Eyes Don't Lie | Charles Leclerc

Part 48 | The Sun Will Set For You

June 30, 2023

Aria POV

My heart raced as I stared at my father who was bound, the cold metal of a gun pressed against his side. A wave of disgust washed over me as I looked at him. How could he have gotten himself into this mess? How could he be so reckless? His eyes flickered toward me, and I could see the hint of desperation in them, the remnants of the man who had once promised to protect me. 

But all I felt was betrayal. The money he had asked for, the money I had assumed he needed to get his life back on track and to disappear, suddenly took on a sinister meaning. It was never about that. He had intended to use me as leverage, he wanted to exploit my relationship with Charles for his own gain. 

"Papa," I managed to choke out, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and sorrow. He didn't even deserve the label of papa, he never was a proper one. 

"You did this, didn't you? You put me in danger. You thought you could use me to get out of your debts." 

"Cherie, I-" 

"Don't," I interrupted, disgust swirling in my stomach. "You're a coward. Do you even care what happens to me? You're supposed to protect your children, instead all you've done was hurt me from the beginning. I was finally happy all these years later..." 

His silence spoke volumes, and I felt the weight of his failure settle heavily between us. I was furious, but more than that, I was terrified for what might happen next. I wanted to scream at him, to shake him and make him understand the mess he had created, but the reality of our situation settled in. 

The man who once promised to take care of me had now made me a pawn in a dangerous game he had started. I looked around the van, taking in the faces of the men surrounding us. I felt small and helpless. Still, I wouldn't let him take me down with him. 

"Aria," he said again, his voice barely above a whisper. "I thought-" 

"-Thought what? That you could play with people's lives? That you could blackmail someone like Charles? Like me?" I spat, my anger boiling over. "You have no idea how much you've jeopardized everything I care about!" 

He looked away, unable to meet my gaze, and I could see the shame. I didn't want to feel pity for him, but it was hard to ignore the reality of his situation. He had become a prisoner of his own choices, and now we were both paying the price. As the van turned sharply, my heart dropped. 

What if this was the end? What if I never got the chance to tell Charles I loved him one last time? We had just reconnected and it could have been the last time I'd be in his arms. The thought sent a shiver down my spine. I needed to think of a way out. I needed to find a way to escape this nightmare. 

I turned back to my father, my anger consuming me all over again. "Do you know what you've done?" I screamed. 

Tears streamed down my cheeks, blurring my vision as I faced him. "You dragged me into your mess for money! For a quick way out! You're a pathetic excuse for a father!" 

"Aria, you don't understand. I had no choice! I needed the money!" 

"No choice?" I spat. "You've always had choices! You chose to drink, you chose to gamble, and you chose to lie to me! You hurt me when I was young, and I'm glad my mom took me away from you. You're toxic and you haven't changed one it." 

His silence hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. I was angry, furious that he would jeopardize my life for his own gain, dragging me into a world I never wanted to be part of. 

"Do you have any idea what I've fought through to get here? To escape you?" I continued, my voice rising with every word. "I've worked my ass off to build a life for myself, to find happiness, and you just want to ruin it all because you can't take responsibility for your actions? You're selfish!"