Part 3 — When Shadows Burn
The mansion no longer felt like a home. It felt like a heartbeat — one that pulsed beneath the walls, echoing through Ariana's veins as she stumbled down the corridor.
The night outside was violent; rain lashed against the tall windows, and lightning flared, illuminating the grand staircase in ghostly flashes.
Somewhere upstairs, Ethan's voice thundered — low, raw, and furious.
And in that sound, Ariana heard not the calm billionaire she'd met, but the man beneath the mask — the one whose heart had been tainted long before she ever walked through his doors.
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The Breaking Point
"Tell me the truth, Ethan!" she screamed, turning to face him when he appeared at the end of the hallway. His black shirt was half-open, hair damp, eyes burning like embers.
"You said I could trust you. You said the contract was just business — then why is my name on the documents for your brother's estate?"
Ethan didn't move closer.
For a long moment, only the rain spoke for him.
Finally, he said quietly, "Because my brother's death wasn't an accident. And you… were never supposed to find out."
Her heart stuttered. "What are you saying?"
Ethan stepped into the light. The thunder rolled, and his jaw clenched hard. "He didn't drown by mistake, Ariana. Someone made sure he never resurfaced. Someone inside this house."
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The Confession
She took a shaky step backward. "And you think it was me?"
"No." Ethan's voice cracked. "I think it was my father. But the will… the inheritance… everything was rewritten the week before he died — and your name appeared in it. You were his lawyer's assistant. You handled the papers."
The realization hit her like a slap. That day. The day Mr. Voss's secretary had begged her to stay late to notarize something minor. She hadn't even read the fine print — she was told it was standard procedure.
"Oh my God," she whispered. "You think I was part of it."
"I wanted to believe you weren't," Ethan said, taking a step toward her now, "but then I saw you with the file. My brother's file. Hidden in your room."
Ariana's eyes flashed with pain. "Because I wanted to understand why everyone here treats me like a ghost! Because you keep secrets like weapons, Ethan!"
Their words collided, heavy with betrayal and longing.
---
The Storm Within
Lightning flashed again — and for the first time, Ariana saw it: the portrait at the end of the hall.
A young man, same sharp features as Ethan, same eyes — but softer, alive.
Underneath the frame, carved faintly into the gold, were the words: "Forgive me."
A chill crawled down her spine. "Your brother left that message?"
Ethan nodded, voice almost breaking. "He knew something was coming. He tried to warn me — but I was too blind to see."
The thunder cracked louder. The lights flickered — then died.
Darkness swallowed the mansion.
Ariana felt a hand grab hers in the dark. "Stay close," Ethan said, his breath near her ear. "If my father knows you've seen the file, he won't let you leave this house alive."
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The Escape
They ran — through corridors that felt endless, down the grand staircase that groaned under their steps.
Somewhere behind them, a door slammed. A voice called out — cold, commanding.
"Ethan."
They froze.
At the base of the stairs, silhouetted against the lightning, stood Mr. Voss — tall, composed, his cane gleaming like a weapon.
"So," he said softly, "the little secretary finally found her courage."
Ariana swallowed hard. "You killed your son."
His smile didn't falter. "He was weak. Too emotional. Love blinded him. Much like it blinds you now, my dear."
Ethan moved between them. "Don't touch her."
Mr. Voss's eyes glinted. "You disappoint me, son. You were supposed to clean up this mess — not fall in love with it."
---
The Fire
The storm outside grew savage. Wind howled through broken windows, and the chandelier above began to sway dangerously.
"You used us," Ethan said. "You used me, you used her — just to protect your empire."
Mr. Voss's smirk twisted. "Empires aren't built on love, boy. They're built on blood."
He raised the cane — but Ariana's voice cut through the chaos. "You think power keeps you safe, but it doesn't. You're just a man drowning in your own lies."
The chandelier snapped.
Glass and fire rained down. Screams filled the hall. Ethan grabbed Ariana, pulling her out of the way as the crash sent flames licking across the velvet carpet.
Mr. Voss staggered back, his cane falling, his face illuminated by the growing blaze.
"Go!" Ethan shouted, coughing as smoke thickened.
"I won't leave you!" Ariana cried.
He pushed her toward the door. "You have to. If you stay, he wins."
She hesitated — but then Ethan kissed her, hard, desperate. "If I don't make it out… remember I loved you before I even knew your name."
And then he turned — straight into the fire.
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The Reckoning
When Ariana stumbled out into the rain, she collapsed on the gravel, choking on the cold air. Behind her, the mansion burned like a cathedral of sin.
Sirens wailed in the distance.
By the time firefighters broke through the gates, the west wing had already collapsed.
They found Ethan on the front steps — alive, barely conscious — his father nowhere to be seen.
A week later, in the hospital, Ethan woke.
His first word was her name.
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Epilogue — One Year Later
The sea was calm that morning. Ariana stood on the balcony of their rebuilt home overlooking the cliffs — the same view that once belonged to Voss Manor, now nothing but ashes and memories.
Ethan joined her, his arm still faintly scarred.
"You still think about him," she said quietly.
"I think about everything he destroyed," he replied. "And everything he couldn't."
Ariana smiled softly. "Like us?"
He turned to her, tracing her jaw with his fingers. "Like you."
The wind caught her hair, carrying the scent of salt and something new — freedom.
Behind them, the morning light touched the water like gold.
Ethan took her hand, intertwining their fingers.
"No more contracts," he said. "No more secrets."
She looked up at him, eyes glistening. "Then kiss me — like the first time you saw me, not like the last time you thought you'd lose me."
He did.
And for the first time, the past didn't rise to haunt them.
It simply faded — leaving two souls, once tainted, now whole.
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End of "Tainted Hearts"