2. INTO THE FIRE 

ARIA'S POV

The ultimate power couple. That's what they call them.

A bitter taste filled my mouth as Jamie and Lora looked at each other with loving eyes on that stage. Seeing how perfectly they fit each other felt like a blow to my chest, a pain so deep I literally wanted to rip my heart out just to make it stop.

The applause continued, turning into a roaring wave that filled the room.

I was breaking apart in the middle of a crowded room, but no one seemed to notice.

All around me held the discussion of the newly engaged course. I caught snippets of conversations— “Oh, finally!”, “I knew it was her all along!” and “They look so cute together.”

People were expecting this? They knew? How did everyone in this room know about this except me, one of the party involved?

Jamie didn’t look in my direction. He didn't dare to. I willed him to, begged him with my burning eyes to give some kind of any... explanation to... this.

He knew where I was, I was ten thousand percent certain of that because my gaze was definitely burning his skin but he was doing a good job avoiding looking in my direction.

Fucking coward.

His eyes stayed locked on Lora as he took her hand and slid a heavy diamond ring onto her finger. I couldn't help noticing it was the exact ring from the damn receipt.

The betrayal slammed into me all over again, stealing the air from my lungs.

It shouldn’t have hurt this much. Not more than that day. But it did.

Then Lora looked at me.

Out of all the faces in the room… she found mine.

And there it was. That familiar, ugly flash of mockery in her eyes. A silent, venomous message passed between us: I won again. I took him from you. Just like everything else.

My nails dug into my palms.

You fucking snake.

The room began to spin around me.

I couldn't stay here. I couldn't watch them touch.

I turned, pushing through the crowd, ignoring the startled looks and muttered protests.

I just needed out.

On the way toward the exit, Mario intercepted me.

"You look like you need this, Aria," he murmured, putting a cold glass into my hand. Mario—a guy I had known for years, someone I actually trusted as a real friend.

I was always a lightweight, usually avoiding alcohol entirely, but the agony in my chest was unbearable, burning me alive.

I needed it gone—needed something to dull it.

Without a second thought, I took the glass and swallowed the liquid down my throat in desperate gulps, begging for the ache in my chest to fade.

The liquid scorched down my throat, bitter and sharp.

That was my greatest mistake.

The moment I stumbled out of the bright ballroom and into the dimly lit corridor, my vision blurred.

Through the haze, sweat broke out across my forehead.

Alarm bells blared in my head. I had a feeling that I was being followed. I willed myself to look back.

And walking a few paces behind me were two large, heavy-built men. Their faces were blurry in the dim light, but their sharp dark suits and broad shoulders were unmistakable.

They were trailing me.

I picked up my pace, but they immediately matched my speed. They were hot on my heels.

Shit.

Panic raced through my chest, and my head wouldn't stop spinning. I ran straight toward the bank of elevators, my gold heels clicking loudly against the marble floor.

I slammed my thumb against the button again and again.

“Come on… come on…”

My heart was pounding hard against my ribs, praying the doors open before they reached me.

Ding.

I had never been so happy to hear that sound.

The metal doors slid apart and I stumbled inside and turned around.

One of them lunged forward. His hand shot through the narrowing gap.

For a split second, our eyes met.

A dark, terrifying smirk twisted his lips. He looked like a predator closing in on its prey. A devil.

I choked on a breath as the doors slammed shut inches from his fingers.

The elevator began to rise and my legs gave out. I collapsed onto the floor trembling uncontrollably.

Heat.

Lord… so much heat.

It spread through my body like liquid fire, pooling low in my stomach, racing through my veins.

My skin burned.

Every brush of my purple dress against my skin felt scorching and intense.

I pressed my back against the metal wall of the elevator, It barely helped.

The heat inside my blood was multiplying, rushing through my veins like boiling oil.

What the fuck was wrong with me? Alcohol didn't cause a reaction like this. I didn't know much about drinking, but I knew this wasn't normal.

The elevator finally stopped.

I was at the highest floor and the doors opened to an executive hallway.

I forced myself up, fumbling and swaying on my feet, the terror of the two men catching up to me pushing me forward.

I couldn't, wouldn't get caught.

I staggered forward, gripping the wall for balance, until I reached the only door at the end of the hall.

My hands were shaking as I grabbed the door handle.

Click.

It was unlocked.

I stumbled inside, throwing my weight against the heavy wood until the door clicked shut behind me, locking out the quiet hallway.

I leaned against the door, heaving in relief.

Safe.

I had escaped the clutches of those men.

I was finally safe.

At least… that’s what I thought.

Because I had no idea, I hadn’t escaped anything.

I had just walked straight from the frying pan, into something far worse.

Into the fire.