FAZER LOGINARIA'S POV My eyes open slowly. They feel heavy, sticky, as if they’ve been closed for far longer than a normal night’s sleep. My mouth is dry. When I try to shift, my muscles hurt and feel stiff. For some seconds, I don’t know where I am. Then I hear the beep of monitor and faint smell of antiseptic. Hospital. I'm in a hospital. Why? Before I can process further, voices rush in. “She’s awake—oh my God, Regine’s awake!” Daisy is the first one I see clearly. Her eyes are swollen and red, face bare of makeup. She launches herself at the bed and wraps her arms around me, careful but desperate. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you,” she whispers against my hair, voice cracking. “I’m so sorry, Aria.” The rest of the room moves at once. Antoine is already leaning in too close. Aline smacks his arm. “Why are you hugging her so tightly? Do you want to compress her lungs?” “What’s your problem? Leave me alone,” Antoine shoots back, but he loosens his hold anyway. Uncle Mike st
THIRD’S PERSON POVNoah paced the corridor for what felt like the hundredth time, the soles of his shoes silent against the polished floor. Every few minutes he stopped a passing nurse, voice low and controlled but edgy. “Any change?” Each time the answer was the same. Still unconscious. Still running tests. Three hours. How the hell was that possible? He dragged a hand down his face, jaw tight. The image kept replaying—Aria’s face losing color mid-sentence, the sudden cough that turned into a struggle for air, Her knees giving out. One second she was cold and cutting him down with that fury of hers. The next she was falling. He had caught her. But the sound of her name tearing out of his throat still echoed in his ears. Staff had come running — and then the paramedics, the stretcher, the ambulance rode through had been a blur.He had ridden in the ambulance with her, one hand locked around hers the entire way, refusing to let go even when they wheeled her into the ER. Now he w
ARIA’S POVAlexis sits cross-legged on the bed beside my half-open suitcase, helping me fold the few pieces of clothing I actually brought with me weeks ago—when my uncle came to visit. “I’m going to miss you so much when you leave,” she says, carefully smoothing a blouse before placing it on the pile. I glance up from the outfit I’m setting aside for the studio tomorrow — a soft black trousers and cream blouse I can move in while working with Genevieve’s team. “I’ll miss you too. You can always come visit, you know. “You bet your ass I will.” She grins, then pauses, fingers brushing over the side pocket of my bag. “Ooh. What are these? They’re really nice.” I glance over. She’s holding up one of the handkerchiefs—the expensive ones my strange business partner—Mr junior insisted I take the last time we met. “A business partner gave them to me,” I say. Alexis makes an impressed sound, then suddenly leans forw
ARIA'S POV “…and that’s everything,” I finish, voice hoarse. “The seventy days. The deal. The fact that he knew the whole time and still looked me in the eye like I was just another problem to manage.” Alexis is quiet for some moment. Then she exhales, heavily “This is incredible,” she says finally. “Your father’s side of the family… they’re really ruthless. You’ve been through so much, Aria. And somehow you still managed to grow past all of it. I’m proud of you for that.” She pulls me into a tight hug before I can answer, one hand already reaching for the box of tissues on the coffee table. She presses a few into my palm and keeps an arm around my shoulders while I blot at my face. When she pulls back just enough to look at me, her eyes are searching. “You must really like him a lot, huh?” I shake my head hard in denial. Then the truth wins and I nod once, the tears starting again. “I tried, Lexy,” I choke out. “I tried so hard not to feel anything. The first time was
NOAH'S POV Something feels wrong before I’m fully awake. My hand slides across the sheets, searching for warmth. The space beside me is cold. Empty. My eyes open. “Princess?” The word comes out rough, still thick with sleep. I sit up and look toward the bathroom. The door is half open. No sound of water. No movement. I push the covers off and walk in. Empty. The air is dry; she hasn’t been in here recently. I pull on the robe she left draped over the chair and head downstairs. The kitchen is quiet. No sign of her. Then I see it — a small note propped against the coffee machine, next to a neat arrangement of ingredients she must have set out earlier. Ran out to the estate store to grab eggs for breakfast. Back in 10 mins. Don’t panic. — Aria A short breath of amusement leaves me. Of course she left a note. I pick up my phone to call her anyway, just to hear her voice and tell her to hurry back. First try: unreachable. Second try: the same. A low discomfort sett
ARIA'S POVI follow Jamie to a low stone bench at the edge of the residential park under a cluster of trees. He sits first. I stay standing for a second longer than necessary before lowering myself onto the edge, the cold eggs heavy in my lap.For like a minute, the only sound is the rustle of the autumn leaves over our heads. Then, he lets out a dry, mirthless laugh.“I can see you’re happy with him,” Jamie says, jerking his chin toward my neck. Of course. The hickey. Can everyone just leave the damn thing alone? I finally have sex after years of nothing and suddenly the world needs a front-row seat. Thanks, Noah. Really. I force a small smile and hope none of the sarcasm shows on my face. Jamie doesn’t speak again. He just watches me, eyes searching, and the silence stretches until it starts to itch. I clear my throat after another minute slips by in silence. I need to wrap this up and leave right now. If Noah wakes up, finds my note, and somehow tracks me down to a park bench
ARIA'S POV I stare up at the towering glass skyscraper of King Atelier. The building is breathtaking—a sleek masterpiece of white marble, brushed steel, and massive glass windows catching the bright sunlight. My dream building. Very soon, my business would surpass this heights. The revolving do
JAMIE'S POV From the center of the stage, even with the flashing cameras going off like gunfire, I still found her. Aria. And damn, she looked unreal. Aria had always been beautiful. Not just pretty but dangerously beautiful. People stare too long when they see her, I have to glare at them to sh
ARIA'S POV “Then go,” my father growled, standing up from the table. “I disown you as my daughter.” “Don’t say that, dear…” Carolina fake-interjected. “No, Lina. Let her go.” He yelled at her. “You idiot!" He says addressing me. "Was I the one that asked him to dump you, Aria? If you had be
ARIA'S POV The heavy front door clicked shut behind me. I stood on the smooth white marble floor of the foyer for a few seconds, to prepare myself before meetingtheir disgusting faces. Then I heard the laughter again. Louder this time. It was coming right from the dining room down the hall. L







