LOGINARIELLA My eyes instinctively moved around the table, searching. “Where is Maria?” The question slipped out more naturally than I expected. Not sharp, not loud. Just… there. Maria should have been at the table with Leon. She wasn't but Sia was, why? Sia’s smile didn’t falter, but it softened ju
ARIELLA The next day, Leon and Asher were up bright and early. They went through their morning routine and by the time I woke up, it was already around eight. I took a shower, got dressed, and headed downstairs, wondering why they still weren’t back. They had left at five in the dark of the morni
ARIELLA “What the hell is going on here?” Asher asked. Maria dropped the pillow immediately, Like she had just realised we were there. She stepped back quickly, wrapping her arms around herself, her eyes avoiding all of us. “Luca,” Asher said, his voice harder now. “What the hell is going on?”
ARIELLA Leon looked at Luca more carefully this time And for a second, I saw it.... The shift, the realisation that Uncle Luca wasn’t his usual self. Leon then just nodded slowly. “Okay, Dad,” he said. “I’ll go inside with Mom.” Then, like nothing had changed, continued “It’s bath time an
ARIELLA This time, Luca answered. “She climbed higher than she should have,” he said, his tone quieter now, steadier. “Lost her footing.” Leon’s eyes widened. “And then?” “Asher caught her,” Luca said simply, nodding toward him. “Before she fell.” Leon turned to Asher, as if he had just confir
ARIELLA Asher gave me a questioning look as he sat down. "What's going on?" He whispered low. I shrugged slightly. "Sia happened," I whispered back. Frowning. “So,” Asher said, turning back to Leon, “how was your day?” “It was fun!” Leon said immediately. “I learned so much. And she told me th
I walk forward — towel still wrapped around me, still damp from the shower — but none of that matters. All that matters is Asher. All that matters is the way he watches me. When I reach the edge of the bed, he reaches out his uninjured hand to me. Without hesitation, I take it. He gently tugs me cl
The moment she saw me, her eyes lit up with concern. “Ariella, how are you feeling?” she asked quickly, rushing toward me and wrapping me in a hug. I froze. That was new. I looked at her, confused and quietly heartbroken. “I’m fine,” I answered softly. “Why wouldn’t I be?” "Because of Asher," s
I nearly felt like dying with mortification. On one side, there was the embarrassment—what we had just done, what Luca realized I had done, we had done. But on the other side, it was Asher’s life. The life I had put at risk. Just because I wanted to sleep with him. Because I wanted to get pregnant.
Asher's gaze flashed. "I can't be a righteous man right now, Ariella... Stop doing that." I bit my bottom lip. He hissed as I asked, "Stop doing what?" "If you continue doing that, I'm going to have to break all the promises I made to you. Break all the promises I made to your parents...." He t







