Aria’s POVI blink awake, groggy and sore all over. The sterile white of the hospital room comes into focus slowly, and I wince as a sharp sting ripples across my collarbones. The burns.I lift my head, but even that small movement sends pain shooting through my body. Great. This is just fantastic.
We share a smile—one that feels oddly familiar, like a glimpse of what we used to be.But then his phone buzzes, and the moment breaks. Liam glances at the screen, his expression tightening.“It’s work,” he mutters, clearly reluctant. “I have to go. But I’ll be back.”He leans down and presses a kis
Aria’s POVThe office buzzes with life as I step inside, the familiar sounds of keyboards clacking and hushed conversations wrapping around me.It feels good to be back, though a dull ache in my collarbone reminds me that I'm not entirely in fighting shape just yet. But I'm here, and that's what mat
My collarbone still aches, but it’s manageable, and I’m so focused that I barely notice the knock on my office door.“Come in,” I say absentmindedly, still typing away at my computer.The door opens, and I glance up, my fingers freezing mid-typing. It’s Liam, holding two takeout bags.He steps insid
Liam’s POVAs I pull into the parking lot, Joe’s slip of “Dad” echoes in my mind, over and over, like a broken record. The moment I heard it, my heart dropped.I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something more to his connection with Aria than I’ve ever been told. I pull into my usual spot and ta
Aria’s POVI move swiftly down the halls of the office, the buzz of noise flashing by me. It’s comforting, like the hum of a well-oiled machine.I’m back, fully recovered and ready to dive headfirst into work. The major race is looming on the horizon, and I’m determined to prove myself, not just to
Aria’s POVThe house was quiet when I walked in, the faint hum of the refrigerator the only sound to greet me. It felt strange being home again after the hospital, after the fire, after… everything.My body still ached in places I didn’t realize could ache, and my mind was a tangle of emotions I was
Joe clapped his hands, giggling. I couldn’t help but laugh along with him, the stress of everything else melting away, if only for a moment.Isabel leaned back against the couch, watching us with a soft smile. “You’re a natural, Aria,” she said. “Even in the middle of all this chaos.”I shrugged, wi