Ariella's vision swam as she looked down at the man lying on her doorstep.
Her father.
The man who had disappeared for years, the one who left the night her mother was killed, was now bleeding at her feet.
Leo sprang into action, lifting him inside while shouting instructions to Carter, who was already dialing for help.
Ariella stood rooted. frozen.
She couldn't breathe.
She couldn't think.
All she could do was stare.
This was real.
This was happening.
Leo placed the man on the couch and quickly examined his injuries. Blood had soaked through his shirt, revealing a gunshot wound on his side. His face showed signs of weariness, but his eyes opened just enough to connect with hers.
"Isabelle…" he murmured, his voice weak.
Ariella felt the air leave her lungs.
Hearing that name—her true name—from him, the father she had never known, made it all too real.
She dropped to her knees, hands shaking as she reached for him. "It's you…"
His fingers twitched, as if he wanted to touch her, but the pain pulled him back before he could. His eyes closed again.
Leo swore, pressing on the wound to stop the bleeding. "We need to get him treated. Quickly."
Ariella snapped back to reality, panic replacing her shock. "Leo—"
"He'll be okay," Leo reassured her, though his face was tense and focused. "But we need to find out what happened."
Ariella swallowed hard and nodded.
Now, she had more questions than ever.
Hours later, Ariella sat by the bed, watching her father's chest rise and fall steadily.
Leo's medic had done all they could—stitched the wound, stabilized him—but now, they could only wait.
Leo stood by the window, arms crossed, observing everything.
"How are you holding up?" he asked, his tone gentler than usual.
Ariella let out a sigh, rubbing her temples. "I don't know."
Leo approached her, kneeling beside her. He took her hands, his warmth providing comfort.
"This is overwhelming," he said. "And we still can't be sure we can trust him."
Ariella bit her lip. "He's my dad."
Leo looked at her with a gentle yet serious expression. "He's been gone for nearly thirty years. Someone tried to kill him tonight, Ariella. For all we care, he could have been followed without his knowing thereby endangering your life."
Ariella felt a tightness in her chest. "What if they come after him again?"
Leo's jaw tightened. "Then we'll be prepared."
Ariella breathed out, glancing back at the man in the bed. So many years lost. So many unanswered questions.
When he woke up, she was determined to find those answers.
The first thing he did upon waking was search for her.
Ariella leaned closer, her breath hitching as his eyes focused on her.
"Isabelle…" His voice was weak but filled with urgency.
Ariella swallowed hard. "You're safe."
He breathed out, relief washing over him. But then, fear took hold.
"You need to listen to me." He struggled to sit up, wincing in pain. "They're coming for you."
Leo was there instantly, his presence strong and protective. "Who?"
Ariella's father glanced at Leo, sizing him up before turning back to her. "The ones who took everything from us."
Ariella's grip on the bedsheets tightened. "Gabby's father?"
Her father's expression darkened. "He was only the start."
Ariella's heart sank. "What do you mean?"
He took a slow, shaky breath, his eyes filled with dread. "It wasn't just about money, Isabelle." His hands formed fists. "It was about control."
Leo's face grew serious. "Control over what?"
A heavy silence hung in the air.
Then her father finally spoke the name.
"The Order of the Black Key."
Ariella felt a shiver run down her spine. "What is happening?"
Her father took a deep breath. "There's a group. A powerful, secret society that works in the dark. They aren't listed anywhere, but they control everything—politics, businesses, whole empires." He paused. "And your mother… she was a threat to them."
Ariella's heart raced. "They killed her?"
He nodded. "Because she was about to reveal their secrets."
Leo tensed beside her. "And you? You ran away?"
Her father's expression was filled with regret. "I had no choice. I needed to keep you safe."
Ariella's heart pounded. "Safe from what?"
Her father's troubled eyes locked onto hers.
"They wanted you dead, Isabelle."
Ariella felt a knot form in her stomach.
Leo squeezed her hand tightly. "What about now?"
Her father sighed. "Now, they know you're still alive."
Silence filled the room.
Ariella's breaths were quick and shallow. "What do they want from me?"
Her father's jaw tightened. "They want to finish what they started."
Leo broke the silence first.
"Who are they?" His tone was sharp and fierce.
Her father paused before answering, "They are the true rulers of this country."
Ariella felt her stomach drop.
All her life, she thought her struggles were just bad luck. But now, she understood, they had been planned.
Leo's face was hard to read. "If they know she's alive, why haven't they come for her yet?"
Her father's voice was heavy. "Because they don't know where she is." His eyes darkened. "Yet."
Ariella's heart raced. "And when they find out?"
Her father's expression turned serious. "They will destroy everything to reach you."
Ariella's heart ached. She thought she had escaped the worst when Gabby was taken down.
But now, she realized that was only the beginning.
Leo breathed out sharply, his mind already planning. "If they come, they won't reach her." He held her tighter. "I'll make sure of that."
Her father looked at him for a moment and nodded in agreement. "Then we fight."
Ariella tensed up. "Fight how?"
Her father's face grew serious. "We find them first."
Ariella swallowed hard. "And what happens when we do?"
Her father spoke with calm certainty. "We do what your mother couldn't."
Ariella shuddered. "You mean—"
Her father's eyes were filled with resolve. "We eliminate them."
Ariella felt a change within her. For the first time, she wasn't scared.
She was filled with anger. Because this was no longer just about her.
This was a battle and she was done running.