CHAPTER 303

ARIA’S POV

Days blur together under the weight of endless tasks, meetings, and deadlines. The workload is relentless, leaving little room for anything else. Yet, amid the chaos, an urge stirs within me, a familiar itch that refuses to be ignored—rock climbing.

The pull is almost irresistible, a call from the mountains that echoes in my mind, urging me to escape the grind, to feel the adrenaline rush once more. But every time I start to consider it seriously, my thoughts are hijacked by memories of that accident. The one that nearly claimed Adam’s life and left Charlotte with a severe injury. The fear that settled in the pit of my stomach after that day has never really left, and I find myself backing out before I even reach the car.

I try to distract myself with other activities, throwing myself into work, painting, anything that might fill the void. But it's futile. The call of the climb is persistent, gnawing at me like an unsatisfied hunger. It’s almost as if it’s become an addicti