Aria’s POVThe door clicked shut behind us, sealing Samuel and me away from the familiar noise of the lounge. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat loud and unsteady, as a staff member appeared before us, his expression neutral. Without a word, he turned and gestured for us to follow, his footstep
Aria’s POVAs we entered the private room, I felt a creeping sense of dread, like we were stepping into the lair of a dragon. The walls were dark, soundproofed, with a single, dim light casting an ominous glow over a large wooden table in the center. The staff member who’d led us here gave a curt n
Aria’s POVI took a deep breath, a spark of nerves running through me as I thought of Victor listening in on every word through the discreet device he’d planted on me earlier. The stakes of this conversation were high, and every move had to be calculated. I could almost feel his silent presence, his
Aria’s POVSamuel’s voice was low and urgent as he leaned in. “Come on, Aria. We need to go.”The trader only shrugged, his smile fading. “I’m sorry I can’t help you further,” he said, a trace of amusement coming back into his eyes, as if he enjoyed watching our frustration.I felt Samuel’s hand on
Aria’s POVMy heart seemed to be pounding in my ears. I felt like we’d just reached a dead end, and I hated it. Everything we’ve sacrificed to come here would be for nothing!Just then, the overhead lights came on, flooding the space with a harsh, sterile glow. I blinked, adjusting to the brightnes
Aria’s POVVincent pulled out an electronic tablet, tapping through files in silence. After a few moments, he reached into his jacket and produced a sleek data stick, using it to save the data.Samuel, Drake, and I watched in silence, waiting patiently. Finally, after several minutes, Vincent hande
The idea left a sinking feeling in my stomach. “So, either it’s Shane being Shane, or it’s Lucciano trying to break into a new market… or both.”We looked toward the trader. “Isn’t there any information about this, like who’s really giving such orders to Troy?”Vincent shrugged. “No such records.”
Victor’s POVEach word coming through the device felt like a punch. Troy turned out to be a pawn in something much darker. And Shane—how far was she willing to go? Revenge, greed, some twisted combination of both? It seemed like there was nothing she wouldn’t do to get what she wanted.Unbelievable.
Victor’s POVI stood outside my mother’s door, holding Jasmine’s hand as I knocked twice. She shifted beside me, her fingers fidgeting with her sweater.The door opened, and Alicia stood there, surprise flickering in her sharp blue eyes as she took in the sight of us.“Victor,” she said, then her ga
Aria’s POVI swirled the glass vial in my hand, watching as the pale amber liquid coated the sides before settling again. The scent profile still wasn’t quite right, but I was close—so close I could almost taste it.The Velvet Vibe lab was quiet except for the soft hum of the air filtration system a
Aria’s POVI watched Victor, his face an impenetrable mask, his hand still holding mine. My heart ached for him, but to my own surprise, I felt something else too—pity for Alicia. For years, I had harbored resentment toward her, believing she had always looked down on me, dismissed me as unworthy o
Victor’s POVConfusion, anger, and apprehension swirled inside me, an unyielding force I couldn’t contain. I had no idea what I was walking into, but I knew one thing—I needed answers.As we pulled up in front of my mother’s house, I saw the glow of light through the living room window. She was stil
Aria’s POVThe revelation settled over us like a looming storm cloud, dense and unrelenting. Antonio Greco wasn’t just some powerful mafia boss—he had been the one controlling Shane. That alone was unsettling enough. My mind spun as I connected the dots. Shane had spent years trying to tear down Th
Victor’s POVThe moment we stepped into The Mirage, the air seemed to constrict around us. It felt as if we were being watched every step of the way.Overhead chandeliers sputtered in their golden glow, illuminating the velvet walls in fractured patterns, as if the very light was hesitant to linger
Victor’s POVWhen I arrived home, I found Aria in the garden, staring off into space, her arms wrapped around herself as a cool evening breeze swept through. The soft rustling of leaves was the only sound, the usual laughter of Jasmine absent. I knew she was in the playroom with the nanny, giving Ar
Victor’s POVI wasn’t going to let Aria face this alone.The moment I left our last conversation, I knew I had to take action. If there was a leak in my company, I needed to root it out myself. I refused to let this drive a wedge between us. She had to see that I was on her side, that there was no r
Aria’s POVI paced the length of the lab, arms crossed tightly over my chest, while Jessica sat on the stool near the counter, watching me with concern. The vials of stolen work still sat between us, a silent testament to the treachery lurking in our midst, waiting to be exposed.“We need a plan,” J