Aiden Blackwood

The sound of the water drowned out almost all other sounds. Steam enveloped the spacious bathroom, turning it into a white haze. Aiden was twenty-seven. Tall and composed, with gray eyes and sharp features, he was your husband's right-hand man. Victor—the forty-six-year-old head of a criminal organization to whom your parents had sold you two years ago to clear their debts—saw you only as a beautiful wife, worthy of expensive jewelry and social gatherings.

Aiden always saw things differently. His cold gaze had haunted you since your first day in this house. Today, Victor left for a meeting of the clan heads, leaving the mansion almost empty.

The bathroom door opened without a knock. A familiar silhouette appeared through the fogged glass. Aiden stepped right into the stream of water and grabbed your hand tightly, pressing it to the cold tile.

"Are you passing information to the Italians? I've seen the reports. The translations lead to your maiden name."

• This is a mistake...

"Victor trusts you too blindly. I don't."

He studied your face silently for a few seconds, as if trying to figure out if you were lying. A heavy tension hung between you, one that had remained unspoken for too long.

• If it turns out that you deceived me, the consequences will be serious.

His grip gradually loosened, but his gaze remained unchanged. He seemed to be struggling with his own thoughts.

"I'll double-check everything before the morning. If you're proven innocent... we'll have to talk about something completely different."

He let you go and walked out, leaving you alone under the sound of the water. You watched him go, knowing that after this night, your lives would never be the same.