Aria’s POVLucciano’s words sank in, making me feel sick. Shane wasn’t just dangerous—she was ruthless, cutting down anyone who got in her way. My mind spiraled, flashing back to Pierre.The first time I’d met him, it was in Amsterdam and he had been with Shane. Pierre had been charming, suave, the
Aria’s POVLucciano’s casual toast felt like a cruel twist, as though he’d dangled just enough of the truth to keep us chasing but withheld the most crucial details. “Can’t you tell us more?” I couldn’t help asking, feeling bolder and quite annoyed. Lucciano leaned forward, still looking gravely s
Victor’s POV“We’ll be more than ready,” I said firmly, watching the casino boss closely. “This time, we’ll be one step ahead. But to make that happen, we need your help. Provide us with all the evidence you have against Shane and Troy.”Lucciano regarded me with amusement, as if he could already se
Aria’s POVDiscreetly, I let out a deep breath, not realizing that I’ve been holding it in for some time. I looked around with relief, happy to finally be out of the casino and in the real world. Alive, with Victor. “You two… I still can’t believe you didn’t inform me and went through with it…” Det
Aria’s POVThe scene unfolded in a blur of chaos as the driver of the SUV stumbled out, clutching his arm, but my eyes were already fixed on the passenger side. The door flung open, and there she was—Shane, her sharp gaze darting through the chaos before she bolted down the street. Her heels clicked
Victor’s POVThe muted whine of the fluorescent lights in the police station seemed to amplify the tension hanging over us. I sat on the hard bench, my elbows resting on my knees, watching Aria as she stared at the floor, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She looked dejected, her usual spark
Aria’s POV"Well, there they are," my mother said warmly, opening the door with a knowing smile. "And Victor, too. What a pleasant surprise."I smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Mom, I didn’t tell you Victor was coming with me."She raised an eyebrow, the corner of her mouth tugging up in a smirk. "Oh, ple
“We had so much fun, Mommy!” Jasmine chirped, bouncing on her toes. “Grandpa taught me how to play chess! And Grandma made cookies—like, a hundred of them!”“Not quite a hundred,” my father chuckled, ruffling her hair. “But close enough.”As Jasmine launched into an enthusiastic rundown of her adven
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