Chapter 10 The Price of the Truth

Aria's fingers were still trembling as she drove through the dimly lit streets of the city.

Killian's words echoed in her head.

"Find Nolan, Aria. But when you do… you won't like what you uncover."

What the hell did that mean?

She knew the truth wasn't going to be easy. But for him to warn her again—**to almost sound regretful—**it unsettled her more than she wanted to admit.

But it didn't matter.

She was past the point of turning back.

If Nolan Graves held the answers, then she would find him.

No matter what it cost her.

The First Clue

Her phone vibrated against the dashboard.

Ethan.

She answered immediately. "Tell me you have something."

"I have something."

Aria nearly exhaled in relief, but the tension in Ethan's voice stopped her.

"Good news or bad news?" she asked.

Ethan sighed. "Depends on how much you like waking the dead."

Aria's grip tightened on the steering wheel.

"Explain."

"Nolan Graves has been off the grid for over a decade," Ethan said. "Every trail, every connection—wiped clean."

"I already know that," she snapped. "Tell me something I don't know."

Ethan hesitated.

Then, finally, he said, "A year ago, someone was looking for him. Just like you."

Aria's heart skipped. "Who?"

"I don't know. But I found the last place this mystery person went searching."

Aria's pulse quickened.

"Send me the location."

A pause. "Aria…"

"I don't have time for hesitation, Ethan. Send it."

A beat of silence. Then—her phone dinged.

She glanced at the screen.

An address.

The Abandoned Motel

Aria pulled into the empty parking lot of a run-down motel on the outskirts of the city.

The neon sign flickered weakly, barely illuminating the structure.

She stepped out of the car, scanning the area. Not a single soul in sight.

Ethan's intel led her here. But what was she supposed to find?

The motel looked long abandoned—windows boarded up, walls stained with time and neglect.

She moved cautiously, stepping over broken glass as she approached the front entrance.

The door was locked.

Aria pulled her gun free, then used her shoulder to shove against the rusted wood.

It groaned under the pressure before finally giving way.

Dust and decay filled the air as she stepped inside.

The front desk was empty, a layer of dust coating the surface. Old newspapers and discarded beer bottles littered the floor.

But then—something caught her eye.

A faded ledger resting behind the counter.

Aria moved quickly, flipping through the pages. The ink had faded, but she could still make out names, dates…

And then—

Her breath caught.

Nolan Graves.

She traced the entry with her finger. He had checked in twelve years ago.

And his stay had been marked indefinite.

Her stomach twisted.

Had he been living here?

She turned toward the hallway, its dark corridors leading toward the empty motel rooms.

If Nolan had stayed here, there might still be something left behind.

She moved swiftly, checking each door.

Most were empty, stripped down to rotting furniture and peeling walls.

Then, at the very end of the hall, she found it.

Room 108

The door was locked.

Aria frowned.

The rest of the rooms had been left open—but this one had been sealed.

She didn't waste time.

Lifting her boot, she slammed it against the rusted knob.

It took three tries before the wood splintered and the door swung open.

The room was dark, the air thick with dust.

But what made her stomach lurch was the sight before her.

A mattress on the floor. A small desk. And on the walls—

Newspaper clippings. Photos. Notes scrawled in frantic handwriting.

Aria stepped closer, her breath shallow.

The images pinned to the wall weren't just random crime reports.

They were cases connected to the underworld.

To the mafia.

And in the very center—

Her heart stopped.

A picture of her parents.

Pinned with a knife.

Her hands curled into fists.

This wasn't just a room.

This was a conspiracy board.

And whoever had been living here had been trying to unravel the truth just like her.

The Missing Piece

Aria's hands trembled as she reached for a stack of notebooks on the desk.

She flipped one open, her pulse pounding.

The handwriting was messy, almost manic.

She scanned the pages, trying to make sense of it.

Then—

A name leaped out at her.

Killian Laurent.

Aria's blood ran cold.

She flipped through more pages, finding more mentions of Killian.

Some were scribbled in frustration. Others… in warning.

And then, at the very bottom of one page, a single line made her breath hitch.

"Killian Laurent knows the truth. But he is not the enemy."

Her grip tightened on the paper.

What the hell did that mean?

Her phone buzzed in her pocket.

She yanked it out, answering without thinking.

"Aria," Ethan's voice was sharp. Urgent. "Get out of there. Now."

She turned, her body already on high alert.

"Why?" she demanded.

"Because you're not alone."

Then—

A creak behind her.

Aria spun, gun raised.

But before she could react, something slammed into the back of her skull.

Pain exploded in her vision.

Her knees buckled.

Darkness swallowed her whole.