In the faint light,Ethan saw Diana's shadow trembling near the window.
He tried to mask his inner torment before entering the house.He did this very often lately,he managed to hide the sadness that cripped into his heart every day.
He opened the door softly like he was a skillfull thief.
"Ethan...you are home late again..."
He forced a smile,crossing the room to where she stood.
"Long day at work,nothing to worry about"
"I can see it in your eyes,Ethan.You are falling apart. "
She was right,his spirit was being slowly torn apart,but he couldn't burden Diana with this.
"How are you feeling,Kitty?"
She gave a small shrug, looking away. "I've been better," she admitted reluctantly.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing,just some headaches...."
"Don't lie to me,Diana!" his voice rough and strict.

Diana hesitated before answering, her eyes filled with guilt. "I... I started cutting back the meds. We can't afford them, Ethan. You work so hard, and I don't want to be a burden.I don't want to lose you.I love you more than anything"

Ethan's expression softened, though his heart ached with worry. "Kitty, your health is more important than anything. You can't do this to yourself.That's why I am doing this,I want you to feel fine again.Mum would have wanted you healthy.I love you too,but you must promise me that you will take your pills."

Diana's eyes filled with tears, and she nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "I promise, Ethan. I'll take the pills."

Ethan pulled her into a gentle embrace, holding her close as if he could shield her from all the hardships they faced. "We'll get through this, Kitty. I swear it."

Diana clung to him, her frail body trembling. "I'm sorry, Ethan. I just wanted to help."

"You do help, Kitty," he said softly, stroking her hair. "Just by being here, you give me a reason to keep going."

They stood there for a moment, wrapped in each other's warmth, drawing strength from their bond. Finally, Ethan helped Diana to her bed, making sure she was comfortable before heading to the kitchen to prepare a simple meal. As he cooked, his mind raced with thoughts of the crate, Diana's illness, and Arizona's unexpected apology....

His lungs suddenly felt full of a thick air,he felt unable to breathe.His mind raced to Arizona and his feet started walking wihtout control.
He left the kitchen after he turned off the stive,he put on his grey coat and ran at the dock.He avoided going there for month,only because he was afraid to find Arizona once again there,like a ghost that would remind him of freedom.
But that night,his body guided him at the dock to look for her,to see  her slender sillhouette in the cold December night.

The cold wind bit at his skin as he hurried down the familiar path, the docks looming ahead like a dark promise. Ethan's heart pounded, his breath visible in the frigid air. He didn’t know what he would say or how he would explain the turmoil inside him, but he knew he had to find her.

As he approached the dock, the moonlight cast long shadows over the crates, creating an eerie, deserted atmosphere. The waves lapped gently against the shore, the only sound breaking the silence. Ethan's eyes scanned the area, searching desperately for any sign of Arizona.

In corner,covered by a small roof,a small trembling shadow caught his attention.He approached her,with light steps still faringe that he may find a ghost instead of the angelic girl.

As he got closer, he realized it was Arizona, huddled against the cold,with her eyes lost on the tides that embraced the shore. Her delicate frame shivered under the thin coat she wore, and her eyes were wide with surprise and relief when she saw him.

"Ethan," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the wind.

He crouched down beside her, his heart aching at the sight of her vulnerability. He wanted to protect her,he felt the same feeling as the one he felt before that night,when Diana confessed to him.
"Arizona, what are you doing here? You shouldn't be out in this cold."
It was his first time saying her first name and the fact that he use it without thinking surprised him.

Her eyes widened slightly at the sound of her name on his lips, a flicker of warmth in the cold night. "I couldn't stay away," she admitted softly. "I needed to see you, to make sure you're okay.I hoped thst I would find you here somehow,I don"t know.I just felt it"

Ethan's heart clenched. He felt that to.He wanted to tell her everything, about Diana, about the crate they found, about his feeling for her.
"Let's go somewhere warm.Do you know a place?"
"I have the key to my father's office."
She handed the keys to him with her trembling,numbed hands.

Ethan gently cupped Arizona's hands in his, feeling the chill that had seeped into her skin. Her amber eyes, normally full of vitality and mischief, now looked dull and haunted, like lifeless gemstones.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked quietly, his voice laced with concern. "Going to your father's office... it could be risky."

"Yes,it's my office rather than his.He likes....field work"

Ethan nodded, guiding her carefully as they made their way back to the cabin nestled among the crates. The night air was chilly and still, wrapping around them like a comforting shroud. They walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, neither daring to break the peaceful quiet that enveloped them.

Inside the cabin, Ethan closed the door softly behind them, shutting out the cold wind and the distant sounds of the dock. He turned to Arizona, concern etched on his face.
"Are you good?"
She nodded,faking a faint smile that didn't reached her eyes .

Ethan absorbed the sight of the office, taking in the brown mahogany desk adorned with two white elephant statues. His gaze lingered on them briefly before he turned back to Arizona, who stood beside him, her expression guarded yet strangely vulnerable.

"They are made from elephant tusks," Arizona whispered softly, her voice barely audible in the stillness of the cabin. "He got them from a friend in Johannesburg."

Ethan nodded to his realization that he was standing in the lion's den.He breathed the same air as the man he hated the most,the monster that hunted his life and who he could not escape from.

She let herself fall on a green armchair near the window,her hands embracing the soft fabric.
"What brought you at the docks,Ethan?"
"I...I wanted to see you...."
"Why?"her voice became suddenly cold and lifeless and her gaze was fixed looking out the window

Ethan hesitated,the weight of Arizona's questions burdening his soul.He didn't really know why but he found himself spitting some words while he moved closer to her,keeping a respectful distance.

"I wanted to see you because... I couldn't stop thinking about you," Ethan confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. "Since that night at the dock, you've been on my mind.I can't shake that feeling,I tried but I can't."
Arizona turned her head,her eyes scanning Ethan's face for something to give her a hint about what to say to him.Her heart raced almost ripping out of her cold chest.

They sat in silence, the only sound the soft hum of the heater and the occasional creak of the old wooden floorboards. The room felt both intimate and fragile, despite the fact that Conrad's presence loomed over them.
"I'm glad you're here," she said softly, hoping her words would convey the depth of her feelings.

Ethan took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "Arizona," he began hesitantly, "there's something I need to ask you...What shipment came this morning?"

Arizona's brow furrowed slightly in confusion, a mix of surprise and curiosity crossing her features.

"Ethan, why do you want to know about the shipment?" Arizona asked cautiously, her voice tinged with a hint of wariness.

He hesitated for a moment, uncertain of how much he should reveal,how much should he trust her. "I... Harold and I saw something earlier today. Something that didn't seem right," Ethan admitted, choosing his words carefully.

Arizona scanned the room like she was afraid that her father would come put of nowhere.

"It was a shipment from Holland...2000 crates of bulbs of tulips and flower seeds."

"Nightshade?"

"What?No..."

Ethan analysed her response carefully,relieved and slightly perplexed.He did not expect her to be so fortright but this reassured him somehow.
"But Harold found nightshade in one of the crates,along with tobacco and money..." Ethan persisted, his brow furrowing in concern.
Arizona's eyes widened,her calm expression lost for a second before she regained her composure.
"All the papperwork goes by me.We don't have this kind of shipment.How much money?"
"Too much for something legal."
"That's imposible...." she muttered more to herself that to Ethan.
Ethan shook his head, frustration and worry knotting his stomach. "I saw it, Arizona. Harold saw it too. We can't just ignore this.He is not a good man,he is a monster to us to everyone even to you!"
Arizona's gaze darted around the room, her thoughts racing. She seemed conflicted, torn between her loyalty to her father,the anger she felt in that moment and the unsettling truth Ethan was presenting.

"I understand what you are saying,Ethan,but I think you should calm yourself.This is not the proper way to talk about this."
Ethan felt the thin wall of trust built between them slowly crumbling.
He took a step back,feeling the weight of Arizona's words like a blow into his chest.He had hoped she would understand, hoped she would see the danger in her father's dealings as clearly as he did. But her response cut through him, leaving him uncertain and vulnerable.

"Arizona," he said, his voice tinged with disappointment. "I thought... I thought you from all people would listen. I thought you might help me figure this out."

She avoided his gaze, her fingers nervously twisting a strand of her chestnut hair. "I can't, Ethan... You don't know things. My father... he's not just some criminal. He's powerful, connected. He can make things... disappear and no one will even bother to know."

He clenched his jaw,anger and harboring inside him "How can you live so oblivious...."

"I'll look into the pappers.I'll let you know if I find something"

"I really hope you are not like him...."

Tears welled up in Arizona's eyes as she struggled to find words. "You don't know the whole story," she whispered finally, her voice cracking with an emotion that she tried to hide.

Ethan turned away, his fists clenched in frustration. He wanted to wake her up, to make her see the truth as he saw it. But he also knew that pushing too hard could push her away completely.

"I think you should go,Ethan. Thank you for taking care of me."
He stood there for a moment, torn between anger and concern, before nodding silently. Without another word, Ethan turned and left the office, the heavy weight of disappointment settling in his spul.

Despite Ethan's opinion, Arizona harbored a deep-seated hatred for her father. She despised his ruthless control over their lives, the way he wielded power like a weapon, crushing anyone who stood in his way. She knew things, secrets that made her stomach turn with disgust, but she had learned to navigate his world with a facade of politeness. Each day under his roof felt like a prison sentence, her dreams suffocated by his ambitions.

Ethan's insistence brought her closer to a breaking point. She knew Ethan saw through the facade, he sensed the conflict within her. But revealing too much risked not only her own safety but also Ethan's. Her father's reach extended far and wide, corrupting everything it touched. Arizona clenched her fists, fighting back the tears of frustration and fear.
She couldn't afford to let her guard down, not when so much was at stake.