Where Darkness Learned Breath by Rylor Dusk 111

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111 Chapter 111: Sophia Joins the

Game

Aria’s POV – Three Days Later

I needed coffee.

Real coffee. Not the fancy espresso machine stuff Damien had in the penthouse. I needed my old café–the one near Monroe Global’s offices where

I used to hide when the world got too loud.

“Are you sure about this?” Riley, my new personal security, checked her mirrors for the third time.

“We could send someone”

“I’m going to a coffee shop, not a war zone.” I adjusted my sunglasses. “Besides, you’re with me Isn’t that the point?”

“The point is keeping you safe.” Riley pulled up to the curb. “Which means I go in first, check exits, then signal you.”

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“This is ridiculous.” But I waited while she did her

sweep.

Two minutes later, she waved me in.The café was exactly as I remembered–warm lighting,

mismatched furniture, the smell of fresh–ground beans. I breathed it in, feeling almost normal for the first time in days.

“Aria Monroe.” A familiar voice made me freeze.

“Or is it Blackwood now?”

I turned slowly. Sophia Clarke sat at a corner table, looking immaculate in designer everything. Her hair was perfectly styled, her makeup flawless.

“Sophia.” I kept my voice neutral. “What a surprise.”

“Is it?” She gestured to the empty chair across from her. “I heard you’d be here, thought we should talk.”

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“How did you” I stopped. “Never mind, I am not

interested.”

“Not even if it’s about Marcus?” Her voice dropped. “And his plans for your little family?”

I hesitated. Riley tensed beside me, her hand moving toward her concealed weapon.

“Five minutes,” I said finally, moving to Sophia’s table. Riley positioned herself nearby, watching.

“You look tired.” Sophia’s eyes scanned my face. “Being Damien’s perfect little wife must be exhausting.”

“I’m not his wife.” I sat down. “Yet.”

“Oh, I know. I saw the ring.” Her smile was smug. “Congratulations. I’m sure this marriage will work out better than the last one.”

“What do you want, Sophia?”

“To help.” She leaned forward. “Believe it or not, I

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don’t want to see you dead.”

“How generous.”

“I’m serious.” Her mask slipped slightly. “Marcus contacted me a few weeks, said he had a

proposition.”

My stomach dropped. “What kind of proposition?”

“The kind where I help him destroy Damien, and I get you out of the picture permanently.” She stirred her coffee. “He was very specific about the permanently part.”

“And you agreed?”

“I considered it.” She met my eyes. “Damien and I had something once. Brief, meaningless to him, but” She paused. “I thought we could have had

sob story showed up with your more. Then you and your secret baby, and suddenly I was

nothing.”

“So this is about jealousy?” I leaned back. “You’re

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working with a psychopath because Damien

chose me?”

“I said I considered it.” Her voice hardened. “Past tense. I met with Marcus recently and Aria” Her composure cracked. “That man is insane. Genuinely, terrifyingly insane. Whatever you think you know about him, it’s worse.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“He has a detailed plan.” Sophia pulled out her phone, showing me notes. “Dates, times, vulnerabilities. He knows your son’s preschool schedule. Your assistant’s coffee order, every move you make.”

“How?” I grabbed her phone. “This penthouse is secure”

“He has someone on the inside.” Sophia’s voice was quiet. “Someone close to Damien, someone feeding him information.”

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“Who?”

“I don’t know.” She took her phone back. “He wouldn’t tell me. But Aria–he’s planning something big. Soon it involves Noah.”

My blood ran cold. “What does he want with my

son?”

“Leverage.” Sophia’s eyes held genuine fear. “He said—and I’m quoting’If I can’t have a family, neither can Damien. Starting with the child.“”

“Oh God.” I stood abruptly. “I need to go.”

“Wait.” Sophia grabbed my arm. “There’s more. Marcus isn’t working alone. He has resources. Money and” She hesitated. “He mentioned sister.”

your

“Vivian?” I sank back down. “What about her?”

“She’s been feeding him information too.” Sophia released my arm. “About your past, weaknesses. Everything she knows about you and Damien.”

111 Chapter 111: Sophia Joins the Game

“That bitch.” Rage flooded through me. “After everything”

“She blames you for her social exile.” Sophia’s voice was almost sympathetic. “The press conference destroyed her reputation. She wants revenge as badly as Marcus does.”

“So they’re working together.” I tried to process this. “Marcus and Vivian. Against us.”

“Looks like it.” Sophia stood. “I’m telling you this because” She paused. “Because I may be petty and jealous, but I’m not a murderer. And what Marcus is planning—it’s murder, Aria. Of you. Of Noah. Maybe even Damien if he gets in the way.”

“Why should I believe you?” I looked up at her. “You just admitted you wanted to help destroy

us.”

“Because I’m giving you his burner phone

number.” She slid a paper across the table. “And the address where he’s staying. And because” Her

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voice softened. “I may have wanted Damien, but I

never wanted to see a child hurt. Whatever else I am, I’m not that.”

I took the paper, my hands shaking. “If this is a trap”

“It’s not.” Sophia gathered her purse. “Do with the information whatever you want. But Aria–be careful. Marcus is always three steps ahead and your sister” She paused at the door. “She hates you more than you know.”

Then she was gone. I sat there, staring at the paper, my coffee forgotten. Riley moved to my side. “We need to leave. Now.”

“She gave me his location.” I showed her the address. “Marcus. We could”

“It’s probably a trap.” Riley was already pulling me toward the door. “We need to tell Blackwood, let

him handle it.”

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“But if it’s real”

“If it’s real, then we need professionals.” Riley scanned the street. “Not two women in a coffee

shop.”

She was right. But looking at that address, knowing Marcus was there I wanted to go by myself. To end this, to protect Noah the only way I knew how. By eliminating the threat permanently.

“Aria.” Riley’s voice was firm. “Car. Now.”

I followed, but pocketed the paper. Damien needed to see this.

Back at the Penthouse

Damien’s face went through several emotions as I explained–shock, rage, suspicion, then cold

calculation.

“You believe her?” He studied the paper. “Sophia?”

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“I don’t know.” I paced the living room. “But if there’s even a chance”

“It could be a trap.” He pulled out his phone. “Marcus and Sophia working together to lure us

out.”

“She said Marcus contacted her, but she refused.” I stopped pacing. “Why tell me about Vivian if she’s working with them?”

“To build credibility.” Damien showed the address to the detective, who’d joined us. “Make you trust her so you’ll walk into whatever they have planned.”

“Or” the detective studied the address. “she’s telling the truth. And we have a real opportunity here.”

“You think we should act on this?” I looked at her.

“I think we should investigate.” The detective pulled up a map on her tablet. “This address is in

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the warehouse district. Abandoned buildings, minimal surveillance, a perfect place to hide.”

“Or perfect place for an ambush.” Damien’s jaw was tight.

“So we sent a team.“The detective started making calls. “Reconnaissance only. No engagement. We confirm if Marcus is there, then we call the FBI.”

“What about Vivian?” I asked. “If she’s really working with him”

“Then we deal with her too.” Damien’s voice was cold. “Family or not, she threatened our son, That’s unforgivable.”

His phone rang. He answered, listening intently as his face darkened. “When?” He demanded.

“How long ago?”

My stomach dropped. “What happened?”

He hung up. “Vivian was just seen entering Blackwood Tower. She’s asking to see me.”

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“That’s bold.” I moved closer. “What does she

want?”

“Only one way to find out.” Damien was already texting security. “But she’s not getting anywhere near this penthouse.”

“I want to be there.” The words came out before I

could stop them.

“Aria”

“She’s my sister.” I crossed my arms. “Whatever poison she’s planning to spew, I deserve to hear it firsthand.”

“Fine.” Damien grabbed his jacket. “But we do this at my office. Secure location with security present.”

“And me.” The detective stood. “If Vivian is

working with Marcus, this could be a distraction, a way to get you out of the penthouse.”

“So we leave extra guards with Noah.” Damien

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was already moving. “Riley stays here. Double security on all entrances. No one gets in.”

Twenty minutes later, we walked into Damien’s office. Vivian sat in one of the leather chairs, looking immaculate as always. But there were cracks in her facade–dark circles under expertly applied makeup, tension in her shoulders, something desperate in her eyes.

“Brother and sister reunion.” She stood, her smile brittle. “How touching.”

“What do you want, Vivian?” I kept my voice flat.

“To warn you.” She looked between us. “Marcus is planning something. Something big and I” She swallowed hard. “I wanted you to know.”

“Why?” Damien moved to his desk. “You’ve spent years trying to destroy us, why warn us now?”

“Because I’m not a monster.” Vivian’s voice rose. “Whatever you think of me, I never wanted-” She

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stopped. “He’s going to kill you. Both of you and probably Noah too.”

“And you know how?” I moved closer. “Because you’ve been helping him?”

Her silence was enough. “You bitch.” The words came out cold. “You’ve been feeding him information. About us, about Noah.”

“I was angry!” Vivian’s composure shattered. “You destroyed my life! The press conference, our parents‘ company, the public humiliation–I lost everything because of you!”

“You lost everything because you made out with your sister’s husband!” My voice rose. “Because you conspired with our parents to betray me!”

“And I’ve paid for it!” Tears streamed down her face. “Every day. Every cruel headline. Every former friend who won’t return my calls I have paid, Aria.”