Aria The next morning, as soon as I stepped into the office, the atmosphere felt… different than usual. It was sort of like it was my first day all over again; like I was the strange human outsider that didn’t belong. And my fears weren’t just in my head. When I walked through the room, I caught
I was so stunned, in fact, that I lingered there for a moment, hoping she’d look back up and say something else. But she didn’t. It was like I wasn’t even there. With a soft sigh, I turned to head back to my cubicle. But my footsteps slowed before I could leave, and I paused, glancing at her over
Aria “Want to have lunch with me?” Tracy offered me a kind, warm smile as I looked up at her. Honestly, I was a bit surprised that she was asking me out to lunch today. After what happened yesterday, I sort of assumed that she was mad at me or disappointed with me. “Are you sure?” I asked, hal
“Oh,” I said. Her words caught me off guard. “Well… thank you.” I glanced down, then looked back up at her with a small smile. “I appreciate that. I probably should’ve said something sooner if I needed help, anyway. I feel like I wasted everyone’s time by not being honest about my abilities.” “Don
Aria A week or two passed after that. Unfortunately, any hopes I’d previously had of making up with Lily had slowly faded away, replaced by something closer to resignation. I tried on numerous occasions, just little things to show her that I was sorry—smiling when I saw her, a quick wave here an
“Aria,” he said softly, crossing his arms as he leaned against the door frame. “You’ve been quiet tonight.” “Oh, I’m just tired,” I said, managing a small smile as I kissed Lucas on the forehead and stood. Darren just stared at me quietly. He waited until I left Lucas’s room, closing the door qu
Aria I spent most of the next morning in my pajamas, moving from the bed to the couch and back again like a broken record. The coffee table was littered with cold mugs of half-finished tea and stacks of abandoned paperwork that I’d half-heartedly tried to work on before giving up. My day off was
The plaza was bustling, rows of tables with posters and brochures advertising various fields, from tech to business to environmental work. I weaved through the booths as I sipped my coffee, half-curious and half-cautious. Eventually, I found myself at a booth for animal sciences: wildlife rehabili
I glared at him. “I’m not planning on starting anything.” “Your wolf says otherwise,” he remarked. “I can practically feel the tension rolling off you.” I tore my gaze away from Aria and the panther shifter, focusing on the ice melting in my glass. Maybe he was right. “It’s none of my business.”
Darren I swirled the amber liquid in my glass, watching as the dim lights of the ballroom reflected off its surface. The masquerade was in full swing—lavish costumes, ornate masks, and the hum of meaningless chatter filled the air. These events were never my scene, but as the CEO of Lunar Labs, I
Bella put a hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay, Aria. We’ll figure something out.” “But—” Just then, a smooth voice interrupted. “Is there a problem here?” We turned to see a tall man approaching, his dark suit impeccably tailored. His mask was sleek and black, covering half of his face but revea
Aria We’d been at this for hours now, primping and prodding in preparation for the masquerade tonight. Bella was like my drill sergeant, commanding me to don this color eyeshadow, smear this lipstick shade across my lips, spray just the right amount of perfume. It felt like we were teens again, ba
“Sarah,” I greeted coolly. “What brings you here?” She eyed the bags in our hands, noticing the mask peeking out of mine. “Shopping for the masquerade, I see? How… quaint.” Bella arched an eyebrow. “And what’s wrong with that?” Sarah let out a mocking laugh and checked her nails. “Oh, nothing.
Aria “Come on, Aria! This one is perfect for you!” Bella exclaimed, holding up a floor-length emerald gown that shimmered under the thrift shop’s dim lighting. I laughed, shaking my head. “Bella, that dress would make me look like a sequined asparagus.” She burst into giggles. “Yeah, but you’d
Bella raised an eyebrow. “Are you?” “No!” I exclaimed. “Well, maybe. I don't know. Darren and I talked about it, and he admitted that he might have been a bit... lenient with me.” “Hmm,” she mused, swirling her wine. “Well, at least he acknowledged it.” “Yeah, but it’s more complicated than th
Aria I hesitated for a moment but then nodded, following Darren as he led me to a fallen log near the edge of the clearing. He sat down and gestured for me to join him. I sat, but kept a small distance between us. “Listen,” Darren began, “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said the other ni
Tracy frowned, genuine concern etched into her face. “Oh no, that wasn’t my intention at all. I just thought she was checking in on you, maybe worried about your workload.” I sighed, once again feeling at a loss for words. Tracy seemed genuinely apologetic, even if it was unprofessional of her to