Chapter Twenty: Blackmail

"Alexander, I didn't mean to hurt Grandma," Aria said softly, her hand still holding his. Her voice was shaky, the guilt and fear clear in her eyes as she gazed up at him. Alexander's eyes flickered to where her fingers were wrapped around his hand, and for a moment, there was something unreadable in his expression. Clearing his throat, he looked back at her, causing Aria to realize what she was doing. She quickly pulled her hand away, her face flushing with embarrassment.

"Please, can you give me another chance?" she asked, her voice wavering. Her fingers fidgeted nervously in her lap as she awaited his response. "Let me continue to take care of Grandma."

Alexander regarded her for a moment before speaking, his tone steady but distant. "Just rest and focus on your recovery. Someone else is taking care of Grandma for now." He paused, his gaze softening slightly. "Let the chefs handle her meals. You don't have to do everything yourself."

Aria's heart lifted with hope. ‘Does that mean I can still take care of Grandma?’ she thought, a smile slowly spreading across her face. Alexander noticed the slight change in her demeanor, and though he didn’t show it, a strange sense of warmth bubbled inside him.

"Grandma talks about you every day," he added. "You have to get better soon."

"Thank you, Mr. Alexander," Aria said, her voice filled with gratitude. "I’ll definitely get better soon."

Alexander’s expression grew more serious as he shifted topics. "Ethan is still missing. The police are searching for him everywhere. If he ever bothers you again, tell me immediately."

"I got it," Aria replied, her tone firm, though a slight tremor of anxiety crept into her voice at the mention of Ethan.

With nothing more to say, Alexander turned to leave, his steps brisk as he exited the room, leaving Aria to her thoughts. She felt a strange mixture of emotions—relief, gratitude, and... something else she couldn’t quite place.

Just as she was about to settle back into the bed, her phone buzzed, the unfamiliar number on the screen catching her attention. Hesitant, she picked up. "Hello? Who’s this?" she asked, her voice cautious.

"So, you really woke up. You’re very lucky." The voice on the other end was cold and mocking.

Aria’s heart sank as she recognized the voice instantly. It was Ethan.

Without thinking, she hung up, fear gripping her. ‘How does Ethan know I’m awake?’ she thought, her mind racing. ‘Is he nearby? Could he be here, in the hospital?’ Panic set in, and she grabbed her phone again, intending to call Alexander. But before she could dial, an image flashed across her screen, freezing her in place.

It was a compromising photo of her, sitting on the lap of a man, her expression one of drunken daze. The image made her stomach turn, shock and confusion clouding her thoughts. ‘This isn’t real,’ she thought frantically. ‘It can’t be.’ Her heart sank as she recognized the scene.

Without wasting another second, she dialed Ethan’s number. He picked up almost immediately, his laughter chilling her to the bone.

"Ethan, you know those photos aren’t real," Aria snapped, trying to keep her voice steady. "Even if you send them out, no one will believe it."

Ethan chuckled darkly. "If it’s all fake, then why are you so nervous?" His voice dripped with amusement.

Aria’s pulse quickened as he continued. "Get me five million dollars, or I’ll release those photos. Then we’ll see just how 'fake' they look to everyone."

Her breath hitched as the weight of his threat settled on her shoulders. Ethan wasn’t bluffing—and he had her cornered.

"Five million dollars!" Aria gasped in disbelief. "Where do you expect me to get that kind of money?”

Ethan chuckled again, his tone smug. "You’re married to Mr. Alexander, and you have the old woman wrapped around your finger. Money shouldn’t be your problem. You have three days, Aria. Or else, you’ll face the consequences.”

Without giving her a chance to respond, he hung up. The call ended with a beep, leaving Aria staring at her phone, her face pale and her mind spinning.

Three days? She swallowed hard, her mind flashing back to how that photo had come to be. The memory was vivid, and her body tensed as she recalled the incident.

It had been one of those days when her adopted father’s debts had left her no choice but to take multiple jobs to make ends meet. She was working as a caregiver for Uncle Philip, an elderly man in his late sixties who was confined to a wheelchair. One day, she had gone to see him at the hospital and found him sitting in the garden. He had asked her to massage his legs, which she had done, not thinking much of it.

But soon, his requests grew uncomfortable. He had told her to massage higher up his legs, and sensing it was inappropriate, she had stopped, trying to leave. That was when he had grabbed her, his hands groping at her body. Aria had pulled away in shock, trying to get out of his grip, but in the struggle, she had fallen onto his lap.

That was when the picture had been taken,by none other than Ethan. At the time, she thought he had been protecting her, showing the picture to Uncle Philip as a threat to keep him in check. But now, it was clear that Ethan had a darker purpose in mind. He had taken the photo to blackmail her.

Her mind raced as panic mixed with anger. How many more pictures does he have? she wondered, the fear settling in. And where am I supposed to get five million dollars?

"No..." Aria muttered angrily. "He’s using the same photo against me." The bitterness in her voice grew. "I can’t let him release that photo. No one will believe me if they see it. What can I do? Surely I can't give him that money”.