LOGIN(Author’s POV)The dining room was quiet, sunlight streamed through the tall glass windows, spilling soft golden streaks across the polished marble table, but it did nothing to ease the tension hanging thick in the air.Aria sat in the dining room, her only movement is the slow, absent swirl of her spoon through the milk in her mug.Clink.Clink.Clink.The sound was soft in the silence, but at the same time it felt unbearably loud.Her eyes weren’t on the cup.They weren’t on anything.They were distant—lost somewhere between confusion, unease and the lingering weight of what happened between her and Ethan last night.Across from her, Devi watched in silence, her sharp gaze taking in every detail, the faint pallor of Aria’s skin, the crease between her brows, the stiffness in her shoulders that didn’t belong to someone simply having breakfast.“You don’t look fine,” Devi said at last.Aria didn’t reply.The spoon kept circling.Clink. Clink.“I don’t know...” she murmured eventually,
(Author’s POV) “If you still love your ex-wife, tell her to stay away from my man.” The line went dead immediately after, leaving nothing but a hollow silence on the other end. For some seconds, he remained still, the phone pressed to his ear even after the call had ended, as though his body hadn’t yet understood what had just happened. Slowly, he lowered it, his brows knitting together in confusion. Who the hell was that? At first, he had thought it was Aria—maybe calling from another number, maybe trying to play some strange game—but the voice didn’t carry her warmth, her softness. There was something else in it. Something colder. Possessive. Threatening. And then the meaning of the words truly sank in. Stay away from my man. His expression darkened instantly. It wasn’t just a random call. It wasn’t a mistake. It was a warning. And the worst part is that it was directed at Aria. His grip on the phone tightened as he dropped his hand, the muscles in his jaw flexing. Withou
Ethan’s POV Sweat gathered slowly along my forehead, sliding down my temple in thin, cold lines. My fingers trembled slightly at my sides, and I dragged a hand through my hair, gripping it harder. I was trying to ground myself, I was trying to hold on to something real before everything slipped out of my control. My breathing was uneven.Too fast. Too loud.Too unstable. And then I turned, only to see that Aria was awake. Her eyes were wide, like she had just witnessed something she couldn’t process. Her lips were parted a little, her chest rising and falling quickly beneath the duvet she clutched tightly to herself, almost like a shield. She swallowed when our gaze locked. I climbed onto the bed quickly and pulled her into my arms, wrapping myself around her like I needed her to breathe, like she was the only thing keeping me from completely breaking apart. But she didn’t hug me back. That alone made my chest ache. Her body was stiff in my arms, trembling slightly, like
Ethan’s POV I blink slowly, my lashes lowering and rising again like I’m buying myself a few extra seconds to think, to choose my words carefully, to not say the wrong thing. My throat feels tight and dry at the same time. Like something is stuck there and refuses to move. I clear it softly. “My mom will never make me choose someone else… I can tell you that.” The words come out convincingly, too convincingly. Aria smiles. And that smile hits me straight in the chest. She believes me. She didn’t hesitate, didn’t question it, didn't look deeper into my eyes to search for cracks. She just believes me. And that alone makes the guilt settle deeper inside me, heavier than it already was. Because the truth is I lied. I fucking lied. My hands moved, wrapping around her waist, pulling her closer into me. I need to feel her, I need to remind myself why I’m even doing this. Her body fits perfectly against mine as if it was made for me. And maybe that’s why I lied so easily. B
I frowned slightly. “So this is not fake?” “No.” he kissed my forehead.“Not even a little, my queen.” Silence fell between us again, but it was different now. I move slightly, my hands resting against his chest again. “…You really do not think I look bad?” I asked, almost reluctantly. He let out a quiet breath, like he could not believe I was still asking. “Aria,” he said, his thumb brushing gently against my cheek again, “you look like someone I cannot stop looking at.” My heart skipped. “And it is not because you are dressed up or trying,” he added. “It is just you baby.” I did not know what to say to that. So I did not say anything. I just leaned into him slowly, resting my head against his chest again. His arms came around me immediately, holding me close without making it a big moment. “…Okay,” I whispered. I stayed there for a while, quiet against him, listening to his heartbeat like it could settle everything going on in my head. It helped. A litt
Aria’s POV My lips parted, and a gasp escaped from my mouth the moment his lips closed around my erected right nipple, warmly, sending a slow, aching heat through my body. I gasped again softly, my fingers moving into his hair as I tried to steady myself. “Ethan…” His name slipped out of my lips. He hummed against my skin, the sound low, like he knew exactly what he was doing to me. “Hm...yes, my queen?” He kissed my right nipple and moved to the next one, his hand roaming around my body roughly doing something dangerous to my heart. I exhaled shakily, my chest rising and falling unevenly. I could feel my blood rushing out from my vagina, which made me shift slightly, pressing my lips together. “Ethan…” I called again, softer this time. He paused immediately. That was one of the best qualities about him, no matter how lost he seemed in me, he always listened when my tone changed. His head lifted, his eyes staring deeply into my soul. “What is it?” he asked, his vo
Aria’s POV It’s a new year, another page, another breath, another chance to begin with something new… or maybe someone new. I stood in front of the mirror, the room was quiet except for the faint hum of the air conditioner, watching my reflection stare back at me like a stranger I was still learn
Aria’s POV When Ethan drove me to the mansion, I didn’t wait for him to get down and open the car door the way he always did. I couldn’t wait any longer. The moment the car stopped, my chest tightened like someone had wrapped their fist around my ribs and refused to let go. My fingers trembled a
She stayed in my arms for a long moment, breathing out little by little. The tension in her shoulders softened, but I could still feel how tired she was—emotionally drained in a way sleep didn’t always fix, yet desperately she needed to sleep. I brushed my thumb gently over her arm. “You shou
Ethan’s POV I let out a shaky breath the moment I was alone, the maids and securities already left after giving them strict instructions not to let anyone in without me or Aria's or Devi's permission. The house felt different after he left, too quiet, like the walls themselves were holding thei







