponytail and left her bedroom, her determination unyielding.

As she entered the gym, she found Lucien already absorbed in his workout. Without acknowledging him, she set off to begin her session, focusing solely on her routine.

"Am I now invincible, or have we become such strangers that we don't even greet each other?" Lucien's voice broke through the silence, laced with a hint of playful sarcasm.

Aria continued her warmups, choosing to ignore him for the moment.

"Why are you here without your trainer?" Lucien asked, glancing around for Francesca and noting her absence. Just as he spoke, she walked in, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of Aria already engaged in her workout.

"Good morning, sir," Francesca greeted, her tone stiff.

"You're late," Lucien noted, his voice steady but tinged with disappointment.

"I was waiting for Aria," Francesca defended, casting Aria a look of disdain. "I didn’t expect to find her here and already working out."

Lucien gave her a passive nod, which she acknowledged with a slight bow before striding over to Aria. As she approached, she crossed her arms, her posture radiating challenge. "What are you trying to do, exactly?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Aria shot back, sweat glistening on her brow as she maintained her focus.

"And what do you think you'll gain from this nonsense?" Francesca pressed, narrowing her eyes.

"Strength, agility, and maybe, just maybe, the skill to kick your ass out of here," Aria replied, her voice steady.

Francesca's eyes narrowed further, her face reddening with anger. "You think you're tough, don’t you?” she sneered, a mixture of disbelief and condescension in her voice. “Let me tell you something, sweetheart: you aren’t as formidable as you think."

Aria smiled, a cold, calculated smile that betrayed her inner resolve. "I’m not trying to be tough. I’m trying to be prepared. I have a lot of people to take care of."

Francesca snorted derisively. "Oh, you mean making sure Nathan and Jamie don’t keep roaming this world aimlessly?" Her words dripped with venom.

Aria paused, her eyes igniting with fury. "Speak their names again from your filthy mouth, and I swear I’ll tear out your tongue," she spat, her voice dangerously low.

Francesca smirked, pushing the envelope. "Please. I’m sure Nathan and Jamie would understand just how pathetic you really are."

At that moment, Aria had reached her breaking point. Seizing a dumbbell, she hurled it at Francesca, who barely managed to sidestep it.

Francesca's eyes widened in a mix of shock and fury. "Have you gone crazy?!!" she yelled, unable to keep the pitch of her voice in check.

"Did you just find out?" Aria shot back, her eyes glinting dangerously. "Irritate me further, and I swear I'll unleash all my pent-up aggression on you."

"What is going on here?" Lucien's authoritative voice cut through the tension as he approached, sensing the charged atmosphere.

Francesca turned to Lucien, clutching her shoulder while forcing an expression of feigned pain. "I have no idea, sir. I came here to start the training session, and she just lost it and threw a dumbbell at me," she said dramatically, her tone sweetening in an attempt to garner sympathy.

"A dumbbell?" Lucien raised an eyebrow, surprised. 

"Yes, sir. Look, it's right there," Francesca replied, pointing at the dumbbell on the floor next to her as if it were evidence of a crime.

Lucien's gaze shifted to Aria, who had resumed her workout, unfazed by the unfolding drama. "Wow!" he exclaimed, his eyes filled with astonishment. "You’re surprisingly strong!"

Aria remained focused, the weights in her hands a testament to her commitment. 

"Did you get hurt anywhere?" Lucien asked Francesca, concern coloring his voice.

"I might have. I think I sustained a fracture," Francesca replied, revealing her shoulder in an exaggerated fashion.

Lucien leaned in, scrutinizing her shoulder. "It doesn't look fractured to me," he said, skepticism lacing his tone. "It might just be a bruise."

Francesca's expression faltered, shifting to one of disappointment and simmering anger. "But, sir, I truly am in pain," she protested, her words dripping with indignation.

Lucien's gaze flicked back to Aria, still immersed in her intense workout. "I'll handle this, Francesca," he said, dismissing her with a wave. "Why don’t you go get some ice for your shoulder?"

Francesca's eyes flashed with resentment, but she nodded and turned to leave. As she walked away, she shot Aria a venomous glance.

Lucien watched Francesca go, then turned his attention back to Aria. She was lifting weights with a fierce determination, her face set in a mask of concentration.

"You're certainly...enthusiastic about your workout," Lucien said, his voice neutral.

Aria didn't respond, her focus solely on her exercise. Lucien watched her for a moment, then nodded to himself.

"I think I'll join you," he said, moving to stand beside her. "Let's see how well you can handle a partner."

He joined her in lifting weights, the rhythmic clanking of metal punctuating the charged silence. After a few thoughtful glances at her focused expression, he finally broke the quiet. "Why did you do it?"

Aria remained silent, her jaw clenched as she continued her reps, resisting the urge to engage.

Lucien pressed on, his tone more serious. "If that had hit a vital point of her body, it could have resulted in a far more serious injury—or worse, it could have killed her."

Her lips curled into a sardonic smile. "Well, I wish it did."

Lucien let out a chuckle, but it held no humor. "I told you—redirect your anger to the right cause and the right person. Innocent people shouldn’t be collateral damage."

"Yeah, but Francesca isn’t innocent," Aria shot back, her tone sharp as a knife, eyes still fixed on her workout.

Lucien laughed lightly, shaking his head. "And this is coming from someone who scorned me for judging someone who wronged me? It seems you've become a little hypocritical."

Aria paused, the weights momentarily forgotten as memories from the turbulent night before surged to the forefront of her mind. "Speaking of yesterday," she said slowly, her voice laced with seriousness, "I believe you owe me some explanations."