The silence in the room was deafening.
Ava stared at Noah, the weight of his non-answer pressing down on her chest. The air between them felt thick, suffocating. She had known him long enough to recognize when he was hiding something—but this? This was different. This was deeper.
Jasper, ever the blunt force, let out a frustrated sigh. "You can't keep her in the dark like this, Noah. It's not fair."
Noah's eyes darkened, and for the first time, Ava saw a flicker of something—anger, fear? She couldn't tell.
"Ava," Noah began, his voice low, controlled, "I told you, I need you to trust me. There are things about Dorian Hale, about my past, that I can't explain right now."
"Why?" Ava demanded, her pulse quickening. "Why not? What could be so bad that you're willing to risk everything for?"
Noah stepped closer, his hands raised in a gesture of helplessness. "Because some truths, Ava, they don't just affect me—they affect everyone around me."
Ava's heart twisted. Was she one of the people Noah was trying to protect? Or was she just another casualty in the tangled mess of his past?
Before she could speak, the sound of the doorbell echoed through the house. The sudden interruption was like a cold splash of water, and Ava turned toward the door instinctively.
"I'll get it," Jasper said, his voice tight with frustration. He turned sharply and marched toward the door.
Ava couldn't tear her gaze from Noah, her mind racing. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to trust him. But everything inside her screamed that there was something far darker at play.
The door swung open, and a figure appeared in the doorway, silhouetted against the harsh light from the porch. Ava's breath caught in her throat.
It was Elias.
His sharp features, his cold smile—it all felt like a ghost from the past, haunting her once again. Elias had come, and with him, the looming specter of Dorian Hale.
Jasper tensed, stepping between the door and Elias as if ready to throw himself into the line of fire. But Elias didn't make a move. He stood there, cool and composed, his gaze never leaving Ava.
"I think we need to talk," Elias said, his voice smooth as silk.
Noah's posture stiffened, and Ava saw the muscles in his jaw tighten. There was a history here—something that went deeper than words.
"Ava," Elias continued, his eyes flickering over her, "there are things you still don't know. And if you're going to stay in this, you need to understand the bigger picture."
Ava's blood ran cold.
No. Not again. Not with Elias. But the warning was already hanging in the air like an electric charge.
She looked at Noah, searching for something—anything—her heart racing in her chest. His face was unreadable.
The truth was closer than ever. But was she ready to hear it?