LOGIN“Len, breath…” Aria stood in front of Toronto’s airport as Tyler and the Uber driver put their luggage in the car boot. “Count with me. One… two…three…”“I am breathing,” Lena snapped, then yelped. “I am not breathing—oh my God, Aria, I can’t do this.”Tyler touched her arms lightly to let her know they could get into the Uber now.“Okay, Len, listen to me,” Aria said as she climbed into the car. “You CAN do this. That baby needs her mother. You need your ba—”“Oh my god, stop talking!!!” Lena screamed into the phone, sharp and frantic enough to make Aria flinch. “Where the fuck are you?!”“We’re literally in the car rig—”“If you are not at the hospital in five minutes, our friendship is over.”Tyler, who had just entered, winced theatrically.Aria shot him a warning glare so fast he pressed his lips together, though the corner of his mouth still twitched.“Don’t you fucking laugh,” she mouthed at him.His eyes widened in mock surrender, and he slid a hand over her lower stomach, rub
“Hey,” Tyler murmured, tipping her face back up to look at him.His eyes were softer now, wet at the edges, a disbelieving smile starting at the corners of his mouth.“You just said the exact words I was going to say to you.”She blinked in surprise. “Wha—”Tyler didn’t let her finish as he crashed his lips against hers.At first, her eyes widened in disbelief… and then it fluttered closed and she immediately melted into it, hands curling into the front of his jacket.Her entire world narrowed down to the warm, familiar taste of him that always grounded her.To the way his lips moved against hers with a mix of urgency and reverence.To the way her body instantly remembered this, as if no time had passed at all.Every memory since the day they met folded into this one moment.When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing hard.Tyler rested his forehead against hers, eyes closed for a second, like he needed to anchor himself.“I love you,” he said, voice low but sure. “I ne
No.It couldn’t be.Aria stopped mid-step, her boarding pass crinkling in her hand.Slowly, with her heart pounding so hard it hurt, she turned toward the voice… and her knees almost gave out.Tyler.He stood a few yards away with one suitcase by his side, chest heaving, eyes wide like he was trying to make sure she wasn’t a trick of his imagination.The exact same way as she was feeling too.For a second, neither of them moved.Then, he took a step forward. And another.Without thinking, she moved too.Both of them dodged a couple of travelers going about their day without losing sight of each other… until they stopped just inches apart.Aria couldn’t believe it. Her heart pounded against her ribs painfully.It was really him.“Why are you going to Lon—” Tyler started.“What are you doing in New Yor—” Aria blurted at the same time.They both stopped, then let out a shaky, nervous laughter.They stood there, grinning like idiots, still a little too stunned to find the right order for
The silence Dexter left behind was thick enough to press against the walls.The apartment was completely silent.But strangely, underneath the grief and guilt, there was a thin, fragile line of calm. One that felt like certainty.Her heart was racing, but her mind was steady in a way it had not been in months. And even though the situation was heartbreaking, it was also necessary.She could no longer keep living half-truths.Not anymore.So, that night, she packed her clothes, toiletries, chargers, and all the little things that made a place feel lived in, moving carefully, almost reverently, as if she were handling something fragile and sacred.Every so often, she would stop and breathe through the fact of what she was doing.This was insane.This was real.This was happening.But she refused to dwell too long on the shape of the decision, because if she did, fear might catch up with her and make her stop.So she kept moving, folding, zipping, stacking, until the suitcase stood by th
Aria headed back to the table and sat down carefully beside Dexter.He turned to her immediately, brows drawn. “Are you okay?”“Yeah.” She forced a small smile. “I’m fine.”His hand found her knee under the table, thumb brushing lightly. “You sure?”She swallowed, glancing across at Lena, who was watching her a little too closely. “I’m sure. Just… long line.”Lena’s mouth twitched, but she didn’t say anything.Aria drew in a slow breath and tried to root herself in the moment—the clink of cutlery, Mia’s voice as she told a story about a coworker, and Jade arguing with Dexter about whether New York pizza was overrated.She also focused on the warmth and safety of Dexter’s palm on her knee like it might anchor her.Even though a certain name whispered at the edges of her mind, she shoved it back and reached for her drink instead.Three days went by faster than she thought possible.They crammed as much of New York as they could into the girls’ visit… until finally, it was time for them
The next noon, Aria and Dexter took a taxi to the scheduled restaurant together, their fingers laced as they walked in.The girls were already seated when they arrived, and all three of them looked up at once with matching grins.“There they are,” Mia said.Lena stood first, smiling warmly as they approached. “Hi,” she gave Aria a quick hug before turning to Dexter. “Nice to finally meet you, Dexter.”He gave her a little polite but easy smile. “Likewise”Jade stood next, offering him a once-over that somehow managed to be both amused and approving. “Nice to meet you.”“Same.”Mia was last, and she hugged him like they’d known him for years. “So you’re the one,” she said with a teasing tilt of her head.Dexter laughed. “I hope that’s not ominous.”“It is,” Mia deadpanned, then burst out laughing.Aria shook her head, already smiling despite the nerves buzzing under her skin.Almost immediately, the girlfriend test began.The girls eased into questions with the smoothness of people who
Jason hadn’t expected a reply to his email so quickly. He had only sent it the previous afternoon, and now, mid-morning, his phone buzzed on his desk.From: Dean HargroveCould you stop by my office today, 11:30?He checked the time. 11:08 A.M“Of course,” he muttered, more to himself than anyone,
He hit play, and immediately, the car filled with noise—thick bass, laughter, a wall of sound that made his speakers buzz.Somewhere under it, he heard Aria’s voice along with another girl, but he couldn’t make out a single word.He frowned and listened to it twice more, thumb hovering over the pau
The smell of something buttery hits Aria before she fully wakes.She blinked her eyes open. The unfamiliar ceiling came into focus first, then the posters on the wall.
Aria’s Uber rolled up to a high white wall with discreet security cameras and a tall golden gate that looked like you were entering heaven. The mansion was bigger than she imagined. That’s if she imagined a mansion at all.“Wow!” she whispered, peering from the window. “I can’t believe Sofia lives







