Chapter 2
507 Words
Aria's POV
He stood near the windows, seemingly relaxed in conversation with two other men, but his attention was entirely on me. Steel-gray eyes that seemed to see right through my careful invisibility. Dark hair, sharp jawline, the kind of presence that commanded attention without trying.
Our eyes met for just a moment, and I felt something shift in my chest; not quite fear, not quite curiosity, but something that made my pulse quicken.
I looked away quickly, focusing on my tray, but I could still feel his gaze following me across the room.
"Excuse me." His voice was closer now, low and controlled.
I turned, nearly colliding with him. He was taller than I'd realized, and standing this close, I could see the details the expensive cut of his suit, the subtle cologne, the way he seemed to own the space around him.
"You're new," he said. It wasn’t really a question.
"I... "I'm just filling in for someone." The words came out barely above a whisper.
His gaze lingered on me, sweeping over my face, my posture, my hands clutching the tray a little too tightly. It wasn’t the leering look I sometimes get from men. It was sharper, heavier, like he was cataloging every detail.
"And your name?" His tone was smooth but commanding, as if not answering wasn’t an option.
"Aria." I immediately regretted giving him my real name instead of some generic response.
"Aria," he repeated slowly, like he was testing the sound of it on his tongue. "Beautiful name."
Heat rushed to my cheeks. I looked away, struggling to steady my breathing. "Thank you."
He tilted his head slightly, as if studying me. "What do you do here when you’re not serving drinks in a penthouse full of strangers?"
The question caught me off guard. No one ever asked me that not guests, not managers, not anyone. "Housekeeping," I said finally. "Mostly."
"And school?" His eyes narrowed, sharp but curious.
The lump in my throat tightened. "Not... anymore."
Something flickered across his face, but I couldn’t read it. "Why not?"
Because life happened. Because rent and bills and responsibility don’t wait for dreams. Because I didn’t have the luxury of being anything other than practical.
I shrugged, avoiding his gaze. "It’s complicated."
His lips curved slightly, not quite a smile. "Everything worth doing is complicated."
Before I could respond, one of his companions called him back to their conversation. Adrian gave me one last look intense, assessing, impossible to read, before turning away.
I spent the rest of the evening hyperaware of his presence, catching glimpses of him across the room, feeling his attention even when I couldn’t see him looking.
By the time the last guest left, and I finished cleaning up, my legs felt like they might give out. I’d survived, but barely. And as I rode the elevator back down to collect my things, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had fundamentally shifted.
Something had shifted tonight, and deep down, I knew normal would never exist again.
- Writer
