MasukDamien’s P.O.VThe silence in the car was no longer thick with anger; it was heavy with a fragile, heartbreaking grief.I looked at Aria, and the sight of her nearly broke me. Her small frame was shaking, her lips quivering as she struggled to hold back the next wave of sobs, and her eyes—those wide, soulful eyes—were swimming in tears.She looked so small, so utterly convinced of her own insignificance, as if she were a smudge on a canvas that I was just waiting to wipe away.The frustration I had felt moments ago—the urge to shake her and tell her to fight back—vanished instantly. It was replaced by a searing protectiveness that burned in my chest. I didn't want her to be a warrior right now; I just wanted her to know she was safe.I parked the car at the side of the road, making sure I was parking at a spot where we wouldn’t be interrupted.Then I reached out, my hand cupping the back o
Aria’s P.O.VI couldn't move. I couldn't even blink. Amara’s words had acted like a physical weight, pinning me to the spot, stripping away every layer of defense I had spent years building.I felt like a ghost in my own body, watching the wreckage of my self-esteem scatter around me. I was waiting for the final blow, for the moment Amara would laugh in my face and walk away, leaving me to drown in the silence of my own insignificance.But the silence didn't last.Before I could even draw a breath to speak, before I could even attempt to wipe the tears from my cheeks, a sudden, violent force surged behind me. A pair of strong, possessive arms wrapped around my waist, yanking me backward with such intensity that my back slammed firmly against a broad, hard chest.The scent of him—sandalwood, expensive cologne, and raw power—enveloped me instantly.I gasped, my heart leaping, as Damien pulled me flush a
Aria’s P.O.VThe world felt like it was tilting on its axis, the colors of the studio blurring into a smudge of oppressive grays and golds.I shouldn't have stayed. I should have turned around the second I saw them—Damien and Sophia—standing in that secluded pocket of the room, their voices low, their proximity an intimate bubble that I didn't belong in.I stood there for a heartbeat too long, frozen by a magnetic pull of dread. I watched the way Sophia looked at him—not with the desperate hunger Amara possessed, but with a poised, knowing familiarity.It was the look of a woman who knew the map of his history, who knew the secrets of his childhood, and who spoke a language of status and expectation that I would never master.Beside her, Damien looked like a statue of granite. I couldn't hear their words, but I could feel the tension radiating off him. My chest tightened, a familiar, suffocating weight settl
Damien’s P.O.VThe air in the studio had become a suffocating cocktail of perfumes and desperation. I could feel them all—the orbiting planets of my life, each trying to pull me into their own gravity.Amara was a persistent itch, Steven was a blatant threat, and Sophia... Sophia was a ghost from a life I had long since buried.But Aria? Aria was the only thing that felt real.When Steven asked her to dinner, the sound of his voice triggered something primal in me. It wasn't just professional protectiveness; it was a territorial roar that echoed in my blood.The way he looked at her—as if she were a piece of art he could simply purchase or persuade—made my skin crawl. He didn't see the fragile, brilliant woman I knew; he saw a conquest."Aria has a full schedule. I'm sure she doesn't have time for 'creative' dinners." I said, my voice cutting through the chatter like a guillotine.I stepped into her space, effectively shielding Aria from his gaze. I could feel her trembling slightly b
Aria’s P.O.VThe return to the Belladonna production set felt like stepping back into a whirlwind, but this time, the wind was blowing from three different directions, and I was the one caught in the center, struggling to keep my footing.The energy on set was manic. We were in the final push for the Henderson campaign, and the pressure was suffocating.But amidst the chaos of lighting rigs and costume changes, there was a different kind of tension—a social electricity that made my skin prickle."Absolutely divine, Aria! The way you're handling the pacing of this scene is masterful," Steven beamed, stepping into my personal space. He didn't just praise me; he lingered.Every time he spoke, he leaned in a fraction too close, his voice dropping to a low, intimate register that felt like a physical touch. "You have an instinct for this that can't be taught. It’s raw, it’s intuitive... it’s captivating."I offered a tight, professional smile, stepping back to create a sliver of distance.
Aria’s P.O.VThe moment I walked into the room, the atmosphere in the office didn't just change; it shifted on a molecular level.Usually, the buzz of Henderson HQ was a low hum of productivity, the sound of keyboards clicking and hushed conversations about deadlines. But today, the air was electric, thick with a kind of frantic energy that made the hair on my arms stand up.I tried to focus on my monitor, but the whispers were like static, cutting through my concentration. People weren't even trying to be discreet. They were huddled in small groups by the water cooler, leaning over cubicle walls, their voices hushed but urgent."Did you see her?" a girl from accounting whispered, her eyes wide. "She’s actually back. I thought the rumors were just gossip, but she walked right into the executive wing this morning.""The Powell heiress," her colleague replied, sounding breathless. "I mean, look at the pedigree. Ivy League, fluent in three languages, and that family wealth is practically
Ari’s P.O.VI took off my sunglasses and placed them on my desk before plopping down heavily onto my chair.Amara hadn't returned home last night. In fact, I had no idea if she was coming back today or had she eloped with Landon altogether because for the first time in my life…I hadn't returned hom
Aria’s P.O.VI wake up slowly, as if I am being pulled out of deep water, my thoughts heavy and sluggish. My body feels weighed down by a strange mix of warmth and discomfort. A dull ache pulses behind my eyes, steady and insistent, making me wince before I even fully open them. The first thing I n
Aria’s P.O.V“Are you alright?” the man asked, his gaze steady as it searched my face.I couldn’t answer. My body felt heavy, unresponsive, as if I were still trapped in the moment he had pulled me out of.God… he looked unreal, like he was a Greek god who’d stepped down from Mt. Olympus.Midnight
Aria’s P.O.V“My sister is the most gullible woman in the world. Even if she caught us right now—naked under the covers—I could tell her you were helping me rehearse for a play and she’d believe it.”“That’s why I like you, Amara,” Landon replied lazily. “You know exactly what you want, and you’re







