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
ARIA’S POVAs I step into my hotel room, my mind is consumed by thoughts of Ethan, dragging me back to memories I had pushed away for so long. I remember that night vividly—how Ethan had asked me to play the role of his girlfriend at Lydia’s engagement party.I hadn’t known what I was signing up for at the time, but I had agreed. We ended up in the middle of an extravagant celebration, Lydia glowing in her lies, parading around with her new fiancé—a rich, gullible guy who had no idea what he was getting into.It had all started when Ethan discovered that Lydia had swindled three hundred dollars from his credit card and ghosted him afterwards. She had moved on to snaring this wealthy man, claiming she was pregnant with his child.The guy, decent and unsuspecting, had taken her word for it, quickly arranging their engagement and even planning a wedding. But Ethan couldn’t let that lie stand. He was furious, not just because of the money, but because Lydia was playing this man the same w
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