Bound by One Night

Aria's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the man blocking her path. The bustle of the city street faded around them, leaving only the roaring in her ears and the cold dread settling in her stomach. She recognized him immediately—Victor Hayes, an acquaintance from a life she had tried desperately to leave behind. The slight smirk on his lips told her he recognized her too, despite the years and the new last name she carried.

"I can't believe it," Victor drawled in a low voice, leaning in as if they were old friends sharing a secret. "Aria Lancaster, in the flesh. Or should I say Mrs. Blackwood now?" His eyes glittered with a mix of triumph and malice.

Aria swallowed hard, forcing a neutral expression. "I think you have the wrong person," she lied softly, attempting to step around him. But Victor smoothly sidestepped, cutting her off.

"Don't play coy with me," he whispered, tone sharpening. "I never forget a face—especially not the face of Charles Lancaster's wayward daughter."

At the mention of her father's name, Aria felt the blood drain from her face. Her knees threatened to buckle, but she locked them in place and lifted her chin. "Please, lower your voice," she hissed, darting a glance around. A few passersby cast curious looks at the pair standing on the sidewalk outside the upscale boutique, but none slowed down.

Victor's smile widened. "Ah, so it is you. Didn't expect to find the infamous Aria Lancaster playing house with the mighty Damien Blackwood." He chuckled, clearly enjoying her discomfort. "This is quite the story. I wonder what everyone would think if they knew..."

"Don't," Aria cut in, her voice trembling despite her attempt to sound firm. "Please, Victor. I'm not that person anymore. I left that life behind. I don't want any trouble."

"Trouble?" Victor echoed with feigned innocence. "Why would there be trouble? Unless, of course, you're hiding something worth hiding." He tilted his head, eyes narrowing. "Does your billionaire husband even know who he's married to?"

Aria's stomach churned. Damien knew her as Aria, a single mother who had struggled to raise her son alone. He knew bits and pieces—enough to realize she had no family in her life, but he didn't press for more. He certainly didn't know she was Aria Lancaster, the disowned heiress of the Lancaster family. It was a secret she intended to carry to her grave if possible.

"Victor," she pleaded in a low voice, stepping closer. "If you ever considered my family—or me—a friend, please keep this to yourself. I'm begging you."

Victor studied her, his expression a mix of smugness and greed. "We were never really friends, Aria. Your father made sure of that." He sniffed as if recalling a bitter memory. "However... perhaps we can come to some arrangement." He flicked an invisible speck of dust from his suit jacket. "I might be persuaded to keep quiet... for the right price."

Aria's heart sank. "Money?" she whispered. She had very little savings of her own—her modest income before marrying Damien had mostly gone toward Noah's needs. And she refused to dip into any account tied to Damien without his knowledge; their arrangement might be a marriage on paper, but she had her pride.

Victor shrugged. "Let's just say a favor. I'll be in touch with the details. Wouldn't want to make a scene right here." He straightened and took a step back, looking her over from head to toe with a sly grin. "Married life clearly agrees with you. You look better than the last time I saw you at that charity ball... right before you disappeared. How dramatic that was." He chuckled.

Aria clenched her fists at her sides, memories of that final confrontation with her father flashing through her mind. That had been the night she ran away—the night she chose freedom over her family's expectations, and the night that eventually led her into Damien's arms for one fateful evening.

She forced those memories aside and focused on the present threat. "Victor, please—"

"Shh." Victor pressed a finger to his lips. "Don't worry, I won't shout your identity from the rooftops... today. But secrets have a way of coming out, Aria. Especially juicy ones like this." He stepped around her, leaning in one last time to murmur, "I'll contact you soon. You'd better answer."

With that, he pivoted and disappeared into the flow of pedestrians as suddenly as he'd appeared, leaving Aria trembling on the sidewalk. Her breath whooshed out of her lungs as she realized she'd been holding it. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to quell the tremors.

The bright morning that had promised a simple shopping trip for Noah's upcoming preschool event now hung dark and foreboding over her. Victor Hayes—a name she hadn't thought of in years—was back, and he held the power to shatter the new life she'd built.

After a long moment, Aria realized she needed to move. Standing there looking stricken would only draw attention. With effort, she inhaled deeply and smoothed her hair with unsteady fingers. For Noah's sake, for the delicate peace she'd found, she had to stay calm.

As she fumbled through her purse for her car keys, her phone buzzed with an incoming text. Aria jumped at the sudden noise. Hands shaking, she pulled out her phone and looked at the screen. It was an unknown number, but the message made her blood run cold:

Nice seeing you, Aria. I'll be in touch soon.

No signature, but she didn't need one. Victor.

Aria's fingers tightened around the phone until her knuckles turned white. Panic swelled in her chest, threatening to claw its way out. She drew another breath, willing strength into her limbs. This was not the time to break down.

Stuffing the phone back into her bag, Aria forced herself to walk toward the parking garage where she'd left her car. Each step felt heavy, her mind racing with what-ifs. What did Victor want? How long did she have before he "got in touch"? And what would she do when he did?

By the time she reached her car, she had only one certainty: she wouldn't let Victor ruin everything. Somehow, she would find a way to handle this—on her own. She had to. The stakes were too high to risk Damien finding out the truth like this, or Noah's world being upended by scandal.

Climbing into the driver's seat, Aria closed her eyes for a brief moment and steadied her breathing. In her mind, she repeated a silent mantra: Keep it together. For Noah. For this family.

When she opened her eyes, a glint of determination had replaced some of the fear. Victor might have rattled her, but she wasn't defeated yet.

Aria started the engine and pulled out onto the road, heading back toward the Blackwood estate. Each mile that brought her closer to home also brought a new wave of resolve. She would protect her son and this fragile new life at all costs.

Whatever it took, she'd make sure the past stayed buried—at least until she could figure out a solution.