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 POV“Jasmine!” I called out as soon as I got to the playground, my heart still pounding in my ears. “Come here.” Shane turned around, a fake smile plastered on her face. But it didn’t reach her eyes, which reflected a cold, unmistakable abhorrence for me. “Oh, hello, there, Aria,” she said c
Aria’s POVMy heart was still beating fast, sweat breaking out in my palms, as I pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. I had not been planning on bringing Jasmine with me to dinner. But after Jessica’s message saying she'd be late, leaving her with the babysitter didn’t seem right.My hand
Victor’s POVI hung up, my mind racing, a cold anger simmering just beneath the surface. Without wasting a second, I pressed the intercom button on my desk. “Phil, get in here. Now.”My assistant Phil appeared in the doorway within moments, his usual calm disposition covering up any concern. “Yes, M
Aria’s POVI held my daughter’s hand tightly as we walked down the hallway leading to my apartment unit, the two bodyguards silently following us. I could feel the tension in my shoulders slowly easing, knowing these men were sent by Victor. Phil had confirmed it earlier, but seeing them in action t
Victor's gaze was steady, unwavering, and it sent a shiver down my spine. I knew he was serious, and it scared me. Not because I didn't believe him, but because I realized how much I had been underestimating the situation myself.I’ve known Shane all these years and never really liked her. She could
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