Chereads / Legacy of Deception / Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Shadow of the past

Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Shadow of the past

As Aria and Sebastian embark on their new life together, Aria can't shake the feeling that the battle for control isn't over. While she has dealt with immediate threats, the world of high society and power is never truly settled. Rumors swirl about a new competitor rising in the shadows—someone with deep ties to both her past and her future.

Aria's instincts prove right when she receives a cryptic message one day: a simple note left on her desk in her villa, reading, "You may have forgotten, but we haven't." The handwriting is familiar, sending chills down her spine. It's from someone connected to her missing memories from a year ago—someone who was with her the night she met Sebastian, but whose identity remains elusive.

Determined to uncover the truth, Aria dives back into her past. She hires an investigator, digging through old records, photos, and events to find out what really happened during that mysterious night with Sebastian. Was it really a one-time encounter, or was there more at play? And who else was involved?

As Aria digs deeper, she stumbles upon shocking revelations. The night she supposedly met Sebastian wasn't just a chance encounter—it was part of a larger scheme orchestrated by an underground group known as The Ravens, a secretive organization that deals in power, secrets, and manipulation among the global elite. The Ravens had orchestrated much of the turmoil in Aria's life, using her as a pawn in a game far bigger than family rivalries. And they weren't done with her yet.

Worse, Sebastian may have been more involved than he initially let on. Aria begins to question his role in all of this—was he really just a bystander swept up in events, or was he playing her too? Their engagement could have been part of the Ravens' intricate plot to merge the Winters and Winstons for their own nefarious purposes.

Feeling betrayed once again, Aria confronts Sebastian. She lays out her discoveries, demanding to know the truth about his connection to the Ravens. Sebastian, though hurt by her accusations, admits that he knew about the Ravens but swears he had no intention of using her for their schemes. He tells her that he kept the information from her to protect her from the organization's reach.

But Aria, no longer the naive girl she once was, tells Sebastian that she needs more than his words. She needs actions. Together, they agree to face the Ravens head-on, but with different goals: Aria wants to dismantle the organization that's caused her so much pain, while Sebastian, with his own family's interests in mind, seeks to control the power they hold.