Married To The Blind Alpha
Chapter 72: The Book 2

Chapter 72: The Book 2

Judging from the expression on Aria’s face, Damien felt she knew something, so he asked, "Do you know what they were looking for?"

Aria looked at Damien and said, "I’m not sure, but when I was young, I heard grandmother talk about a book that no one should ever find, not even me."

"A book?"

"Yes, but I have never seen it or even caught my grandma with it."

"If this book was very important to your grandma, then it should be somewhere in this house." Damien said, looking around at the scattered items.

"I have played in every corner of this house since I was a kid; if there was a book hidden here, then I would have found it."

"So your grandmother never restricted you from playing anywhere?" Damien asked.

Aria shook her head, and then her eyes widened as she looked at Damien and said, "I think I know where the book might be."

Damien let out a sigh of relief, which Aria noticed but didn’t really think much about.

"Where is it?" Damien probe.

"I will check my grandma’s room while you check the garden."

"The garden?"

"Yes. Her room and the garden were the only two places I didn’t really play in."

Damien nodded. "Okay."

After Aria left him in her grandmother’s room, Damien brought out his phone from his pocket and sent a message to an unsaved number.

’I know who has the book.’

The number immediately texted back, ’Ensure you get it. Kill whoever needs to be killed but GET the book.’

Damien read the message and deleted it. If the book was really with Aria, then he will have to get it because if a man like Tristan gets his hands on that book, then no one in this world will ever be able to defeat him.

Damien placed his phone back in his pocket and went to the small garden at the courtyard, hoping that he would find the book before Aria.

....

Aria entered her grandmother’s room, and just like the living room, it was a mess. She closed the door behind her and walked to the window. Pushing the curtain aside, she saw Damien outside, pulling out plants and digging through the soil, searching for the book.

She let the curtain fall back into place and turned to the middle of the room. Kneeling down, she pressed her fist against the wooden floor and knocked.

A memory stirred.

She had once entered this room without knocking and found her grandmother kneeling in the same spot, pressing hard against the floor.

When Aria had asked what she was doing, her grandmother had seemed nervous, quickly saying she was looking for a lost earring.

When Aria had told her that her earrings weer on her ears, her grandmother had gotten angry and then scold her for entering the room without knocking.

At the time, Aria hadn’t thought much of it. But now, as the memory resurfaced, she couldn’t shake the feeling that her grandmother had been hiding something beneath the floor.

She scanned the wooden planks closely, her eyes tracing every detail. Then, she noticed it—a faint gap between the boards, barely visible. It was so small that anyone not looking for it would have easily missed it.

Aria ran her fingers over the small gap, her heart pounding.

She pressed down on the floorboard. Nothing. She tried again, harder this time, but it wouldn’t move.

Frustrated, she reached into her purse and pulled out her house keys. Holding one firmly, she wedged the tip into the gap and twisted. The wood shifted slightly.

Encouraged, she pushed the key deeper, prying the board loose. Taking a deep breath, she hooked her fingers under the edge and pulled. The board lifted with a quiet creak, a book.

Aria’s breath caught as her eyes fell on the book.

It was of normal size but unlike any book she had seen before. Its black hardcover looked smooth yet aged, as if it had been handled for generations. At the center, a red gem was embedded, deep and rich in color—like a drop of frozen blood.

The design was intricate, almost otherworldly, with strange patterns carved into the surface. Something about it felt ancient, important.

Aria reached out, her fingers hovering just above the cover. A strange feeling washed over her, like she was touching something that was never meant to be found.

Was this really what they had been searching for?

She was about to open it when the door suddenly creaked open. Damien stood at the entrance, his eyes shifting from her to the book in her hands.

"Is that it?" he asked, stepping closer.

Aria’s grip tightened around the book, and a sudden wave of protectiveness surged through her.

She stood up, instinctively taking a step back.

Damien frowned. "What’s wrong, Aria? Why are you moving away from me?"

"I don’t know," she murmured, shaking her head. "I just... feel like you’re a danger to it."

Damien’s brows furrowed. "What? That doesn’t make sense. Why would I be a danger to it? I just want to see the book." He took another step forward.

"Stop coming closer," Aria demanded.

He paused, his gaze lingering on her. Then, just as she asked, he stopped moving.

Silence stretched between them before Damien finally spoke. "I won’t come closer, but at least tell me—what’s in the book?"

Aria shook her head. "I don’t know. I was about to open it when you came in."

"Then open it now," he urged. "Aren’t you curious why this book is so important?"

"Of course I am," Aria admitted, glancing down at the cover. "But... what if we’re not supposed to open it?"

Damien’s voice softened. "Aria, don’t be scared. I’m with you, right?"

Aria nodded and tried to open the book, but it wouldn’t budge. She tried again, using more force, but it still refused to open.

"What’s wrong?" Damien asked.

"It won’t open," Aria said, struggling with all her strength, but the book remained shut.

Damien frowned and stepped forward, but before he could reach her, a sharp pain shot through his chest. He froze, eyes widening in shock. He tried to turn, but the pain struck again—sharp and sudden. In an instant, he collapsed face-first onto the floor.

Aria gasped, her breath catching as she stared at Damien’s unmoving body. Her wide eyes flickered to the person standing behind him. A woman.

A bloodstained knife rested in her hand.

The woman’s empty gaze met Aria’s. "There’s no need to look so horrified," she said calmly. "He isn’t dead."

Aria’s throat tightened. "Wh...who are you?"

The woman tilted her head slightly. "I believe you have something I need, Aitana. Oh, sorry—" she gave a small, chilling smile. "I forgot you go by Aria now."