LOGIN2:45 P.M. Carter MansionThe shattered teacup lay scattered across the marble floor.Silence.No one moved.No one spoke.Richard Carter stared at the broken porcelain as though he'd seen a ghost."Richard?"Elizabeth frowned."What's wrong?"Richard blinked.Almost immediately, the shock disappeared from his face.He forced a smile."Nothing.""My hand slipped."Vivienne frowned.That wasn't like Richard.He never lost his composure.Not even during business crises.Yet one name...Ethan Cole....had drained every drop of color from his face.Damian noticed it too.His sharp eyes remained fixed on Richard."You know him?"Richard chuckled a little too quickly."Ethan?""No.""The name sounds vaguely familiar.""It's probably someone looking for money."He turned to the servant."Send him away."The servant hesitated."He refused to leave, sir.""He said...""...he has something that belongs to Miss Aria."Aria looked confused."I've never heard of Ethan Cole."The servant continued.
2:30 P.M. Carter MansionA sleek black Rolls-Royce glided through the wrought-iron gates of the Carter Mansion before coming to a smooth stop in the circular driveway.Aria stared out of the window.The mansion looked exactly the same.Grand.Elegant.Cold.So many memories lived within those walls.Very few of them were happy.Damian glanced at her."You don't have to do this."She smiled faintly."I know.""Then why are we here?"Aria looked down at the ivory invitation resting on her lap."Because after today...""I don't want anyone saying I forgot my family."Damian reached over and gently covered her hand with his."They may not deserve your kindness.""But it says a lot about the kind of person you are."Aria looked at him."You always know what to say."He smiled."No.""I just know you."The chauffeur opened the door.Damian stepped out first before turning back to help Aria.As soon as she stood beside him...He intertwined their fingers.Together...They walked toward the m
8:00 A.M. Cross MansionGolden sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains.Aria stirred awake, instinctively reaching toward the other side of the bed.Empty.She smiled faintly.Damian was already up.She slipped into a silk robe before making her way downstairs.The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the mansion.As expected...Damian was seated at the dining table, reading the morning financial reports while Mason stood nearby giving a security briefing."The additional team has already been deployed," Mason reported."The surveillance around Cross Mansion and Cross Group has been increased by forty percent."Damian nodded."Keep them in plain clothes.""I don't want Aria feeling like she's living inside a prison.""Understood, sir."Just then...Aria entered.Damian immediately stood."Good morning."She smiled."Morning."He pulled out a chair for her."You slept?""Barely."She sighed as she sat down."Every time I closed my eyes, I kept seeing that veil."Damian reached ac
7:15 P.M. Cross Mansion The moment the front doors closed behind them, Aria let out a long, exhausted sigh. She slipped off her heels and dropped them carelessly by the entrance. "What a day..." Damian loosened his tie as he followed her inside. "I've already doubled your security." "I also asked Mason to review the surveillance footage from Cross Group." Aria nodded absentmindedly. Her thoughts remained fixed on the ivory box. The veil. The blackened rose. The handwritten notes. Someone wanted her afraid. Someone wanted her looking over her shoulder. Damian walked into the living room and poured two glasses of water. He handed one to her. "You've barely said a word since we left the office." Aria accepted the glass. "I've been thinking." "About what?" She looked directly at him. "I know who sent it." Damian frowned. "You do?" Aria nodded slowly. "It was Vivienne." The room fell silent. Damian stared at her for several seconds before speaking. "You're certa
10:15 A.M. Cross Group Headquarters The elevator doors slid open. Aria Carter stepped out with effortless confidence. Dressed in a cream-colored pantsuit with her hair gathered into a sleek low bun, she looked every bit the future Mrs. Cross. Employees immediately straightened. "Good morning, Miss Carter." "Good morning, Miss Carter." She acknowledged each greeting with a polite nod before entering Damian's executive office. Evelyn Grant was already waiting. "You have a full schedule today." Aria sighed as she placed her handbag on the sofa. "When don't I?" Evelyn smiled. "The florist arrives at eleven." "The board meeting begins at noon." "And Global Business Weekly is expecting you at three." Aria pinched the bridge of her nose. "Reschedule the interview." Evelyn blinked. "You've never canceled a media interview." "I've had enough cameras in my face lately." "As you wish." Evelyn made a note on her tablet before looking up again. "There i
8:30 A.M. City Women's Correctional CenterThe heavy steel gates groaned as they slid open.A warm breeze swept across the courtyard, carrying with it the sounds of the city beyond the concrete walls.Freedom.Selene Vaughn stepped out slowly, shielding her eyes from the morning sun.For the first time in 19 months...There were no prison bars.No guards barking orders.No orange uniforms.Just the open sky.She closed her eyes and drew in a slow breath.The air smelled different.Cleaner.Alive.An officer approached, holding a small brown envelope."Ms. Vaughn."She opened her eyes."Your belongings."Selene accepted it without a word.Inside lay the scattered pieces of the life she'd lost.Her phone.A platinum watch.Diamond earrings.A tube of crimson lipstick.And a folded newspaper someone had slipped inside.Her brows knitted together.She unfolded it.The front page was dominated by a single headline.CROSS GROUP CEO DAMIAN CROSS TO WED CARTER HEIRESS ARIA CARTER IN SOCIETY'S
Aria got home exhausted , the kind of tired that sits deep in the bones. Her steps were slow as she entered through the garden walkway. Selene was there, lounging like a queen on a wicker chair, snacking on strawberries and scrolling through her phone. Her sunglasses were pushed up lazily, the pict
The sun had barely risen when the soft hum of packing filled Aria’s room. Grandma Eleanor stood by the bed, carefully folding her shawls into a small suitcase.“Grandma, I wish you’d stay a little longer,” Aria said quietly, her voice small, her eyes tired but warm.Eleanor turned and smiled, that
Upstairs in Damian’s room, Selene stood before the mirror, her reflection glowing in the soft evening light.Her lips curled into a slow, devilish smile — the kind that didn’t reach her eyes.She adjusted the strap of her red satin dress, tilting her head just enough to admire her handiwork. Every
Saturday arrived like a scene straight out of a glossy magazine.The Carter estate shimmered under the late afternoon sun, draped in gold ribbons, floating candles, and fresh white roses. Guests filled the grand garden—fashion icons, business elites, relatives, and a swarm of paparazzi waiting for







