Aria's POV
My hand trembled. "You don't get to force me." Every word came out cold. "You lost that right a long time ago."
For a long second, he simply stared. Then his shoulders slumped. I didn't wait.
I turned and ran.
"Aria!"
I ignored him. The ballroom had become impossible to navigate. Guests crowded every corridor. Reporters were everywhere.
I pushed through unfamiliar hallways, desperate to escape. My breathing became ragged.
"Excuse me!"
I rounded another corner, then another, and yet another. The music disappeared behind me. The elegant decorations gave way to quiet, carpeted corridors lined with expensive artwork.
I finally slowed. My heartbeat thundered in my ears.
Lydia looked around uneasily. This isn't the main hall.
I frowned. It wasn't. The signs on the wall rea
