Chapter 0035
Aria’s POV
I was worried about Piper, but I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye to Julia and Harold. After all, my curiosity over what Lucian might say was only part of the reason I came tonight. My main priority had been to say farewell to his parents, knowing this would likely be the last time that I saw them.
“Oh, Aria,” Julia said, as I gave her a tight hug. “Are you sure you have to leave? You can’t stay and work things out with Lucian?”
“I’m sorry,” I told her and meant it. In another life, maybe we could have all been happy together. As it was, Lucian and I felt doomed, and I was growing exhausted allowing myself to have glimmers of hope otherwise..
Julia squeezed my shoulders. “It’s not your fault.”
Gods, I loved this woman as much as if she’d been my own mother. As an orphan, she was the closest thing I’d ever had to one. I hated to lose her, but I didn’t see how I could keep her while distancing myself from the pack. It wouldn’t be right. I had to cut everyone off.
After my hug with Julia ended, Harold came in to hug me next. “No matter what happens,” he said, “don’t become a stranger.”
I wished I could promise that, and it broke my heart a little to be unable to.
Thank you
both,” I said to them. Pulling away from Harold, I took one last look at each of them. It was a bittersweet kind of moment as we all looked at each other. They didn’t say it, but I think they knew, as much as I did, that this was likely the last time we would see each other.
“You take care of yourself,” Harold said.
“If you need anything, you can call us,” Julia said. She didn’t add Lucian doesn’t have to know, but I still heard it clearly in her voice.
“Goodbye,” I told them and, with one last look, turned and walked away.
Jasper was waiting for me near the front door. He pointed to the suit coat hanging over my shoulders. Lucian’s. I’d totally forgotten about it.
“No,” I said and shucked it off. Folding it, I placed it on top of a chair near the door. Then, I straightened, rallying all of my strength. I wanted to fall apart, but I couldn’t. Piper needed me. I had to be at my best to be able to assist her as Dr. A.
“I’m ready,” I told Jasper. He was holding the handle to the front door but not quite opening it yet. Instead, he was looking at me rather strangely, as if seeing me for the first time. “Jasper?”
“Right. Sorry.” Shaking his head, he opened the door.
Jasper’s POV
I didn’t understand what was happening to me. I’d only brought Aria here tonight because I thought it would be funny as hell watching Lucian squirm. That Aria looked fantastic only added to the fun.
Yet, when I found her talking to Lucian in the garden, I hadn’t felt amused at all. And now, as I watched her pull herself together near the door, I almost felt… fond? Was that possible? Was I capable of feeling that?
She’d been crying in the garden. Her eye makeup was messed up, with the dampness pulling much of her eyeliner down to the bottom of her eye rather than the top.
Chapter 0035
+25 BONUS
Yet, even so, after shucking Lucian’s coat, she’d pulled herself together like some kind of goddess, tall and proud – unshakable. Admirable.
Her inner strength was quiet and proud. She didn’t feel the need to spread it around; she simply was. If someone wasn’t looking, they could miss how brilliant she was.
Lucian didn’t see. I hadn’t either for a while not until this very moment.
Chapter 0036.
