Chapter 31 – Fragments of Truth
Callahan's gaze lingered on her, sharp and unyielding, as though measuring how much she could handle. He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he leaned back slightly, letting the silence stretch, letting her feel the weight of every second.
"You want everything," he finally said, voice low, measured. "But the truth isn't neat, Aria. It doesn't come wrapped in explanations. It comes in fragments… like shards of glass. You can pick them up, but they'll cut you."
Her throat tightened. "I don't care. I need to know."
He allowed a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "Bravery can be dangerous. Especially when it involves Damien Black."
Aria's hands clenched in her lap. "Just start. Please."
Callahan nodded once, sharply. "Years ago… before Damien became the man you think you know, he was trained to survive. Not just business, not just wealth… survival in a world that doesn't forgive weakness. People were used, discarded. Some were family. Some were enemies. And Damien learned to protect himself… by any means necessary."
She swallowed hard. "Are you saying he's… dangerous?"
Callahan's eyes flicked toward the tall windows, the light casting shadows across his face. "I'm saying he carries pieces of that world with him. Not all of it, but enough to change the course of anyone who stands too close."
Aria's pulse thundered in her ears. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because," he said slowly, leaning forward, voice dropping to a whisper, "someone needs to warn you. Damien doesn't reveal his vulnerabilities. He doesn't trust easily. But he isn't invincible. And the closer you get… the more you put yourself in the crossfire."
Her stomach churned. "Crossfire? You mean… me?"
Callahan didn't answer directly. Instead, he pulled a small folder from his bag, placing it carefully on the table between them. "I can show you pieces. Facts. Patterns. Names. But not everything. Some doors… you may not be ready to open."
Aria's fingers hovered over the folder. She wanted to dive in, devour the secrets, understand Damien. But a whisper of doubt echoed in her mind. If Damien ever finds out I'm here…
Callahan's voice cut through her hesitation. "You didn't tell him, did you?"
Her heart skipped. "No. I… I couldn't. Not yet."
He leaned back again, expression unreadable. "Good. Let him believe you're safe. The moment he knows you've sought outside help… the storm will hit. And not all storms can be weathered together."
The warning landed heavy in her chest. She nodded, swallowing past the lump in her throat.
Minutes passed in silence as she leafed through the first few pages. Names, dates, connections—threads of a world she had only glimpsed before. Damien's empire wasn't just business. It was control, loyalty, betrayal… and danger stitched into every corner.
Finally, she closed the folder and exhaled, tense. "That's… a lot to take in."
Callahan's eyes softened, but only slightly. "Good. Let it settle. Think carefully about every choice, every word. Damien's past is as much a weapon as it is a shield. And soon… he'll know you've stepped into both."
Aria rose, heart racing, her mind tangled. "I need to go."
"Be careful," he murmured. "And remember… the truth is never neutral. It changes things. For both of you."
She stepped out into the courtyard, the grey sky pressing down, the folder clutched tightly against her chest. Her phone buzzed. She froze.
Damien.
Three words glared back at her: Where are you?
She locked her phone, but the tension in her chest told her that the moment he discovered the truth was creeping ever closer. She could feel it, inevitable, like the tide pulling her toward a storm she couldn't escape.
And somewhere deep in the city, Damien was already sensing the shift, the subtle crack in their bond… waiting to find out exactly what she had done.