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The Names in the Room

Author: Jovik
last update Last Updated: 2025-07-05 04:28:31

Ariana’s POV

The second file came at 6:04 a.m. no greeting. No context, just a subject line:

“I told you there were others.”

I sat up in bed and opened it before I could talk myself out of it. Luca was still asleep beside me, one arm curled loosely around my waist, the room was dim. Still, but what I read… set everything on fire.

*******

FILE: Complicity Report — Unofficial

// Name: Jordan Reece

Role: Luxe Group PR Director

Status: Active

2018 — Met with Daniel and board members to privately manage Ariana’s miscarriage coverage. Suggested it be handled “quietly, respectfully, and without Ariana’s emotional involvement.” Internal quote: “We’ll frame this as a medical loss and pivot into her return to work. No public mention of pregnancy unless she brings it up — which she won’t.”

“She responds well to being useful. Keep her busy.”

// Name: Dr. Miranda Kline

Role: Ob/Gyn (Private)

Status: Retired

Coordinated Ariana’s D&C procedure. Records show that Daniel signed the consent form before
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  • Surrendered Desires   The Hero of Her Breakdown

    Ariana’s POVThe article dropped at 8:03 a.m. It was everywhere. Headlines dressed in silk. Photos from our wedding — me smiling in off-shoulder lace, Daniel’s hand barely touching mine.The title?/ “The Weight of Loving Ariana: A Husband’s Journey Through Grace and Loss”I sat at the kitchen table, staring at the screen. I didn’t scream. Didn’t cry. I just read. Every. Word. Excerpt: Daniel’s Article (Vanity Warden, Page 12)/ “Ariana has always been a force — brilliant, magnetic, endlessly complex. I fell in love with her chaos. I also tried to protect her from it.”“When we lost the baby, I saw a side of grief that changed me. But I stayed. I held her. I loved her in the silence.”“People assume control means cruelty. But sometimes, control is compassion. Sometimes, guiding someone is the greatest gift of love.”“I watched her build an empire of strength. I cheered for her every step. Even now, I want nothing but her healing.”My name was everywhere. His voice, everywhere louder.

  • Surrendered Desires   The Sound of Permission Being Stolen

    Ariana’s POVThe USB drive felt heavier than it should have. As if it carried not just files… but pieces of the woman I used to be. I sat in the corner of the living room, headphones on, Luca beside me in silence. Then I pressed play. And the truth spoke for itself.// [AUDIO FILE — TRANSCRIPT EXCERPT]Daniel:She’s spiraling. I can see it in her eyes. The miscarriage was… unfortunate, but it might give us time to reset her public image.Jordan Reece:We’ll frame it as personal leave. Soft language. Nothing too emotional. If she wants to speak, we pivot toward gratitude and resilience. Those are palatable.Daniel:Exactly. She’s too unpredictable when she starts writing those journals. You’ve seen what she fantasizes about. That’s not the image we need right now.Jordan:Understood. I’ll pull quotes that sound dignified. Maybe something about strength. Quiet pain. Makes her look elegant.Daniel: Just keep her busy. Keep her tired. She functions better when she thinks she’s being helpf

  • Surrendered Desires   The Apology That Isn’t One

    Ariana’s POVThe second episode of Still Her went live at 9:14 a.m. I didn’t promote it. I didn’t post anything. I just… released it. Let it exist in the world like smoke leaving a fire that had been burning for years. And within hours, the comment section began flooding.“Thank you for saying what I couldn’t.”“I didn’t know how to name it until now.”“You just described my old job, my old relationship, my whole fucking life.”I watched it rise, not like a trending moment — but like a movement quietly stretching its arms. Luca read some of the messages beside me. When I looked at him, he just said, “You made them feel seen.”I nodded. But deep down, I knew what came next. When women speak, the world listens. But when women name names? The world starts to squirm.********At 2:21 p.m., I got a message I didn’t expect.Not from Daniel. Not from Nathan. But from Vanessa Hale.> Ariana. I heard your episode. I think we should talk. Please — no drama. Just one hour. Neutral ground. She ad

  • Surrendered Desires   The Names in the Room

    Ariana’s POVThe second file came at 6:04 a.m. no greeting. No context, just a subject line:“I told you there were others.”I sat up in bed and opened it before I could talk myself out of it. Luca was still asleep beside me, one arm curled loosely around my waist, the room was dim. Still, but what I read… set everything on fire.*******FILE: Complicity Report — Unofficial// Name: Jordan ReeceRole: Luxe Group PR DirectorStatus: Active2018 — Met with Daniel and board members to privately manage Ariana’s miscarriage coverage. Suggested it be handled “quietly, respectfully, and without Ariana’s emotional involvement.” Internal quote: “We’ll frame this as a medical loss and pivot into her return to work. No public mention of pregnancy unless she brings it up — which she won’t.”“She responds well to being useful. Keep her busy.”// Name: Dr. Miranda KlineRole: Ob/Gyn (Private)Status: RetiredCoordinated Ariana’s D&C procedure. Records show that Daniel signed the consent form before

  • Surrendered Desires   The Friend Who Watched

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  • Surrendered Desires   Press Record

    Ariana’s POVThe microphone sat on the desk like a mirror, sleek. Quiet. Watching, the red light blinked softly — waiting, and me? I sat there with my heart in my throat.Not because I didn’t have the words, but because I knew what they could cost.******Luca stood in the hallway, half-shadowed. He didn’t say anything. Just leaned against the doorframe with a mug of tea in hand and a calm I both envied and needed.“I’m here if you want me in the room,” he said.I looked at him. Then at the mic.“Not this time.”He nodded once and walked away. The silence that followed was loud, but I welcomed it. I opened my notebook and read the first few lines again.// “This isn’t a confession, this isn’t revenge, this is reclamation.”I closed my eyes, pressed record and began.Still Her — Episode 1“My name is Ariana. You know parts of me. The ones in magazine interviews. The ones in press releases. The ones in scandal headlines, but you don’t know the girl who used to sit on her bathroom floor

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