Mag-log inARIELLA The truth was… maybe I did. Maybe I had seen them before. Maybe I had grown up around them. But I didn’t actually know who had died. “I don’t know,” I said honestly. “Maybe.” Leon frowned again. “Then why didn’t you go to the funeral?” I hesitated. “I guess I should have,” I admitted
ARIELLA After breakfast, I tried to keep the morning as normal as possible. For Leon, and most importantly…For myself. “Mom,” Leon said, looking up at me, “should we go and prepare my study room? You told me that I could help.” “Of course,” I said. But before we walked out, I turned toward Marg
ARIELLA I held his gaze. “I can’t survive without you,” I said again. “You won’t have to,” he replied quietly. “I’m going to be okay. I’ll come back. I have to. You and Leon are waiting for me. I won’t break that promise.” He lifted my chin gently so I had no choice but to look at him. “I just
ARIELLA I woke up to feel light kisses on my face. I opened my eyes to find Asher hovering over me, pressing soft kisses against my skin. I let out a small laugh as he brushed his lips against mine before straightening. He was already dressed. Tie in place. Hair perfectly styled. Everything about
ARIELLA When Asher is finally, fully seated inside me, the bed groans beneath our combined weight. He pulls back out just as slowly, and the friction is enough to make my head swim. He’s doing this on purpose; I can see the intent in his eyes. He’s paying me back for every stolen glance and silen
ARIELLA That did it. Asher's expression shifted, something deeper, more certain. And this time when he kissed me, I didn’t hesitate. Didn’t hold back. Didn’t think about later or tomorrow. Or anything waiting for us outside that room. I let myself go into Asher's arms. I shiver beneath his touch,
ASHER I had hoped that giving my brother power would make him see me, really see me. I thought it would bring us closer, maybe even make him turn away from this ridiculous plan he had with Dinara. I believed, foolishly, that if he felt valued, if he held something of his own, he would let go of th
ASHER I went to bed and lay in waiting, my eyes fixed on the ceiling. Every nerve in my body was awake. The house was too quiet, the kind of silence that hums before a storm. When the time finally came, the lights flickered once, then went out. Total darkness. The power had been cut. This was it.
ARIELLA I should have known the moment the plane began to descend, the ocean below was too familiar, the curve of the coastline too. The island. The same island Asher had taken me to before. The one where he had built that sprawling, luxurious hotel that rose out of the cliffs like a secret only
ASHER “What did you do?” I asked him. “Well,” he began, fidgeting slightly, “I told her that no one could hurt you. When you told me that Leon was yours, or whatever....I went to Ariella, and I told her to tell you the truth before I did. Anyway, I accused her of a bunch of things, lying to you, t







