CHAPTER 40

ARIA’S POV

A sense of unease prickles at the back of my neck as I feel someone following me at a quick pace. Instinctively, I quicken my steps, the rhythmic sound of my heartbeats matching the cadence of my movements.

Every footfall reverberates with a sense of urgency, echoing the racing thoughts in my mind. Then I hear a familiar voice.

“Aria! Wait!”

As I turn back and come face to face with Adam, disgust courses through me. My features harden into a mask of disdain, the emotions churning within me evident in the coldness of my expression.

It is a visceral reaction, fueled by years of resentment and betrayal that have festered beneath the surface. In that moment, there is no room for pretense or diplomacy, but only the raw intensity of my contempt for the man who has caused me so much pain.

With a steely gaze, I hold his gaze, refusing to let him off the hook for his past transgressions.

“Are you here for the divorce papers?”

My question is to remind him that he cannot close the dis