?Chapter 15:The Edge of Losing Everything

                                        

                                              

Dominic POV 
Dominic stepped out of his office his eyes already heavy with suspicion and a weight he couldn't name. His assistant, Marisol, waited by the door. She looked uneasy.
"She was here," Marisol said quietly, not meeting his eyes. "Aria brought the file the leather-bound folder, the Biancci proposal."
He stared at her. "And...?"
"She left right after. Didn't stay for coffee or lunch. Just walked out." She swallowed hard. "She seemed... distracted."
He clenched his jaw. "I didn't see her."
Marisol hesitated. "I guess so, sir."
Dominic's gut turned. He quickly gathered himself, slid on his coat, and strode out. Something in that moment slipped the veneer cracked.
⸻
He walked to security. Vincent, one of his most trusted guards, stood waiting. Fear pricked at Dominic's chest even before words formed.
"Vincent," he began, voice steady but distant, "I need to know where Aria is."
Vincent looked up, solemn. "Sir, the team Bravo is stationed around the penthouse, the car is parked but she's nowhere to be found."
Dominic's stomach dropped as Vincent continued: "She didn't leave the building. Not the penthouse tower. We've checked footage her keycard was used to enter, but no exit registered."
He closed his eyes for a second. Could he have lost her?
"It's possible she switched phones," Vincent added. "We can triangulate last GPS ping, sir if she still carries it."
Dominic's anxiety spiked. "Do it."
⸻
For nearly four hours, he paced the polished corridors of Voss Global headquarters, waiting. Every ping pulse felt like a life or death countdown.
He called her phone no ring. Straight to voicemail. He emailed her, texted. Nothing.
He asked security to shift the search coaxed cameras and guards to retrace her steps. Every screenshot showed the despair he was feeling a woman angry, frightened, possibly leaving for good.
Each image fueled the panic in his chest. He imagined her going never returning.
At 5 p.m., Vincent returned. "No ping sir. But there was a pedestrian level entry breach north side. A woman matching Aria's jacket image walked out, pulled a hood up, and vanished into the street, We didn't see clearly but our guess is it might be her" He hesitated before asking "should we continue looking ". 
Dominic nodded. 
Clamor began in Dominic's blood. He could taste regret.
⸻
He walked the city. No phone. No cocktail of anxiety and rage would slow him. His men canvassed cafes, hospitals, corner stores between here and midnight, but still nothing.
Terrified. Helpless. Alone in half-lit streets chasing phantom footsteps. He was Mad at himself. 
He frantically recalled every detail of their time together; the way she'd laughed at breakfast that morning, mild warmth resting in her eyes; the way she smiled when she opened the pearls he'd left that morning the necklace he bought. She never took it off. Not even then.
How did it all slip away?
⸻
By 10 p.m., exhaustion finally slowed him. He returned to the penthouse, hoping fearing she'd returned quietly. Just then 
the door clicked open. 
He stopped mid-step; breath stuck in his chest.
Aria stood in the hallway, barefoot, hair wild, someone fragile inside those strong lines. She looked... weak. Pale. Tears rimmed her eyes.
He nearly collapsed, his heart racing, What has he Done.
"Aria." His voice cracked, desperate. "I was looking everywhere." He said with tears almost visibly and shaking voice.
She didn't respond. She just let herself be guided into his arms.
He held her shaky body for what felt like an eternity.
⸻
They sank onto the couch, the lights tuned low. Dominic pressed fingertips to her jaw, scanning for life, for warning signs.
Finally, she spoke, hoarse and raw "I'm sorry."
They sat in the dark for nearly ten minutes. Dominic allowed the breakdown; letting the fear pulse through his voice at last.
"You saw me with Nina," he said, voice rough. "And you walked out without listening." He didn't know if he should speak up first, but he had too. He couldn't lose her. 
Her spine shook. "I... thought..."
He swallowed harshly. "I didn't see you. You weren't there. She grabbed my chest we were talking about a sponsorship. That was it."
"I didn't confirm... I just assumed." She said 
"I shouldn't have let you walk into that." His voice shook in the quiet. "I should have told you but I didn't see you"
She leaned her head against him. "It hurt."
Tears spilled not loud, just enough. "I know." How will I make it right, he thought. 
⸻
Dominic softened. Palms pressed her head to his chest. The tension he'd harbored all day poured out.
"She came to me," he whispered. "I didn't know she was going to do what she did, I wouldn't have let her please believe me ." You have too he thought. 
Aria nodded, thumb grazing his hand, soft and fluttering.
"I tried to call, We tracked your phone but it was off."
She closed her eyes. "I needed air."
He hesitated before admitting "I thought I lost you." I can't you lose you too he thought but couldn't say it out loud. 
Aria looked up, shifting to meet his gaze "I wasn't thinking straight."
His thumb brushed away her tear "Tell me what to do, how do I make this right".
She inhaled. Said one simple phrase "Stay."
It was enough.
And as He stayed, Dominic held her tighter. He pressed trembling kisses into her hair.
They stayed there in the low glow until the city pulsed beyond the windows and the memory of everything before faded.
This was their fragile new reality scarred, uncertain, and still rebuilding. One thing was Certain He could lose her, he wouldn't let her go, she was his.