ВойтиARIA'S POVI stirred from sleep, my hand instinctively reaching across the bed to find Xavier's warm body beside me. Instead, my palm met cold, empty sheets. I groaned, blinking against the morning light filtering through the curtains.“Xavier?” My voice was hoarse with sleep.No response.I sat up, rubbed the sleep off my eyes, and looked around the room. His side of the bed was untouched. The pillows were still fluffed. He hadn't come to bed at all last night.I slipped on my robe and padded barefoot out of the room, down the stairs, toward the living room where I'd fallen asleep. The penthouse was too quiet. Zara must've left early because of work.Then I turned and saw them.The maids were huddled together in the kitchen, their voices low and urgent, mumbling something I couldn't quite make out. They stopped the moment they noticed me, their faces paling.“What's going on?” I asked, my voice still rough from sleep.They exchanged glances, none of them meeting my eyes.“I believe
XAVIER'S POV“What the hell is going on, Adrian?”I paced across my office, my phone pressed to my ear, my free hand running through my hair for the hundredth time. The headlines were still burning in my mind, every word a fresh wound.“Xavier, I know how this looks…”“Do you?” I stopped pacing. “Adrian, the entire world knows about the contract. The contract that was supposed to remain between us. So I'm going to ask you again… what the hell is going on?”“I'm as shocked as you are,” Adrian said, his voice strained. “Trust me, I've been trying to figure this out since I saw the news.”I started pacing again. “Who else knew about the contract?”“Only us. You, me, and my assistant.”I stopped. “And you trust this assistant?”“With my life.” Adrian's voice was firm. “I've worked with him for years. He's never given me a reason to doubt him. I wouldn't have entrusted something this important to someone I didn't trust completely.”I took a breath and tried to calm the storm inside me.“Fi
ARIA'S POVThe penthouse had never felt more alive.Zara and I had transformed the living room into a sleepover paradise: blankets draped over every surface, pillows stacked high on the floor, fairy lights strung across the windows. The coffee table was buried under an avalanche of snacks: chips, popcorn, candy, chocolate, and enough drinks to last us through the night.“This is everything.” Zara flopped onto the mountain of pillows, her pink pajama shorts riding up. “I've missed this so much.”I dropped down beside her, my matching silk pajama set… black, because Zara had insisted, feeling ridiculously luxurious. “I know. It's been too long.”We had spent the first hour just catching up properly. No phones. No interruptions. Just us. She told me about her toxic boss (who she was finally planning to quit). I told her about the chaos of Italy (leaving out the more traumatic parts). We laughed until our stomachs hurt and cried until our eyes were teary.“Okay.” Zara sat up and grabbed t
XAVIER'S POV“On your knees.”The words left my mouth before I could stop them, my voice rough with need.Aria's eyes widened, that familiar spark of defiance flickering in them. But then she smiled, a slow, wicked, knowing smile, and lowered herself to the floor in front of me.“Like this, Daddy?” Her hands worked my belt open, her fingers nimble and teasing.“Exactly like that, baby.”She freed my cock and wrapped her lips around the tip, her tongue circling slowly. I hissed through my teeth, my hand finding the back of her head.“That's it.” My fingers tangled in her hair. “Show me how much you want it.”She took me deeper, her mouth hot and wet. I watched her, the way her lips stretched around me, the way her eyes fluttered closed in pure bliss. She moaned around my cock, the vibration shooting straight through me.“Fuck, Aria.” My grip tightened. “You're enjoying this, aren't you? Love having my cock in your mouth.”She hummed in response, bobbing her head faster, taking me dee
ARIA'S POVI leaned against the kitchen counter, scrolling through my phone, when I heard Xavier come in through the entrance. His footsteps were hurried, almost frantic.“Baby, I came as soon as I got your text.” His voice was breathless.“Yeah?” I glanced at the time:10:30 PM. “You can go out the same way you came in, my love.”He didn't listen. Instead, he dropped several shopping bags in front of me and wrapped his arms around my waist, kissing my cheek from behind.I pushed him back with my left arm. “Get away from me, Xavier.”“Are you still mad at me?” He nuzzled into my neck. “I missed you.”“Xavier, you were gone all day.” I tried to keep my voice firm. “All day without caring if I'm alone and bored.”“But sweetheart, I called.” He sniffed my hair. “I sent several texts, but you wouldn't reply.”He turned me around and pulled me closer, his hands settling on my hips.“I'm sorry.” His eyes searched mine. “And I got you some gifts. All your favourite snacks are in there.”I fin
ARIA'S POVThe morning sun streamed through the curtains, but I barely noticed. Even with the air conditioning on full blast, I felt warm, content in a way I hadn't felt in weeks. I guess that's how it feels to be home.I was sprawled across the bed in just my underwear, my hair piled into a messy bun, a bowl of chicken wings balanced on my stomach.“Okay, so what about Monday?” Zara's voice crackled through the phone speaker. “Since it's my off day at work, we could do a full movie marathon. Horror, romance, comedy… anything that works for you.”I crunched on a wing, thinking about it. “I can't do Monday. I start my classes in two days, and I have a feeling I'm going to be dead on my feet afterward.”“Classes?” Zara squealed. “Oh my God, I totally forgot about it! My best friend is finally getting groomed to be a boss lady.” She cackled. “God, I can't wait to see you in those corporate outfits and killer heels, barking orders to some lazy employees.”I laughed, rolling my eyes. “It's
ARIA’S POV The loud crash from outside my door woke me from a deep sleep, making my heart leap into my throat.I groaned, blinking against the early morning light filtering through the curtains.“Isn’t it too early to piss people off?” I muttered under my breath.Dragging myself out of bed, I shuf
ARIA’S POV “Hello, Aria, what’s up?”“I can’t reach him.” I paced back and forth across the living room, dragging my fingers through my hair for what felt like the hundredth time. “Zara, it’s almost midnight and he’s not picking my calls.”The silence of the penthouse pressed in on me, heavy and s
XAVIER'S POVEven while we owned a house in the same estate, going to my father's house had never been easy for me. The driveway was the same. The entrance was the same. The smell of polished wood and expensive candles never changed.But the problem is, walking through those doors always felt like
XAVIER’S POV“Pick up. Ian, please… pick up.”I paced across my office, my phone pressed tightly to my ear as the call rang endlessly.He had to know.He had to know that child wasn’t Dean’s before he did something reckless. Before he turned this entire situation into something bloody and irreversi







