“Arsen…”
Naira’s voice trembled.
“Why are you in this photograph?”
Arsen stared at the photograph in Naira’s hand.
His expression changed.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he spoke quietly.
“Because I was there that night.”
Naira stared at him.
“The night my mother died?”
Arsen nodded.
Tears began to well in Naira’s eyes.
“And you never told me.”
“I wanted to.”
“But?”
“I was afraid you’d hate me.”
Naira let out a small laugh through her tears.
“I’ve hated you countless times in my head because you disappeared.”
Arsen looked at her.
“But I never stopped loving you.”
Those words left Naira speechless.
But before she could answer, Darren’s voice came from behind them.
“Don’t trust his feelings.”
Naira turned around.
Darren was standing near the stairs.
“Why?”
Darren pointed to the photograph in Naira’s hand.
“Because that photograph doesn’t show everything.”
“What’s missing?”
Darren took the photograph.
He turned it over.
There was a date on the back.
August 17, fifteen years ago.
Darren said,
“That night, Arsen came to your house not to save you.”
Naira looked at Arsen.
“Is that true?”
Arsen said nothing.
Darren continued.
“He came to take something.”
“What?”
“A document.”
Naira frowned.
“What document?”
Darren smiled.
“That’s what your father has been searching for all this time.”
Arsen cut in immediately.
“Darren, enough.”
“Why? Afraid she’ll find out?”
Arsen stepped closer.
“Don’t involve Naira.”
Darren laughed.
“She’s been involved since the day she was born.”
Naira looked between them.
“I want to know.”
Darren stared at her.
“That document contains evidence that your family company was built on something the public has never known about.”
Naira shook her head.
“I don’t understand.”
“And your mother found it.”
Naira froze.
“That’s why she was killed.”
The room suddenly fell silent.
Naira covered her mouth.
“Who killed her?”
Darren didn’t answer.
He only looked at Arsen.
Naira followed his gaze.
“Arsen?”
Arsen shook his head.
“It wasn’t me.”
“But you know who did it.”
Arsen looked at Naira.
“I do.”
“Who?”
“I can’t tell you yet.”
Naira wiped away her tears.
“When are you going to stop saying that?”
Arsen fell silent.
“I want to protect you.”
“I don’t need to be protected!”
Naira shouted.
“I need the truth!”
Arsen stepped closer.
“Naira…”
“Don’t say my name like that.”
She stepped back.
“Because every time you look at me that way, I forget that you’re the person who’s hidden the most from me.”
Arsen looked at her, his eyes filled with pain.
Naira turned to leave.
But Arsen suddenly said,
“Because I love you.”
Naira stopped.
Her tears fell.
Arsen continued,
“And that’s the only secret I’ve never been able to hide.”
Naira slowly turned around.
Their eyes met.
For several seconds, all the anger seemed to disappear.
Arsen walked closer.
“Naira…”
But before the distance between them could close—
BOOM!
An explosion sounded outside the house.
The window shattered.
Naira screamed.
Arsen immediately pulled her close and shielded her.
Darren ran toward the door.
“Everyone out!”
But when they reached the yard…
a black car was speeding away from the house.
Arsen stared after it.
“They’re here.”
Naira looked at him.
“Who?”
Arsen didn’t answer.
His phone vibrated.
A message came in.
Arsen opened it.
His face instantly went pale.
Naira tried to see the screen.
There was a single photograph.
A photograph of Naira’s father.
And a sentence:
“If you want your father to stay alive, come alone.”
Naira looked at Arsen.
“Where’s my father?”
Arsen tightened his grip on his phone.
“I don’t know.”
“Arsen.”
He looked at Naira.
“I’ll find him.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“No.”
“I’m coming!”
Arsen shook his head.
“Not this time.”
Naira stared at him with tears in her eyes.
“If you leave again…”
She drew a breath.
“…I won’t forgive you.”
Arsen fell silent.
Because for the first time…
he realized that protecting Naira by keeping his distance might actually make him lose her forever.
TO BE CONTINUED…