Chapter 171

ARIA

The crowd around us started whispering. All eyes turned to Matthew, who stood stiffly by the screen that had just exposed his betrayal.

Emma cackled. "See? Your brother destroyed Aria's life too. So drop the righteous act, Olivia. You got no business standing beside Aria now. Not when your own flesh and blood helped ruin her."

I watched Olivia's shoulders slump. Her face crumpled with shame that wasn't even hers. She turned toward the exit, ready to walk away.

Hell no. I wasn't letting Emma win this round.

I grabbed Olivia's hand, stopping her. She turned to me, eyes wide.

"Don't go," I said firmly.

Olivia looked at me, tears streaming down her face. "Aria, I can't... My brother—"

I cut her off. "Your brother made his choices. You made yours." I turned to Emma. "Why shouldn't Olivia stand by me? She's my friend, my sister. She has every right to support me."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Are you serious? Aria, Matthew brainwashed you. He erased your memories. He's her brother! How can you still want her around?"

"Because I don't blame people for what others did," I shot back, squeezing Olivia's hand. "Matthew's choices aren't Olivia's fault."

Emma's face twisted. "Matthew destroyed your memories and helped me steal your life with Blake! And you just don't care?"

"I didn't say I forgive Matthew," I said coldly. "But I won't punish Olivia for his mess."

Olivia squeezed my hand back, tears in her eyes.

Emma snorted. "Oh, how noble of you, Aria. Always so forgiving."

"I'm not forgiving anyone who hurt me," I said, my jaw clenched. "And that includes you, Emma. That slap was just the beginning. I'm going to make you pay for what you did. I'll destroy everything you have—your reputation, your career, your social standing. When I'm done, you'll wish you'd never messed with me."

Emma's smug expression vanished. I saw actual fear in her eyes. She knew I meant business.

She turned to Blake, suddenly desperate. "Blake, please," she begged, dropping to her knees. "Help me. I've been with you for sixteen years. I gave you everything—my support, my care, my heart. Yeah, I made a mistake, but haven't I paid for it with years of devotion? Once I leave, I promise I'll never bother you and Aria again."

Blake stared down at her, his face completely empty. Then, slowly, deliberately, he stepped forward and placed his foot on Emma's knee, pressing down.

Emma gasped in pain. "Blake, what are you doing?"

"Who needs your devotion?" Blake asked, his voice ice cold. "Who needs your support or your heart? Did I ever ask for any of it?"

"But—"

"If not for you," Blake continued, pressing harder, "Aria and I would have been together sixteen years ago. All you've given me is pain and lies. You stole sixteen years from us."

Emma's face twisted with pain and desperation. "You can't mean that! Everything I did was because I love you!"

Blake pressed harder. Something cracked. Emma screamed.

"Blake," I said quietly. "That's enough."

He glanced at me, then slowly removed his foot. Emma collapsed, clutching her injured knee, sobbing.

"You're only saying this to make her happy!" Emma shouted through her tears. "You're denying everything we had just to please Aria!"

I stepped closer to Emma, bending down to look her in the eye. "Emma, stop kidding yourself. If Blake really cared about you, he would've married you years ago. He would've built a life with you. But he didn't. Even with me gone, he never committed to you. That tells you everything."

Emma glared at me, pure hatred burning in her eyes.

"You never won," I continued. "Not once in sixteen years. Even with all your schemes and lies, you failed completely."

Emma tried to stand but collapsed from her injured knee. She crawled backward until she hit the wall. Her eyes darted around the room until they fixed on something—or someone—in the shadows.

Her expression changed. A slow, sly smile spread across her bloody lips.

"You think you've won?" Emma said, suddenly calm despite her pain. "Let me tell you something, Aria. You may have Blake now, but your happiness won't last. There are eyes watching you from the shadows, waiting to strike."

I frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"You'll see," Emma replied, her smile widening. "Behind you, always lurking, is someone who has been watching everything. Someone who will make you pay."

A cold feeling washed over me. Was she bluffing, or was someone else involved?

I decided to gamble.

"Are you talking about Henderson's illegitimate son?" I asked bluntly.

The room went dead silent. Emma's smile disappeared, replaced by shock.

"How... how do you know about that?" she stammered.

Gotcha. I'd been guessing, but her reaction just confirmed everything.

"I didn't know for sure until now," I said. "But I got suspicious when you stopped Olivia from getting that USB. You had way too many resources for someone like you. Someone powerful was backing you—someone who wanted to hurt Blake and me."

Emma's eyes went wide.

"The way you pulled off everything, got access to stuff you shouldn't have... It had to be someone connected to the Morgans but working in secret."

"You're just guessing," Emma whispered, her face pale.

"Am I?" I stepped closer. "Henderson slept around. Wouldn't shock anyone if he had a kid outside marriage. A kid who grew up hating Blake for having everything."

People started whispering. Blake's face stayed blank, but his hand clenched into a fist.

Emma laughed weakly. "Smart, Aria. But you're missing the big part. Henderson's son isn't just anyone. He's powerful now. Someone you can't touch."

"Tell me who," Blake demanded.

Emma shook her head. "No way. That's my insurance. As long as I keep quiet, I stay alive. And you two get to wonder who's coming for you next."

"You little—" Blake moved toward her, but I grabbed his arm.

Before we could say more, Matthew spoke up.

"Henderson's son is Alex King, CEO of LY Technology."

Gasps filled the room. I searched for Alex's face. Blake's expression darkened.

I spotted Alex in a corner, half-hidden. His face stayed calm, but his eyes showed surprise.

"That's impossible," someone whispered.

Matthew pointed at Alex. "How long will you hide before claiming what you think belongs to you?"

Alex stepped out, acting confused. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm here as Aria's business partner."

Emma shook her head frantically. "Matthew, shut up! You don't know anything!"

Her panic made everyone more suspicious. People moved away from Alex.

Alex's expression hardened. "Matthew, have you seen me with Emma? Any proof?"

"No," Matthew admitted. "Never seen you together."

Alex smiled. "Then this is baseless."

"Is it?" Matthew asked calmly. "I got close to Emma months ago to expose the truth and find out who you are."

He turned to everyone. "I suspected Emma had powerful backing when she killed Dr. Smith and hurt Olivia. Someone was protecting her."

Matthew faced Alex again. "For six months, you never appeared with Emma publicly. Smart."

"Just guesswork," Alex said, his glasses hiding his eyes.

"Emma wouldn't risk everything without protection. She wouldn't dare hurt people without absolute confidence in her backer."

Alex's face darkened before he controlled it. "No proof I'm connected to Emma or Henderson's son. This is slander."

Matthew smiled. "Emma's treacherous. Even working with you, she kept insurance—evidence of who you really are."

Emma went pale. "That's not true! Alex, don't listen! I never kept anything!"

Matthew pulled out his phone. "Let's hear what you say in private, Emma."

He hit play. Emma's voice filled the room:

"Thank you for helping me return to America, sir. Your guidance has been invaluable—keeping Blake close, neutralizing Olivia, hiding the medical reports..."

A male voice responded, "Aria has always been my pawn. Nothing will change that."

The recording stopped. Fifteen seconds, but enough.