Aria’s POVAs I sat at the small cafe table with Tina, diving into the details of a new perfume line we were considering, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that several days had passed since the gala. Oh, thank God. No calls or messages from Shane or Pierre had disturbed the peace I was be
Aria’s POV“What is going on with you and Samuel?” Victor's voice was sharp, slicing through the air.The café fell silent as all eyes turned toward us. My heart pounded in my chest, and a wave of embarrassment washed over me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I hissed, then turned on my he
Aria’s POVSamuel's eyes were wide with shock, his mouth slightly open as he tried to process what he'd just heard. I felt the weight of the moment pressing down on me, words caught in my throat.Before I could respond, Tina stepped in with an unexpected smile. “That's great to know, Aria. I'm happy
Aria’s POVI left work later than usual, feeling the weight of the day's accomplishments and the promise of what lay ahead. As I passed the boss's meeting room, I noticed the lights were still on. It was unusual this late in the evening. I figured Samuel must still be in a meeting. I smiled, remembe
Aria’s POVVictor looked stunned for a moment, his eyes widening as if he had been caught off guard. Then he shook his head, a small, almost imperceptible smile playing at his lips. “No, Aria,” he said slowly. “Perhaps it’s not like that. But I think you make a suitable wife for me. And I thought yo
Aria’s POVI stared at Victor in surprise as he looked at me with great concern. His eyes searched mine, filled with an emotion I couldn't quite place. Before I could say anything, though, Samuel's voice cut in, oblivious to Victor's presence. “Aria, are you sure you’re not hurt? Did you inhale a l
Aria’s POVThe acrid scent of smoke lingered in the air as I stood outside my apartment, my heart heavy with devastation. The fire had been completely put out, leaving nothing but charred remains and a smoldering sense of loss.Before I could respond to either Samuel or Victor, a medic approached me
Victor’s POVI sat in the corner of the upscale coffee shop on the ground floor of the Elixir office building, my foot tapping nervously against the polished marble floor. I glanced at my watch for what felt like the hundredth time. Five more minutes, then I’m out of here.Sending that message earl
Wendy’s POVIt wasn’t supposed to go this far.I crouched behind the low wall outside the edge of the old warehouse, heart hammering as the rain came down in cold, relentless sheets. The building was dimly lit, tucked away in a forgotten pocket of the city, but I knew what was happening inside. I’d
Samuel’s POV"Wait for me, I'll bring it to you now," I told Aria over the phone, my fingers brushing against the envelope sitting quietly on my desk. Her voice was tight. "Thank you, Samuel. Please be careful.""You too."I ended the call just as footsteps approached my study. I turned, surprised
Aria’s POVI was halfway down the corridor when my phone buzzed again.It was Jessica: Packaging floor. Terminal 4. Now.My heels clicked against the tiles as I turned sharply and practically jogged to the elevator. My chest was tight, my pulse a steady hammer in my ears.I tried calling Wendy again
Aria’s POVI locked my office door, pretending to take a call as I slid the flash drive into the secure offline laptop Jessica and I used only for emergencies. The light blinked once, then twice, and the folder opened.I held my breath as the contents loaded.Documents. Dozens of them.At first glan
Samuel’s POVI wasn’t exactly sure what brought me to the Velvet Vibe office that morning.Maybe I wanted to check in on the tech team after the breach. Maybe I wanted to make sure Aria was okay, after everything. Or maybe—and this was harder to admit—maybe I just wanted to see her.I walked in, and
Aria’s POVMy phone buzzed on the table, vibrating next to my untouched coffee.Victor.I answered quickly. “Hey, everything okay?”“I’m really sorry, love,” he said. “I won’t be able to drop by the office. Emergency meeting with the board. One of the European partners is threatening to pull out unl
Aria’s POVThe smell of buttery pancakes and fresh strawberries filled the air as I poured a generous drizzle of maple syrup onto Jasmine’s plate. She beamed up at me, still in her pajamas, her feet swinging under the breakfast table.Victor was making coffee, humming to himself, hair slightly tousl
Aria’s POV"Okay, so we've locked the backend to only three admin logins," Jessica muttered, her eyes glued to the screen. She had dark circles under her eyes and her fourth coffee of the day in hand. "I had the IT team purge the cloned QR redirect code from our database. But if the data's been stol
Aria’s POVThe laughter in the room was easy, flowing like music that hadn’t been played in far too long. It was the kind of afternoon I had only dreamed of during those long, uncertain nights. One filled with light, warmth, and peace.But what caught my eye most wasn’t the cake or the wine or even