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Why Leave?

Author: Ella Mart
last update Last Updated: 2026-02-06 22:03:08

MARK

The elevator doors slid shut, taking Aria away, and the silence rushed back into the penthouse.

I stood there for a moment, listening to the hum of the city outside the glass. Then, I let out a breath that was half-laugh, half-shudder.

I walked back to the coffee table and picked up the tablet. The screen was still glowing, beautiful and bright in the dim room.

TRANSFER COMPLETE: $25,000,000.00

I traced the numbers with my thumb. Twenty-five million. It was real and sitting pretty
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  • Dear Ex fiancè:I crawled out of grave, it's too late to beg    Head-On

    ARIA The applause was thunderous, vibrating through the floorboards of the stage, but I couldn't feel the victory.As I stepped away from the podium, a strange, heavy sensation settled in my chest. It wasn't pride. It wasn't a relief. It was a sickening, weird feeling that crawled under my skin like insects. I felt dirty. I felt exposed.I didn't bother with the party anymore because at this point I think I have achieved what I want for tonight. I shook hands with a few other people reaching out to shake my hand and gave a fake smile when needed. The room suddenly felt like a cage, the air too suffocating and deceitful to breathe.I excused myself from the crowd and walked away, keeping my distance, heading toward a lonely spot near the exit while keeping my eyes on the door.I walked straight out of the ballroom, down the corridor, and out into the biting cold of the New York night."Ms. Aria?" my driver asked, jumping to open the door of the SUV.I didn't answer. I just climbe

  • Dear Ex fiancè:I crawled out of grave, it's too late to beg    SCREW ARIA!

    MARK. "Can't you see it?" Zane whispered, her eyes wide and manic. "Can't you read the writing on the wall? Aria isn't real, Mark." "She’s real enough to wire twenty-five million dollars," I snapped, tired of her hysteria. "She’s real enough to save this company." "No," Zane shook her head violently. "She’s a mirage, she’s a reflection. She talks like a predator. She isn't a partner, Mark. She’s a punishment." "You're drunk, Zane," I said dismissively. "Go to bed." "I'm not drunk!" she screamed, the sound echoing off the high ceilings. "I'm the only one seeing this clearly! You're blinded by greed, and Jason is blinded by lust! But I see her. She hates us. She hates us with a fire that doesn't make sense for a stranger." She walked toward the hallway, her white dress trailing behind her like a shroud. She paused at the entrance to the master bedroom—the room that used to belong to Elara—and looked back at us with dead eyes. "She’s going to bury us," Zane said softly. "And wh

  • Dear Ex fiancè:I crawled out of grave, it's too late to beg    What's Happening?

    MARK I scanned the ballroom for the third time, my eyes darting frantically between the clusters of investors and the white rose displays. Still can't find her, not even a glimpse of her reflection. Just minutes ago, Aria was standing on the stage, bathing in the applause, looking like the queen of New York. But now, as the orchestra began to play a slower waltz and the waiters circulated with fresh champagne, the silver dress was nowhere to be seen. She hadn’t come to say goodnight or offered a professional handshake to seal the evening’s success. She hadn’t even sent a text message. She had simply evaporated into the night before the first guest had even called for their coat. "Mr. Miller? Is everything alright?" a board member asked, holding out a hand to congratulate me. I ignored him. I walked right past him, my jaw set so hard my teeth ached. I didn't care about the optics anymore. I didn't care if it looked rude. I also didn't check if Zane was still by the ice sculpt

  • Dear Ex fiancè:I crawled out of grave, it's too late to beg    At the gala

    ARIA "Mark," I called out, my voice sharp enough to cut through his rambling. "I need some privacy." Mark stopped. He looked sweaty and desperate, staring back at me with pleading eyes. "Aria, listen," he stammered, stepping in front of me again. "I’m really sorry about what just happened. Jason... My brother doesn't know how to behave in public. He’s been out of the country for a long time. He’s rough. Please, don't let him ruin the night." I looked at him with zero patience. "Mark," I said coldly. "I do not care about your brother. I don't care about his manners or where he has been. The only thing that brought me here tonight is this company. That is what matters most to me. My investment." I took a step forward, forcing him to move out of my way. "If you'd excuse me," I said, making it clear it wasn't a request. "I’d love to get a drink. Alone. Before the event needs me for the speech." I didn't wait for him to answer. I walked away, heading straight for the VIP bar se

  • Dear Ex fiancè:I crawled out of grave, it's too late to beg    Are you kidding me?

    MARK "That's Aria, Jason," I said, pointing my chin toward the staircase. "That's a lie," Jason countered instantly, not even blinking. He squinted, leaning forward like a cartoon character trying to read fine print. He looked from the woman descending the stairs to me, and then back to me. "I’m not playing around," I said, taking a long, deliberate sip of champagne to hide the smug grin threatening to split my face. "I am dead serious, Jason. That is our investor, that is twenty-five million dollars walking on two very nice legs." "Oh, I see," Jason breathed out, a low, appreciative whistle escaping his lips. "I see everything." He took a step back, running a hand through his messy hair. His whole demeanor shifted from 'angry thug' to 'lovesick puppy' in two seconds flat. He looked like a pirate who just found a treasure chest that opened itself. "Well," Jason chuckled, the sound dry and amused. "If you’re being honest, Mark... then I think I can finally see why you haven't

  • Dear Ex fiancè:I crawled out of grave, it's too late to beg    That's Aria

    MARK Aria, Miss Know-It-All, has turned my life into a circus.I stood near the open bar, nursing a glass of champagne I had no interest in, watching the ballroom of the Plaza Hotel fill up with people I barely tolerated. It's Christmas Eve. Any other year, I would be halfway to a private suite in Vegas or chilling in a high-end brothel in Amsterdam with a woman who didn't ask questions. I should be relaxing and spending my stolen fortune. Instead, I’m standing here playing the role of the perfect CEO at a gala I never asked for. She is such a hard nut to crack. I had agreed to this event after days of her relentless persuasion. She claimed it was necessary to "reassure the investors." She claimed we needed to show the world that Vance Logistics was alive and well. But even after I said yes, she didn't let me be. She literally turned me into an event planner. She picked the flowers, the music and the wine list.“Ever since Aria walked into my life two weeks ago, she’s been writ

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