Frozen

"Where is Serena?", Aiden asked suddenly.

Ella froze, her fork clattering against the edge of her plate as her trembling hands betrayed her. He knew. He was not suspicious. He definitely knew.

She looked up at him, her wide eyes filled with a mixture of shock and fear. "I—I don't know what you're talking about," she stammered, though the guilt in her voice made her words sound hollow even to her own ears. She looked at her father for help even as Aiden leaned closer, intimidating her," Don't lie to me, Ella. Come clean right now."

Knowing that she was out of her depth, Charles Hawk stood up and moved to stand between his daughter and Aiden "Aiden, back off. She doesn't have to answer about anything to you."

"This isn't about you, Charles. Stay out of it," Aiden retorted, not even sparing him a glance. His focus remained entirely on Ella, his voice growing colder. "It's about Serena. And I won't stop until I find her. Ella, where is Serena?"