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 POVAs I turn away from the café, my heart pounding from the shock of seeing Ethan alive, I catch sight of a woman rushing toward us. Before I can process her presence, she’s already in my face, her words sharp and cutting.“Stay away from him!”She shouts, her voice laced with anger. I stand frozen as she hurls insults, each one landing harder than the last. People around us stop in their tracks, eyes wide, whispers spreading through the crowd like wildfire. It’s not the kind of scene anyone expects in a place like this—back in New York, people mind their business, but here, they gather as if watching a spectacle unfold.The woman’s fury only intensifies as she steps closer, her body positioned protectively in front of Ethan. “Leave my boyfriend alone! How dare you harass him?”She snaps, her voice dripping with venom. Boyfriend? My mind reels, unable to comprehend what’s happening. How could Ethan—my friend, my best friend—be with this woman? It doesn’t make sense. None of th
ARIA’S POVEthan can’t be pulling off a prank this elaborate. I keep telling myself that over and over, trying to calm the whirlwind in my mind. Revenge, a joke, a twisted plot—none of it fits. Maybe, just like me, he lost his memory. That thought strikes deep, unsettling me. I know what it feels like to have your past stripped away, to wake up and not recognize your own life. Is that what happened to him? Is that why he doesn’t know me?But then, I hear the whispers around me growing louder, piercing through my thoughts.“How shameless! Going after someone else’s man!”The words sting even though they’re coming from strangers, people who don’t know anything about the situation. I try to block them out, but they keep echoing in my mind as I watch Ethan—Aiden, he insists—and that woman, hand in hand, disappearing down the street.Something clicks. I know that woman. My heart skips a beat as I realize who she is. Lydia. Of course, it’s Lydia—Ethan’s ex. How could I have forgotten? It’s
ARIA’S POVEver since that night when Aria stormed out after the candlelit dinner, she has been avoiding me like the plague. I’ve tried to give her space, respecting her decision to pull away, but it’s eating me alive not knowing where she is or what she’s doing. I can’t ask Dave or her brothers either; they would just brush me off or make things worse between us.So, I’ve been in the dark, pacing in circles, worrying that she might have ventured into something dangerous. I know Aria, and she doesn’t sit still for long. She’s bold and stubborn, and with the number of enemies we’ve accumulated, I can’t rest. It feels like she’s surrounded by threats, and I’m powerless to protect her from them.Meanwhile, I’ve been trying to stay focused on the mission at hand; finding Ethan, Connor, or anyone who might have survived the jet crash. I’ve thrown every resource I have into the search, but we keep coming up empty.Each day that passes without news feels like another weight on my chest. I ca