Chapter 13: Ariella, Do You Have a Death Wish?

The neon sign for Velvet Motion flickered over the storefront. Inside, the clock struck seven in the evening. Ariella finished a lonely takeout meal and was tidying up when the chime above the door rang.

"Hello, welcome!" she called out reflexively, her voice soft but practiced.

When she looked up and saw the face of the person entering, a genuine, joyful smile broke across her delicate features. "Zoe! You're here!"

Zoe had been Ariella's college roommate. Although they had studied different majors, their bond was unbreakable. During Ariella's three years of hell in prison, Zoe had been the only soul to visit her. Ariella mentioned her new job yesterday, but she hadn't expected her friend to appear so soon.

"God, Ariella, you're finally out!" Zoe rushed forward, pulling her into a fierce, rib-crushing embrace. "I wanted to pick you up the day you were released, I really did. But my editor-in-chief sent me out of town to interview some celebrities. The back-and-forth took forever."

"It's okay. I understand," Ariella said, her eyes shimmering with sincerity. "I'm just happy for you. You're living the life you wanted. A big-time journalist—it's amazing."

"A big journalist? Please, I'm just a paparazzo," Zoe huffed, waving a hand in frustration. "The editor-in-chief handles the real heavy hitters. I just chase crumbs."

Zoe's gaze then swept over Ariella. Her expression softened into deep pity. "If it weren't for Esther, that bitch, you'd be the most successful out of all of us. You were top of the med school rankings!" She glanced around the gaudy, brightly colored adult novelty store with an air of indignation. "And now—this."

"Think of it as cutting my losses," Ariella said pensively. The three years had aged her soul. She felt as though she had lived a full lifetime and seen through the veneers of everyone she once knew. "At least I see people for who they really are. Not marrying Patrick is the one thing I'm actually grateful for."

"That piece of trash will regret it one day. I'm waiting for that day," Zoe spat. She leaned in closer. "Anyway, have your parents tried to find you?"

Ariella kept no secrets from Zoe. She recounted everything that had happened since her release—the confrontation at the villa, the forced marriage, and Kingston's intervention.

Zoe's jaw dropped in fury. "Are you sure you're actually theirs? Are you sure you weren't kidnapped at birth?"

"Knowing my parents," Ariella replied with a wry smile, "if I weren't their flesh and blood, they never would have spent a dime raising me for twenty years."

Zoe nodded. The Ellerker couple were not the type to raise a stranger's child out of charity. "But Ariella, you can't just marry some random man. It's too risky. You're beautiful, brilliant—you could have anyone."

"Zoe, I didn't just pick him out of a hat," Ariella defended gently. "My new husband is actually... very handsome."

"Handsomer than Patrick?" Zoe asked skeptically. Patrick was a bastard, but in the years Zoe had spent covering elite circles, she had rarely seen a man who could match his striking looks, even among movie stars.

Ariella had never compared the two in her mind until now. She thought of Kingston.

Kingston was tall—seemingly a few centimeters taller than Patrick.

Patrick, with his high status, carried an imposing aura even without anger. As for Kingston, he had a calm, unhurried presence that effortlessly neutralized Patrick's intensity.

At the same time, there was an unmistakable air of refinement about him, as if he were a young master raised in a centuries-old aristocratic family.

"I think Kingston's not just as good as Patrick. He might actually overshadow him."

Zoe's eyes lit up with predatory excitement. "Wow! Why can't I run into a guy like that on the street? Look, if he's that hot, you should just sleep with him!" She wagged her eyebrows suggestively. "You work in a shop full of toys. You must know which ones are the best sellers. Use them on him."

Ariella burst into laughter at her friend's antics. "Stop it! Don't talk nonsense. This marriage won't last. I'm just a shield to help him deal with his family. We'll probably be divorced in a few months."

"Listen to me," Zoe insisted with a grin. "Sleep with him before the divorce. You won't lose anything!"

The two friends talked late into the evening, the time slipping away in a blur of laughter and shared secrets. By the time they said their goodbyes, it was time for Ariella to close the shop.

The walk back to the apartment was short. Ariella arrived at the door at 10:20 PM. She expected Kingston to be home, but as she entered, the apartment was cold and silent.

Was he working late?

Ariella slipped into her slippers, heading toward the bathroom to wash up, but she froze. A sudden, cold dread gripped her. Kingston had caused a massive scene at Ellerker Manor because of her. Her father was a calculating, vengeful man. Would the Ellerkers retaliate against him?

The more she thought about it, the more certain she became. She reached for her phone to call him, only to realize with a pang of irony that they were like strangers. She didn't even have his number.

She was already burdened by her toxic family. She couldn't bear the thought of Kingston being hurt because of her. Panic set in. Ariella grabbed her keys and phone and ran out the door, not even stopping to change out of her flimsy indoor slippers.

A sharp autumn wind swept through the late-night streets, sending dead leaves scratching across the pavement. Ariella searched the nearby blocks, her eyes darting through the shadows, but there was no sign of him.

Nearby, a black car cruised slowly down the street. "Sir, look. Isn't that Ms. Ellerker?" the chauffeur, David, asked with a faint smile.

Kingston looked up from a business call he had just finished. Ariella's face was etched with anxiety. Against the backdrop of falling leaves, she looked like a tragic figure from a classic film—fragile yet hauntingly beautiful.

What is she doing wandering the streets at this hour? Kingston wondered.

"Pull over. Go on ahead without me. I'll walk the rest of the way," Kingston commanded. He stepped out of the car quickly, not wanting her to see the luxury vehicle and start forming suspicions about his true identity.

"Yes, sir," David replied, driving off.

Ariella was breathless, her feet aching in the thin slippers. Realizing her aimless searching was futile, she decided she had to go back to Ellerker Manor and demand to know if they had done something to him. She turned to rush across the intersection.

"Hey!"

A large, firm hand clamped around her slender wrist. With a sudden tug, the man pulled her back. Kingston was shocked by how little she weighed. She felt like she was made of nothing but air and bone.

She was pulled hard against his chest. The faint, cold scent of his cologne filled her senses.

A split second later, a car roared past the spot where she had just been standing, its headlights cutting through the dark.

"Ariella!" Kingston barked, his face dark with fury. "Do you have a death wish?"