Aria's POV-
I didn't sleep that night.
Not because of fear.
But because for the first time, my life felt… undecided.
Morning light filtered through the curtains, pale and quiet — as if even the sun was careful around Sinclair walls.
I sat up in bed, staring at the ceiling.
12th standard.
Everyone else woke up worrying about exams, results, futures.
I woke up wondering who I was allowed to be.
A soft knock came at my door.
"Breakfast," the maid said, not meeting my eyes.
I nodded.
Downstairs, the house was silent again. Too controlled. Too perfect.
No uncle.No aunt.No grandmother.
Only rules hanging in the air.
I ate mechanically and went back upstairs, changed into my uniform.
The mirror reflected someone calm.
Too calm.
At school, everything felt… normal.
And that scared me more than chaos ever could.
Friends talking about syllabus. Teachers warning us about boards. Notices about extra classes.
Life was moving forward.
Mine had been paused for years.
And I was done waiting.
During lunch break, Sophie slid into the seat beside me.
"You okay?" she asked softly.
I nodded. Then shook my head.
"I don't know," I admitted.
She didn't push.
That's why I liked her.
Later, when I was walking down the corridor, I saw him.
Lucian.
Leaning against the window, hands in his pockets, eyes distant.
He didn't come closer.
Didn't call my name.
He respected the space I had asked for.
That hurt more than if he had ignored it.
I stopped a few steps away.
He looked up.
For a moment, the noise of the school disappeared.
"I won't stay long," I said quietly.
"I know," he replied.
Silence.
Then I spoke — because if I didn't, I'd lose courage.
"I'm not stepping back," I said."Not from you. Not from my life."
His jaw tightened, but he didn't interrupt.
"But right now," I continued, "I need to stand on my own. If I don't… they'll always say I survived because of you."
He exhaled slowly.
"I never wanted to be your shield," he said."I wanted to be your choice."
I met his eyes.
"You are," I said."But first… I have to choose myself."
A pause.
Then he nodded.
"Then do it," he said quietly."I'll be right here. Not in front of you. Not behind you."
"Beside you," I finished.
That earned a small smile.
The bell rang.
Reality rushed back in.
That evening, back at the mansion, my grandmother called me to the study.
She didn't look angry.
That was worse.
"You'll attend school," she said calmly."You'll complete 12th. No disruptions."
I waited.
"But after that," she added, "we will talk about your future."
I straightened.
"No," I said.
Her eyes sharpened.
"My future isn't a discussion anymore," I continued."It's a decision. Mine."
A long silence.
Then she leaned back.
"You sound like your mother," she said softly.
I froze.
"You knew her," I said.
"Yes," she replied."And she was just as stubborn."
I swallowed.
"For the first time," she continued, "I won't stop you."
That surprised me.
"But remember this, Aria," she said."Freedom always comes with consequences."
I nodded.
"I'm ready."
That night, alone in my room, I opened my phone.
A single message waited.
From: Angry Bird
Still standing?
I typed back.
To: Angry Bird
Just started.
I put the phone down.
For the first time, the Sinclair mansion didn't feel like a cage.
It felt like a place I would soon walk out of —
on my own terms.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
NEXT MORNING-
Morning didn't feel different.
But I was.
The alarm rang at six, sharp and unforgiving. I stared at the ceiling for a moment before getting up. The house was quiet again — the kind of quiet that followed confessions and warnings.
I got ready for school without rushing.
Uniform. Bag. Books.
Normal things.
Things they couldn't take away.
At the dining table, my grandmother sat with her newspaper. She didn't look up.
"Driver is waiting," she said calmly.
No orders.No threats.
I nodded and walked out.
The ride to school felt longer than usual. Every street, every turn reminded me that I was still living inside their world — but not owned by it anymore.
At school, the notice board was crowded.
TWELFTH STANDARD – FINAL YEAR Extra classes. Mock tests. Deadlines.
Everyone complained.
I smiled.
For the first time, pressure felt… grounding.
Sophie found me near the lockers.
"You look different," she said.
"I am," I replied simply.
She didn't ask questions. She never did.
In the corridor, I felt it before I saw him.
Lucian.
Standing near the staircase, talking to Nikos. He wasn't looking for me — and that told me he was respecting my choice.
I walked past.
Just once, our eyes met.
No words.No gestures.
But something steady passed between us.
I'm here.So am I.
That was enough.
Classes went by quickly. Teachers talked about ranks and futures as if they were fixed destinations.
Mine wasn't.
Just truth knocking quietly.
I locked my phone.
I wouldn't let secrets derail me again.
That evening, back at the mansion, my grandmother called me into the study.
"You'll focus on school," she said."No distractions. No scandals."
I met her eyes.
"I will finish 12th," I said calmly."But after that, you don't decide anything for me."
She studied me for a long moment.
Then, slowly, she nodded.
"Fair," she said.
That word felt heavier than permission.
Later that night, I sat by the window, books open but mind steady.
I wasn't running.
I wasn't fighting blindly.
I was preparing.
Somewhere in this city, a woman who shared my blood was alive.
Somewhere nearby, a boy who believed in my strength was waiting.
And here I was — not a Sinclair by birth, not free yet —
But finally choosing my own direction.
This wasn't the end of the war.
It was the calm before my move.
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Lucian's POV-
"Everything ready, security on their place.", Stephen stood right in front of me.
Yes, I am at the Blackveil corporation.
When I stepped outside the Sinclair House, I decided...Not anymore.
And today, it's going to end.
I bore the pain.
The suffering.
Everything I believed was coincidence, was a pre-planned game played by my own father and Sinclair's.
"Sir, he is here", the guard informed me.
"Allow him, let him face me." I said, my tone calm but strong.
Expressionless face, but strong will.
The door creaked open.
And entered a figure wearing long coat and dull pants.
He wasn't expecting me to be here.
"Stephen, why call me here?", He asked.
I turned around, as my chair spun, his whole world shattered.
As soon as he saw my face, the only words that came out from his mouth were.
"Why am I here?"
He looked at Stephen, not with anger but with fear.
He sensed it, that this time, he is not going to get away easily.
Stephen stepped forward and spoke, low but loud and clear, "Let's end your game here..."
The contract wasn't about Aria.
It never was.
It was about me.
The so-called Protector Agreement.
A legal leash my father had handed to the Economou's, which was later passed to the Sinclairs under false justifications.
A way to say"We're protecting Lucian Valle."
And in that name—they interfered.They watched.They crossed lines.
Today, that ended.
The meeting room was silent.
Aria's uncle sat across from me, confident.Too confident.
Stephen placed the file on the table.
He didn't open it.
He already knew what it was.
"You're making a mistake," Archie said calmly."This contract exists for your safety."
I leaned forward.
"No," I replied."It exists for your control."
His eyes flickered.
"This agreement gives us the authority—"
"Given by my father," I cut in."Not by me."
Stephen slid the termination page forward.
"Signed," he said."By Lysander himself."
The room froze.
"That's impossible," Archie protested said sharply.
I smiled.
"It was difficult," I agreed."But not impossible."
I tapped the paper.
"From this moment—you are no one's protector. Archie Sinclair"
He clenched his jaw.
"You think this frees you?"
I stood up.
"It protects me," I said quietly."From you."
I met his eyes.
"And understand this very clearly."
I lowered my voice.
"If you touch me again—follow me—or interfere in my life claiming protection—"
I paused. "I will drag the Sinclairs to court."
Stephen added calmly,
"And this time,you won't have a contract to hide behind."
Silence.
Pure.Heavy.
He finally signed.
The pen scraped paper.
A sound that felt like chains breaking.
I took the file.
"This ends today," I said."You don't get to decide what's best for me."
As I turned to leave, he spoke—
"You're doing this because of her."
I stopped.
Didn't turn back.
"I'm doing this," I replied,"so no one ever uses my nameto cage another person again. Use them as a pawn in their filthy game."
I walked out.
Not angry.
Not shaking.
Just clear.
Whatever happens next—
They can't touch me.
And they definitelycan't touch herusing me anymore