Arlene Francis: A Memoir

ARIA - At thirty-six, the Grammy-winning songwriter lives in a world of glittering lights and soaring applause, yet behind every love song she writes is a truth she keeps hidden: she’s never found a love strong enough to stay. When two powerful forces enter her life—one a steady and familiar presence, the other a magnetic, unpredictable spark—Aria is thrust into an emotional whirlwind that threatens to shatter the careful world she’s built. Passions ignite, loyalties fracture, and long-buried truths claw their way to the surface. As her career reaches new heights, Aria’s personal life spirals into a dangerous collision of desire, heartbreak, and revelation. Caught between the man who grounds her and the man who sets her soul on fire, Aria must make a choice that could cost her everything—even herself. ARIA TIL DEATH explores the boundaries of love, loss and moving on. Aria never expected her life to split in two—the before and the after. Losing the man she loved destroys her sense of safety, silences her music, and leaves her drowning in memories she can’t bear to revisit. But fate steps in the day she crosses paths with a quiet, grounding stranger whose presence feels like a lifeline. Their connection is instant. Healing, even. And when Aria is offered the chance to start over in a new city, he’s the one who encourages her to take it—promising to stand by her side as she rebuilds her life. Together, they leave the past behind… or so they think. As Aria settles into her new home with the man who’s become her unexpected source of strength, unsettling things begin to happen. Aria Til Death is a gripping journey of heartbreak, rebirth, and the dangerous lengths someone will go to when love turns into obsession.

BLURB: Ariana Frost was the perfect wife until her husband moved his mistress into their home and framed Ariana for a scandal that destroyed her life. Cast out while pregnant with the secret heir to the Frost empire, she was left with nothing but a vow, to burn their world to the ground. Now, Ariana is back. She isn’t the submissive girl they remember; she is the iron-willed CEO of a rival tech giant, backed by a man more powerful and more scandalous than Sebastian Frost could ever hope to be. As she systematically dismantles Sebastian’s company and uncovers the Frost family’s deadliest secrets, her ex-husband realises too late that the woman he discarded is the only one who can ruin him. He wants a second chance. She wants his destruction. The game has changed, the stakes are viral, and this time, Ariana is holding all the cards. The Frosts took her name. Now, she’s taking their crown.

My mom is a woman who takes frugality very, very seriously. When I suffer from a high fever, she feeds me moldy chicken noodle soup. In fact, I can only wear my older sister's hand-me-downs since I was a little girl. After working hard for so long, I finally qualify for the final interview of a top-500 company. I keep telling my mom repeatedly to not cause any trouble for me. Alas, my monitor winks out when I've reached the most critical point of my interview. At the same time, the router has lost access to the internet. I rush out of my room hurriedly, only to see my mom flipping off the main switch in the darkness. "Why did you leave the lights on at night? Imagine how much money you'll have to pay! I've already calculated everything for you. If we turn off the lights, we get to save a few pennies per night!" Thanks to those pennies, I end up losing my job that can guarantee an annual salary of a million dollars. Later on, my older sister, Andrea Fletcher, is diagnosed with a kidney disease. In order to latch onto Andrea's rich husband, Kirk Herrera, my mom forces me to work overtime at a shady factory just to gather enough money for Andrea's medical bills. Even when I'm about to die, my older brother, Anthony Fletcher, and my dad keep blaming me. "You can't even get hired at a proper factory! You really are useless, Alice! Your mom went through all those frugal nonsense just to raise you for nothing!" When I open my eyes again, I've returned to the day I'm about to attend the online interview. I just chuckle coldly as I look at Andrea, who has just found out about her kidney disease and is waiting for me to earn enough money for her kidney transplant. Then, I toss her expensive, specialized medication into the trash can. "What use is there for you to take the medicine, Andrea? What a waste! Mom already stated many times that being frugal is the way of life! "You should drink more water instead. Once your rich husband finds out how good you are at saving money, he'll definitely compliment us for knowing how to balance our finances!"

18 years is a long time to search for someone who went missing but the Russo family never gave up on their Principessa and they never will. Luna is eighteen but her life has been anything but rainbows and sunshine, the complete opposite in fact she's known nothing but darkness and pain. She knows nothing of the outside world and that there are people out there searching high and low for her and these people are her real family. Can she be rescued and if she is can she lead a normal life after her past trauma? Join Luna on a ride facing I life she never knew.

Somehow I got stuck in this situation. Somewhere in the middle of nowhere with people I've only known for a week. Then the business with 2 men who don't know where to start, suddenly is this close to me. Ivan is a good man, but I never knew that he would use any means to approach me, even though he clearly knew that I had a boyfriend. Then, Arthur, I'm sure I will never be able to understand him, even though we are as close as a pulse but it feels like there is a thick wall that protects Arthur from my attempts to hold him deeper. Ivan and Arthur got involved in a misunderstanding and a cold war just because of one Issa, which is me. Then I also do not know how to deal with my boyfriend after I was involved in an affair with these two men. I have to tolerate Ivan and also have to give up Arthur. Then it was with a heavy heart that I had to accept that Arthur and Ivan's friendship had to end, just like the duration of the program we were running which was one month, their friendship only lasted one month.

On New Year's Eve, the smell of a roast in the oven drifted through the house. My grandmother walked over to me, with an old photograph in her hand, the edges worn soft with age. "Is Zack almost home?" My throat tightened. It had been three years. She could never remember that my younger brother was long gone. I was the one who picked up his ashes. At that moment, my phone rang. The moment I saw the name on the screen, the blood in my veins seemed to freeze. I stepped out onto the balcony before answering, keeping my voice low. "What is it?" The voice on the other end of the line trembled. "It's been three years. Are you still angry? I've been waiting for you to come home. Our son has, too. We're downstairs." Downstairs? I walked over and looked down to see a tall figure and a small one standing together. Through my phone, my son's voice came with a catch in his throat, saying, "Daddy…" My thoughts snapped back into place. I said flatly, "We've been divorced for a long time. He said he didn't want to stay with me." Then, I hung up without another word.