The single, metallic click of Aria’s thumb on the phone screen felt louder than a gunshot in the silent apartment. She stared at the screen, a small icon indicating the call was in progress. Leo, who had been pacing the room like a caged animal, stopped and stared at her, his face a mix of disbelief and resignation. The ringing felt endless, a digital metronome counting down the seconds to the end of her old life.
And then, a click.
“Hello, Ms. Song,” Ethan’s voice was as smooth and unruffled as it had been moments ago. “I was expecting your call.
”Aria swallowed, her throat dry. “Mr. Kwon,” she managed, her voice shaky. “I… I’ve considered your offer. I want to know more.”
“Good,” he said simply. There was no triumph in his voice, only a quiet, unnerving confidence. “Meet me tomorrow at the Sky Lounge at the Grand Plaza Hotel. 10 AM. I will have a full contract ready for your review.
”He hung up without another word, leaving Aria holding a dead line and staring at her brother's horrified face.
The next morning, Aria stood in front of a full-length mirror, a rare occurrence. She wasn’t wearing her usual oversized hoodie and sweatpants. Leo had forced her to put on a simple black dress that was his idea of business casual. Her long, black hair was pulled back into a neat, high ponytail, and she wore no makeup, letting her sharp, intelligent eyes speak for themselves. She looked at the woman in the mirror, but she didn’t recognize her. She was a persona she had never had a need to wear before—a confident, professional woman who could meet a CEO on equal footing.
“You look like you’re going to a funeral,” Leo grumbled, shoving a packet of tissues into her purse. “A funeral for our quiet lives.”
“It’s just a meeting, Leo,” she said, trying to sound more confident than she felt.
“It’s a meeting with a man who knows our deepest secret! A man with a private security team that knows how to find us in our own home! Don’t sign anything unless I’m there to review it, you hear me?” he said, his voice laced with genuine panic.
Aria gave him a small, reassuring smile. “I hear you. I’ll be careful.
”The Sky Lounge was a testament to silent power. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the city, and the hushed tones of a dozen business deals were the only sounds. Ethan Kwon was waiting for her, sitting at a corner table with two empty cups and a single, thick manila folder resting on the polished wood.
He was even more striking in the daylight. His suit was a deep charcoal gray that made him look like a statue carved from a block of granite. As he stood to greet her, he exuded a sense of controlled power that was magnetic.
“Ms. Song,” he said, his voice a smooth welcome. “Thank you for coming. Please, sit.
”Aria took the seat opposite him. She felt small and out of place in this glamorous setting, but she focused on the man in front of her. She studied his posture, the faint lines around his eyes, the almost imperceptible twitch of his thumb on the table. She felt her mind, that powerful, unconscious tool, begin to analyze him, to absorb him. He was tired but not weak. He was calm, but there was a storm brewing beneath the surface. He was a man with a target on his back.
He opened the folder and pushed it across the table. “This is a contract with Starlight Entertainment. It names you as our newest talent, a lead actress for our upcoming flagship drama. The pay is generous, the roles are a guaranteed spotlight, and the terms are all in your favor.
”Aria’s eyes scanned the document, but her mind was on the other promise he had made. “And the archive?” she asked, her voice low.
Ethan’s lips curved into a slow smile. “That’s what makes this a partnership, not a simple job. Tucked away in the back of this contract, you will find a clause that guarantees you access to our top-tier research and development labs. You will have a dedicated team of engineers and scientists to help you build your archive. I will fund it, protect it, and help you turn it into a reality.
”He leaned forward slightly, his eyes holding hers. "I am not offering you a career, Ms. Song. I am offering you a legacy. A chance to do something truly new and powerful with your talent. But in return, I need you to trust me. My company is in danger. And the reason you are so special is the exact reason I need you to save it.
"He didn’t need to say what that reason was. Aria felt the weight of his words, the unspoken truth that her talent was a weapon, and he was asking her to wield it. The contract lay on the table, a stark black-and-white choice. One life was laid out in its pages: fame, fortune, and the fulfillment of her deepest desire. The other was an unknown, a journey into a world where her life was the currency.
“What do you say, Ms. Song?” he asked, a subtle challenge in his tone. “Do we have a deal?”
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