Victor’s POVThe quaint restaurant was one of those cozy, tucked-away spots my mother loved. The kind of place where the waitstaff remembered your name, and the ambiance begged you to linger. I didn’t have time to linger, of course, but when Alicia Thorn insisted on lunch, it was easier to agree tha
Victor’s POVIt was late—too late—but the day hadn’t allowed for an earlier finish. A marathon meeting with the finance team had consumed the evening, leaving my head buzzing with numbers and unanswered questions.I pushed my office door open, wanting some quiet and rest before coming home. I need
I forced a smile, setting my glass down on the desk. “Just the usual…” “I’ve been working here for a long time, Victor…” she began, her eyes seemingly drilling a hole into mine. “We’ve done plenty of projects together and… I just… I want you to know that I truly admire you, how you work, how you ha
Aria’s POVI ran, my heels clattering against the marble floor. Victor’s voice echoed behind me, calling my name, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop. My vision blurred with tears, the image of Miranda in her underwear—standing so close to Victor—burned into my mind.How could this be happening?I re
Aria’s POVI didn’t hesitate. The nanny was in the house, anyway. I grabbed my coat, my keys, and bolted out the door. My heart was pounding, the rush of adrenaline making my hands tremble as I started toward my car.Jessica. What if it happens again? The thought hammered in my mind, relentless and
I turned to Troy, my body instinctively moving to shield Jessica. My voice was sharp, protective. “What are you doing here, Troy? You have no right—”“I know,” he said quickly, stepping back, his hands raised in a gesture of surrender. His face was drawn, his eyes tired. “I just came to apologize. A
Victor’s POVBreakfast this morning had been awkward, to say the least.Aria was there, which was something. She had stayed, though her eyes showed distance and exhaustion, and her responses to Jasmine’s cheerful chatter felt forced. She talked to me a little—polite and distant, as if she were holdi
Aria’s POV“That was an excellent call, Harper,” Dr. Miller said, his voice carrying over the buzz of the lab. He stood at the workstation, reviewing the batch log with an approving nod. “Using the substitute stabilizer from the reserve stock—it saved the entire production line. Well done.”Harper’s
Aria’s POVThe sun filtered gently through the sheer curtains, casting golden stripes across the kitchen floor. Outside, the wind rustled the trees in soft waves, the kind of quiet that used to feel like a luxury—but now, it felt like a miracle.I stood barefoot by the open window, sipping tea, watc
Aria’s POV"There they are! By the dock!"The shout tore through the air like a whipcrack. My heart jumped."Get down, Jasmine!" I hissed, pulling her low into the hull of the boat.More frenzied shouts followed, echoing from behind the locked boathouse door. Then came the unmistakable sound of spli
Aria’s POVThe tunnel walls closed in the farther we ran, the air thick with dust and something ancient, something forgotten. The flickering light from my phone barely illuminated the path ahead as Jasmine and I rushed forward, our footsteps echoing off the stone.We had no idea where we were going—
Victor’s POVThe moment Greco grabbed my mother’s arm, I saw red.Alicia struggled against Greco’s grasp, her body twisting as she tried to wrench herself free. But his grip was unyielding—ironclad. His smirk darkened, turning into something twisted, dangerous."You always were stubborn," Greco murm
Aria’s POVI grabbed Jasmine’s hand and pulled her close, my pulse hammering as I ran toward the secret door. My fingers fumbled with the hidden latch, my breath short and uneven. Come on, come on—Click.I shoved the door open just enough for us to slip inside before sealing it shut behind us. The
Victor’s POVThe moment the man at the far table shifted, my entire body went rigid. One second, he was still, the next, his hand dipped into his jacket.A gun? A knife?I was ready to move. One wrong twitch from him, and I’d take him down before he could even stand. My pulse pounded in my ears as I
Aria’s POV"Are Jasmine and I the real targets?" I whispered to myself, the thought chilling me to my core.No. That was silly. I was being paranoid.I shook my head, trying to dismiss the fear that had settled like ice in my veins. The bodyguards said they needed to secure the cabin, and logically,
Aria’s POVI stared at my phone, my fingers gripping it so tightly that my knuckles ached. Still nothing. No calls. No messages. The meeting had to be happening now, but I had no idea what was going on.I tried dialing Victor again. Straight to voicemail. Samuel? No response either.A pit of dread s
Victor’s POVThe new location was a damn ghost town. An old diner stood alone at the edge of the road, its flickering neon sign barely casting enough light to illuminate the cracked pavement in front.Samuel and I sat in the car, staring at the building through the windshield. "This place is dead,"