I stormed into Julian's room, my heart racing with every step. "Julian, we need to talk," I said, my voice firm but laced with a hint of desperation.Julian looked up from his book, a mixture of curiosity and concern etched on his face. "What's wrong, Aria?"I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "I found out about Lauren," I said, my eyes locked on his. "Your ex-wife, Gabriela's mother. She's been in a mental asylum, Julian. How could you keep this from me?"Julian's expression changed, a hint of guilt flashing across his face. "Aria, I—""No, Julian, don't try to justify it," I cut him off, my voice rising. "How could you keep this from me? Didn't you think I had the right to know?"Julian sighed, rubbing his temples. "Aria, Lauren...she just started to unravel, okay? She became paranoid, delusional...it was like she lost herself."I shook my head, my mind racing with the implications. "She didn't just lose herself, Julian. Something pushed her to that point. And I think
I was taken aback when Gabriela asked, "Did my mom ask about me?" Her voice was laced with a mix of sadness and longing.I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "No, Gabriela, I haven't spoken to her yet. But I'll try to reach out to her, okay?"Gabriela's eyes welled up with tears, and she whispered, "Please tell her I want to see her."My heart went out to this little girl, and I knew I had to make it happen. "I'll find a way, Gabriela. I promise. But I have to warn you, your dad might not be okay with it."Gabriela's face fell, but I quickly reassured her, "Don't worry, I'll figure something out. You will see your mom, okay?"Gabriela nodded, and we shared a hug.Fast-forward to my visit to the mental asylum, I was surprised to find Lauren looking more cognizant and better than I expected. She didn't seem like someone who belonged in a mental asylum.I explained to Lauren that Gabriela wanted to see her, but Lauren was adamant, "I don't want to see her. She's a reminder of my past w
I tried to brush off Julian's cold behavior, focusing on getting ready for the public outing. I dressed in my best, did my makeup, and held Gabriela's hand as we waited for Julian in the sitting room. Julian finally emerged from his study, his expression still tense. We exchanged minimal small talk as we got into the car. "You look good." "Thanks, Julian," I replied, trying to sound cheerful despite the tension between us. "You look pretty great yourself." Gabriela, sensing the awkwardness, piped up, "Daddy, where are we going?" "We're going to a big event, sweetie," Julian explained, forcing a smile. "Lots of people will be there, and we need to show them what a great family we are." As we got into the car, the silence was palpable. Gabriela's occasional questions broke the silence, but the tension between Julian and me was unmistakable. When we arrived at the event, Julian transformed into a charming politician. "Smile, everyone!" he whispered, holding my hand and Gabriela'
Aria's POV My eyes zoned in on my laptop screen as I searched for a hall to celebrate my fourth anniversary with my husband, Ethan . Next, tomorrow was the set date. I had already hired the best caterer in the state and one of the most famous bartenders. It was guaranteed to be spot on. “Perfect,” I muttered, saving a picture of the hall for reference later. Ethan and I always celebrated our marriage anniversary with a huge banquet, and this year, it was no different. Every single social elite in town would attend, so I had to make sure everything was prim and proper. The unmistakable perch of Louisa's heels on the tiles drew closer as she approached the dining room with her mom sauntering behind. The smug look on their face was seen beneath the white chandelier. “Sign it bitch.” Louisa slammed the brown envelope on the white marble table, the thud snapping my thoughts out of my head. My neck craned and my eyes flickered between the envelope, Louisa, and Tracy. “Wha
Aria's POV The cold early morning wind brushed lightly against my skin, setting goosebumps in its wake. “St Peter's Avenue,” I muttered to the taxi driver as soon as I got in. I rubbed my palm on my arms, to warm myself up a little as my mind drifted to last night's events. I refused to follow Julian home, so he lodged me in a hotel. Not just any hotel, The Chivalry, is the biggest five-star hotel in New York. It could be far-fetched to say he was God sent since he did nothing with me except try everything. But I was still grateful that I found where to sleep. My mind drifted as flashes of our conversation trickled into my brain. “You’re stunningly beautiful. You know that?” His hot breath fanned against my ear as he gripped my waist from behind. Our gazes locked on the dressing mirror I was standing in front of. We were alone in the hotel room, and while I was still in despair from the rapid turn of events that night, something about his stare ignited a flame in me. I wasn't
Aria's POV . . My throat bobbed as the horrific sight filled my eyes. I turned to the woman. “I’m sorry. I can’t.” I shook my head. There’s no way I could take part in such a horrible act. About to move, when the woman blocked the exit, planting her hands on the doorframe. “Where the hell do you think you are going?” A thick frown burnt on her face. “You’re going anywhere until your job here is done,” she snarled. “Who?” I folded my arms, my voice barely thriving beneath the loud music. “Barley, Alvero,” The woman yelled. Two burly men clad in black polo shirts and trousers began approaching us. The stare in their eyes was as threatening as the tattoo that crawled up their neck. My heart thudded in my ears, drowning out the loud music and my hands clammed. I shoved the woman aside. Weaving my way through the crowd, I scurried towards the exit of the club. The men trailed right behind me like a predator marking its prey. I burst out of the club through the door and
Aria's POV . . “Don’t you think you are too close?” I leaned back, creating space between us as I cleared my throat. “We are even going to be closer.” A smirk formed on his lips as he leaned in, closing the space I had worked hard to create. His lips were a few inches from mine. Was he about to kiss me? My heart thrummed and I jerked back. My weight shifted too far and the legs of the chair lifted off the floor. My eyes widened as I grasped at the air—a futile attempt to stop myself from falling. Just in time, Julian wrapped his around my waist and with surprising strength he pulled me upright, anchoring me as the chair hit the ground with a sharp thud. My body pressed hard against his stone-like body and his warmth seeped into me, melding with mine. My hands rested on his chest, his very muscular chest. As soon as I registered how close we were, I jolted out of his hands. “Thank you.” Raising the seat, I sat back on it. Julian smiled and returned to his seat than
Aria's POVThe antiseptic scent lingered in the atmosphere, melding with the soft chatters of hospital workers, and patients alike. I strode towards my mother’s hospital room. Opening the door, my eyes fell on my sister. Vivian lunged herself at me, pulling me into a hug. “How did you do it?” Tears streaming down her eyes and settling on my shoulders. She pulled back, a grin slipping onto her lips. My gaze zeroed in on her, as I attempted to make sense of her words. An unsteady chuckle escaped me. “The doctor came in and said the payment had been made. Mom will be having her surgery today.” A sense of relief tugged at every inch of me as my eyes widened. Despite selling my soul to the devil to make this happen, it was worth it. Her gaze lingered on me as her smile fell to a neutral expression. “How did you get the money?” I took a deep breath before heaving out a puff. Does she need to know? Does she need to know the price of the surgery was my soul? Of co
I tried to brush off Julian's cold behavior, focusing on getting ready for the public outing. I dressed in my best, did my makeup, and held Gabriela's hand as we waited for Julian in the sitting room. Julian finally emerged from his study, his expression still tense. We exchanged minimal small talk as we got into the car. "You look good." "Thanks, Julian," I replied, trying to sound cheerful despite the tension between us. "You look pretty great yourself." Gabriela, sensing the awkwardness, piped up, "Daddy, where are we going?" "We're going to a big event, sweetie," Julian explained, forcing a smile. "Lots of people will be there, and we need to show them what a great family we are." As we got into the car, the silence was palpable. Gabriela's occasional questions broke the silence, but the tension between Julian and me was unmistakable. When we arrived at the event, Julian transformed into a charming politician. "Smile, everyone!" he whispered, holding my hand and Gabriela'
I was taken aback when Gabriela asked, "Did my mom ask about me?" Her voice was laced with a mix of sadness and longing.I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "No, Gabriela, I haven't spoken to her yet. But I'll try to reach out to her, okay?"Gabriela's eyes welled up with tears, and she whispered, "Please tell her I want to see her."My heart went out to this little girl, and I knew I had to make it happen. "I'll find a way, Gabriela. I promise. But I have to warn you, your dad might not be okay with it."Gabriela's face fell, but I quickly reassured her, "Don't worry, I'll figure something out. You will see your mom, okay?"Gabriela nodded, and we shared a hug.Fast-forward to my visit to the mental asylum, I was surprised to find Lauren looking more cognizant and better than I expected. She didn't seem like someone who belonged in a mental asylum.I explained to Lauren that Gabriela wanted to see her, but Lauren was adamant, "I don't want to see her. She's a reminder of my past w
I stormed into Julian's room, my heart racing with every step. "Julian, we need to talk," I said, my voice firm but laced with a hint of desperation.Julian looked up from his book, a mixture of curiosity and concern etched on his face. "What's wrong, Aria?"I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "I found out about Lauren," I said, my eyes locked on his. "Your ex-wife, Gabriela's mother. She's been in a mental asylum, Julian. How could you keep this from me?"Julian's expression changed, a hint of guilt flashing across his face. "Aria, I—""No, Julian, don't try to justify it," I cut him off, my voice rising. "How could you keep this from me? Didn't you think I had the right to know?"Julian sighed, rubbing his temples. "Aria, Lauren...she just started to unravel, okay? She became paranoid, delusional...it was like she lost herself."I shook my head, my mind racing with the implications. "She didn't just lose herself, Julian. Something pushed her to that point. And I think
Who was behind this message?, and what did they mean by saying that Gabriella's mother had gone mad?Thinking of the mother of the girl I call daughter, going mad was not a particularly pretty picture in my head.“Why has Julian not deemed it fit to talk about this?” I asked myself.I decided to hire a private investigator to look into the matter. I couldn't just sit back and do nothing, not when my own sanity was being questioned.As I waited for the PI to get back to me, I tried to go about my daily routine as normally as possible. But it was hard to pretend that everything was fine when I was secretly seething with anxiety.Julian noticed that I was on edge, but I brushed it off, telling him that I was just stressed about some work-related issues."You're working too hard, Aria, have you been painting all night again?" he said, concern etched on his face. "You need to take it easy."I forced a smile, trying to reassure him. "I'm fine, Julian. Really."But the truth was, I was far f
I knew I had to be careful. Whoever was behind the creepy gifts and Clara's suspicious behavior was clearly inside the house, watching me. I couldn't let my guard down, not even for a moment."Vivian, I need your help," I said, trying to sound calm, as I called my sister. "I need to get out of here for a while. Can you help me plan a vacation?""Of course, Aria," Vivian replied. "What's going on? You sound really stressed.""I just need a break, Vivian," I said, trying to downplay the situation. "I'll tell you all about it later, okay?"Vivian agreed, and we started making plans. We decided to take my mom with us, and Vivian chose a beautiful resort in Ibiza."I'm so excited, Aria," Vivian said, as we finalized the plans. "This is just what you need. A little rest and some quality time with Mom.""I know, Vivian," I replied. "Thanks for doing this. I really appreciate it."When I told Julian about the vacation, he agreed readily."Take the card I gave you and use it to pay for everyth
I stared out the window, watching as the city bustled below. My mind, however, was elsewhere. “Aria, you keep getting lost. These past few days have been full if you are drifting off,” My mom woke me up from my reverie."I'm telling you, Mom, I'm fine," I said, trying to reassure her. We'd been shopping, had lunch together, and even taken her to the doctor for a check-up. She was getting better, slowly but surely. And we were getting closer like I hoped. "But Aria, I can see the worry in your eyes," my mom replied, her voice laced with concern. "You can't fool me, dear. What's going on with you and Julian? Does it have to do with the pictures from the other day?"I shook my head, “No, those pictures are of his therapist. And they were sent by Ethan and his accomplice, Vanessa. You might not know her but she’s so evil. Take it from me.” I said“Why would Ethan involve himself with someone evil?” She asked, puzzled.“Mom, the truth is that Ethan is not a good person. I can’t really ex
I stormed into Julian's study, the picture and the dead raccoon clutched in my hand. I slammed them down on his desk, making him jump."What is this?" he shouted, his eyes wide with surprise. "Why are you carrying a dead raccoon around? And what's the picture of me and my therapist doing with you?"I glared at him. "This came from your mistress, Vanessa," I spat. "I'm so tired of her meddling in our lives. I'm not finding it funny anymore."Julian's expression changed from surprise to amusement. "Oh, it's so cute that you actually feel some sort of jealousy when it comes to my relationship with other women," he said, chuckling. "I find it very cute. I think you're beginning to have intense feelings for me."I scoffed. "Please, just tell your mistress to stop harassing me," I said, trying to walk out of the study.But Julian was too quick. He caught my arm and pulled me back. "Don't go," he said, his voice low and husky. "I'm not having an affair with my therapist, Aria. I promise you
JULIAN’s POVI walked into the room, My eyes locked on Aria's, filled with a deep longing for forgiveness. I knew i had overstepped, sending five bodyguards to her sister's college without consulting her first. I could see the anger still simmering in her eyes, but he was determined to make things right."Aria, I'm so sorry," i said, my voice low and sincere. "I know I overreacted, and I promise it won't happen again. From now on, I'll always inform you before making any decisions, no matter how small they may seem."Aria's expression softened slightly, but she still looked wary. I took a step closer, my hands reaching out to her."I know I have a tendency to want to control everything, especially when it comes to your safety," I continued. "But it's only because I'm scared, Aria. I'm scared of losing you, of something happening to you. And I know that if anything happens to the people you love, it will affect you deeply."Aria's eyes searched mine, and I could see the tension in her
Julian!” I screamed louder so that he would wake up.“Why are you shouting, Aria?” Julian asked in a disgruntled voice. He was obviously still disoriented from sleep.“Julian, I thought we talked about this? Why are these men at my room door?” I shouted “ I gave them the order yesterday before I came into your room. I’m sorry, I forgot to call them off.” He apologized.“Now call them off.” I ordered as I stormed down the stairs to the kitchen.“Miss Aria?” A small sweet voice called me.“Good morning, sweetheart.” I picked Gabriella from the ground.“I’m almost ready for school…” she announced.“I can see that. And I can also see that you’re not so happy this morning, can you tell me about it?” I asked as I placed her on my hip and headed for the dining room.“It’s her…” she whispered and pointed to her nanny.I furrowed my brows “what did she do?” “She was shouting at me…” a tear dropped from eyes.“Why?” I asked.“Because I said I do not want to go to school today and she was har