LOGINAria's POVI sat on the very edge of my bed that Tuesday morning feeling completely drained and on edge after barely getting any sleep at all the night before, my hands trembling slightly as I clutched my phone so tight in my lap that my knuckles turned white. The echo of Lyra's threatening words from yesterday outside my bedroom door kept playing in my mind without stopping. "You were alone with Dad six weeks ago. Not Ronan. The truth needs to be spoken before I find out the truth. The woman already possessed too much knowledge and she advanced toward discovering all the secrets which I had worked so hard to maintain hidden from others. The wedding rehearsal loomed just hours away now and thick tension filled the entire house like a massive storm cloud about to break open and pour down destruction on us all. I needed to share this heavy burden because I could not handle it by myself anymore. Selene remained my best friend through everything despite the lies that kept increasing betwe
Lyra's POVMy bedroom floor became my pacing space after I completed a face-to-face confrontation with Aria. My mind raced with pure anger and rock-solid determination like I had never felt before in my life. Her face had gone completely white as a sheet when I threw the truth right in her face about those exact six weeks she spent alone in this house and she had just stood there frozen like a statue without managing to say even a single word back to me in her own defense. The silent moment between us brought me complete knowledge because she proved herself guilty through her fear of me exposing her entire fabricated story. With each passing hour of the wedding countdown the sound of the clock became louder. The time had arrived to begin working on my plan which required me to collect actual evidence that would bring about her total destruction to all important people who existed. I locked my bedroom door after making sure no one could enter my room. I pulled my desk chair out from un
Aria's POVMy body woke up that Monday morning with tight stomach anxiety which made sitting up in bed impossible for me. My prenatal checkup appointment was my only obligation that day which I had to attend because I could not cancel or reschedule it. The doctor's appointment which I had been anticipating since my first positive pregnancy test announcement was scheduled two weeks after the office arranged it. The current time was already 7:30 AM according to my quick time check. The house remained quiet because everyone else slept which created an opportunity for me to leave home without anyone seeing or hearing my departure. I needed to keep my actual hospital visit reason hidden from all of them. Family members who do not belong to my immediate family will regard this appointment as a standard medical examination for a small health issue. I left my bed area with great care to avoid making any noises that might disturb someone who was asleep near me. I stood still for a moment to to
Lyra's POVI woke up early that Sunday morning with my phone already clutched tightly in my hand showing all the photos I had taken at the boutique the day before. The pictures served as perfect evidence for my requirements. The baby cannot be Ronan's based on her claims. The timeline made it impossible to ignore, 6 weeks and I know what happened six weeks ago. Dad had been home alone with her for that entire week when Selene was away visiting Mom. Excitement flooded my body when I sat up in my bed. The beginning of rumors required me to take stealthy action. The people in the room needed to show me their reaction to her story because I wanted to observe who would start to doubt her. The wedding date approached too soon for me to launch my first direct attack. people needed to start questioning everything which they believed to be true.I got dressed quickly in jeans and a simple t-shirt before heading downstairs to the kitchen. After I sat down I joined my sister Selene at the table.
Aria's POV**I stood in front of my closet with both hands trembling slightly at my sides as I stared at the clothes hanging there. I had left the green tunic from yesterday on the chair when I took it off last night. The wedding dress trial had made me feel anxious to the point that it caused my stomach to churn. Selene would arrive soon to take me to the boutique. The baby bump felt more noticeable to me every single day. I needed to hide it. What would happen if the wedding dress failed to conceal my body? What if the mirrors in the fitting room showed a clear outline that could not be hidden? Ronan would notice right away. Selene would start asking questions. And Lyra would have all the proof she needed to attack. I took a deep shaky breath and reached for the baggiest sweater I owned. The sweater reached down to my hips when I pulled it on. I combined it with my black pants which had an elastic waistband as the most comfortable option. I now felt a bit more secure about myself. I
Aria's POVI remained seated on my bed while I pulled my legs toward my chest. My eyes remained fixed on the new clothes I had purchased the previous day. The oversized tunics and loose pants seemed to stare back at me. They had now become my protection. The black one felt soft to the touch when I picked it up. The material had a stretchy quality. The design hid my developing pregnancy bump effectively. I held it against my body and stood up to check myself in the mirror. I turned to the side slowly. The fabric of my outfit created a perfect fit on my body. My body showed no curves at all. My pregnancy went completely undetected. I felt completely vulnerable although I appeared fully covered. I felt like everyone in the house could see my fake stories.The house felt too quiet that afternoon. Ronan was out with Selene running errands to pick up the wedding invites from the printer downtown. Elowen had gone to the store for groceries. Lupin remained at his workplace. That left just me
Lyra's POVI forcefully closed my locker and looked around the hallway. Students were exiting the school building at the same speed as they always did during dismissal. Groups laughing. Backpacks swinging. But my eyes locked on Aria. She walked slow, head down, hugging her books tight against her
Aria's POVMy phone started vibrating on the nightstand which woke me up from my sleep. I opened my eyes then I immediately took the phone. Ronan sent me a message which said "Landed safe. On my way to the house now. Can't wait to see you.I sat up slow and put a hand on my belly. The bump felt a l
Lyra's POVI woke up earlier than usual because the house was quiet but I could hear someone moving downstairs. I heard Mom making coffee and I heard Selene humming in the shower and I believed Aria was pretending to sleep in her room. I hated how she acted like she belonged here. She just pretende
Aria's POVThe next morning, I sat up in bed and looked at the clock. The time was six in the morning. The hour was too early for anyone to be awake. Good. I needed time alone to think. The wedding was approaching fast. Ronan would arrive at any moment. My mom, Vesper, had made it clear there was n







