Chapter 3 INTO THE LION'S DEN

The atmosphere outside the mansion seemed weirdly silent compared to the chaos that just happened in the study. The storm had passed leaving the night wet and calm, but Liya's heart was anything but still. The scene repeatedly played in her mind. Every detail plagued her mind as she followed Aldo and Melinda down the shadowy hallway, her stride quick to keep up.

Liya's breath came out in pants, her palms sweaty as she wrapped her arms around herself. She had never felt so uncomfortable, so totally exposed. The lavishness of the mansion, with its pristine floors and luxurious chandelier felt more like a sugar-coated cage rather than a shelter.

Aldo stopped suddenly, turning to her. His fierce gaze on her and for a minute, her breath stopped. "We don't have a lot of time," he said in a low but firm voice."Damian won't stop just after a single attack. This was the first of many, so we need to hurry."

Liya's stomach knotted. Thoughts of the lifeless human in the study filled her mind. His last disturbing words: Damian sends his greetings, weighing heavily on her and suffocating her mind. "Why would Damian decide to attack you now? I thought... I thought the deal was finalized when I agreed to marry you?" She asked with a trembling voice.

Aldo's jaw hardened. " Damian never honors any deal unless it's beneficial to him, so don't put too much faith in him. The marriage was just a move on his chessboard and he is still playing the game."

"And I guess I'm just another piece in this game of his." Liya whispered bitterly.

"Absolutely," Aldo voiced without stalling, his tone harsher than she predicted. "But you are not a puppet anymore, you're something more, Liya. And that's the reason Damian will keep seeking you and coming after you."

Liya blinked, confusion and alarm bells ringing in her head. "More? What do you mean?"

Aldo didn't give her a response immediately. His eyes moved to Melinda, standing silently with her hand fixed on the gun hidden in her hip. The strain between them made Liya uncomfortable.

"There's no time to explain everything right now," Aldo said, evading her question. "Right now, you need to stay close and do as I say. Make sure you follow my lead."

His tone made Liya boil with anger but she withheld her comeback. Even though she hated the way he treated her like a child who could barely comprehend the entire situation, she couldn't overlook the fact that he had just saved her life. For now, she had no choice but to trust and listen to him, even though her intuitions screamed at her not to do so.

Aldo guided them down another hallway, his actions conscious and quiet. The elegance of the mansion was displayed continuously before them–arts that were the kinds displayed in museums, fancy woodworks that must have taken so long to design but Liya couldn't take a moment to deeply admire them. The squeak of the floors and every shadow that appeared in the dark posed a threat to them, the hair at the back of her neck standing like they were being watched.

They finally reached a large wooden door at the end of the hall. She got through the doors and into the room only to come face to face with an expansive underground room loaded with a range of advanced tech equipment; monitors, weapons, and maps draped out on the walls. A bunch of men and women with hard expressions were already stationed inside, their attention shifting to Aldo as he entered.

"Give me a status update," Aldo demanded, his voice slicing through the tense room like a sword.

One of the stern-faced men, a lean figure with a vertical scar on his cheek came forward. "We've guarded the surroundings, but the attack shows somebody from within supplied Damian with info, cause he knew precisely where to strike. It's too accurate to be a coincidence."

Aldo's entire appearance darkened and Liya felt the warmth in the room drop. "A rat," he whispered. "Find them immediately. I don't care what it takes, they'll wish they never double-crossed me."

The scarred man nodded and vanished into the darkness while the others carried on with their tasks. Liya hovered around the door, her anxiety building as the seconds passed by. She had believed the storm was over, but if it was true that there was a mole, then this night was far from being over.

Aldo turned to her abruptly, his gaze piercing. "Stay here, don't leave until I say it's safe for you to do so."

"What?" She exclaimed fear taking over her. "No! You can't...you can't just leave me here alone! What if–"

"You'll be safe," he cut her off, his tone leaving no room for an argument. "This room is highly secured. Melinda will stay here with you."

Liya's gaze moved to Melinda who stood at the side. While her presence gave her a slight sense of comfort, the thought of staying back while Aldo faced the danger lurking in the shadows made her chest constrict. "I don't want to just sit back and be clueless, I deserve to know what's happening," she said in a trembling voice.

"You'll know what there is to know when the time is right, this isn't a battle you're prepared for, trust me." His voice held an edge to it as he stepped closer to her, his presence towering over her. Having said that, he turned and left the room, leaving her with Melinda.

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Time went by as Liya paced the room, her anxiety growing as the seconds went by. Melinda just stood by the monitors with a heavy expression as she watched the different areas of the mansion displayed on the screen.

"Is he always like this?" Liya muttered, not being able to bear the silence any longer.

"Like what?" Melinda asked, her brows wrinkled.

"Blocking people, acting like he can't rely on anyone but himself," Liya said in frustration.

Melinda smirked. "In a world like his, trust is like a poison that kills you slowly. He is not used to depending on anyone but himself."

Liya wanted to question her further, to understand the man she was forced to marry, but before she could open her mouth, the screen of the monitors blinked and showed the front gates of the mansion.

Liya paled. A black car was parked outside, its engine running. She tried to look inside but the tinted windows made it impossible. A chill ran down her spine as she turned to Melinda, "Tell me that's back up." she whispered to Melinda, scared her voice would carry through the monitor.

Melinda studied the screen and became rigid. " No, they are not our men," she equally whispered as she reached for her earpiece. "Aldo, there's a situation at the front gates, an unknown SUV is parked out front."

His reply squeaked through the earpiece. "Maintain position, I'm on my way."

Melinda nodded and faced Liya. "Stay here, I'll be back."

"What! No! No!" Liya said, her voice hysterical. "You can't leave me alone, what if they get in here?"

Melinda's eyes softened for a second. " That's impossible Liya, this room is like a fort, nobody can get through to get in. You'll be safe."

Liya watched as Melinda slipped out of the room, the doors locking behind her, leaving her with the view from the monitors and panic-filled thoughts.

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Minutes crawled by as Liya sat on the steel chair, her hands fisted so tightly her knuckles turned white, her posture stiff, and her ears on alert for any sound. The monitors showed Melinda and Aldo approaching the front gates, both of their guns drawn.

Liya leaned forward, her heart beating rapidly as they approached the SUV. The driver exited first, then a tall wide-shouldered man in a suit followed. His face was partially covered by the darkness but something familiar about him made her blood run dry.

He exchanged words with Aldo, and though she couldn't hear them, she could tell they were intense. Aldo's entire demeanor was stiff.

The man suddenly reached inside his suit pocket. Liya gulped, fear gripping her, but Aldo was faster than she imagined, drawing his gun and aiming it at the man.

The screen flickered and went blank.

"No!" Liya banged her hands on the monitor, wondering what had happened. Her mind raced with dangerous scenarios. Was Aldo okay?

A loud thud sounded through the walls of the room, accompanied by gunshots. Her breath caught in her throat as she lowered herself against the wall, panic surging.

Suddenly, the doorknob jingled. Liya sat frozen willing it to be Melinda or Aldo coming to her rescue. The handle twisted and the door cracked open, a silhouette appearing in the doorway. Her face paled as the figure stepped into the light, his face coming into view.

It wasn't Aldo. It wasn't Melinda. It was someone different.

Not again.