CHAPTER 1
The loud beeping of the alarm clock cut through the small room, loud enough to jolt anyone awake. Aria groaned, yanking the sheet over her face as if the thin fabric could muffle the sound. She had barely caught four hours of sleep, and her body felt like it was chained.
A heavy breath slipped out, one that carried more weight than her twenty four years of age should allow, she slowly moved her leg off the bed, her bare feet meeting the cold floor. "Another day," she grumbled, pressing her fingers to her forehead before hauling herself upright.
Her tiny rented space stayed just like it always did, bare and faded. A slim bed sat by one wall; opposite an aged desk piled high with crumpled slips and shift rosters from the pastry shop. Nearby stood a closet tilting gently sideways. She glanced towards the mirror's edge where a picture was jammed into place. It showed her sister hugging a round-faced kid beside her husband, both grinning wide, nothing like the frail looking child in the hospital today.
"I'll take care of him for you," she whispered. "I promise."
...
Her morning shift down at the bakery kept her on her toes, one customer after another, trays upon trays. By the time she had finished, her cloth still smelled like flour mixed with sugar. She didn't bother going home. Instead, she took the bus directly to the hospital.
The sharp scent of cleaning fluid smacked her face right after walking past the glass entrance through the glass doors. Even though she has been there loads of times before, It still felt strange every visit.
In Ethan's room, her mother napped half awake near the bed. She shifted slightly as Aria laid a hand on her shoulders
"Mom, go home and rest," Aria said softly. "I'll stay with him today."
Her mother rubbed her eyes, tired, lines of concern carved across her forehead. "Take it easy Ariana," she said softly, voice low and slow.
Aria managed a small smile. "I'll be fine."
Once her mother was gone, stillness settled in, till a faint whisper cut the air,
"Aria.."
Ethan's pale face lit up, his smile so wide it nearly broke her heart.
"Hey, little man," she said, bending low to press a kiss on his forehead. "Brought ya a little something."
She took out a tiny car from the bag, his eyes lit up as he grabbed it.
Moments like this ,his laugh, the spark in his eyes made her burden seem bearable. Yet her limbs clenched tight all over again dragging back yesterday's diagnosis like a tide.
"Miss Ariana," he had said, his voice low, "Ethan isn't responding well to treatment. If you want him to have a real chance, he'll need surgery abroad."
Overseas. The thought stuck in her head. It meant cash , way more than she could ever earn selling pastries.
She had swallowed hard and managed, "Please… just keep caring for him. I'll find a way."
The doctor glanced at her with gentle eyes full of pity. Yet she couldn't stand that expression one bit.
Back in the ward, Ethan lifted his toy car high. "Check it out, it zooms!"
Aria smiled, plopped down next to him. "Really? Show me."
He shoved the toy into the fabric, nudging it ahead bit by bit while his tiny fingers shook a little.
"Will I get better?" he blurted out, lifting his eyes towards her.
Her throat tightened, but she gave him a smile "Of course you will. You'll be running circles around me soon."
He held up his pinky finger. "Swear it"
She linked hers with his, her tone quiet yet firm, "I mean it."
---
Lucian Knight sat back, city stretching around him, leather chair smooth beneath his weight, glass buildings glittering behind him through wide windows.
Lucian never leaned on the Knight name like everyone else did. Instead of chasing titles or hand-me-down wealth, he built something from scratch, a tech company now racing ahead of others downtown. This was his way of showing he stood fine on his own.
Still, his grandfather's shadow stretched long.
"Sir," his assistant said from the doorway, "tonight is the Chairman's birthday banquet. You should attend "
Lucian's jaw tightened. The last place he wanted to be was among his scheming relatives. But skipping it would mean weakness. And Lucian Knight was anything but weak.
That night, the ballroom glowed beneath glittering chandeliers, rich in gold, heavy with crystal. Talks trailed off the moment he stepped inside. He stood out easy , not just tall, but intense, each movement controlled, yet he paid no mind to anyone... not until his eyes hit one couple that shifted something in his face.
His cousin. And the woman who had once been his.
They stood together, smiling as if they hadn't torn his trust to pieces.
A bitter smile tugged at his lips. If they thought he'd forgotten , or forgiven ,they were definitely wrong.
He'd built his own kingdom once.
And if he had to, he would burn theirs to ashes.