First Day

ARIA

Morning came as swiftly as night faded. I slipped into a fitted pencil skirt and crisp white shirt, pairing them with fishnet stockings and sleek red stilettos—armor for the war ahead I guess. Olivia had gone to the hospital to stay with Mom, while Michael—useless as ever—stayed home, likely glued to the couch.

The sun was blinding as I stepped outside, but it wasn't the heat prickling my skin that unsettled me—it was the day ahead of rather it was the memory of his voice the previous day, low and taunting, like he'd already won. My heart slammed against my ribs with each step closer to HQ. It wasn't fear. It was fury. And something darker, hotter, that I refused to name. It was almost laughable.

I had walked through those doors for years, yet today, nerves gnawed at me like it was my first day. Or maybe it was the way his gaze had lingered on my throat yesterday, possessive and hungry, like he'd already decided where to bite first. The thought festered, coiling into something equal parts dread and anticipation.

Then, the building loomed before me, glass and steel standing tall as ever. And the murmurs began. Tch! At least let me get inside first, I mumbled.

People had heard about my firing. They had watched me walk out in disgrace. Now, here I was—back, dressed for work, head held high. A dull ache started forming at my temples. Today is going to be a long day.

And then I saw her.

Sarah. My baby.

Her sharp blue eyes widened the second she spotted me. Instantly, I froze. Shit.

I had practiced my lie, gone over it a dozen times, but now, under her gaze, I could feel it unraveling.

Her heels clicked sharply against the granite as she rushed toward me, coffee in hand. "Aria. What the hell are you doing here?"

"Let's go inside first," I said, grabbing her arm before she could demand more answers.

I still needed time to recite what I had prepared.

I pulled Sarah toward the entrance, ignoring the whispers around us, though every step I took made it harder to pretend I didn't hear them.

"Wasn't she fired?"

"What the hell is she doing back?"

"Did she beg for her job?"

Don't you all have things to do? I thought silently, irritation sizzling beneath my skin already.

I clenched my jaw and kept walking. The glass doors slid open, and the cool blast of air-conditioning hit me like a slap, cutting through the heat clinging to my skin.

The admin floor buzzed with the usual morning energy—phones ringing, keyboards clacking, conversations flowing over cups of coffee. But the second I stepped in, it was as if someone had hit pause. Conversations dipped into hushed murmurs, stolen glances cutting in my direction.

Sarah's grip on my arm tightened. "Aria…" she whispered, but I was already moving.

Her desk was near the middle of the open workspace, positioned in a way that gave her a view of the entire floor. I slid into the chair across from hers, exhaling as I tried to ignore the weight of every damn stare drilling into me.

"Okay," Sarah said, setting her coffee down with a thud. "Spill. What the hell is going on?"

I opened my mouth—

"Miss Thorne?"

Fuck.

I turned to see Mr. Phillips, the HR officer who had so awkwardly handed me my termination letter. He stood by his office door, a thick folder tucked under his arm, his expression a mix of confusion and suspicion. "What exactly are you doing here?"

I smiled, sickly sweet. "Oh, Mr. Phillips. Still poking around where you don't belong? Shouldn't you be busy ruining someone else's day?"

His face twitched, caught between offense and professionalism. "I—"

"Aria." Sarah nudged me, eyes wide with warning.

I waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry, Mr. Phillips. You'll find out soon enough."

He frowned but, seeing he wouldn't get anything out of me, turned and stalked off, though I caught him glancing back as if expecting security to escort me out.

I huffed and turned back to Sarah. "Anyway. As I was saying…" I inhaled, ready to deliver the lie I had prepared. "I got called back because I plea—"

"Because she's been promoted."