The door of the town car slammed shut behind them.

Neither Aria nor Dominic spoke for the first few blocks. The city lights slid past the windows like falling stars—too fast to hold, too bright to ignore.

Dominic loosened his tie. “You shouldn’t have gone up to him alone.”

“I can handle Marcus Hale.”

“Maybe. But he doesn’t play fair.”

She turned to him, voice sharp. “And you do?”

He didn’t answer.

Aria folded her arms. “You’ve been feeding me bits and pieces since this started. Hale’s circling. He wants my company. You need me for appearances. Fine. But there’s more. What aren’t you saying?”

Dominic’s eyes didn’t leave the road ahead. “This isn’t just about business. It’s not just about you.”

Aria’s heart stuttered.

“I signed the divorce papers,” he said quietly, “because they told me if I didn’t cut ties with you, they’d come after you next.”

She stared at him. “Who told you that?”

Dominic looked at her now, really looked. “People who don’t leave trails. People I made deals with years ago—before I knew how deep it all ran.”

“You made deals that put me at risk?”

“I made deals to keep you out of it. But it didn’t work.”

Aria turned to the window. Her reflection stared back—hard-eyed, jaw tight. This wasn’t just about old wounds anymore. It was about present danger.

“You should’ve told me,” she said.

“I was trying to protect you.”

“That’s not protection. That’s control. And if you do it again, I walk.”

Dominic nodded once. No fight in his face. Just quiet fury—at the situation, at himself.

The car stopped at her building.

She reached for the handle, but his voice stopped her.

“Aria.”

She looked back.

“I never stopped loving you. That’s the part I didn’t say.”

Her fingers froze on the door.

Then she opened it—and stepped out without a word.