Bound by Deception

11.2 Lady Kumar's Interrogation

"No, I'm not." Aria's cheeks burned, both out of pride and humiliation. Her aunt wouldn't be saying that if she knew what Aria did for a living. She'd be disowned and the shame of the family, that's what she'd be.

"Nonsense!" Tamasa packed the onesie into an open box. "You and Noah both have given great honor to our name. No dirty business...no bastard children...you both are perfect."

Far from it, Auntie, Aria thought, rolling her eyes under the shadow of her hair. "So, how's the wedding planning going?"

"We're getting there slowly," Tamasa replied. "Lady Maryland is so extravagant, you know. Always wanting her daughter to be the center of attention."

"Auntie, you do the same thing."

"Huh, I do not!" Tamasahuffed in vehement denial. "But anyway, she's trying to plan this whole ceremony. I keep telling her to let the children do it. It's their wedding, and you only marry once. Am I wrong, Aria?"

"No, Auntie." Aria decided it was easier to agree than disagree. "I saw how excited Eloise and Noah were. I think they deserve to have the wedding of their dreams."

"Oh, you angel child!"

Tamasa seemed to be overflowing with emotions that day, Aria noticed, as the older lady rose to her knees and brought her niece in for a bone-crushing hug. Aria gasped, the air suddenly knocked out of her lungs with the embrace.

"Auntie...I..." she hacked.

"We're so lucky to have you, Aria," Tamasa said through tears. "Oh, how lucky we are. Oh!' She pulled away briskly, and Aria surged for air with wild eyes. "We'd be even luckier if we could announce another wedding, no? Before that unbearable Lady Orlean."

"Another wedding..." Aria was too occupied with gasping for air to translate what her aunt was implying quickly, and by the time the message finally went through, she was faced with the most mischievous grin she had ever seen in her entire life.

"Auntie..."

"When will you be getting married, Aria?!" Tamasa's mood shifted like the direction of the wind, going from nostalgic to interrogative. "You're not getting any younger, you know! I'd like to have some babies to hold before I die!"

"I'm not fifty, Auntie," Aria muttered. "I'll get married soon, relax."

"But when? And to who? What happened to that boy you brought with you to the ball? Sterling?"

Aria hesitated. Marry Sterling?! She refrained from scoffing. As if! There was no way in hell she'd marry that sex-obsessed, obnoxiously handsome Casanova. "No, Auntie, we're just friends."

"But he seemed interested in you!" Tamasa insisted. "And my, how handsome he was! Your children would be lovely!"

Kids with Sterling?! Aria couldn't even imagine what that would be like, and she adored children. "Auntie, no. Not Sterling."

"Aww..." Tamasa pouted childishly. "That's unfair. He was a Duke too...all that power..."

"Always about the family name, huh?" Aria sneered. "Stop acting like a child, Auntie. I'll marry when I want to. I have time."

"You're twenty-nine," Tamasa pointed out with an air of arrogance. "I was married when I was sixteen."

"Somebody call the police."

"It's legal, sweetheart."

"In your fantasy, maybe."

"Don't you backtalk to me, Aria Kumar!"

"Sure." Aria moved some of the boxes aside, coming across an old, torn photograph. In the dark picture was a younger, happier version of herself, right before she started killing. Her dark hair was out of her face and in bouncy pigtails, and her clothes were just as bright as her expression. Beside her was a boy with a missing tooth, scruffy hair, and cheeks pinker than a pig's. He wore clothes that were dirty but obviously well done and had his arm around her like they were two best friends.

"Edward..." Aria ran her hand over the picture. "Damn, Auntie, look how young we were."

"Ah, yes, back in the good old days," Tamasa sighed. She took the picture to observe it, and Aria could practically see a lightbulb ding above her head.

She held back a groan. "Auntie..."

"Edward is single," Tamasa began innocently. "He's a reasonably wealthy young lad - a bit under our social class but a good man. He's a soldier in the army and has good genetics. Besides, we know his family too..."

"No wa-!" Aria began to refute her aunt's suggestion, but she stopped. No, why am I saying that? This falls perfectly into our plan. If I can get Auntie to agree, then seducing Edward will technically be morally right. "Well...he's not bad looking?"

"See!" Tamasa raised an impressed brow. "He was your childhood friend too, so you must know a lot about him!"

"I do know quite a bit about Edward." But not what I need to know. "Where is he, anyway?"

"He's been at work." Tamasa waved a careless hand. "I haven't seen him for a while, but I do notice his friends every now and then. Since the war has ended, the soldiers for both sides have been patrolling, you know? Both for spies and assassins."

"Wonderful." I think I'll get more information from Auntie than Edward. "Assassins as well? Do they even exist?"

"Of course, they do!" Tamasa seemed affronted. "They're a menace to our society, Aria! Those no-good killers who have no moral compass and just take lives like they're a child's toy! It's disgusting!"

You don't know half of it. Aria had just reminded herself why she would never reveal her job to her family. The scrutiny and horror she would face would be too much for her to bear, especially when written across the faces of the people that she loved.

"Yes..." she found herself saying. "They are truly horrible people...all of them are." She shivered, her body crumpling at the lie. She glanced at the wall, where the window was open, and allowed for a cool draft to enter the room. That's a good excuse. "Are you cold, Auntie?"

"A bit. Can you close the window, please? I opened it to let the dust-out."

"Sure."

Aria stood and hopped around the room to get to the window since the floor was covered in Noah's old toys and piles of clothes. She latched her fingers on the edge of the window to close the shaft, but a figure wandering on the pavement stopped her. Her heart stilled. This was the moment. The mission would begin.

"Aria! Tamasa!" Her uncle was calling from downstairs. "Lord Edward has come to pay us a visit!"

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So...we get to see some niece/aunt bonding! Is Tamasa really a bad person? Or is she just one for flair? 

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