Chapter 31

Ethan Carter POVThe press conference was set for Wednesday morning.Gerald Whitmore stood at the podium with his lawyer beside him, like a shadow. His face was carefully arranged into something that was supposed to look like regret.I stood at the back of the room with Daniel. Quiet. Watching. Making sure every word matched what had been agreed.“I take full responsibility for funding actions that contributed to a dangerous and reckless scheme,” Whitmore read, voice flat like he was reading a report, not confessing guilt. “I deeply regret the harm caused, and I will be making full financial restitution to the Carter and Bennett families.”It wasn’t real remorse.It wasn’t enough.But it was public. It was official. And it closed the door on that part of the case.Aria watched the video later that night.We were on her father’s couch. Mason was asleep upstairs. The house was quiet in that soft, late-night way.“He doesn’t even sound sorry,” she said.“He isn’t,” I replied. “Not tru

Chapter 32

Aria Bennett POVClaire called on a Tuesday morning while I was elbow-deep in pancake batter, Mason standing on a chair beside me, explaining breakfast like he was a tiny judge in a cooking show.“Aria. Tell me you have something for me.”I held the phone between my shoulder and ear. “I have something for you.”“Do you really, or are you just saying that?”“I really do.” And I did. Somewhere in all the chaos, the words had come back. Not fast. Not easy. But they came. Late at night. Early mornings. Chapters that started as three and turned into eight.“Send it,” Claire said quickly. “Today if you can.”“You’ll have it tonight.”“Aria…” Her voice softened a bit. “Are you okay? I heard things have been… a lot.”I looked at Mason, who was now telling Harper that pancakes must be “perfectly round like the moon.”“A lot is one word for it,” I said. “But yes. We’re okay. More than okay.”“Good,” she said. “I’m glad.”Then she added, lighter, “And Aria… when you’re ready to stop hiding be

Chapter 33

Aria Bennett POVThree weeks later, I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, looking at a small plastic stick. I kept staring at it, hoping maybe it would change if I looked long enough.But it didn’t.Two lines.Clear and easy to see.I sat down quickly on the edge of the bathtub. My mind was full of thoughts as I tried to remember dates and figure everything out.The carnival night.The dinner after that.The night Ethan stayed longer than usual.The night our slow and careful relationship became something more.I placed my hand on my stomach without thinking.It was the same thing I had done four years ago.Back then, I was sitting in a different bathroom.In a different life.Scared.Alone.Pregnant.But this time was different.This time I was not alone.This time everything was different.I heard Harper calling from downstairs.“Aria? Are you okay? You’ve been in there forever.”“Coming!” I shouted back.My voice was shaking a little.I wrapped the test in tissue, put it in my

Chapter 34

Ethan Carter POVI didn’t sleep that night.Not because I was worried.For once, worry wasn’t keeping me awake.I lay in bed thinking about everything that had happened.Aria’s face when she told me.The way she said, “I love you too.”It sounded like she had wanted to say those words for a long time and had finally found the right moment.A baby.We were having a baby.I thought about Mason.He was already four years old.He had opinions about pancakes.He loved dinosaurs.He even had strong ideas about the right way to hold someone’s hand.I had missed all the little moments that helped make him who he was.Every single one.But this time would be different.This time I would not miss anything.I got out of bed before the sun came up.Then I drove to a small jewelry shop near my office.I knew it opened early.The owner understood that sometimes people could not wait.When I walked inside, the owner looked up.Mrs. Castellano smiled.“Mr. Carter. It’s not even seven o’clock.”“I kno

Chapter 35

Aria Bennett POVOn a Tuesday in November, I finally stopped hiding behind the name Wren Ashby.Claire had planned everything. There was a small press release and an interview with a local magazine. Nothing too big or scary. Just enough for people to finally know that I was the person behind the books I had been writing for seven years.“Are you sure about this?” Harper asked as she watched me read the press release one last time at the kitchen table.“I’m sure,” I said. “I’ve spent most of my life hiding parts of who I am. I hid my pregnancy with Mason. I hid my writing. I kept acting like I was smaller than I really am because it felt safer.” I put the paper down. “I’m done hiding.”“That’s beautiful,” Harper said. “And also a little scary.”I laughed softly. “Both can be true.”The press release went out that afternoon.By evening, my phone would not stop buzzing.Old friends who never knew the truth were messaging me. Readers had somehow figured things out. Journalists wanted inte

Chapter 36

Aria Bennett POVMason’s reaction to the engagement was exactly what Ethan predicted.“Can I carry the rings AND be the boss of the wedding?” he asked the next morning, examining my ring finger with intense scrutiny over his cereal.“There’s no ‘boss of the wedding,’ baby.”“There should be.”“I’ll think about it,” I said, which he accepted as a victory, going back to his cereal with satisfied purpose.Harper’s reaction, when I called her, involved a scream loud enough that I had to hold the phone away from my ear.“SHOW ME THE RING. RIGHT NOW. FACETIME ME IMMEDIATELY.”I did. She screamed again.“Aria. Aria, this is the most perfect ring I have ever seen in my entire life. I’m sobbing. I’m actually sobbing right now.”“You’re laughing, not sobbing.”“It’s both. It’s a complicated emotional response.” She wiped at her eyes, still grinning. “When’s the wedding? Please say soon. Please say I get to help plan something.”“We haven’t decided anything yet. We literally got engaged last nig