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
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 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 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
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
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 clicked through the surveillance videos again, my fingers tightening around the mouse as the footage rolled on the screen. Jessica sat beside me, her arms crossed, watching intently. Across from us, Carter, the head of security, stood with his hands resting on the table, his expression
Aria’s POVLunch arrived with an unexpected surprise. I was finishing up some notes when a knock at my office door made me glance up. A delivery man stood there, holding a large bouquet of delicate white lilies and blush-colored roses. Behind him, two catering staff wheeled in covered trays filled w
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