Chapter 313

The door to my apartment creaked open, revealing a dimly lit room with Aria already waiting inside. The weight of her gaze bore into me as I stepped across the threshold, and I knew that a confrontation was inevitable.

"Evie," Aria's voice cut through the silence, sharp and accusatory. "Where have you been?"

I swallowed hard, the image of the gun in Timothy’s hands still fresh in my mind. "I was with Timothy," I replied, my tone defensive. "We had some things to take care of."

Aria's eyes narrowed, a storm of skepticism brewing within them. "The police were just here, Evie. They were asking questions about you and Timothy. What the hell is going on?"

My heart quickened its pace. So they were going to interrogate my friends too? Aria couldn’t possibly have any information for them. "Aria, I had it under control. We're dealing with something, but it should be okay now."

Her frustration simmered beneath the surface, and she snapped, "Evie, I'm your friend. I've always been there for you, but I can't keep standing by while you get yourself into trouble. The police are involved now, and that changes everything."

I felt the walls closing in, the sense of isolation magnified by Aria's disapproval. "Aria, you have to trust me. I know what I'm doing."

She scoffed, a bitter edge to her voice. "Do you, Evie? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're walking straight into a mess, and you're dragging Timothy along with you."

The accusation stung, and I retorted, "Timothy is going through a lot, Aria. He needs my support. I can't just abandon him."

Aria's gaze hardened, frustration giving way to anger. "Evie, I care about you, but this has to stop. You're playing with fire, and I won't let you get burned."

The room felt suffocating, the weight of Aria's words hanging in the air. "Aria, I appreciate your concern, but I can handle this. I need you to trust that I know what I'm doing."

She shook her head, a defiant expression on her face. "I can't trust that, Evie. Not when you're keeping secrets and involving yourself in things that could destroy everything you've worked for."

The truth in her words hit hard, and a swell of frustration rose within me. "Aria, you don't understand. There are things you don't know, and I'm doing what I can to protect myself and the people I care about."

She crossed her arms, the anger in her eyes undeterred. "I want to believe you, Evie, but it's getting harder with each passing day. The police are watching, and you need to be careful before everything falls apart, which it will."

The silence that followed was thick with tension, the unspoken rift between us widening. I had chosen a path that Aria couldn't comprehend, and the consequences were beginning to surface.

"I don't know what else to say, Aria," I admitted, my voice heavy with resignation. "I have to see this through. I can't turn back now."

Her expression softened, a mixture of concern and frustration. "Evie, I just want you to be safe. Please don't let this consume you."

The weight of Aria's words lingered in the air, and a dense silence followed. After a moment, it started to dawn on me. Timothy had confronted me the day after the gun incident, as if he’d known I’d been threatened.

Aria had been the only one that had known. As they realization occurred, anger surged within me like an unrelenting tide.

"Did you tell Timothy about what happened?" I demanded, my voice sharp with frustration. “About what happened to my head.”

Aria met my gaze, her eyes boring into mine. "Evie, I had to. He deserved to know what you were going through."

The anger within me flared, and I retorted, "That was my decision to make, Aria! You didn't have the right to go behind my back and share something so personal with him."

Aria's expression hardened, defiance replacing the earlier concern in her eyes. "Evie, you can't keep shutting people out. Timothy cares about you, and he has a right to know when you're in danger."

The frustration bubbled to the surface, my voice rising in anger. "I can handle myself, Aria! I don't need you or Timothy intervening in my life."

She crossed her arms, meeting my anger with a defiant stance. "Evie, you're heading down a dangerous path, and I can't just stand by and watch you self-destruct."

The room felt charged with tension, the friendship that had weathered so many storms now strained by the conflicting currents of my choices. I took a deep breath, attempting to rein in my anger, but the frustration still pulsed beneath the surface.

"I appreciate your concern, Aria, but I need you to understand that I'm doing what I think is right," I said, my voice tempered but resolute.

Aria's gaze softened, a trace of concern in her eyes. "Evie, what are you even trying to achieve? You're digging into something that could destroy you."

I met her gaze, determination flickering in my eyes. "I'm getting closer to the truth, Aria. Regardless of what you and Timothy think, I can't let this go. Scarlett told me things about Stella and Andy that I need to follow up on."

Aria's eyes widened. "What did Scarlett tell you?"

I hesitated, considering how much to reveal. "Stella confided in Scarlett before she went into hiding. Andy was furious about something—some kind of marriage scheme that went awry. It involves Timothy, and I need to confront Andy with this information."

Aria's stunned silence lingered, and she finally asked, "Evie, what do you plan on doing next?"

A determined spark ignited within me as I shared my plan. "I'm going back to Andy. And with the information Scarlett shared, I'll get the answers I need. This time, I won't be caught off guard."

Aria's concern deepened, her voice urgent. "Evie, you need to be careful. If what you're saying is true, then confronting Andy could put you in even more danger."

I scoffed, frustration coloring my words. "Aria, I can't back down now. I need to uncover the truth."

"It's not just about you and Timothy anymore!” Aria exclaimed. “I don’t want anybody else coming here."

I met Aria's concerned gaze, the weight of the situation pressing upon us. "Aria, I appreciate your concern, but I'm not afraid of Andy. In fact, I think I have a little leverage over him."

She arched an eyebrow, skepticism etched across her features. "Leverage? How do you figure that?"

I leaned forward, my expression resolute. "Scarlett told me all about Andy struggling with alcoholism in the past. If I confront him about it, it could rattle him a bit, give me some answers."

Aria's eyes widened, the realization of the strategic advantage sinking in. "You think his past could be the key to breaking through his defenses?"

I nodded, a sense of determination filling the room. "Exactly. We need to be smart about this, Aria. If we're going to unravel the truth, we have to use every piece of information to our advantage."

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Evie, just promise me you'll be careful. If he had a past like that, his reaction might be dangerous."

"I promise, Aria," I assured her, my tone unwavering. "I won't underestimate him, but I refuse to let fear dictate my actions. We're getting closer to the truth, and I won't back down now."