hapter 19

Aria’s POV

“I want this woman off bmy /bbdamn /bbne/b,” Jace snapped, standing up with a re.

I stared back at him,pletely unfazed.

“Aria’s my friend. Why are you being such an bass /bto her?” Delh snapped. “Did you two know each other bback /bat Apex or something!

“No,” we said at the exact same time.

Of course we’d met. We even used to date.

The only person who didn’t know that was Delh.

Yet I could tell that neither of us wanted to tell her. Jace didn’t want his messy past exposed, and 1–well, I just wanted to bavoid /bdrama. She already suspected something was going on between me and her brother. Thest thing I needed was her finding out I’d also dated. her husband.

Delh, I thought this was supposed to be a private trip. Why’d you bring someonepletely unrted?” Jace tried to soften his bvoice/b, but it still came out stiff.

“Like I said, Aria’s my friend. You never want to go shopping or pick up outfits or any of those stuffs with me, so at least let me bring someone who does”

“But, honey, I—”′′

“Okay, it’s settled,” Delh cried, and then bshe /bshoved me further into the cabin.

I btook /bbthe /bseat farthest from Jace. He kept ring at me like he wanted to throw me out mid–air. Luckily, Delh wouldn’t stop. chattering about all the things we’d do once wended.

“Your husband doesn’t exactly look thrilled to have me here,” I whispered to her. “Maybe I bshould /bleave-

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she bsaid/b, patting my hand. b“/bJace is just in a mood. First the prenup, then that job thing. it’s not about you.”

“So he still hasn’t signed the prenup?”

Her face darkened. She sighed. “Nope. And you saw how Grayson was about it. He’s not gonna let it bgo/bb./bb” /b

“Your brother’s just trying to protect you. A prenup would guard your assets.

”

“You think I don’t know that?” she muttered. “But Jace and I just got married and our rtionship could suffer from things like bthat/b. bAnd /bmy brother? Well Grayson bdoesn’t /bgive a damn about that. God he’s so bossy. Always takes control. Always makes the decisions for everyone.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. So I just stayed quiet.

She nced at me and gave a bsmall/b, tired smile. “You’re right. I don’t have to worry about money… but you see, I’ve got plenty of other problems. Being part of this family? It’s not for the faint of heart”

“Delh… have you ever considered-“I hesitated.

“bWhat/b?”

1

I wanted to ask if it ever urred to her that maybe the reason Jace was bso /bagainst signing the prenup was because he didn’t truly love her. That he was after her money all along.

But I could already tell Delh believed in blove /bthe same way May bdid/b–blindly, bromantically/b. She wouldn’t bquestion /bher husband for a second, even if he was ba /bplete bass/b,

“Just btalk /bto him bagain/b. If he really loves you, he’ll agree. That’s all I could say to her.

She finally smiled. That’s the n. I’m going to keep him bin /bba /bgood mood this whole trip. Maybe then he’ll finally say yes.”

9:47 AM

Then she held out her hand bto /bbme/b.

“Hey,e on. I have to show you my flying wardrobe, We need new looks before wend.”

The ne was already in the air, heading for a destination I still didn’t know of Delh dragged me into the back cabin, and I was nearly stunned bto /bdeath.

There was a whole walk–in wardrobe.

There had gotta be hundreds of items. Dresses, bags, shoes, jewelries. All neatly arranged ording to color and season

“You had all this flown in from home?” I gasped.

She casually flipped through racks. “From home? No these are all straight from the mall. I told them I wanted this season’s collection and they stuffed the closet.”

Okay, I officially hated brich /bpeople.

Delh spent half an bhour /bpicking an outfit and finally settled on a rose–pink slip dress, which she said was “a hundred times better than bthat /bsilver–blue thing fromst time” Then she sat me down in front of the vanity and started curling my hair and doing my makeup. It can do this myself,” I said, reaching for the brush.

She dodged me. “Nope. Sit still. This is part of my apology, remember? Besides, I’ve always wanted a sister to do girly stuff with. Having ban /bolder brother is so boring. Especially when that brother is Grayson”

I let out a bsmall /bugh.

She spent the next two hours perfecting my hair and makeup. The ne still hadn’tnded, and I had no clue where we were going.

Once she was bdone/b, she spun me toward the mirror

“Tada!” she grinned.

Tab–/bda, bindeed/b.

In the bmirror/bb, /bbI /bsaw a girl in a pink dress embroidered with whitece roses My lips and cheeks were blushed pink, giving me a fresh, glowing look. My hair was curled in soft waves, cascading over my shoulders.

“Wow, Delh this isb…/b”

“I’m an artist, aren’t I?” she said proudly. “Now you just need the shoes,”

She handed me a pair of white strappy heels so tall they gave me vertigo,

“No way. I never wear heels”

These are Christian Louboutin! And you are bnot /bwearing those busted sneakers.”

We were wrestling over the shoes. Suddenly, the door to the changing room flew bopen/b. Jace stomped in looking totally pissed.

“bDelh/b, what the hell are byou /bbdoing /bback there-

He stopped mid–sentence.

His eyesnded bon /bm

on me, and his expression changed from furious to stunned, I could tell he’s bin /bawe bwith /bmy look.

Try knocking next time, Jace,” Delh cried. “What if Aria bwas /bchanging?”

b“/bbS/b–sorry,” he coughed, suddenly awkward,

“But she looks amazing, doesn’t she?”

b“/bbAnyone /bwould look good in clothes that expensive,” he muttered.

“You’re bsuch /bba /bjerk. Now stay here and help her put on the heels. I’m going to grab the champagne.”

9:48 AM

b?/b.

She waltzed out of the cabin humming.

The moment she bwas /bgone, Jace closed the distance between us in two angry steps.

bHis /bjaw was clenched tight as he hissed. “What the hell are you trying to pull?”

“If you don’t want your wife finding bout /bbabout /byour past, byou’d /bbetter keep your distance,” I warned.

“bFuck /bbyou/b, Arial What’s your game, huh? First you bfuck /bGrayson, then you try to steal my job, and now you’re cozying up bYou /bjust want to ruin bmy /bblife /bdon’t you!”

to bmy /b

He bwas /bso bclose/bb, /bI could feel his hot breath on my face. I btook /ba step back, but he followed, pressing me against the wardrobe.

“bBack /bthe fuck off!” I snapped. “I have zero interest in your pathetic life. This is all just one big coincidence–I told you that!”

wife?

He grabbed my wrist, hard. “Yeah, right. You think I’m stupid? You are more ambitious than I thought Aria. So go ahead. Bring it on you cunning slut. I’ve got bplenty /bof ways to destroy byou- /b

“What the hell are you two doing?”

The voice cut through the room like ba /bde,

We both froze and turned.

Delh was standing in the doorway, holding ba /bbottle of champagne, staring at us with wide, shocked eyes.

And we were standing way too close

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