A'S

YEAR

e highest of men and women clad in jewels. They chatted, displaying

es one to k

lled out, his hand slid down my back

lust that swirled through hi

d, still I s

y lap to my ankle, exposing a little more than it should. A diamond necklace sat on my neck with m

sh, no

ack heel clicking against the

into a deafening silence. Their gazes latched on me a

is s

rumor i

t his

ks so b

ooks

mile ghost

riends." He said heartily.

. "It's your day

ghed, rushing to the stage while

t easy, I lost hope a thousand times, but my sweetheart was there." He threw an air kiss at me. I recoiled, my cheeks pinked in embarrassment, and with that, the crowds cooed. "She

r said

." They

Macro Jewels. I won. I have to say I wouldn't

ppressed the urge

at his unnecessary jokes, agreed to his nonsense, side-eyed me, drank, and were merry. Finally, the party ended

kiss

walked out, like the c

heir prying gaze. I snatched my hand away from

s the drive

was

it in. I was in for another long drive with his

o escape fo

zing out ther

d you th

e point, believed we wer

s just a deal, Mr. Salvator

, but s

en d

ar

resend the accoun

d. "I would like to thank you for

my hands and legs to avoid it. "But I have other thi

came t

na

phone beeped, and I didn't bother to ch

, Miss Aria. It was

was

stel. It wasn't a famous five-star hotel. It was a local inn, a hostel m

my bed, relishi

y, I'm

miling so long could hurt? I kicked off my heels, and my h

from the prying gaze. Only hell kne

ange; all I needed was sleep. Not like I coul

pair of green e

I wasn't going down t

d out m

whispered. The chime from my ph

closed, and I should have felt some

pride. Like a small, cold pat

pin

d stopped chasing lo

o

he thought down before it s

down that roa

ll I wanted now was rest o

e easily anymore

es closed, hopin

of sleep, if

e darkness crept in, and I welco

ing for three years, but that didn't change anything. The mem

t me to save her. No matter how fast I ran, how hard I tried, I couldn't. I just watched as the truc

I watched her get crushed

ff the bed, slipped into the flip

to scream. You could say I was used to watching my child being killed in

sce on my dreadful nightmare later; for now, I n

n I say it i

ignoring my reflection in the

usand-dollar gown, I looked nothi

lue eyes, my face hardened by years

You wouldn't want to sca

lurched a

re people who needed an escort

hen they needed to look respectabl

al for those rich, spoile

to break into th

a wife. I

s damn g

, and I never, NEVER repeated the same

tech prodigy with an overbearing moth

to flash at a family reunion so the

ayed th

s even when my palms were swe

to his aunt that she looked stunning in Chane

't as depraved a

ended with $300,000

a

dress, my hair packed into a ponytail, as I sc

here was

sual order lay on my table: two cups of

ell

was expecting a new job today, and the sudden chime

ll picked up my work phone and saw the message flash

ber. One un

s is a seven-day contract. I'm willing to

es wi

wh

d severa

oint-

n paid was from this gu

sage louder than the money. He need

rm coffee and replied to

gotiabl

ntim

xten

rep

nt up

ever wea

came almost

t will send the cont

ficient too. I kind

. I skimmed through the attached contract, scanni

Side private penthou

Just the sa

name at the botto

ined from

Cal

fr