Aria’s POVThe late afternoon sun streamed through the tall windows of the sleek InnovateTech Solutions building, bathing the modern event space in a soft, radiant light.Models in various glamorous outfits posed and preened under the bright studio lights, while photographers and stylists darted aro
Aria’s POVTurning around, I forced a polite smile. “Hello. I don’t believe we’ve met.”The woman’s smirk widened. “Oh, we haven’t. Not officially, anyway. But I’ve heard a lot about you, Aria.” She seemed to emphasize the last sentence with a sharp, negative tone, which was truly surprising. I too
Aria’s POVAs we settled back into the main event area, lunch concluded and the process of model selection resumed. Fiona and Emma gathered everyone’s attention and outlined the next phase of the process.“We’re about to begin the interviews,” Fiona announced. “It’s important for us to get to know e
Aria’s POVI was shuffling through the stack of documents on my desk, ensuring everything was in order for the meeting. My heart raced at the thought of seeing Victor again, but I took a deep breath, reminding myself that I was no longer the insecure woman he had left behind.Yesterday, we got a req
Aria’s POVI found myself staring at his empty ring finger, suddenly distracted. Wait, he's not married? Then who was that woman with him at Jasmine's school?Victor cleared his throat, snapping me back to the present. “Let's get straight to the point,” he said, his voice regaining its usual confid
Aria’s POV“Helloooo! I’m here!” Jasmine called out, her voice bright and carefree—until she saw Victor. She stopped short, her wide eyes locking onto his.My breath caught in my throat. Panic surged through me as a thousand thoughts raced through my mind. Should I say she’s Jessica’s daughter? Mayb
Aria’s POV“Jasmine… such a beautiful name,” Victor said softly, almost as if he were testing the weight of the words. “How old is she?”My heart skipped a beat. “Five,” I answered quickly, my voice a little too sharp, too defensive. I felt his gaze on me, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at him.
Victor’s POVAs I navigated the familiar streets after leaving the Velvet Vibe office, my thoughts wandered unbidden back to Jasmine. Her face had stayed in my mind, vivid and haunting, despite the briefness of our encounter. I could even hear her voice in my head. I tapped my fingers rhythmically
Victor’s POVI stood outside my mother’s door, holding Jasmine’s hand as I knocked twice. She shifted beside me, her fingers fidgeting with her sweater.The door opened, and Alicia stood there, surprise flickering in her sharp blue eyes as she took in the sight of us.“Victor,” she said, then her ga
Aria’s POVI swirled the glass vial in my hand, watching as the pale amber liquid coated the sides before settling again. The scent profile still wasn’t quite right, but I was close—so close I could almost taste it.The Velvet Vibe lab was quiet except for the soft hum of the air filtration system a
Aria’s POVI watched Victor, his face an impenetrable mask, his hand still holding mine. My heart ached for him, but to my own surprise, I felt something else too—pity for Alicia. For years, I had harbored resentment toward her, believing she had always looked down on me, dismissed me as unworthy o
Victor’s POVConfusion, anger, and apprehension swirled inside me, an unyielding force I couldn’t contain. I had no idea what I was walking into, but I knew one thing—I needed answers.As we pulled up in front of my mother’s house, I saw the glow of light through the living room window. She was stil
Aria’s POVThe revelation settled over us like a looming storm cloud, dense and unrelenting. Antonio Greco wasn’t just some powerful mafia boss—he had been the one controlling Shane. That alone was unsettling enough. My mind spun as I connected the dots. Shane had spent years trying to tear down Th
Victor’s POVThe moment we stepped into The Mirage, the air seemed to constrict around us. It felt as if we were being watched every step of the way.Overhead chandeliers sputtered in their golden glow, illuminating the velvet walls in fractured patterns, as if the very light was hesitant to linger
Victor’s POVWhen I arrived home, I found Aria in the garden, staring off into space, her arms wrapped around herself as a cool evening breeze swept through. The soft rustling of leaves was the only sound, the usual laughter of Jasmine absent. I knew she was in the playroom with the nanny, giving Ar
Victor’s POVI wasn’t going to let Aria face this alone.The moment I left our last conversation, I knew I had to take action. If there was a leak in my company, I needed to root it out myself. I refused to let this drive a wedge between us. She had to see that I was on her side, that there was no r
Aria’s POVI paced the length of the lab, arms crossed tightly over my chest, while Jessica sat on the stool near the counter, watching me with concern. The vials of stolen work still sat between us, a silent testament to the treachery lurking in our midst, waiting to be exposed.“We need a plan,” J