Seven Sins System

Seven Sins System Chapter 292. Unexpected Guest III

Aria's voice cut through the heavy air, her words carrying a mixture of surprise and intrigue. "A friend's betrayal?" she repeated, her gaze focused intently on me. Her curiosity was clear, evident in the way her brows quirked and her eyes searched mine for answers.

I met her gaze, my own expression a blend of contemplation and guarded vulnerability. "Yes," I responded, my voice a measured tone that barely concealed the flood of thoughts swirling in my mind. Her question had opened a door to memories I had tried to keep locked away, and now I couldn't help but wonder if there was more to Aria than met the eye.

I looked at her and found myself caught in a whirlwind of speculation. Could she somehow be connected to Riri? Could it be that she was Riri herself? The thought was both tantalizing and absurd. It tugged at the edges of my consciousness like an itch I couldn't scratch. Her facial resemblance to Riri couldn't be ignored.

But my rational side quickly reasserted itself. It could be a wild idea, a baseless analysis born from the pain of the past. Still, the thought lingered, and I found myself wrestling with the possibilities as I studied Aria's features, searching for any hint that might betray her true identity.

At that moment, her next words pulled me from my thoughts. "Who? Who has betrayed you?" Aria's voice carried genuine concern, her eyes reflecting a sincerity that momentarily disarmed my suspicion.

I flicked my gaze at her, a mixture of emotions warring within me. But before my gaze could linger, I averted it, my annoyance and uncertainty veiled by the act. "She's long gone. I don't want to remember her anymore." The words tasted bitter on my tongue, a reminder of wounds that still held the power to hurt. I was grateful, in a way, that the memories of Riri had nothing to do with the mission that currently consumed me.

Aria's concern, though genuine, couldn't erase the scars of the past. And while my suspicions about her identity lingered in the background, I knew that my duty demanded my full attention. I couldn't allow myself to be consumed by the ghosts of my past, no matter how haunting they might be.

Aria's eyes held a mixture of sympathy and curiosity as she questioned further. "What has she done to you? Did she hurt you?" Her tone was sincere, genuine concern etched on her face.

"No," I replied, my voice steady despite the rush of emotions that threatened to engulf me. "But she made me wait for her for a long time, and didn't show up." The words came out with a tinge of displeasure, the bitterness of that old wound still fresh in my heart.

Aria's brows furrowed in genuine concern as she processed my words. "How long?" she inquired, her voice gentle yet persistent.

I met her gaze. "A month," I revealed, my voice tinged with frustration.

"That's awful," Aria remarked, her tone a blend of empathy and sadness. "Why did she make you wait that long?" Her question hung in the air, a testament to her genuine interest in my story.

I let out a humorless chuckle, the bitterness of that memory surfacing once again. "I don't know," I said with a nonchalant shrug, though the indifference in my tone belied the hurt that still lingered beneath the surface. "Maybe she hates me." The words slipped out almost casually, a half-hearted attempt to bait her into revealing more about herself.

Aria's gaze held mine for a moment, her expression thoughtful. "Hates you?" she repeated, a hint of puzzlement in her tone. "That seems like a strong word for someone you considered a friend."

I offered a half-smile, a mix of resignation and wistfulness. "People change," I said, my voice carrying the weight of years of reflection. "Or maybe I misunderstood her intentions from the beginning." My words held a tinge of self-doubt, a recognition that I might have been naive in my assumptions.

Aria's words cut through and for a moment, her sincerity and comfort seemed almost surreal. "I'm really sorry to hear that," she began, her voice soft yet determined. "But if she made you wait for that long and didn't show up, that means she doesn't deserve you. She doesn't deserve to be your friend." Her arms encircled me once more in a hug.

Her words had an unexpected effect on me. I had been so prepared to believe the worst, to suspect her involvement in the painful memories I carried. Yet, her compassionate response caught me off guard. 'Wait... so it's not her?' I thought, a mix of confusion and relief settling in. Her eyes, her demeanor — they didn't match the calculated actions of a deceiver. Perhaps I had been too quick to jump to conclusions.

"I can be your friend," she added, her voice gentle and inviting, as if extending an olive branch amidst the uncertainties that had clouded my mind. There was a sincerity in her words that was hard to dismiss, a genuine desire to be there for me.

A skeptical thought crossed my mind, a reflection of the walls I had built over the years. "Why? Why are you trying to be my friend when I'm no one?" I asked, my voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and skepticism. The notion of someone wanting to be my friend without hidden agendas felt foreign, almost unreal.

Aria's gaze met mine, her eyes unwavering as she offered a simple yet profound explanation. "I already told you, somehow I always feel a connection with you…" Her words were honest, and I could sense the sincerity in the way her heart raced against mine. It was as if an invisible thread had woven between us, connecting our pasts and propelling us toward an uncertain but intriguing future.

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