Chapter 11

In the Coastal Territory, Aria had improved.

A month of treatment with Caius Mercer, and the bond trauma was easing. He was thorough and professional. He'd been there throughout — encouraging her, sitting with her, talking her through the worst of it. She'd come back, slowly.

Because she'd once mentioned offhand that she wanted a dog someday, Caius brought her a three-month-old golden retriever.

When she saw the puppy, she was both excited and nervous.

"You're really giving this to me?"

She hadn't known how to be around a small living creature since she lost her son. This felt significant.

"I used to have one," Caius said. "If you don't mind, we could look after it together."

He said it very simply. Aria looked up. Her eyes met his.

"Together?"

"Like the puppy's parents. Both of us."

They crouched on the floor together, and Aria ran her fingers through the puppy's fur.

Her right hand brushed his left, and her cheeks flushed immediately.

"I think I can take care of her on my own. If I don't know something, I'll ask you."

Caius noticed the color in her cheeks and understood she was embarrassed, so he didn't say more.

"Alright. So what do you want to name her?"

"Goldie? She's so fluffy, and she feels so soft."

The puppy rolled on the floor and wagged her tail.

Caius smiled. "She seems to like it."

"Really? Then your name is Goldie from now on. Goldie!"

After that day, Aria and Caius often walked Goldie together. As the weeks passed, the space between them grew smaller. Her recovery accelerated.

And just when she thought life had found its rhythm again, the person she'd hoped never to see appeared.

That evening, they came back from walking Goldie. Right at the door, Goldie started barking without stopping.

Aria was about to scold the dog when she saw the figure standing at her door.

Ethan had arrived in the Coastal Territory and spent a day tracking down her address. He knew she was here. He'd stood at the door for a long time, ringing the bell and getting no answer.

So he waited. He ran through everything he planned to say.

He never expected to find, after barely two and a half months, that there was already a man in her life.

The man was handsome with a steady, warm presence, and that alone gave Ethan a cold sense of threat.

He'd always assumed Aria would come back to him the moment he showed up. He realized now he was afraid.

"Aria. I finally found you."

"What are you doing here?"

The moment she saw him, her breathing went wrong. Her limbs went stiff. The memories she'd worked so hard to push down came flooding back and she was almost drowning in them.

Caius felt the change in her immediately. He stepped close and said quietly, "Don't be afraid. Breathe, Aria. Just follow me. In — out —"

Aria steadied herself, matching his rhythm.

Ethan watched this and frowned.

"Aria, what's wrong?"

He stepped toward her. Caius moved between them.

"Sir, please stay where you are and speak from there. Do not come near Aria."

"Who are you to me? This is between Aria and me — step aside!"

"Can't you see she doesn't want to talk to you?"

Caius looked at him without expression. "Mr. Thorne, you know what you did to Aria. Since she left you, her condition has barely stabilized. I'm asking you not to disturb her."

"What condition? What are you talking about?"

Ethan stared, confused. "Aria, are you sick? What's wrong? Come back with me — I'll get you the best medical team there is."

"She has depression."

Caius's voice was flat. "Because of you. Just now, seeing you, she lost control of her body — her limbs locked up, she started shaking. That's bond trauma with panic disorder. Mr. Thorne, you caused this. So I'm asking you to leave."

"Panic disorder?"

Ethan stared at Aria in disbelief. How could she have depression and panic disorder?

Aria had always been bright, always upbeat. A girl like that — because of him — had broken down like this?

"Aria, I'm sorry. If I caused this, I'll fix it. Come back with me. I'll make it right."

Aria slowly steadied herself. She looked up and met Ethan's eyes, her face blank.

"Ethan. We've already dissolved the Bond. Why are you here?"

"I never agreed to that! I never wanted to sever the Bond — Aria, I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have cheated. I shouldn't have let harm come to our pup. Vivienne is locked away. I swear I won't hurt you again, and I won't let anyone else hurt you. I'll spend the rest of my life making this right."

At the mention of their pup, Aria finally reacted.

She blinked, and the tears came.

"So you finally understand — that the one who died was our child?"

"Ethan. I carried that pup for nine months and gave birth. And on the very day I delivered, you told me you'd been cheating. Then you let that woman kill our child. I hate you. I will never forgive you in this lifetime. I will never give you a single chance to make anything right. Don't dream about it."

"Get out. If you have any conscience left, get out. Never come near me again. If you do, I won't be able to stop myself — I will destroy you."

She said it and walked away without looking back.

The apartment door slammed shut. Ethan's figure was locked outside.