Chapter 16

• As Zander shared his painful past, Aria felt a surge of empathy and knew it was time to reveal her own story. She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before speaking. “I understand more than you know,” she began, her voice steady but laced with emotion.
• “My biological father died when I was just a child. I barely remember him, just fragments of laughter and warmth. My mother was devastated, but she tried to move on. When she met my stepfather, I thought she had found someone who would take care of us. But I was wrong.”
• Her eyes darkened as she recalled those days. “He seemed charming at first, but it didn’t take long for the truth to surface. He was a gambler and a drunk. My mother believed in him, trusted him, but he was nothing more than a con artist. When she died unexpectedly from an illness, my world shattered.”