All Chapters of ARIA AND THE ALPHA : Chapter 1 - Chapter 6

The watch in my father's belongings was still ticking when I realised that I had nobody left in the world.Tick. Tick. Tick.I sat outside the funeral home with a plastic bag resting on my lap. Inside it were my mother's wedding ring and my father's wristwatch. That was all I had left of the two people who had loved me unconditionally.Four months earlier, they had promised to celebrate my eighteenth birthday with me. My father had even promised to buy me a sewing machine, a real one with a foot pedal and a little light. My mother had already chosen the shop on Fifth Street where we would buy it.But a truck had run a red light on Mercer Road while they were returning from my aunt's wedding.And just like that, my world had ended.Within a week, my uncles arrived with a van. Within two weeks, our house was empty. They took the furniture, the appliances, and almost everything my parents had worked for.Aunt Celia stood in the doorway holding my mother's finest china."You're young, Ari

For two weeks, Dante refused to give up on me.Every morning, a delivery arrived at my apartment. Sometimes it was white roses. Other times, it was expensive jewellery, beautiful dresses or handwritten letters.I returned everything.I didn't want his gifts. I wanted an explanation, an assurance that what had happened between us would never happen again.Most importantly, I wanted to know whether he would stand by me when things became difficult.But Dante never stopped trying.On the fourteenth night, I returned from work to find him standing outside my apartment.It was raining heavily.His expensive shirt was soaked, his hair was dripping, and there was no driver or security guard beside him.Just Dante."Go home," I said, stopping at the gate.He shook his head."Aria, please. Just give me a chance to explain.""I've heard enough explanations."He suddenly dropped to his knees on the wet concrete.My eyes widened."Dante! What are you doing?""I can't lose you.""Get up.""Not unt

Three years had passed since Aria Cole left the Romano mansion.Three years of sleepless nights, endless sacrifices and fighting to give her children a better life.She was no longer the frightened young woman who had once stood helplessly in the rain.She was a mother now.And everything she did was for Jayden and Brenna.It was a Tuesday night when Jayden's fever began.He lay on the sofa, his cheeks burning and his little forehead covered in sweat. Every few minutes, he murmured something about a dragon hiding inside his wardrobe.Aria sat beside him, gently wiping his face with a cold towel."Mommy, the dragon is coming," he whispered.She smiled weakly."There's no dragon, sweetheart. You're safe.""But I saw it.""Then Mommy will chase it away."He gave a faint smile before closing his eyes.Aria glanced at the clock.Two in the morning.