Aria’s POVPanic flooded through me as I wiped away my tears, the need to find Jasmine eclipsing every other thought. I couldn't let fear take control. “We have to keep looking,” I said in a firm voice. I took a deep breath and stood up, shaking off the dread that clung to me like a heavy shroud.J
Aria’s POVVictor’s name flashed on my screen again, persistent, and this time it felt like a lifeline I wasn’t sure I should grab. My heart raced as my mind spun in a dozen directions at once.I stopped for a moment, torn. I wanted to tell him. He was Jasmine’s father. He had a right to know. But w
Aria’s POV“Jasmine?” I whispered, my voice cracking.She looked up, her big eyes meeting mine, as if she hadn’t just been missing, as if I hadn’t been frantic with worry. “Mommy!” she called out, a wide grin spreading across her face. She waved the ice cream cone in the air like it was the most nor
Aria’s POVA sudden gust of wind howled through the trees, sending a chill down my spine. I squeezed Jasmine’s hand tighter, feeling the eerie stillness of the night settle around us like a heavy blanket. My heart raced once more. “We need to go home now, Jasmine,” I said softly, trying to keep the
Victor’s POVI had never felt more terrified in my life than when I saw Shane with a gun pointed at Aria and our daughter, Jasmine. The image seared into my mind, my heart racing as I rushed toward them, desperation fueling my every step.“Shane, put the gun down!” I shouted, my voice trembling but
Aria’s POVI whipped around just in time to see Pierre sprinting toward us. My heart sank, dread curling in my stomach. “Pierre, stop!” I screamed, but he kept charging ahead, eyes locked on Shane, a determination in his stride that terrified me.Shane’s grip tightened on the gun. “Get back!” she ye
Shane’s sobs filled the air, broken and ragged, and for a moment, it felt like time had frozen. Pierre stayed beside her, his hand on her shoulder, whispering calming words that seemed to fall on deaf ears. I held Jasmine tightly against me, her small body trembling in my arms, but my own breath had
Victor’s POVI clenched my jaw, my hand already on the door handle as I turned to Aria. “Get Jasmine in the car,” I said sharply. Aria looked at me, her eyes questioning for a moment, but she nodded. Jasmine, still shaking, clung tightly to her mother. I watched as Aria pulled her close, whispering
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