Aria stood in the corner, her eyes locked on Nicolas, who was laughing and talking with Ava. She wanted nothing more than to leave, to escape the suffocating environment, but she couldn’t. If she left, there would be consequences. So she remained rooted in place, watching Nicolas with a mixture of pain and longing. Suddenly, Aria felt a presence next to her. When she glanced over, she noticed a man she didn’t recognize. “Hello, Aria, how are you?” he greeted her with a friendly smile.“Do I know you?” Aria asked, frowning at the stranger.“No, you don’t,” the man admitted, extending his hand, “but I know you.”Hesitant, Aria reluctantly shook his hand, her movements tense. As she did, she felt a fierce gaze upon her. Turning slightly, she saw Nicolas glaring at her with an intensity that made her stomach twist. Quickly, she withdrew her hand from the man’s grasp, unsettled by the cold, hard look on Nicolas’s face.“I’m Eric Johnson, by the way,” the man introduced himself with a che
Read more