CHAPTER 382

ARIA’S POV

As I walk through the door, a comforting wave of familiarity washes over me, a stark contrast to the unease I felt at the event earlier. Adam’s presence is a beacon of normalcy in the midst of the chaos. He looks at me with a mixture of concern and curiosity, his eyes searching mine as if he’s trying to decipher my emotions before I even begin to speak.

“How was your evening, love?”

I recount the evening with a sense of detachment, relaying the highlights of the fashion show and how Stella, with her usual flair, had asked me to be the show-stopper at her next event. There’s a genuine thrill in my voice as I talk about the opportunity, but it’s tinged with an undercurrent of anxiety, an anxiety that only deepens as I bring up the Mitchells.

The moment I mention them, Adam’s demeanor shifts dramatically. His face, usually so composed, becomes an open book of anxiety. His eyes widen slightly, and he visibly tenses. It’s as if he’s bracing himself for something dreadful. The ro