Unexpected Discoveries: Aria's Adventure ||DDLG||

|*| Chapter 11 |*|

Chapter 11

(????? POV)

She lay there so peacefully, like a slumbering princess in a fairy tale, her delicate features softened by the gentle glow of moonlight filtering through the window. The room was cast in a silver hue, giving everything an ethereal quality. I couldn't help but marvel at her beauty. It was no wonder Damien had his eye on her, his gaze lingering on her form with a mixture of longing and admiration. But as much as he might desire her, I knew she wasn't his to claim, not yet anyway. There were things she needed to know. Moving closer towards the bedroom door, the floorboards creaking softly beneath my feet, I prepared myself for the conversation ahead. When she wakes up, that's when she'll know everything. I shut and locked the door behind me.

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(Damien POV)

My fist crashed down onto the table with a resounding thud. Of course, Jasper had Aria. Out of everyone he could have taken he choose her. The realization fueled my anger, twisting my gut with a mix of frustration and fury. Jasper and I have been in fighting for hundreds of years over land disputes. Jasper's schemes had always been shrewd, But using Aria as leverage was a new low, even for him. I clenched my jaw, my mind racing with thoughts.

Just as I began to formulate my plan, the sudden intrusion of Bri and Josh. shattered the heavy silence. Their unexpected appearance jolted me out of my thoughts, and I glanced up, startled by their arrival.

"What's going on?" Josh's voice cut through the tension, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene before him. "You look like you're ready to start a war."

I hesitated for a moment, weighing my words carefully. "I am planning for war. we can't afford to act rashly, not when Aria's safety hung in the balance."

Bri's eyes widened in disbelief, while Josh's jaw clenched in anger. They exchanged a knowing glance, a silent understanding passing between them.

"Well, he's not going to get away with it," Bri declared, her voice brimming with determination. "We'll fight him every step of the way."

I nodded in agreement, grateful for their unwavering support. With Bri and Josh by my side, I knew that together we could face whatever challenges lay ahead. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm the storm of emotions raging within me. Jasper might have Aria for now, but I refused to let him win. I would fight tooth and nail to protect her no matter what come forth to harm her.

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(ARIA POV)

As I struggled to open my heavy eyelids, my head throbbed with a dull ache, and I blinked against the harsh brightness of the room. Where was I? The last thing I remembered was... what exactly? my surroundings offered little in the way of clarity. Instead of the sterile white walls of a hospital room, which I hoped for.

I found myself surrounded by the soft hues of pastel pink; the air filled with the faint scent of strawberries. Confusion knotted in my stomach as I took in the sight of plush toys scattered across the floor and the ornate princess bed dominating the room.

I tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me, forcing me back down onto the plush mattress. Panic began to bubble within me as I struggled to piece together the events of the previous night. Had I fallen and hit my head? Was I in some kind of bizarre dream?

No, this felt all too real. With a sinking feeling in my gut, I realized that I was not in a hospital room. This... this was someone's nursery. But how had I ended up here? And more importantly, whose nursery, was it?

Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision as the weight of confusion and fear bore down on me like an oppressive force. Each sob wracked my body, sending tremors of panic coursing through me.

When all of the sudden, I heard the creak of the door opening, slicing through the silence. My heart lurched in my chest as I struggled to focus through the haze of my tears. A figure stepped into the room, his presence ominous, He moved with an unsettling grace, his steps measured and deliberate as he approached the bed. My breath caught in my throat as he seated himself beside me, his presence casting a shadow over the room. His black leather shoes gleamed in the dim light, a stark contrast to the softness of the nursery.

Panic surged through me, a primal instinct urging me to flee. But before I could even muster the strength to move, he reached out a hand, his touch chilling against my skin. I recoiled instinctively, but he seemed to anticipate my every move, his grip unyielding.

"Shh," he whispered, his voice a low, menacing growl. "There's no need to be afraid, my dear. You're safe now."'

His words sent a shiver down my spine, their sincerity ringing false in my ears. I knew in that moment that I was anything but safe, that this man held the key to the answers I so desperately sought.

I mustered the courage to speak, my voice trembling with uncertainty. "Why am I here?" I asked, my confusion palpable.

The man's laughter echoed in the room, sending shivers down my spine. "Getting to the hard questions first, are we?" he chuckled, his eyes glinting with malice. "Well, little one, someone who owes me a debt sold you to me. And you, my dear, are going to make me quite a bit of money."

His words hit me like a physical blow, leaving me reeling in disbelief. Sold? The realization sent a wave of nausea crashing over me, threatening to consume me whole. I stared up at him, my eyes wide with shock and disbelief.

"Are you... are you going to sell me?" I whispered, my voice barely more than a hoarse whisper. "And who are you?"

The man's grin widened, revealing a row of gleaming teeth. "Oh, I have many names, my dear," he replied, his tone dripping with menace. "But you can call me.... Nikolas "

Before I could voice my protests, he rose from the bed with a fluid grace, his eyes never leaving mine. "However, I don't want to sell you just yet," he mused, his voice sending shivers down my spine. "I think my brother wants to come and visit you before I make any decisions."

The mere thought of meeting this man's brother filled me with a sense of foreboding. If he was anything like the man standing before me, then I dreaded to think what horrors awaited me.

As he turned to leave, a sinister smile played at the corners of his lips. "Don't worry, my dear," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "You'll have plenty of time to get acquainted with my brother. And who knows, maybe you'll even grow to like him."

With a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, I watched him disappear through the door, leaving me alone in the suffocating silence of the nursery. The air felt heavy with the weight of impending doom, and I knew that my nightmare was far from over.