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 POV“Oh, hey, Samuel,” I said, trying to keep my voice light and casual. But there was no denying the awkwardness that hung between us. The last time we’d seen each other, we’d been alone in that hotel room—him in nothing but his boxers. A misunderstanding, yes, and one orchestrated by Mirand
Victor’s POVThe scent of garlic and rosemary filled the kitchen as I placed the last dish on the table. The chef I’d hired for the evening was quietly packing up in the background, leaving the space tidy and serene. I’d insisted on helping with the prep—not because I had any grand culinary skills,
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