Aria’s POVWhen I went down to the living room, the first thing I noticed was the warm, inviting smell of freshly baked goods. My father seemed unusually exuberant as he introduced a couple of well-dressed young men to my mother. They looked confident and successful, and seemed like professionals ev
Victor’s POVI leaned forward, about to engage Aria in conversation, hoping to shift her attention away from Drew. But before I could say a word, Drew piped up, snapping his fingers like he'd just remembered something.“You look familiar,” he said to Aria, his brows furrowed in concentration. “I can
Victor’s POVFor the first time in my life, I felt genuinely excited to step into a kitchen. Usually, that kind of thing wasn’t my style—I left it to others. But now, here I was, eager to please her, to impress her in this small way. Aria moved with ease, pulling out ingredients, and I watched her e
Aria’s POVI couldn’t stop smiling. It felt like I was floating on air, watching everyone around the table enjoy the meal. Victor had actually survived our kitchen adventure, and not only that—he thrived. He didn’t complain once, which, to be honest, I half-expected from the old Victor. But this new
Aria’s POVWhen it was finally time to sleep and my parents had already resigned to their bedroom, Jasmine yawned and tugged at my hand and Victor’s hand. “Come on, it’s time to sleep.”“Uh, but Jasmine…” I began to say. I didn’t know how to explain that Victor wasn’t supposed to be staying with us
Aria’s POVVictor quickly turned on the lights, the sudden brightness filling the room and dispelling the shadows. “Let’s check it out,” he whispered. We moved cautiously into the hallway, our footsteps echoing in the quiet house. Victor inspected every corner and he even peeked into some of the su
Aria’s POVI froze when I felt his hand slip behind my back, gently rubbing in small, circular motions. It was innocent enough, but the way his touch spread warmth through my body—warming parts of me that I had tried to bury for so long—was anything but. My breath hitched as I felt his knee brush ag
Victor’s POVI wanted to kiss her. I could feel it—the urge was so strong it almost hurt. The way she looked at me, the ease in her voice, the way she was open and vulnerable... it all drew me in. But I hesitated, afraid that one wrong move could shatter whatever connection we were rebuilding.Inste