The silence that followed Ethan Kwon’s exit was a living thing, a heavy blanket that muffled the city outside. Aria remained curled behind the soundboards, her heart hammering against her ribs like a frantic bird. Her hands, usually so steady, were trembling, and she stared at the empty space where the elegant CEO had stood just moments before. He hadn't just found her; he had seen her. He knew about the method about the archive. He saw beyond the persona of the reclusive graphic designer and saw the weapon, the artist, the quantum star. The feeling was terrifying and exhilarating all at once.
Suddenly, the front door burst open, and a disheveled figure stumbled inside, scattering a pile of takeout containers and loose wires. Leo Song was a living whirlwind of chaos. His usually neat black hair was a tangled mess, his oversized hoodie was stained with coffee, and his face was a mixture of panic and exhaustion. He wasn’t a fighter; he was a brilliant but high-strung hacker who saw the world in code.
“Aria! Are you okay?” he demanded, his eyes wide and frantic as they scanned the room.
Aria slowly rose from her hiding spot. “I’m fine,” she said, her voice still shaky. “He’s gone.”
Leo’s eyes fell on the sleek business card resting on the circuit board. His face, already pale, went white. He snatched it up as if it were a live grenade. “Ethan Kwon,” he read, his voice a furious whisper. “The CEO of Starlight. He found us. I told you, Aria. I told you this was too dangerous.”
“He didn’t take anything,” Aria said softly, watching her brother’s reaction. “He offered me a job.”
Leo scoffed, tossing the card onto the table. “A job? This isn’t a job, Aria! This is a recruitment! He knows what you are. He’s going to use you.”
Aria walked to the table, her gaze fixed on the card. “Maybe,” she admitted. “But he also said he could help me build the archive.”
Leo’s posture softened slightly, but the fear remained in his eyes. He knew how much the Empathic Archive meant to his sister. Her project was her life’s work, a dream of giving people a taste of true human connection through her art. She had a rare talent to fully absorb and embody a person's life and secrets, and she wanted to use that gift to create something beautiful.
“We can’t trust him, Aria,” Leo pleaded, running a hand through his hair. “These people, they’re ruthless. You’ve seen what they do.”
Aria met his gaze, her dark eyes filled with a new, steel-like resolve. “We’ve been hiding for a long time, Leo. But he’s the first person who has seen my talent for what it is. Not a trick, not a party trick—but a method. A way to create something real.” She picked up the card, feeling its smooth, cold surface. It felt like a door, one that led out of the shadows and into the light.
“What if this is our only chance?” she asked, her voice steady now. “What if this is the only way to get the resources we need to build our own company? To build my archive so that my talent can be used for good, instead of just running from the bad guys?”
Leo stared at her, his lips pressed into a thin line. He knew he couldn’t talk her out of it. She was like a force of nature, driven by a dream that had consumed her since she was a little girl.
Aria looked at the phone in her hand. She thought of Ethan’s eyes, the color of a stormy sea, and the calm power she felt radiating from him. He wasn't a hero, she knew. He was a predator. But he was a predator who offered to hunt for her, not on her. With a deep breath, she made a decision that would change her life forever. She went to the contact list, found the number on the business card, and pressed a single button.
***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***
Download
Like this story? Download the app to keep your reading history.
Comments