The darkness that wrapped around Arabella's room was thick with unspoken tension. The weight of everything that had happened in the past few days settled on her like a heavy fog. Her conversation with Nathaniel still echoed in her mind, and though she had tried to sleep, her body refused to relax. Too much was at stake now. Too many secrets loomed over her head.
She sat up slowly, the silk sheets sliding off her shoulders. Moonlight streamed through the curtains, illuminating the room in a pale glow. A soft knock on the door startled her.
"Elina?" Arabella whispered, standing and walking toward the door.
When she opened it, Elina stood there with a somber look, her phone in her hand and worry shadowing her expression.
"We need to talk," Elina said quietly.
Arabella stepped aside to let her in. "What happened?"
Elina closed the door behind her. "I overheard something at the hospital today. I wasn't going to say anything until I was sure, but… Arabella, I think someone is investigating you."
Arabella's heart dropped. "What do you mean?"
"One of the nurses—Kim—said she saw a man asking for records under the name 'Isabella Moretti.'" Elina handed her the phone with the notes she had quickly typed out.
Arabella stared at the name. Her old name. One she had buried deep in the past. If someone was looking into Isabella Moretti, then it meant her past was creeping dangerously close to her present.
"Did they find anything?" she asked breathlessly.
"No, Kim said they turned him away because the name didn't match any current patient. But it's only a matter of time. Arabella, we need to be careful."
She sat on the edge of the bed, her mind reeling. "I can't let Nathaniel find out. Not yet."
Elina crossed her arms. "What if he already knows something? You've been living under his roof. He has resources, Arabella. He could've already started digging."
Arabella glanced out the window. "If he had, he would've said something by now. No, I think this is someone else... Someone from my past."
Elina's eyes narrowed. "You think it's Leonardo?"
Arabella's body stiffened at the mention of his name. Leonardo had been the reason for her downfall, the man who ruined her life and left her for dead. If he had caught wind of her survival… no, she couldn't go down that path yet. Not without proof.
"I don't know," Arabella said finally, standing again. "But if he is involved, I need to stay ahead."
"Then we'll dig too," Elina said, her voice firm. "I'll talk to my contact in the legal department. Maybe we can trace who requested those records."
Arabella gave her a grateful look. "Thank you."
Elina nodded. "You're not alone in this, Ara. No matter how dark it gets."
As Elina left the room, Arabella closed the door behind her and leaned against it, exhaling deeply. The calm she had been trying to maintain shattered. Shadows from her past were beginning to stretch into her new life, threatening everything she had built.
She turned toward the window and stared into the night sky. "Please, just give me a little more time," she whispered.
---
The next morning was uneventful—on the surface. Nathaniel was already gone by the time she woke up, leaving a handwritten note on the kitchen counter.
"Breakfast is on the table. I'll be at the office until late. Let me know if you need anything. —N"
Arabella picked up the note and ran her fingers across the neat script. There was an unfamiliar softness in his gesture—one that made her stomach flutter despite everything.
She took a seat at the breakfast nook and noticed the scrambled eggs, toast, and coffee he had left for her. A faint smile tugged at her lips. Despite the uncertainties surrounding them, Nathaniel continued to surprise her.
But the moment was short-lived.
Her phone buzzed on the table. It was a message from Elina.
> We have a name. The person who asked for your records is someone named Samuel Reid. I'll dig deeper.
Arabella's brows furrowed. Samuel Reid? The name didn't ring any bells.
She quickly typed back:
> Never heard of him. Keep me posted.
Her appetite vanished. She pushed the plate aside and rose from the table. Whoever Samuel Reid was, he had dared to dig into her past. And that alone made him dangerous.
---
Later That Day – King Enterprises
Nathaniel King sat in his office, tapping his pen against the desk absently. His focus had been drifting all day, and it wasn't just the mountain of reports in front of him.
It was Arabella.
There was something about her he couldn't shake off. She was smart, graceful, and had a quiet strength that intrigued him. But there were gaps—things that didn't add up.
Her background was vague. Her reactions were sometimes too guarded. And while he respected her privacy, the businessman in him couldn't ignore the inconsistencies.
He'd asked James to do a basic background check after that night she'd fainted. Not because he didn't trust her—but because something in him needed answers.
So far, everything had come up clean. Too clean.
That's what bothered him the most.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in," he said.
James stepped inside with a tablet in hand. "Boss, we have something… odd."
Nathaniel straightened. "Odd?"
James handed him the tablet. "A man named Samuel Reid tried to request hospital records under the name 'Isabella Moretti' yesterday. Our system flagged it when it noticed a cross-match with a background we'd attempted to run. The request was denied, but it triggered a red flag."
Nathaniel stared at the name.
"Isabella Moretti?" he repeated.
James nodded. "Doesn't match Arabella's profile. But… we think it might be her former identity."
Nathaniel leaned back in his chair, tension seeping into his shoulders. "Keep this between us. I want everything you can find on Isabella Moretti. Discreetly."
"Yes, sir."
As James left the room, Nathaniel stared out the floor-to-ceiling window, his jaw tight. Arabella was hiding something. And whatever it was, it was big.
---
That Evening – The King Mansion
Arabella was in the study, sorting through legal documents for Nathaniel's upcoming charity gala. It was a convenient distraction from the growing storm in her mind.
She had nearly lost track of time when Nathaniel returned home.
Their eyes met across the room, and something in his gaze made her pause. He looked more guarded than usual, more distant.
"Long day?" she asked gently.
Nathaniel walked over and set his briefcase down. "You could say that."
Arabella offered a polite smile. "Dinner is in the kitchen. I had the chef prepare something light."
He didn't sit. Instead, he studied her. "Arabella… is there something you haven't told me?"
Her heart stopped. "What do you mean?"
Nathaniel folded his arms. "I mean your past. Your real name. Your history."
She inhaled sharply. He knew.
"Nathaniel…"
"Don't lie to me," he said quietly, his tone firm but not cruel. "Just tell me the truth."
Arabella hesitated, the truth clawing at her throat. She had promised herself never to speak of Isabella again. But looking into Nathaniel's eyes now, she realized the past would never stay buried.
"I used to be Isabella Moretti," she said finally. "But that woman… she died the day her world fell apart."
Nathaniel's eyes darkened. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I was scared," she said truthfully. "Scared that if people knew who I was, they'd use it against me. That I'd lose what little I've rebuilt."
Nathaniel exhaled slowly. "You should've trusted me."
Arabella stepped closer. "I want to. But some wounds… they don't heal easily."
He looked at her, torn between frustration and understanding. After a long pause, he simply said, "We'll talk more tomorrow."
And with that, he turned and walked out of the study, leaving Arabella standing in the shadows of a truth that could cost her everything.
---
Later That Night
Arabella lay awake, her thoughts a whirlwind of fear and regret. She had finally spoken the truth, and now everything was at risk. She didn't know what Nathaniel would do next—distance himself, confront her, investigate further.
What she did know was this: the shadows were closing in.
And the only way to survive… was to be ready for war.
Arabella sat by the window of her apartment, her fingers curled around a warm mug of tea that had long since lost its heat. Rain tapped lightly against the glass, the soft rhythm filling the silence that now hung heavy in the room. Nathaniel's visit the night before had stirred emotions she had kept buried for years, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't erase the feel of his touch or the storm that brewed behind his calm eyes.
She had barely slept.
Each time she closed her eyes, memories of the past came flooding back—his whispered promises, the betrayal, the fire that had stolen her old life. Her rebirth wasn't just a second chance; it was her armor. And yet, Nathaniel was starting to crack it.
"Elina, do you think I'm making a mistake?" Arabella asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
Her best friend looked up from the kitchen, where she was preparing breakfast. "Mistake? About what?"
"Letting Nathaniel back into my life," Arabella said, voice barely above a whisper.
Elina walked over, wiped her hands on a dish towel, and sat opposite her. "It's not a mistake to confront your past. But it is a mistake to let it control your future."
Arabella nodded slowly. She appreciated Elina's blunt honesty—it grounded her.
"I need to know what he's hiding," Arabella said finally. "Something's off. He's not just here for business. That file he had on me… It's not a coincidence."
"You want me to dig?" Elina asked, her tone shifting instantly.
Arabella looked at her, a ghost of a smile flickering across her lips. "If anyone can find out what's going on, it's you."
"You got it," Elina said, already pulling out her tablet. "Let's find out what Mr. King is hiding behind that billionaire charm."
---
At King Enterprises, Nathaniel sat in his office, his eyes fixated on the tablet in front of him. The image on the screen was of Arabella—caught mid-laugh in a café a few days ago. His jaw tightened. Every time he saw her, the ache in his chest deepened.
There was something different about her now. She was colder, sharper. Not the girl he once knew.
"Sir, your 10 o'clock is here," his assistant's voice crackled through the intercom.
"Send her in," Nathaniel replied.
The door opened, and a tall woman walked in—Veronica Lane, his business liaison and someone who had, over the years, become more ambitious than loyal.
"You've been distracted lately," she said bluntly as she sat down across from him.
Nathaniel didn't look up. "What do you want, Veronica?"
"A warning," she said, her voice silky. "People are watching. The board doesn't like distractions. They've noticed your sudden interest in a woman who just popped back into high society."
Nathaniel narrowed his eyes. "Arabella is none of their concern."
"She is when she starts making waves," Veronica replied. "And if I were you, I'd be careful. Secrets don't stay buried forever."
The words hung between them like a threat.
"I can handle it," he said coldly.
Veronica smiled, stood up, and walked toward the door. "For your sake, I hope so."
As soon as she left, Nathaniel turned back to the image on his screen. Arabella wasn't just any woman—she was the key to everything. The past, the truth... and redemption.
---
Later that evening, Arabella walked through the city streets, her coat pulled tight around her against the biting wind. She had just left a meeting with a potential client—one of Nathaniel's competitors, ironically—and her thoughts were a whirlwind.
Elina had messaged her earlier, saying she'd found something, but it was too sensitive to text.
When she arrived at the apartment, Elina was pacing the living room.
"What is it?" Arabella asked, shrugging off her coat.
"You're not going to believe this," Elina said, handing her a printed document.
Arabella scanned the top of the page—an ownership document. Her name was on it.
"I don't understand," she murmured.
"That building you're managing? The one Nathaniel offered you for your business? It's owned by a shell company... and guess who controls it?"
Arabella looked up sharply. "Nathaniel."
Elina nodded. "He's been pulling strings from the shadows. Everything you've gotten since your return—every opportunity, every open door—he's had a hand in it."
Arabella's hands trembled slightly as she set the paper down. "Why would he do that? Why hide it?"
"Because he doesn't want you to know he's protecting you," Elina said softly.
Arabella sank onto the couch, her thoughts spinning. If Nathaniel had been quietly helping her all along, then everything she thought she knew was wrong.
"I need to talk to him," she said, determination hardening her voice.
---
Nathaniel was just about to leave his office when Arabella stormed in. He paused, surprised.
"You've been helping me behind my back," she said without preamble.
He stiffened. "You found out."
"Why didn't you tell me?" she demanded. "Why all the secrecy?"
Nathaniel walked around his desk, closing the distance between them. "Because I knew you'd never accept it if you knew. You're too proud."
"I had a right to know," she snapped.
He studied her for a long moment. "You think I owe you explanations after what you did—after vanishing from my life without a word?"
Arabella's face turned pale. "You think I left you? Nathaniel, I died. Or at least, the person I was did. You think I had a choice?"
His expression faltered. "What are you saying?"
"I was betrayed. I lost everything—my name, my freedom, my life. I didn't just walk away. I was forced to."
Nathaniel reached for her, but she pulled back.
"You weren't there when I needed you," she said bitterly. "You believed what they told you."
His voice was barely a whisper. "I thought you were dead."
Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away. "Now you know. So stop playing the puppet master behind the scenes. If you want to help me—do it honestly."
Nathaniel nodded slowly. "You have my word."
She turned and walked out, leaving him alone with the weight of the truth.
---
Later that night, Arabella stood on the rooftop of her building, staring out over the city skyline. Elina joined her, handing her a steaming mug.
"Did you talk to him?" she asked.
Arabella nodded. "He didn't know. He thought I left him willingly."
"And now?"
"I don't know," Arabella said. "Everything is more complicated than I thought."
A shadow moved near the stairwell, and both women turned. A man stepped into view—dressed in black, his face partially hidden beneath a hood.
"Elina," Arabella whispered, eyes narrowing.
"I see him," Elina replied, already pulling out her phone.
The man took a step forward. "Arabella Romano. Or should I say, Arabella King?"
Arabella's blood ran cold. "Who are you?"
"That doesn't matter," the man said. "But your secrets are catching up to you. And not everyone wants you back in this city."
He threw a small envelope at her feet and disappeared down the stairs.
Arabella quickly picked up the envelope, tearing it open. Inside was a photo—of her and Nathaniel, taken earlier that day.
And scrawled across the back in red ink were the words: "Leave now, or suffer the consequences."
She stared at the threat, her heart pounding. The shadows of her past were not finished with her yet.
"Elina," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "We need to find out who's behind this. Fast."
Her friend nodded, her eyes already scanning the rooftop. "Whoever he is—he knows too much."
Arabella clutched the photo tightly. She was no longer just fighting for her future—she was fighting for her life.