Aria POV
I barely slept.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the faces from the gala.
The laughter.
The whispers.
The pity.
The judgment.
By morning, I felt exhausted.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
I stood in front of the mirror in my tiny apartment and studied my reflection.
The same brown eyes.
The same dark hair.
The same girl who had walked into Devereux Mansion believing she could stand beside Lucien.
Now I wasn't so sure.
A knock on my door interrupted my thoughts.
I already knew who it was.
Lucien.
My heart betrayed me immediately.
Opening the door, I found him standing there holding two cups of coffee.
His expression softened the moment he saw me.
"You didn't sleep."
I accepted the coffee.
"Neither did you."
A faint smile appeared.
"Fair."
For a moment, neit
