ARIA’S POVWeeks go by, and things have been pretty calm. I can finally breathe and enjoy my freedom. The chaos of the past feels like a distant memory, and I relish the peace and quiet. With no one to answer to and no drama to contend with, I find solace in my routines and the simple pleasures of life.The project with Wellington Enterprises progresses smoothly, despite the occasional run-in with Adam and the ever-annoying Clark. Their attempts to unsettle me fall flat; I've grown stronger and more resilient. Each day, I become more confident in my abilities and more certain that I made the right decisions.I spend my evenings unwinding with a good book or catching up with friends who genuinely care about me. The oppressive weight of my past life with Adam lifts, replaced by a lightness I haven't felt in years. I'm finally in control of my destiny, and it feels empowering.Adam's outburst at his place, where he confronted Eva and Elodie for their mistreatment of me and for their invo
ARIA’S POVAs I arrive at the event, I'm greeted by a sea of affluent figures, each one exuding an air of sophistication and importance. It's a gathering where prestige and influence seem to mingle effortlessly, and I can't help but feel a sense of belonging in such esteemed company.It's no secret that I'm Neal Jackson's sister, and it seems that my association with him has garnered me a certain level of respect among the elite crowd. As I make my way through the room, I notice heads turning in my direction, and I'm met with nods of recognition and polite smiles.“Nice to see you, Miss Cook.”The host greets me and I smile at the courteous welcome.“What an amazing event. I’m glad to be here.”There's a certain weight to the way people regard me, as if my presence alone carries a measure of significance. It's a feeling that I've grown accustomed to, yet it never fails to remind me of the responsibilities that come with being part of a prominent family.Despite the grandeur of the eve
ARIA’S POVAs I spot the car crashing into the tree in front of me, my heart races. I recognize that car. Without a second thought, I unbuckle my seatbelt and scramble out of my vehicle. My heels click sharply against the asphalt as I rush towards the black sedan.The hood is crumpled, smoke rising ominously from the engine. I reach the driver's side door and peer inside, my hands trembling as I try to pull it open. Inside, I see a familiar face slumped against the airbag. My breath catches in my throat as I realize who it is.“Adam! No!”He stares at me, unable to move, and my heart sinks. I reach out to him, my fingers brushing against his arm. Instead of mourning in pain, he asks faintly."Are you alright?"His concern for me, even in this dire situation, overwhelms me. I choke back a sob and nod to comfort him."Yes, I’m fine. I’ll call 911."I fumble for my phone, my hands shaking, and dial emergency services. I can barely keep my voice steady as I explain the situation. Glancing
ARIA’S POVAs we arrive at the hospital, Adam is swiftly taken away for treatment, his injuries more severe than mine. I'm left feeling a mixture of relief and guilt—relief that he acted so selflessly to protect me, yet burdened by the weight of knowing he's now suffering because of it. If he hadn't intervened, it could have been me lying in that hospital bed, fighting for my life.The hospital room fills with the presence of the Millers, a sudden convergence of family amidst the chaos. Even Grandpa, whose health had been a source of concern, is here, stable and present.As I take in the scene, it dawns on me that the unsettling feeling I had experienced at the party wasn't about Grandpa's well-being or anyone else's, but it was an ominous premonition about Adam and me.“You! It’s all because of you!”Eva's entrance into the room is sudden and tumultuous, her voice echoing with accusation as she directs her anger towards me. Adam, lying in a comatose state, is the center of attention,
ARIA’S POVGrandpa isn't easily fooled. As days go by with Adam still lying in the hospital, my routine visits do little to mask the truth.Grandpa starts noticing the subtleties. He observes how I don’t linger after visiting hours, how I keep a careful distance, never reaching out to touch Adam. It’s these small, telling signs that finally clue him in to the reality we’ve been trying to hide.He realizes that Adam and I are no longer living together. His piercing gaze, filled with a mix of disappointment and understanding, tells me he’s figured it out. There’s no hiding the truth from him anymore.Then, he finally asks Adam.“What’s going on between both of you?”Before I can open up to him, Adam intervenes.“Actually, Grandpa… Um, it’s my fault. I made her mad and she left home.”Adam continues, explaining that we didn’t want Grandpa to be upset, which is why we had concealed the truth."We thought it would be best to keep it from you until we could sort things out ourselves."He ad
ARIA’S POVAfter the phone call, I rush to meet Mario at a nearby café where he promised to show me some proof.When I arrive, he quickly ushers me to a secluded table and opens his laptop. To my shock, the screen displays footage from a parking lot security camera. Three men are clearly seen tampering with the brakes of my car. My heart races as I watch them work methodically, their faces are quite clear.Mario pauses the video and looks at me gravely."Do you know them?"The realization that someone had deliberately tried to harm me sends chills down my spine. "Never seen them."As I sit back, trying to process the gravity of the situation, I realize my enemies are closer than I ever imagined, and this was just the beginning.“Hand this evidence to the police and let them dig deeper.”Mario agrees with me and tells me that he will expedite this matter. But he also asks me to exert caution.As I leave the café, my mind races with thoughts of who could be behind this and why they want
ADAM’S POVAria is so mad at me, and she has every right to be. I’ve endangered Grandpa’s life, but Sophia being in the hospital isn’t entirely my fault. However, getting her pregnant in the first place is totally on me.I have warned Sophia repeatedly not to come to the hospital, but she ignored me. She has been insistent for a long time now, and today she finally shows up despite my objections.Grandpa is with me when Sophia arrives. I am baffled to see her come in unannounced, without informing me beforehand. And mind you, she does not even turn her back and leave when Grandpa hasn’t yet noticed her.Instead, she marches right in, greeting us and addressing me very intimately. Even though she knows Grandpa doesn't like her, she insists on forcing herself into the family and having a conversation with us.“What is she doing here, Adam?”Grandpa's question sends a chill of unease down my spine, stirring up a wave of confusion and apprehension within me.Before I can even muster an ex
ARIA’S POVAdam is insistent that I listen to what he has to say about what just happened to Grandpa. Doesn't Adam realize that Sophia, carrying his child, would rush to the clinic upon hearing about his accident? She likely knows I'm with Adam and will do everything possible to visit him despite any reprimands.“It’s none of my business, Adam. I’m only concerned about Grandpa.”I couldn't care less about what those two do. My only priority is keeping Grandpa safe and away from any unnecessary drama.“No, Aria. You need to know… And please, getting Sophia pregnant was just an accident. I never wanted this.”“You mean you wanted to only sleep with her and not get her pregnant?”I chuckle at my own question. I can't help but remember how every time I saw Adam and Sophia together, they were so happy, leaving me feeling like a third wheel. I have been ill-treated on several occasions and been degraded like anything. Adam has never stood for me.“I mean I never wanted to cheat on you at al
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