Aria’s POVThe bowling alley echoed with laughter and the clatter of pins as we stepped inside. Neon lights flickered across the polished floors, and Jasmine bounced with excitement as we made our way to a section designed for kids, complete with smaller pins and lightweight bowling balls.Victor an
Aria’s POVI stood by Jasmine’s bedside, watching her eyes flutter closed. She was so sleepy, her little body finally giving in to the excitement of the day. Gently, I pulled the blanket up to her chin and kissed her forehead.“Goodnight, sweetheart,” I whispered. She barely stirred, already lost in
Victor’s POVI stood in the lab at Thorn Enterprises, surrounded by an array of sleek equipment and the enticing aroma of essential oils. I couldn’t help but feel excited, as I had another reason to see Aria. Today was the day we’d test the prototypes for our smart perfumes, and I couldn't help but
As we stood there, inhaling the fragrant mist, our eyes locked, and for a heartbeat, the world around us seemed to fade. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks as I took a small step closer. She looked beautiful in the soft, diffused light, and the desire to close the distance grew stronger.“Ima
Aria’s POV“Why did I let myself fall behind like this?” I muttered to myself, tapping away at the keyboard. The deadlines loomed like storm clouds, and I could feel them about to crash down on me.“Looks like you’re not the only one burning the midnight oil,” Jessica said, her voice soft and slight
I walked over and pulled her into a hug, feeling the need to protect her even though I knew I couldn’t control everything. “Take care, okay? And tell Fabian to drive carefully. Stay alert, both of you.”Jessica pulled back slightly, giving me a reassuring smile. “I will, don’t worry. Fabian’s always
Victor’s POVI slowly withdrew my hand, clearing my throat, trying to break the tension before it could turn into something more. “I, uh... figured chocolate might help you power through,” I said, my voice coming out rougher than I intended.She glanced at the sandwich in her hand, a flicker of amus
Aria’s POVI rubbed my tired eyes and stretched my arms above my head, feeling a satisfying pull in my shoulders. Finally, I thought, finally caught up. It was past midnight, and the exhaustion clinging to me was almost pleasant, knowing I’d cleared a mountain of paperwork and perfected the new sc
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