And then there was Leo. His kindness, his patience, his ability to make her feel safe ...it all tugged at her heart in ways she didn’t fully understand. She had no idea how to balance these emotions, no idea how to navigate the complex dynamics between the three of them.

The atmosphere at the agency grew heavier as the days passed. Aria tried to avoid both Leo and Riven, but it was impossible. Every interaction seemed loaded with meaning, every glance shared felt like it carried a thousand unspoken words.

One evening, after practice, Aria found herself alone in a quiet hallway once more. Her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. She needed to make a choice. She knew it, deep down. The uncertainty was eating at her, and she couldn’t keep stringing them both along.

As she stood there, lost in her own thoughts, she heard footsteps approaching. She turned and saw Leo walking toward her, his usual warm smile on his face. But today, there was something different in his eyes—something more serious.

"Aria," he said softly, stopping in front of her. "We need to talk."

Her heart skipped a beat. She knew what was coming. The time had come for her to make a decision.

"About what?" Aria asked, though she already knew the answer. She felt a knot form in her stomach, but she tried to keep her voice steady.

Leo hesitated for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "About everything," he said gently. "I can see you’re struggling. I don’t want you to feel like you have to choose between us. But I think it’s time you figure out what you want. I care about you, Aria. I really do."

Aria felt a pang in her chest. She had been avoiding this conversation for so long, but now that it was here, she wasn’t sure what to say. Her feelings for Leo were clear—he made her feel safe, cared for, and he had been there for her through it all. But Riven… Riven was a different story. She couldn’t deny the attraction, the pull, but she also couldn’t deny the distance he kept.

"Leo," she began, her voice faltering. "I don’t know what to say. I care about you too. But I’m also… I’m confused."

Leo nodded, his expression calm and understanding. "I know. But you have to make a decision, Aria. You can’t keep living in this uncertainty. I don’t want to pressure you, but you need to figure out what your heart is telling you."

Before Aria could respond, the sound of footsteps interrupted them. She turned to see Riven standing at the end of the hallway, his eyes locked on her with a look that was hard to decipher.

"What’s going on here?" Riven asked, his voice low and guarded, though there was a sharpness in his tone that caught Aria off guard.

Leo didn’t back down, but his expression shifted slightly. "We’re just talking, Riven," he said, his voice steady. "Aria’s trying to figure things out."

Riven’s gaze flickered between the two of them before turning back to Aria, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Is that so?" he asked, his voice dripping with tension. "And what exactly is there to figure out?"

Aria felt her heart skip a beat at the question. Riven’s coldness had returned, but there was an edge to it now—something more vulnerable hidden beneath the surface. She wasn’t sure whether to answer, or if she even had the words to explain what she was feeling.

"Riven…" Aria began, but Riven cut her off before she could continue.

"No," Riven said, stepping forward, his voice sharper now. "Tell me, Aria. What is going on between you and Leo?" His gaze was intense, demanding an answer.

Aria froze. The question hung in the air, thick with the weight of everything that had been left unsaid between them. Her mind raced, trying to piece together how to explain her feelings. She didn’t want to hurt either of them, but she couldn’t avoid the truth any longer.

Leo, sensing the tension, stepped back slightly, his face calm but his eyes full of understanding. He knew the answer wasn’t his to give.

Aria swallowed hard before speaking, her voice barely a whisper. "I don’t know what I want, Riven."

Riven’s face shifted slightly, his expression becoming unreadable. He crossed his arms over his chest, his jaw tight. "You don’t know what you want?" he repeated, his voice low, almost incredulous. "So you’re still unsure, then?"

Aria nodded, feeling the sting of his words. "I care about both of you, but I don’t know how to choose. It’s just... everything is so complicated."

Riven’s eyes darkened, but instead of retreating, he took a step closer to her. "You don’t get to keep stringing us along, Aria." His voice was raw, full of emotion he usually kept hidden. "I can’t keep pretending like I don’t care."

The raw honesty in his words hit Aria harder than she expected. She wanted to respond, but her emotions were all over the place. She was overwhelmed, her heart torn in too many directions. She had always been so careful about not getting too attached, but now that she was here, standing in front of both Leo and Riven, she realized how deeply involved she had already become.

After a long silence, Riven took a deep breath, his tone softening slightly. "I need to know, Aria. Are you choosing him? Or are you choosing me?"

The question hung in the air, the weight of it crushing. Aria’s chest tightened as she tried to find the right words, but nothing seemed to come out. How could she choose between the two men who had made such an impact on her life?

Leo’s voice broke the silence, calm yet firm. "Take your time, Aria. Don’t feel pressured by anyone. Just be honest with yourself."

But Riven didn’t look at Leo. His gaze remained fixed on Aria, waiting for her response. The silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating.

Aria stood frozen, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. She wasn’t ready to make a choice, but she knew she couldn’t keep avoiding the inevitable. The time had come.