7

Chapter 7

Aria's POV

My mom cornered me in my bedroom while I was changing out of my university clothes.

"I've made a decision‚" she said‚ sitting on the edge of my bed like she was about to deliver good news. "I'm going to fix things with Kael."

I pulled my shirt over my head and kept my back to her so she wouldn't see my face. "Fix things how?"

"By being a better wife. By showing him that what happened was a mistake and that I'm still committed to this marriage." She smoothed down my bedsheet like she was practicing being domestic. "I know things have been tense‚ baby. But every marriage goes through rough patches. Your stepfather is a good man. I just need to remind him why he chose me."

I wanted to laugh. I wanted to scream. Instead I grabbed a clean top and said‚ "That's great‚ Mom."

"You don't sound like you mean that."

"I do. I'm just tired."

She stood up and kissed the side of my head. "Dinner's at seven. I'm making his favorite. Wear something nice."

She left and I stood there gripping the shirt in my hands so hard my knuckles ached.

*Wear something nice.*

For a dinner where I'd have to sit across from the man who made me come so hard I forgot my own name and watch my mother try to win him back with pasta and perfume.

This was my life now.

---

Dinner was worse than I imagined.

My mom had gone all out. Candles on the table. Wine glasses. A dress that showed off her shoulders and the gold necklace Kael had given her for their anniversary. She looked beautiful and I hated that my first thought was wondering if Kael noticed.

He came to the table in a black henley with his sleeves pushed up and his hair still damp from a shower and I had to look at my plate immediately because the sight of his forearms alone made my stomach flip.

"I made your favorite‚" Diane said‚ reaching over to squeeze his hand as he sat down. "Garlic butter steak with roasted potatoes."

"Thank you‚" Kael said. His voice was flat but polite.

"I also opened that Merlot you like. The one from the pack vineyard in Ashford." She poured his glass and let her fingers brush his while handing it to him. "Remember when we went there for our first anniversary? You said the sunset over the vineyard was the most beautiful thing you'd ever seen."

"I remember‚" he said‚ and took a sip without looking at her.

My mom didn't stop. She touched his arm when she talked. Laughed too loud at things that weren't funny. Called him *babe* three times in ten minutes. Leaned across the table so her cleavage was impossible to miss and said things like "we should go back to Ashford this summer‚ just the two of us."

Kael ate his food and gave one-word answers while my mother performed the role of happy wife as if her life depended on it.

And I sat there.

Watching.

Cutting my steak into smaller and smaller pieces while my chest burned.

"Aria‚ honey‚ you've barely touched your food‚" my mom said.

"I'm not that hungry."

"Are you feeling okay? You look pale."

"I'm fine‚ Mom."

Diane turned back to Kael and put her hand on his thigh under the table. I knew because I saw her arm move and saw the way his jaw tightened for half a second before he reached for his wine.

"I was thinking‚" Diane said softly‚ leaning into him‚ "maybe tonight we could actually spend some time together. Watch a movie. Talk. Like we used to."

Kael set his glass down. "I have work to do."

"You always have work to do. Kael‚ I'm trying here."

"I know you are."

"Then meet me halfway. Please."

The silence that followed was suffocating. My mom's hand was still on his thigh. Her eyes were wide and hopeful and desperate and I couldn't look at either of them for one more second.

"I'm done‚" I said‚ pushing my chair back. "Thanks for dinner‚ Mom."

"Aria‚ you barely ate—"

"I have assignments. Goodnight."

I walked out of that dining room as fast as I could without running. Made it to the stairs. Made it to my room. Closed the door and pressed my back against it while my breath came out ragged and uneven.

I could still hear my mom's voice drifting up from downstairs. Soft. Pleading.

And Kael's silence in response.

I pressed my palms against my eyes and tried to push down the jealousy that was clawing up my throat because I had no right to feel it. She was his wife. She was my mother. Whatever happened between me and Kael at The Veil was a mistake and whatever almost happened in his classroom was insanity and I needed to get a grip.

I needed to get a fucking grip.