Arman sat in his car for a long while, After dropping off Aliana at the gates of the mansion. his fingers locked tight around the steering wheel. His head leaned back against the seat, eyes shut, the muscles in his jaw strained. A look of exhaustion not physical, but bone-deep, carved across his face. He swallowed hard, his throat burning with the same suffocating pressure that had been sitting there for years.
He exhaled slowly, but the air didn't ease the weight in his chest.
And then, unbidden, the past unrolled before his closed eyes.
He was thirteen again. The air was clear, thin, filled with the scent of pine and earth. He was climbing up a narrow mountain trail, his small hand gripping the side of the rocky slope. Ahead, his mother, Jasmine, moved gracefully despite the rough path, her laughter echoing faintly through the valley.
Behind him, a much smaller voice chirped.
"Arman, wait for me!"
He turned and saw Aliana, six years old, clutching at his sleeve with her tiny fingers, her cheeks red from the climb. She was beaming despite her short legs struggling to keep up.
"Careful," he said, reaching out to steady her. "You'll fall if you don't hold on tight."
"I am holding on tight!" she insisted, tightening her grip until he laughed.
Jasmine glanced back at them with a smile. "Keep her close, Arman. Don't let her run away."
He nodded, proud of the responsibility.
But then in the blink of an eye the ground shook, and the calm hike turned into a nightmare he hadn't forgotten till this day.
It started as a faint tremor then the mountain groaned. Pebbles slid past their feet, and within seconds, the air filled with the deafening rumble of an earthquake. Rocks began to tumble down the slope, sharp and merciless.
"Arman!" Jasmine screamed, spinning around,
She reached for him, panic flashing across her face. Her instincts betrayed her, in her fear, she grabbed her son and yanked him back toward safety.
Aliana's hand slipped from his shirt.
He didn't realize it until he heard her call.
"Arman!" Her small voice pierced through the chaos, and then she was gone swallowed by the falling dust and stone.
The sound of her crying out his name echoed and twisted in his head until it pulled him violently back to the present.
Arman's eyes shot open. His breath came in ragged bursts, his chest rising and falling too fast. He gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles whitened, sweat gathering at his temples.
That last cry his name on her lips , wouldn't stop ringing in his head.
He rolled down the window, desperate for air. The cool night breeze hit his face, but it did little to calm the nerves.
His throat tightened again, and his voice came out low, strained, almost a whisper.
"I'll find you," he said breathlessly. "No matter what."
-
25th June, 2025
Aliana stared at the date written at the top of the page, lying motionless on her bed. Beside her, a small plastic bag held a few strands of hair—proof of what she'd done earlier.
Her mind kept circling back to Arman. The way he had looked at her today—close, careful, almost gentle. It wasn't like him. It felt off. Forced. Maybe he already knew. Maybe he knew she wasn't the real Aliana. Was that why he'd been acting that way?
Her chest felt tight, and a strange, fluttery feeling rose in her throat, half fear, half disbelief. She turned the pages back until her eyes landed on an older entry.
Dear Diary, 15th May 2024
I was supposed to go to dinner with Arman. He asked me this time. And coincidentally—or maybe not—I saw the girl from the picture again. Her name is Beatrice. She's a waitress at Le Cendre. I can't stop wondering who she really is. Why is Arman interested in her? She doesn't seem like anything special.Still, I noticed him glancing in her direction a few times. I hope it's just a phase.After dinner, we walked for a while, and for the first time in my life, Arman held my hand willingly—he said it was because I looked cold. I'm happy tonight…
Aliana's eyes burned as she read the words. It was painful, almost humiliating, seeing them now. She could imagine herself writing this, unaware of the truth, blind to what was coming. Back then, she'd probably thought it was love.
Now, reading it from a distance, it felt like watching the last act of a play—right before everything collapses and she's forced to face the truth.That she was never meant to be Aliana at all.
After a long moment of staring at the ceiling, Aliana reached for her phone and scrolled through her contacts. Her finger hovered over a name she hadn't touched in months. She exhaled softly and pressed call.
"Yeah, hello? Sally?"
There was a pause, then a surprised laugh on the other end. "Well, look who remembered I exist."
Aliana forced a small smile. "I know, it's been a while. I… actually need your help with something. I wouldn't call otherwise."
Sally's tone softened. "You sound serious. What's going on?"
"It's kind of… complicated," Aliana said quietly. "I need a DNA test done. But I can't go through official channels. It has to stay between us. Completely."
That caught Sally's attention. "DNA? Aliana, what the hell are you mixed up in?"
"I'll explain later, I promise. Just—please. Can you do it?"
There was a brief silence before Sally sighed. "Alright. Send me what you have, and I'll handle the rest. No names, no questions."
Relief flickered through Aliana's chest. "Thank you. I'll send the samples tomorrow."
"Got it. Take care of yourself, okay? You sound… not fine."
"I'll be fine," Aliana said, though her voice didn't sound convincing, even to her. She ended the call and let the phone drop to her side, the silence of the room swallowing her whole.