WHISPERS OF DESIRE

Beneath the Masks

KIAN POV:
---
The night air was thick, pressing down on me as i made my way to the fountain. My hands were shoved deep into my pockets, My mind swirling with thoughts I couldn't shake. The text from Aria had come as a surprise. I hadn't expected her to want to talk. Not after everything.

But here I was. Heading straight into a conversation i wasn't ready for.

I could feel the weight of my secrets pressing harder than ever. The society, the power they held over me-it was suffocating. And now Aria, with her fiery spirit and sharp tongue, was trapped in the same web of lies and manipulation.

When i saw her standing by the fountain, her arms crossed, her face set in a mixture of anger and something else-something darker-his stomach tightened. She had no idea how deep this went. How deep i was in.

I approached cautiously, knowing that this conversation would change everything. I'd been keeping my distance for a reason. She was already tangled in the society's web, but the closer she got to me, the worse it would become. For both of them.

"You came," I said, my voice quieter than I intended.

Aria didn't waste time. "I want answers, Kian. No more games. No more secrets."

There it was. That sharp, no-nonsense tone she used when she was angry. I should've expected it. I had expected it, but hearing it still hurt. Because what she didn't realize was that i wasn't hiding things to protect myself. I was trying to protect her.

"I've never played games with you, Aria," I replied, my voice low and steady. But even as I said it, I knew how hollow it sounded.

Aria scoffed, her eyes narrowing. "Don't lie to me. You've been hiding things since the day I met you. And now Elena tells me you're part of something dangerous, something that could get me killed. So, forgive me if I don't trust a word that comes out of your mouth."

I clenched my jaw, the frustration bubbling inside me. I hadn't wanted any of this-for her, for myself. I had been born into a world where I didn't have a choice. Where my last name, my family's legacy, meant that I was bound to the Ravenwood Society before I even had the chance to understand what it was.

"I've been trying to protect you," I said finally, my voice softer now, almost pleading.

"Protect me? From what?" Aria's voice was rising now, her anger spilling over. "From yourself? From the society? Or from the fact that I was never meant to be here in the first place?"

I flinched at her words. I knew she was right, in a way. She wasn't supposed to be here. She wasn't supposed to get pulled into this darkness, this life that had destroyed so many before her. But the society had set its sights on her, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

"I didn't choose this, Aria," I said, my voice laced with bitterness. "None of this was my choice."

Aria frowned, confusion flickering in her eyes. "What do you mean?"

I ran a hand through my hair, the frustration and guilt gnawing at me. I had never told anyone about this. Not even my closest friends. The truth about who i was. About why I was tied to the Ravenwood Society, and why I couldn't walk away.

"I didn't just join the society, Aria," I began, my voice rough. "I was born into it. My family... we've been part of the Ravenwood Society for generations. It's not just a secret club. It's a dynasty. A legacy."

Aria's face paled as the realization began to sink in.

"I don't have a choice," I continued, my voice hard. "No one in my family does. My father is one of the leaders. He's the one pulling the strings, making sure everything stays in line. And now... they've chosen you."

Her eyes widened, her breath hitching. "Me? Why?"

I took a deep breath, My hands curling into fists. I had asked myself that same question, over and over. Why Aria? What was it about her that had caught the society's attention? But then, the truth had come out. It wasn't about her. It was about her past. About her family.

"Because of who you are," I said quietly, my eyes locking with hers. "Because of your family."

"My family?" Aria's voice wavered. "They're dead, Kian. My parents are dead."

I felt a stab of pain in my chest. I had known about her past. I had found out months ago, long before she had even become a target. But hearing her say it, hearing the raw grief in her voice-it was worse than I had imagined.

"I know," I said softly. "But your family wasn't just some ordinary family. They were connected, Aria. Connected to the society in ways you don't even understand."

Aria's breath hitched as she took a step back, her eyes wide with shock. "What... what are you talking about?"

I hesitated to tell her. I didn't want to hurt her more than she already was, but she deserved the truth. All of it.

"Your father... he wasn't just a businessman. He was one of them. One of the society's members. He left, though. He tried to escape, to get out. But they don't let people go that easily. They never do."

Aria's face crumpled, the weight of my words crashing down on her. She shook her head, her eyes filling with tears. "No... no, that's not possible. My parents died in a car accident. It was an accident."

I took a step toward her, my heart breaking at the sight of her unraveling. "That's what they wanted you to believe. But it wasn't an accident, Aria. They made sure of that."

Her knees buckled, and she stumbled back against the edge of the fountain, her hands gripping the stone as if it was the only thing keeping her grounded. "No... no, you're lying."

"I'm not," I whispered, my voice filled with regret. "I wish I was. But the society... they don't let people just walk away. They don't forget."

Aria's sobs were quiet, her body trembling. I wanted to reach out, to comfort her, but I knew that she wouldn't let me. Not now. Not after everything.

"They killed them," she whispered, more to herself than to me. "They killed my parents."

My chest tightened as the guilt and shame flooded him. "Yes."

The word hung in the air between them, heavy and suffocating. Aria looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of pain and anger.

"You knew?" she asked, her voice trembling. "You knew this whole time, and you didn't tell me?"

My throat tightened. "I couldn't... I didn't want to drag you into this. I wanted to protect you."

"Protect me?" Aria's voice rose, her anger boiling over. "You've done nothing but lie to me, Kian. You're just like them."

Her words cut deep, but I didn't argue. She had every right to hate me Every right to feel betrayed. But what she didn't understand was that i was caught in the same web of lies and manipulation. I had no more control over my fate than she did.

"I'm not like them," I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm trying to stop this, Aria. I'm trying to make sure they don't hurt you."

Aria's eyes burned with tears, her hands trembling as she wiped them away. "I don't believe you. I don't believe anything you say anymore."

I felt my heart shatter at her words, but I knew there was nothing I could say to make her trust me again. Not after everything that had been revealed.

She pushed herself up from the fountain, her body stiff with anger and pain. "Stay away from me, Kian. I want nothing to do with you. Or your society."

And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving me standing alone in the darkness.

---
Chapter 4 out hehe I writed so fast that I don't know if there is any mistakes or not If there is so sorry for it I will improve my writing and I will try my best to make you understand the story This is quite mysterious type book so you will find many things on chapter by chapter