Aria's POV
The house descended into chaos the moment Julian arrived. I was still there, frozen, staring at Maddy's outstretched hand like it was a serpent ready to strike, when I heard his footsteps on the stairs.
"Oh my God, Maddy!" Julian's voice rang out, filled with genuine excitement I rarely heard from him.
My head snapped toward him just in time to see them embrace. Not a polite, professional hug. A real one. The kind that spoke of familiarity, of shared history, of inside jokes and late-night conversations. His arms wrapped around her waist, and she pressed her cheek against his chest, both of them grinning like reunited best friends.
Something cold and sharp twisted in my stomach.
"Wait, you know her?" I asked, my eyebrows shooting up so high they nearly disappeared into my h
