Chapter 8 Captivated Queries

• Chapter-8: Captivated Queries
• Aria Anastasia
• When my eyelids opened slowly, I found myself in an already illuminated and modern room. Everything was polished and glossy, only I was the one tied on a chair.
• What happened after I was walking out of Zaiden's office? I handed the resignation letter and got out of the room, right? Then how did I land up here? I tried to think about what had happened, but the more I thought, the more confused I got.
• Suddenly, I realized that someone placed a handkerchief over my mouth and made me unconscious through the chloroform.
• Did Zaiden do it? No, he wouldn't.
• Was it his enemy then? Why would his enemy kidnap me?
• "Glad to see you are awake, Ms. Anastasia," a deep voice spoke up, breaking me free from my chain of thoughts.
• I looked in the direction I heard the voice from. A man with black hair was looking at me with his green eyes. He had features similar to Zaiden, but he didn't exactly look like him. He was sitting comfortably on a couch, drinking a glass of wine.
• Was he one of the brothers of Zaiden? Did Zaiden instruct his brother to kill me since he was busy killing more important people?
• I wanted to speak but my mouth was taped, so I tried to wriggle free from the handcuffs. If it was rope, maybe I could've gotten free from it. Knowing my efforts were futile, I glanced at the person hopelessly.
• "Ms. Anastasia, I don't like people talking much and that's why I taped your mouth," the man informed me and leaned against the couch. "Let me get this straight. You know my brother's secret so I cannot let you leave from his watch."
• I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. Why couldn't he let me leave? However, I was sure by now that he was one of the brothers of Zaiden.
• As if he could read my facial expression, he said, "You might just expose his truth once you get a new job after resignation. This might not affect you but Zaiden and the entire Storm family will be in danger."
• I shook my head, wanting to say that I wouldn't reveal anything to anybody. I would do everything to keep my mouth sealed because I didn't want to die soon. I still had to see my grandchildren's children.
• "Still, I can't let you go if you say that you won't reveal anything to anyone. How can I trust you?" he pointed out.
• When I shook my head again, I wanted to say that he should trust me because I loved my life.
• "If you want to leave, then let's make it permanent, shall we?" he uttered, with a devilish smirk on his face.
• My eyes grew wide in horror, wondering what he would really do as I watched him get up from his seat. He walked to me, taking the revolver which was on the table.
• As he reached me, I closed my eyes in fear. I could feel a cold metal over my forehead. Once I opened my eyes, I found the revolver was placed on my forehead. I was at a gunpoint. Oh dear, God!
• "I will remove your existence from the world, just for the sake of my brother," he let out in a serious tone, his eyes looking at me coldly.
• With Zaiden, I was always afraid that he would kill me after I learned the truth, yet he never did so far. But here, his brother already kept me on gunpoint, his fingers itching to press the trigger.
• Please don't press the trigger.
• With the determined look on his face, I could feel that this was my death. Where was my boss? Maybe he could stop his brother, or worse, Zaiden could just watch me die in the hands of his brother.
• I squinted my eyes in fear, not wanting to see my death and silently praying for someone to save me. Maybe if Kael, his father, comes here, he can save me. But how would he come here? Kael was in Thailand for a vacation.
• There was no chance for me to survive today. Death was calling me but I didn't want to embrace it at such a young age.
• I waited with my eyes closed, praying to get rescued.
• "Lan—what the hell?" I could hear Zaiden's voice, and a gush of relief splashed over me. "Don't kill Aria, Lance."
• So this was Lance Storm, Zaiden's twin who returned yesterday.
• I tried to look back at Zaiden, but it was difficult for me to turn around, so I didn't.
• "How do you know that's Aria?" Lance asked curiously, still not removing the revolver.
• "That familiar ginger hair, but that's not the point." Zaiden told him, "Don't shoot her. She will keep the secret."
• Zaiden could recognize me just by my hair. Wow!
• "Then why did she give this resignation letter?" Lance retorted, taking out my letter from his pocket and threw it in Zaiden's direction.
• "Resignation letter?" Zaiden was clueless, which meant he wasn't the one in the office when I gave the resignation letter and a farewell speech. It was Lance, who heard it while he was in the office and knocked me unconscious after hearing I would resign from my post.
• "Lance, leave it to me. I will handle the matter," Zaiden said calmly, which made me feel a little relief.
• "Fine," Lance said and removed the revolver. Then he walked away.
• Zaiden stood in front of me and shook his head in disappointment. Then he removed the tape from my mouth.
• "Why did you give this?" he asked in frustration, holding the resignation letter in his hand.
• "Zaiden, if I stay here, I will always remember what I saw, and seeing you will remind me of it every time," I blurted out the truth.
• His fingers brushed against my cheek, as he replied with his eyes piercing through mine, "Leaving is not a solution. Does running away from a situation make the problem disappear?"
• "But you remind m—" I was interrupted by him.
• "Look, Aria. I cannot stop you from leaving, but if you do, Lance will definitely kill you. He never takes any risk. I won't be able to save you as well because you won't be working under me anymore."
• "But I am scared over everything that is going on. I am scared of you," I mumbled.
• He groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Why can't we just go back to being normal?"
• "I tried," I told him. "I tried to forget and go back to normal. I even tried to be professional, but it didn't work. It just reminds me that I am working under a murderer." As soon as I said that, I regretted it immediately. I shouldn't have called him a murderer.
• Zaiden's eyes darkened after hearing me. He took his pocket knife out and placed the cold metal under my chin, making me look at him straight into his eyes. "Let me get this clear to you. You are not allowed to leave your job if you intend to survive in this world." When I could feel my eyes getting watery, he added, "Don't make this hard for me, Aria. Just let everything be as it is. If you have different questions going on in your mind, just ask me. I told you that I would answer your every question."
• "So you are saying that you will clear all of my doubts from first to last?" I asked with my quivering voice.
• He hummed in response. "Just ask anything."
• When a question got into my mind, I decided to ask, "Why aren't you letting me go?"
• He leaned closer to my face, not responding at first. He pushed a few strands of my hair behind my ear. The next reply he gave, made my breath hitch.
• "Because I cannot afford to lose you."