ARIA’s POV

As Ben and Charles burst into the room, their guns trained on Carter, the tension skyrocketed. Carter's smile never wavered, but his eyes flickered with a hint of surprise. Matteo, still on his knees, didn’t look up. Ben and Charles moved swiftly, their weapons still aimed at Carter, as they flanked Matteo, shielding him from harm.

 "Aria, come here," Ben called out, his voice firm and commanding. "We've got this under control." 

I hesitated, my eyes darting between Carter's calm demeanor and the guns pointed at him. Something didn't feel right. Carter's smile seemed to grow wider, as if he wasn’t scared of what they might do.

   “Aria,...