ARIA’S POVI’m overwhelmed by guilt as I sit here, thinking about Ethan. Ever since I regained my memory, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him, the way he tried to comfort me during the crash, his calm words, his strength. He didn’t deserve this—none of them did. I miss him so much, and the thought that he might still be out there, somewhere, torments me. I can’t give up on the search, not now, not ever. Ethan was more than a friend; he was there when I needed him most, and now it’s my turn to be there for him.“Ethan… Where are you, buddy?”And Connor… he was more than just a bodyguard to me. He was reliable, protective, always looking out for me. I trusted him with my life, and now he’s gone, too. I keep replaying those final moments on the jet, wishing I had made a different choice. Maybe if I hadn’t gone with them to Hawaii, none of this would have happened. Maybe they would still be alive. The guilt weighs heavily on me, crushing my chest with every breath.“It’s my fau
ARIA’S POVWhen I arrive at Adam’s house, I’m greeted by the soft glow of candles and the warm, intimate ambiance of a perfectly set dinner table. I pause, staring at the scene, my mind racing. A candlelit dinner? Adam called me for a date? I had been under the impression this was a crisis meeting—a chance for us to get on the same page after everything that has happened.The articles, the accusations, the chaos swirling around us—this is not the time for romance. I had reassured Adam and my family earlier, telling them not to worry about our image or the baseless claims linking us to the crash. With no real proof, I wanted everyone to relax, to let the noise pass without feeding into it. But this—Adam’s too-relaxed demeanor, despite the storm we’re still in—feels like too much.I’m caught between frustration and disbelief as I walk further into the room. Adam’s there, looking calm and collected, ready for what seems to be a romantic evening. I’m not sure how he thinks this is the rig
ADAM’S POV“I’m not here to get fucked, Adam!”I can’t believe I misread the situation so badly. The sour look on Aria's face, the frustration in her voice—it’s all my fault. I thought that in the middle of this storm we’re caught in, maybe we could steal a moment for ourselves, reconnect over a candlelit dinner.But she took it completely differently. She thought I wanted to have sex tonight, as if that was the reason I called her urgently to my place. It wasn’t about that at all. I just wanted to find a way to make her feel a little lighter, to give us both a break from the madness swirling around us. However now, seeing her reaction, I realize I’ve made things worse.To make matters worse, she thought I called her here to discuss Ethan Mitchell and Connor. She has been so focused on finding closure about Ethan, desperate to know what happened to him. I get that. I really do. I want answers too—I'm tired of being painted as the villain in this twisted narrative.We’re battling so ma
ARIA’S POVI came here expecting a discussion, nothing more.“Adam, I’m leaving now.”“Let’s have a quick bite and then you leave, please.”His voice is hesitant at first, then determined, as if he’s been holding back all these thoughts for too long. He blurts out what has been weighing on his heart, and it catches me off guard. He reminds me of the island, of what we shared before the pirates showed up, and the way things felt between us back then. It was just the two of us in that moment—no chaos, no external pressure, no past to haunt us. It was raw, it was real, and we were so close to something... different. Adam asks, his voice low but steady.“If you hadn’t lost your memory... if none of that had happened, do you think things would have turned out differently?”His question hangs in the air, and I don’t answer right away. Of course, I’ve thought about it before. Those moments on the island felt like a new beginning, a chance for us to reconnect, maybe even rekindle something th
ARIA’S POVDays continue to pass, and still, there's no word on Ethan or Connor. Each day without progress makes the ache sharper, and my frustration mounts. I’m constantly surrounded by paparazzi whenever I step outside, but I’ve learned to ignore them.Let them click away—I don’t have time to care about their rumors or pictures. What does it matter when the people I care about are still missing? I have far bigger concerns than their trivial gossip.But Adam? Adam is starting to push all the wrong buttons. I understand he's trying to make things right between us, but it feels like he's missing the point entirely. Flowers keep arriving at my office, at home, and there’s always some sweet, well-meaning note attached, but each one only makes me angrier.I can’t help but think, Why now? Why is he only trying to fix things after everything has fallen apart? Where was this effort when we were married? Where was this care and attention when I needed it most?I was by his side for years. Fir
ARIA’S POVAs I pack my bags for the business trip to Arizona, I can’t help but feel a strange sense of relief wash over me. Finally, a break from the relentless pressure that has been suffocating me lately. The media constantly hounds me, stocks are fluctuating, partners are behaving like vultures, and on top of everything, Adam—my overwhelming shadow. It has been nothing short of exhausting.I need this trip. I need space to breathe, to think, to just be without the constant weight of Adam’s presence suffocating me. He has been trying so hard lately, hasn’t he? Flowers at my office, home, little notes reminding me of the man he once was—or the man he’s trying to convince me he has become. But I’m not buying it. How convenient that after all these years of pain, he suddenly realizes his mistakes? After our divorce, after I walked away from the loneliness and the void he left me in, now he wants me back?“We can fix this…”Now he thinks he can make it all better with a few flowers and
ARIA’S POVI’m here in Wickenburg, Arizona, and I feel more alive than I have in weeks. This place is everything I need right now—calm, peaceful, and full of opportunity. The landscape stretches wide, untouched by the chaos that follows me in New York, and I’m thrilled about this new venture.Investing in property here is not just a business move; it feels like the start of something new, a backup plan that I desperately need. With all the attacks on our businesses lately, I need a solid fall-back. This property business could be the answer.The plot I’m looking at is incredible. The potential for growth in this area is massive, and I can see it becoming a major hub before anyone else from New York even thinks about flocking to this side of the country. This is my chance to get in early, to claim my stake before the competition realizes what they’re missing.I’m not involving anyone else—not Adam, not any of our companies. This time, it’s just me. I’m the sole proprietor, and I’m goin
ARIA’S POVI glance again at the familiar face, my heart racing with disbelief. It’s impossible to mistake those features—the same sharp jawline, the same intense eyes. Ethan Mitchell is alive. He’s sitting at the café, casually sipping a coffee as if nothing has happened, as if he hasn’t been missing for months.The sight of him floods me with a mix of emotions; shock, confusion, and a surge of relief I can barely contain. I had given up hope, convinced we’d never find him, and yet, here he is.I move quickly, my feet propelling me toward him before I’ve even processed the situation fully. My mind spins, searching for answers that don’t exist. How could he have survived without contacting anyone? Where has he been? What has he been doing all this time? And more importantly, why hasn’t he tried to reach out to me, to his family? My chest tightens with the weight of it all. He’s alive, but something is terribly wrong.“Ethan!”As I approach, my eyes lock onto his, and for a moment, I e
ARIA’S POVLydia’s tears dry up as she slowly turns away, ready to leave the hospital room. Her steps are hesitant, burdened by the weight of everything she’s confessed, and by the knowledge that she might be walking out of Ethan’s life forever. There’s a palpable sense of finality in the way she carries herself, like someone resigned to their fate.But just as her hand reaches the door, Ethan calls out her name.“Lydia.”Everyone freezes for a moment. Lydia stops in her tracks, her back still turned, and I can see the subtle rise and fall of her shoulders as she takes in what just happened. The room is tense, filled with emotions that swirl and collide like waves in a storm, but the sound of Ethan’s voice cuts through it all.“Who told you to leave?”He tells Lydia that he wants to give their relationship another chance.The words hang in the air, a shockwave that ripples through the room. I glance at Ethan’s parents, who stiffen at the unexpected declaration, but they remain silent,
ARIA’S POVAs soon as Ethan gazes at Lydia, her face crumples, tears welling up in her eyes, most likely because she knows she is about to lose him. The weight of everything she has done, both in the past and more recently, seems to crash down on her. Her vulnerability is unmistakable, and it’s clear that she fears this might be the end of whatever she and Ethan had built together in this strange in-between space where his memory had been absent.Ethan’s expression hardens as he processes the reality of the situation. He’s upset, and it's easy to see why. For weeks, months even, his parents had believed him to be lost, possibly dead, while Lydia kept him hidden from the people who loved him most. His emotions are a swirl of confusion, betrayal, and anger as he turns to Lydia, waiting for an explanation. The air between them grows thick with unspoken accusations, the kind that don’t need words to make their impact.Lydia’s sobs grow more frantic as she tries to defend herself, her voic
ARIA’S POV“I’m not here to take Ethan from you… We’re just best friends. Nothing more.”“What?”“It was just a charade at your engagement.”All of a sudden, the nurse informs us that Ethan has woken up. My heart races as I see the reaction from everyone around me. Without wasting a second, we all rush into his room. Ethan’s eyes are open, and the first thing he does is call out to his parents.There’s a moment of palpable relief as his mother and father rush to his side, elation lighting up their faces. They hold him close, their hands trembling with emotion, and for the first time in a long while, they seem to have a piece of peace back in their lives.But what stands out most is that Ethan doesn’t even look at Lydia. Not once. Her presence, once central to his confusion, seems to fade into the background. She stands near the door, frozen, her eyes glassy with unshed tears as she watches the reunion. I don’t know whether it’s fear, regret, or sadness that’s written on her face, but
ARIA’S POV“I’m not letting you take Ethan from me.”Lydia sits next to me, vulnerable in a way I’ve never seen before. She begins speaking softly, revealing her regrets and the reasons behind her actions. She admits that her past choices were driven by greed and a hunger for wealth, and that those choices led her to hurt Ethan and her ex-fiancé. She speaks of how, after fleeing to Arizona to escape the wreckage of her old life, she found Ethan on the shore, lost and helpless. In that moment, she says, she saw not the man she had wronged but someone she could help. Someone who needed her.It’s difficult to fully believe her, but something about her story rings true. The way she talks about Ethan and her past mistakes feels raw and genuine, not the calculated coldness I once associated with her. She explains that when Ethan didn’t remember anything—not his name, not his family, not even his old life—he still remembered her.“We’re meant to be together. Else, he wouldn’t have landed her
ARIA’S POVWe’re all seated in the waiting area of the hospital, the sterile smell and bright lights only adding to the tension. Ethan’s parents, sitting across from me, glance in my direction every so often, their frowns deepening as if my mere presence is an offense.It’s not the first time I’ve seen that look on their faces, and it probably won’t be the last. But what baffles me is how they’ve chosen to forget about Lydia entirely. She’s sitting in the corner of the room, arms folded, her face pale and tight with worry. I can’t tell if she’s genuinely concerned for Ethan or if this is all just another one of her well-rehearsed acts.I lean back in my chair, trying to process it all. At least the Mitchells had realized that their son had lost his memory before I even had the chance to explain. It was painfully obvious—his reaction when he saw them, the way his body gave out from the shock.He fainted because it was too much for him. Yet, here they are, acting like I’m the villain in
ARIA’S POVLydia seems to sense that she’s outnumbered. She glares at us for a moment, then steps aside, opening the door fully. We enter the house, the air thick with tension. I glance around, spotting the packed boxes in the corner. They were planning to leave, just as I suspected.I spot Ethan standing in the living room. He’s casually scrolling through his phone, but the second he looks up and sees me, there’s a flicker of recognition in his eyes. I hold my breath, waiting for some kind of reaction. But then, his parents step in behind me, and that’s when everything changes.Ethan freezes. His phone slips out of his hand and clatters onto the floor, but his gaze is locked on his parents. I can practically see the gears turning in his mind, as if something deep inside him is suddenly being unlocked. His face goes pale, and his eyes widen in shock.And then, just as quickly as it all hits him, Ethan stumbles back, clutching his head. He takes a few shaky steps before collapsing to t
ARIA’S POVI sit in my car, my eyes on the house as the night falls deeper. All the windows are dark, the curtains drawn, and not a single sign of movement inside. It’s almost midnight, and it doesn’t look like Lydia and Ethan are going anywhere tonight.Still, I can’t afford to take any risks. If I leave or let my guard down for even a second, who knows what they might do. Maybe they’ll sneak out in the early hours, slip away when no one is watching.But exhaustion is catching up to me. The rented car is spacious enough, well-equipped for a long night of waiting. I’ve pinned my location for the people I’ve summoned here—they’ll call when they’re close. I settle into the seat, finally allowing myself a moment to rest. There’s no harm in taking a quick nap while I wait.I drift off, my mind a swirl of thoughts and plans. Every scenario plays out in my head; confronting Lydia, pulling Ethan out of there, making sure he’s safe. It’s not peaceful sleep by any means, but it’s something.Ho
ARIA’S POVMy stomach churns with hunger, but the idea of stepping away from my spot, even for a moment, feels out of the question. I’ve been sitting here, fixated on the house, watching every movement behind those walls. It’s like Lydia and Ethan are carrying on with their perfect little life, while I’m stuck out here, trying to figure out what to do next.I have moved too far now to catch their conversation clearly, and their voices aren’t as loud as they were before. On top of that, before they notice me, I have to make sure I keep my distance.The sight of them earlier, packing boxes, moving around like they’re planning to skip town, is enough to make my blood boil. I can’t let that happen.I need to eat, I need to think, but there’s no way I can leave the area, not even for a second. They could take off, and I’d have no idea where they would go. If I lose track of them, it could be the last time I ever see Ethan. The thought alone makes my heart race.Then, I spot a kid in the di
ARIA’S POVI got the address and I head directly to the place to spy on Ethan and Lydia. My first step is to observe the surrounding and checking on their movements.“Aiden, love. Shall I keep this in the bag?”“Yes, baby.”She is addressing him as Aiden, and I roll my eyes in exasperation.As I watch from my hidden spot, I can barely contain the rage boiling inside me. Ethan, living a normal life with that deceitful witch, Lydia, like they’re some kind of perfect couple. How can he not see through her lies?My heart races, each second feeling like an eternity. She’s manipulating him, keeping him trapped in this farce, and it’s beyond infuriating. Ethan’s family has no idea he’s even alive, and meanwhile, he’s here, with her, under this disgusting illusion of love.But then something changes. I notice a flurry of activity at their house. Boxes. Bags. They’re packing up. My eyes narrow, and I feel a sudden rush of panic. This isn’t just spring cleaning or a casual weekend trip—they’re