Aria’s POV“You… You own Velvet Vibe?” Shane stammered, clearly blindsided by the revelation.I nodded, keeping my expression neutral, though I couldn’t deny the small thrill of satisfaction at seeing her so caught off guard. “Yes, I do. I’m here today to finalize the collaboration with Thorn Enterp
Victor’s POV“Mr. Thorn, it's the private investigator you hired,” Phil said as he led me through the corridors of the office. My pulse quickened. I’d been waiting for this call with a mix of anticipation and dread. The incident at the bar had been haunting me for weeks, and now, finally, I was abo
Aria’s POVVictor and I had been manipulated. Shane had been pulling the strings all along!Victor’s sudden entrance crackled through the room like a jolt of electricity. His eyes darted between Shane and me, his expression a storm of confusion and fierce determination.Did he hear what we were just
Aria’s POVShane’s words hung in the air like a noose tightening around our necks. I felt the breath leaving my lungs. “It’ll be the biggest scandal of the year!” She exclaimed, savoring the power she held over us, before adding with a smirk, “Besides, let’s not forget—I hold shares in your company
Victor’s POVI paced the dimly lit room, the tension coiling in my chest like a snake ready to strike. The clock on the wall ticked with an unforgiving rhythm, each second a reminder of how little time I had left to expose Shane. She was smart—too smart. Every time I thought I had a lead, it slipped
Aria’s POV"These bottles are gorgeous, Jess! I knew you'd nail it," I exclaimed, admiring the elegant, curvy glass bottles lined up on the table. These were the super final designs for the various perfumes we’d created for the upcoming photography exhibition. They were all even better than I’d ima
Aria’s POVThe photo shoot venue was a spacious, industrial loft downtown, transformed into a high-fashion set. A flood of bright, white light from enormous studio lamps filled the room.I couldn’t help but breathe in the scent of freshly sprayed hairspray and makeup melding with the underlying arom
Aria’s POV“It’s a wrap!” Fiona yelled with a grin, enthusiastically clapping her hands as the rest of the photographers and other crew members joined in. Even the models, who had spent hours striking pose after pose, looked happy and relieved. I looked around, feeling a rush of exhilaration. The p
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
Aria’s POVThe sun filtered gently through the sheer curtains, casting golden stripes across the kitchen floor. Outside, the wind rustled the trees in soft waves, the kind of quiet that used to feel like a luxury—but now, it felt like a miracle.I stood barefoot by the open window, sipping tea, watc
Aria’s POV"There they are! By the dock!"The shout tore through the air like a whipcrack. My heart jumped."Get down, Jasmine!" I hissed, pulling her low into the hull of the boat.More frenzied shouts followed, echoing from behind the locked boathouse door. Then came the unmistakable sound of spli
Aria’s POVThe tunnel walls closed in the farther we ran, the air thick with dust and something ancient, something forgotten. The flickering light from my phone barely illuminated the path ahead as Jasmine and I rushed forward, our footsteps echoing off the stone.We had no idea where we were going—
Victor’s POVThe moment Greco grabbed my mother’s arm, I saw red.Alicia struggled against Greco’s grasp, her body twisting as she tried to wrench herself free. But his grip was unyielding—ironclad. His smirk darkened, turning into something twisted, dangerous."You always were stubborn," Greco murm
Aria’s POVI grabbed Jasmine’s hand and pulled her close, my pulse hammering as I ran toward the secret door. My fingers fumbled with the hidden latch, my breath short and uneven. Come on, come on—Click.I shoved the door open just enough for us to slip inside before sealing it shut behind us. The
Victor’s POVThe moment the man at the far table shifted, my entire body went rigid. One second, he was still, the next, his hand dipped into his jacket.A gun? A knife?I was ready to move. One wrong twitch from him, and I’d take him down before he could even stand. My pulse pounded in my ears as I
Aria’s POV"Are Jasmine and I the real targets?" I whispered to myself, the thought chilling me to my core.No. That was silly. I was being paranoid.I shook my head, trying to dismiss the fear that had settled like ice in my veins. The bodyguards said they needed to secure the cabin, and logically,
Aria’s POVI stared at my phone, my fingers gripping it so tightly that my knuckles ached. Still nothing. No calls. No messages. The meeting had to be happening now, but I had no idea what was going on.I tried dialing Victor again. Straight to voicemail. Samuel? No response either.A pit of dread s