Aurelia's POV:-
7:30 p.m.
Moonvalley Hotel.
I entered the building exactly as planned.
My recording equipment was discreetly secured, and the police were already aware of the operation.
At least, that was what I believed.
I met the people who claimed to have information.
They handed me documents and a device containing evidence.
Everything went smoothly.
Too smoothly.
I left the hotel.
The parking lot was almost empty.
The night air felt strangely cold.
I reached my car.
Opened the door.
And then—
A movement behind me.
Before I could turn properly, someone grabbed me.
The world blurred.
I tried to fight back, but the attack was sudden.
The last thing I remember was the ground disappearing beneath my feet.
Then darkness.
When I opened my eyes, the first thing I noticed was silence.
My vision slowly adjusted.
A dark room.
A wooden chair.
My hands were restrained behind me.
I tested the restraints once.
Then stopped.
Footsteps.
Someone was approaching.
I lifted my head.
A man stood somewhere behind me.
"Who are you?"
Silence.
"Why did you bring me here?"
A familiar male voice answered.
"The documents and device you received today are under our control."
My eyes narrowed.
"And?"
"You won't leave until the next court hearing is over."
I laughed quietly.
"You really think you can scare me?"
A tall figure stepped into the light.
I stared.
No.
It couldn't be.
But it was.
Marco.
"You?"
He smiled.
"So you finally understand."
"You're the murderer."
He tilted his head.
"Not exactly."
"What do you mean?"
"I prefer to think of myself as someone who gave certain people an early form of peace."
"Bullshit."
His expression changed.
He stepped closer.
"Cooperate with us, and you leave safely."
"And if I don't?"
His smile disappeared.
"Then you become another name no one remembers."
My eyes remained fixed on him.
"Why did you kill Matthew Reynolds?"
He laughed softly.
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Why did you kill him?"
His amusement vanished.
He lowered himself slightly so that we were at eye level.
"Because I didn't like him."
"That simple?"
"He was taking my power."
I stared at him.
"Power?"
His eyes hardened.
"He was getting closer to the CEO. Learning things. Discovering secrets."
"And you thought that was your position?"
"It was my position."
His voice suddenly became louder.
"I was the one who had the secrets. I was the one who had the CEO's trust. And he started replacing me."
"Replacing you?"
I shook my head.
"Isn't that the CEO's decision?"
He stared at me.
"I don't agree with that decision."
The room became silent.
"I cannot tolerate another person knowing what I know."
Everything suddenly clicked.
His obsession.
His control.
His fear of losing access.
His need to possess information.
I swallowed.
"So you killed him."
"Yes."
He smiled.
"But Matthew wasn't the only person."
I looked at him.
"What are you talking about?"
He stepped backward.
"There is someone else you need to meet."
A woman entered the room.
She wore a shining red dress.
Her face was hidden behind a mask.
She walked toward me slowly.
"I am the master."
Something about her voice—
It felt familiar.
Too familiar.
"Why don't you reveal yourself?"
She tilted her head.
"Are you sure you want to know?"
My heartbeat changed.
She reached for the mask.
And removed it.
My entire body went still.
No.
No.
It couldn't be.
"Aunt?"
She smiled.
"Yes, darling."
My voice cracked.
"You?"
"I."
"You killed -?"
"Your father!~"
I said nothing. I just stared at her.
"My father loved you like his own sister."
"I know."
"Then why?"
She took a slow breath.
"Because of your mother."
"My mom?"
"Yes."
Her voice became colder.
"When I married your uncle, I thought I had married into wealth. Then your mother told me the truth—that the money I had been enjoying, the house, everything around me, came from your father."
She laughed bitterly.
"My pride couldn't accept it."
I stared at her.
"So you hated him?"
"For years."
"And Marco?"
"I found him."
She looked at Marco.
"I pressured him. Threatened him. Made him do what I wanted."
Marco remained silent.
"And eventually," she continued, "it became easier."
I could barely breathe.
"Other people discovered our secrets. Anyone who came between us became a problem."
She stepped toward me.
"And now…"
She raised the weapon.
"…you are the next problem."
She aimed it at me.
"It's time to leave this earth, my dear."
I looked at her.
Then smiled.
She frowned.
"You think you won?"
I slowly lifted my restrained hands.
And pulled them free.
Her eyes widened.
"What?"
I stood.
"I knew you weren't alone."
Marco stepped backward.
My aunt stared at me in disbelief.
"You…"
I reached into my clothing and pulled out my own weapon.
"You really thought I came here without a plan?"
Her expression changed.
"Where did you get that?"
I smiled.
"Let's just say someone gave me a very memorable birthday gift."
She raised her weapon.
Everything happened at once.
I moved.
She fired.
The shot missed.
I knocked the weapon away and kicked it out of reach.
Before she could react, I struck her hard enough to send her stumbling to the floor.
Marco moved toward me—
And suddenly the doors burst open.
"POLICE!"
Vincent entered with the officers.
My heart almost stopped.
For one second, all I could see was him.
He looked at me.
Then at the weapons.
Then back at me.
"Aurelia!"
"I'm fine!"
The police immediately restrained Marco and my aunt.
My aunt looked at me with disbelief.
"You planned this?"
I looked at her.
"Yes."
She was taken away.
Marco followed.
I stood there, breathing heavily.
The room was finally silent.
But my mind wasn't.