“What were you doing with him?” Lucian asked. “I was visiting Caleb in the hospital,” I explained, eager to clear up this misunderstanding so that we could get to the better part of what might happen here. “Matt was there too. He seemed upset about everything, so I agreed to have coffee with him.
Aria’s POV Back at Cathy’s house, I changed into my Dr. A disguise. Cathy watched worriedly from the doorway to my bedroom as I looked in the mirror, adjusting my mask. “I think it’s too soon,” she said. “I can’t keep dragging my feet about Caleb,” I replied. After seeing him for myself and sp
I didn’t want to lie to Matt. “Not good.” Matt was already wearing a neutral expression, but now it hardened further. I imagined his ability to restrain his emotions was part of what made him a good soldier on the battlefield. I felt sorry for it now, though, for this restraint seemed to hold him
Aria’s POV After the mob dispersed, I decided to call Cathy and return home to rest, at least for a while. I needed to think, somewhere it was safe, and I wouldn’t be able to relax in the hospital. With all the tests I ran on Caleb, there was nothing more I could do for him either. I needed to f
Aria’s POV “You don’t need to apologize for Lucian,” Matt said quickly. I shook my head. “I do. His behavior was out of line, and instead of trying to clear up the misunderstanding, I went along with him and left you there.” “It’s fine, Aria.” “It isn’t,” I insisted. “I should have corrected
“I only ever wanted you to find happiness,” Matt said. “I know,” I replied. “Maybe now you will,” he added. “Maybe.” I felt too vulnerable and exposed, having brought this up with him. Looking down, I tapped my fingers against the edge of the book in front of me. “I should get back to read
Aria’s POV Ignoring Cathy’s remarks, we returned home, where I read until I fell asleep. The next day, I felt as if I needed to come at the issue of Caleb’s health from a new perspective. Instead of arguing over the life-extending medicine, perhaps I could treat his illness with more conventional
Aria’s POV My feelings for Lucian, as Aria, were a jumbled mess. My outrage with him was bundled up with my confusing, lingering love for him. It made me passionate and emotional, quick to anger. As Dr. A, I had to keep all of these feelings under lock and key. Above all, he couldn’t know that t
Lucian’s POV“Of course not,” I said at once, a bitterness rising up within me.Trusting Sheila had been the worst decision of my life. Not only had I been complicit in ruining Travis’s life, but I’d also allowed Sheila to come between Aria and I, enough to help destroy our marriage. I couldn’t blam
Looking past her, I motioned toward Ben, my Beta. “Take her away, Beta. I want her in lockup until the time for a trial can be arrange.”“A trial?” Sheila gasped.“Yes,” I said, looking at her. “You will face punishment for your crimes. I will personally see to that.”“But, Lucian –”“Do not say any
Lucian’s POV“I want the truth, Sheila,” I demanded.The longer Sheila looked at me, the more her wide-eyed nervous gaze shifted into one of fury. “You trust him over me?”“Give me a reason not to.”In the past, I had let my guilt over having introduced Sheila to Travis to fully critique her story.
Lucian’s POVWithout another word, Sheila pushed past Dr. A and her assistant and burst into the hallway.“Sheila!” I called after her, both annoyed and confused by her outburst. Must she act so erratically?I followed her into the hallway, with Dr. A and her assistant in tow.Sheila was halfway to
Lucian’s POVWhile I didn’t agree with Sheila that Aria should be totally forgotten, I could acknowledge, at least to myself, that my clinging onto the past wasn’t healthy. So, after installing a lock on Aria’s old bedroom door, I resolved to keep it locked and not visit it again.Every time I had s
She slammed the door to her room loud enough to echo through the hallways.Sighing, I wondered if I had any hope of detangling myself from Sheila and this guilt without marrying her.At this point, I just didn’t know.Aria’s POVPiper was on break and Cathy was in a different section of the hospital
Lucian’s POVAs I watched, Sheila’s entire demeanor shifted, from happy and curious to increasingly upset and alarmed.“That’s Aria’s room,” she said.“Yes,” I replied, seeing no need to hide it.“Why were you in Aria’s room?”It wasn’t any of her business, but I knew I couldn’t just say that to She
Weak with heartsickness, I peeled back the cover of the diary and began to read a later chapter, from nearer the end of our marriage.Dear Diary,Tomorrow is Lucian’s birthday. While he’s never been much for celebrating, I still want to do something special for him. With hope, maybe this will start
Aria’s POVAt work, Cathy, Piper, and I gather in the office that morning over coffee. At my insistence, Cathy didn’t bring the newspaper with my photo on it, but to my dismay, Piper already had one. I believed she was fully ready to frame it and hang it behind her desk.“You know that my identity i