Aria
“You have gone too far this time. Get out of my house right now,” Aria said firmly, her hand still resting protectively on Ethan’s chest as she felt the steady rhythm of his breathing beneath her palm.
Her mother paused at the threshold with her handbag in hand, then turned back with one final, measured look. “What are you going to do now, Aria?”
Before Aria could answer, a sharp, twisting pain suddenly gripped her lower abdomen. She gasped and doubled over slightly, one hand flying to her stomach as her face paled. The discomfort was intense and unexpected, radiating through her belly in waves that made her knees feel weak.
Her mother’s composure shattered instantly. She dropped her bag and rushed across the room, her voice filled with genuine concern. “Aria, darling, breathe th
