Chapter 5 The Past Never Dies

Aria didn't go home after the dinner.

She went somewhere else.

A private place.

A hidden apartment she bought months ago when she started planning this revenge.

Inside the apartment was a wall-

Filled with pictures, notes, and strings connecting names and dates.

At the center was a photo of Damien.

Beside it?

His wife.

Ex-wife now.

Her name: Vanessa Moore.

The woman he left Aria for.

The woman who ruined everything.

And now?

Vanessa was whole life was ruined too.

She was divorced, bankrupt and disgraced.

Aria smiled as she read the news article again.

She had done all that.

Quietly and perfectly.

But this wasn't over yet.

Not until Damien broke the same way.

The next day, Aria walked into her office and found a brown envelope sitting on her desk.

There was no name or note. Just her name written in bold letters:

ARIA COLLINS

She opened it.

Photos spilled out.

Her hand froze.

There, in the envelope was a picture black and white, of Damien.

But it was not recent.

These were old.

From the time she and Damien were still together.

One showed him kissing Vanessa while Aria was away on a business trip.

Another?

Him handing a man an envelope filled with cash.

And that man...

Aria's heart skipped.

He was the same guy who had accused her falsely of stealing from the company years ago.

That accusation had nearly destroyed her.

Gotten her demoted.

Cost her her name.

Back then, she had no proof.

No one believed her.

But now-

Now she had it.

Proof that Damien had paid someone to ruin her.

She dropped the photos and backed away.

So it was worse than she thought.

He didn't just leave her.

He destroyed her.

Aria's hands shook.

She picked up her phone.

Dialed Mia.

"Cancel all my meetings today."

"Uh-yes, Miss Collins. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

But her voice said otherwise.

She hung up.

She stared at the photos again.

You wanted to play a game, Damien?

Good. Now we're playing my kind of game.

That evening, Damien texted her.

"Had a great time last night. Can I see you again?"

Aria replied:

"Sure. Tomorrow night. My place."

He sent a smiley emoji.

She didn't respond.

Instead, she printed the photos.

Framed one.

And placed it right on the table where Damien would sit.

Let the games begin.

Let the liar fall and let the truth explode.