Chapter 24 Slow-Burn Bonding
The week before the public announcement passed in a strange blur of intimate moments and careful performances.
Every morning, Ariella woke up in the chair by Aiden’s window. She’d go there after his nightmares, which came almost every night and somehow always fell asleep before making it back to her own room. Every morning, she’d wake to find fresh coffee on the table beside her and Aiden already gone, leaving a note with his plans for the day.
The notes were lifelines. Small reminders that she wasn’t alone in this massive house.
On Tuesday, Ariella spent the afternoon exploring the mansion properly. Not with Lily’s chaotic tour, but methodically, learning the layout. She found six living rooms, eight bathrooms, a gym she’d never use, a theater room with seats for twenty, and a wine cellar that looked like something from a movie.
She also found Richard Frost’s study.
The door was ajar. She shouldn’t have gone in. But curiosity pulled her forward until she was standing in the middle of his private space, surrounded by books and photos and the evidence of a life half-lived.
The photos on his desk caught her attention. Richard and Catherine on their wedding day, she was beautiful, he was young and less calculated. Richard with baby Aiden, both of them laughing. Richard with both kids, Lily maybe three, Aiden maybe nine, all of them at some beach somewhere, looking almost normal.
And then, separately, a frame turned face-down.
Ariella picked it up.
It was Catherine alone. Not a professional photo but a candid sitting in what looked like this very study, surrounded by papers, wearing reading glasses, looking frustrated and beautiful and alive.
Someone had written on the back in neat handwriting: C investigating Frost Industries irregularities, March 2019. Two months before the accident.
Ariella’s blood went cold.
“You shouldn’t be in here.”
She spun around. Marcus stood in the doorway, looking uncomfortable.
“I was just…the door was open…”
“It’s okay. I’m not upset. But Richard is particular about his study.” Marcus came in, gently took the photo from her hands, and set it back on the desk face-down. “Some things are too painful to look at every day.”
“Marcus, what was Catherine investigating?”
“I can’t discuss that.”
“Was it related to James Winters? To the takeover?”
Marcus’s expression didn’t change, but something flickered in his eyes. “Ariella, there are some questions that are better left unasked. For your safety and everyone else’s.”
“My safety? What does that mean?”
“It means the situation is more complicated than it appears. And the less you know right now, the safer you are.” He guided her gently toward the door. “Please. Trust me on this. When the time is right, you’ll understand everything. But right now, you need to focus on the announcement on Friday. On building your story with Aiden. On…”
“On lying convincingly.”
“On surviving.” Marcus’s voice was kind but firm. “That’s all any of us are trying to do.”
He left her standing in the hallway, heart racing, mind spinning with questions she wasn’t allowed to ask.
That evening, Aiden taught her how to swim.
It wasn’t planned. She’d mentioned offhandedly at lunch that she’d never learned, that growing up poor meant no swim lessons, no pool memberships, no summers at the lake. And Aiden had looked at her like she’d said something impossible.
“You live in Portland. We’re surrounded by water.”
“Yeah, and I stay on dry land where I belong.”
“That’s tragic.”
“That’s practical.”
But now, at seven p.m., she found herself standing at the edge of the mansion’s indoor pool…because of course they had an indoor pool wearing a swimsuit Jennifer had somehow procured in her size, feeling more vulnerable than she had since this whole nightmare started.
“I can’t do this,” she said.
“Yes, you can.” Aiden was already in the water, treading effortlessly. “Come on. I promise I won’t let you drown.”
“That’s not reassuring.”
“Okay, how about this…if you drown, I’ll feel really bad about it.”
“Much better.”
Despite her terror, Ariella sat on the edge, dangling her legs in the water. It was warm. The whole room was warm, humid, smelling of chlorine and expensive tiles.
“Start here,” Aiden said, swimming closer. “Just get used to the feeling. We’re not going deep today.”
“We’re not going deep ever.”
“Baby steps.”
She slid into the water, feet touching the bottom easily in the shallow end. Aiden stayed close but not too close, giving her space to adjust.
“Okay?” he asked.
“I’m not dead yet, so I guess.”
“Such enthusiasm.”
They spent the next hour with Aiden teaching her to float. Just float on her back, trusting the water to hold her, trusting him to catch her if she panicked.
She panicked a lot.
But every time, Aiden was there. Steady hands on her back, calm voice in her ear. “I’ve got you. You’re okay. Just breathe.”
Gradually, she started to relax. Started to trust that the water wouldn’t swallow her whole. Started to trust that Aiden would keep his promise.
“See?” he said when she finally floated on her own for ten full seconds. “You’re doing it.”
“I’m doing it,” she said, voice full of wonder.
“Next we’ll work on actual swimming.”
“Let’s not push it.”
She stood up, and suddenly they were very close. Water dripping from his hair, his gray eyes reflecting the pool lights, his hands still hovering near her waist like he’d forgotten they were there.
“Hi,” she said softly.
“Hi.”
Neither of them moved.
Then Lily’s voice echoed through the pool room: “Oh my god, are you two having a moment? Please tell me I’m interrupting a moment. This is so much better than the awkward dinner thing.”
Aiden stepped back quickly. Ariella felt the loss of his warmth immediately.
“We’re not having a moment,” Aiden said. “I’m teaching her to swim.”
“That’s what they call it now?” Lily was grinning from the doorway. “Just so you know, the staff are taking bets on when you two stop pretending this is fake and just admit you like each other.”
“There are no bets,” Aiden said.
“There are definitely bets. Marie has you at two weeks. Thomas says one month. Jennifer is weirdly optimistic and says by the end of summer you’ll actually be in love.”
“That’s…that’s not…we’re not…” Aiden was turning red.
“Lily, go away,” Ariella said, trying not to smile.
“Fine. But just so you know, I’m on Jennifer’s side. You two are way too comfortable with each other for this to stay fake.” She left, humming something annoyingly cheerful.
Ariella and Aiden looked at each other.
“The staff are betting on us,” Ariella said.
“Apparently.”
“That’s horrifying.”
“And a little funny?”
“Okay, a little funny.”
They got out of the pool, wrapped in towels, not quite looking at each other.
“Thanks,” Ariella said. “For the lesson. For not letting me drown.”
“Thanks for trusting me not to.”
“I’m not sure I did. I think I just panicked less than usual.”
“I’ll take it.”
They went back upstairs together, water still dripping from their hair, leaving a trail through the mansion like evidence of something real happening in this false world.