Aria's POV
"Are you sure about this?" Maya's voice trembled as she pinned the last strand of my hair in place.
I stared at my reflection in the mirror. The white silk gown hugged my body, flowing down in delicate folds, its bodice stretched slightly around my protruding belly.
My hands instinctively rested over the curve of life beneath the fabric. My heart raced, not just from nerves but from the weight of everything pressing down on me—danger, betrayal, and love all colliding at once.
"Yes," I whispered, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes. "Damon and I survived too much for me to stop now."
Maya frowned. "Survived, yes. But, Aria… what if—" She bit her lip, glancing at the window where guards patrolled outside.
"What if Celeste finds a way? I don't trust silence. It's too quiet. Too easy."
Her words stabbed through me. I'd been pretending not to think about her, the woman who haunted every shadow of our love story.
