THREE MONTHS LATER

"Miss. Thomson, the boys are here. Shall I send them to you or you'll be down at the recording booth with them?" The receptionist informed Kyra who was busy polishing the song she had prepared for the group that would sing his next batch of songs.

"Send them in, Mary, I’ve been waiting for them," Aria replied before she continued to play on the piano inside her studio.

It's been three months since Aria started to work under Gems-Harmony, the entertainment agency owned by her friend Travis, and despite that she has her own studio because of all the blessings she has been receiving ever since she returned.

Since Travis knows of her predicament regarding her identity and safety, the CEO agreed to register his music under his producer name Ivy. 

She still doesn't know how it happened but in less than 3 months, the first song she produced made it to the top of the charts.

She wrote the song while she was still in New Zealand but only completed it when she joined Gems-harmony.

Travis gave the song to their soloist and everything just exploded because the song she produced and wrote became a hit song and even used in a famous drama.

Now, she is set to produce another set of songs, but this time it's for a new boy group that is set to debut soon. 

She still couldn’t believe that her boss entrusted her with a big responsibility so she really is excited to work with them

Aria was still in her deep thoughts when a knock startled her.

"Good morning, Miss. Ivy." The boy whom he recognized as the leader of the group greeted her politely followed by the other members of the band.

"Jay isn't it?"

"Yes, Miss." Jay also introduced the other band members to her.

 She flinched a little when the leader of the group introduced their main singer Dorian. The young boy's eyes reminded her of someone she had been trying not to think about since she came back.

Aria shoves the thoughts away when she feels the boys are suddenly weirded out of his silence.

"I'm looking forward to working with you. I've heard a lot about your group. I hope we can produce songs that will make you top of the chart too." Aria says and gives the boys encouraging smiles before she leads them to the recording booth.

Aria and the group started to work. They listened to the song, studied it, and started to record too. 

Aria spent the whole day with them so she was really surprised when Travis knocked into the glass that was dividing the recording booth and her office.

"Ivy? Their manager is already complaining about you tiring out the kids. Why don't you give them a break and just continue tomorrow? It's past 6 pm already. I'm sure your alpha is already waiting for you." Travis teases his favorite producer.

"Oh, Luna! Travis!" Aria is scandalized because she can't believe that the CEO himself came to stop her from overworking the boys as he says to the ground and to tease her again about Knight.

Aria dismisses the boys first before turning to her boss/friend. "Travis, what if someone hears about this? I will----"

"What? I'm just telling the truth. He always waits for you as if he’s your personal driver." Travis points out that it's the truth.

Ever since Aria opened up to Knight that night at the restaurant they became closer. The alpha became so protective of her.

 More often than not, the heir of the Prime Minister is always at the parking lot waiting for her too.

"He's not here today. He won't be here for at least another week." Aria says while getting her things ready because she also wants to go home.

"Oh, so where did he go this time? Why does he need to leave whenever he gets his ruts? Why won't he just spend it---"

"Oh, my goodness Travis! we're not going to talk about his rut please.”

Travis’s eyes were full of mischief when he turned to look at the younger again.

"Riri, don't you think it's time for you to stop taking in suppressants too? I mean you are already divorced. I'm sure your ex has his own life now so I don't think you still have to hide." Travis’s voice is full of concern. 

Aria knows her friend really treats her like a younger sister and she knows he has a point.

The problem is, no one among her friends now knows who her ex is.

 They only know the story but they actually don't know who she is dealing with.

The omega smiled softly at her friend.

"Thank you but I'm happy with what I have now. I only want to make music and make the world listen to them and I am doing it now already." 

Aria even pointed at the framed certificate of his first song that topped the chart.

"But wouldn’t it  be better if you sang them yourself so the world can feel the messages of your songs? Aria I'm not saying this as your boss and  definitely not as your friend but as a fellow music producer too. You have a beautiful voice perfect for your own music. I can help you debut as a soloist too and I know you know that." 

 Travis poured out because ever since he first heard her voice, he fell in love with it. 

He knows that the omega will make it big in the industry because of her talent will put every other artist to shame.

Aria has all the qualities of a star and yet the omega doesn't want to do anything in front of the cameras.

"Thank you so much for all the support and trust Travis but just like I've said, I'm fine with this. Now you will be the one in trouble if you keep nagging me . I'm sure Alyssa is already waiting for you!" Aria said, trying to change the route of the conversation.

Travis’s eyes widened as soon as he heard his mate's name as if it snapped something inside him.

"Oh shoot! Right, we're having dinner with a friend tonight. I'll go ahead Aria but please think of my offer again!." Travis said before he scurried to meet his mate at the lobby.

Aria couldn’t help but smile bitterly thinking about the days she used to dream of becoming a singer. 

She remembers how much she loved to perform in front of a crowd, how she beams everytime he hears his audience ask for more songs from her when she was still working at Lucas’s  restaurant.

Her smile slowly fades away when she remembers how all her dreams vanished. She remembers how she was thrown away like a used toy and how she wasn't even able to see her own daughter for one last time.

Aria is on the verge of tears when a knock on her door startled her. 

"Ivy, aren't you going home yet?" Kyrie, her fellow female producer asked.

"Oh, you can go ahead Kai. I Need to do something first before I go home." Aria replies with a smile.

The other producer gave her a smile before she finally left.

 The omega tried to calm herself down before she followed a few minutes later.

She is not in a hurry because she knows that Knight isn't home yet. 

The pure blood alpha is spending his rut at his rest house to make sure Aria is safe.

 At first, it was so awkward between them but thanks to Justin they finally smoothly talked it out.

Since Aria was on suppressants, she doesn't go into heat unlike Knight who goes into ruts every month.

Aria tried to suggest that she just get her own apartment but Knight strongly refused the idea that's why the alpha ends  up leaving his own home to make sure Aria  is safe and comfortable.

The omega couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Knight. 

The pure blood alpha is very kind and thoughtful. He is also very handsome even though he isn't as handsome as Cyr—No! Aria’s mind screamed with the idea of thinking of her estranged mate again.

She hated how she always ended up comparing the two. She knows she's being ridiculous for thinking of Cyrus all those years and she sincerely wanted to stop but sometimes he just couldn’t help it.

Aria sighs as she picks up her bag and walks towards the door. She decided to just leave her studio to avoid the thoughts running in her head.

Aria is already walking outside their company building towards the bus station when she bumps into someone.

"Oh my!"

"I'm sorry I……Aria?!"

Aria’s eyes widened the moment she recognized the alpha she bumped into.

"R…Rina??!" She blurted and even before she managed to say something again, Rina pulls her into a bone crushing hug.

"OH LUNA! ARIA!! Where the hell have you been all these years? I fucking missed you so much!" 

Rina mumbled as she tightened her arms around the omega's neck.

Aria doesn't know what to say or do because to be honest, she never expected to bump into one of her best friends so soon.

When the alpha finally had enough of her, she finally let go. "You're wearing a scent blocker." Rina furrowed her brows.

"Y-yeah,  I… Rina I didn't expect to see you here." Aria said awkwardly though deep inside she was really so happy to see her best friend. She also missed her so much.

"That's good! I mean, it's not safe here anymore, I can't believe I ran into you like this. Are you going home now? Do you have a ride? I can take you home if you want." Rina offered.

Aria almost agreed immediately but when she remembered Knight and his status she pushed the idea to the back of her head.

"Uhmmm, how about a cup of coffee Rina? She suggested it instead because she also wanted to catch up with her.

The two ended up going to a cafe nearby. They chose the table in the corner so they could talk without being disturbed.

"So how have you been? Oh Aria, we tried to look for you!" Rina said and Aria froze up on hearing the word "we".

But then she remembers how she saw Rina and Alex at the Carter mansion the day she lost his daughter too. 

Now Aria is a little conflicted because she isn't sure if Rina knows what Julius and Cyrus did to her.

"Rina...uhmmm when Kiana… I mean that day we last saw each other? What were you doing at the Carter’s?" Aria asked just to clear her mind of doubt.

Rina suddenly tenses on her seat.

"I also received the news Aria. I am so sorry about what happened. Alex sent me a message so I went there, next thing I knew you were gone too. I was so worried, I didn't know where to find you." Rina said with little tears in her eyes.

Aria sighs as she takes her best friend's smaller hands to her own over the table.

"I'm sorry Rin. I...well, Cyrus and I got divorced and I lost my angel so I thought it would be better for me to move away already. I've missed you so much." Aria said while squeezing her best friend's hands.

"I understand Ria but please don't do that again. So where are you staying now? I mean, do you live here in NY? Are you back for good?" Rina asked again because she is really curious about her best friend's life.

 Aria smiles fondly at her. She still is the ever thoughtful one. She briefly informed her about her line of work though she didn't specifically tell her that she already produced songs.

She also told her that she's currently living with a friend but purposely left out the fact that the said friend is no other than the heir of their Prime Minister.

"How about you Rin? How about Lexi? I've missed you both." Aria asked this time.

Rina’s eyes widened upon the mention of their other friend.

"Omg! Aria, aren't you watching the news? Wait! Do you even know that Cyrus is into politics now?" Rina furrowed her brows while staring at her friend.

Aria looked down, she has been purposely avoiding the news because she didn’t want to see anything about her ex family. 

She only used her  private social media accounts to stalk the music charts and that’s about it.

Rina shakes her head when she realizes that Aria is indeed not watching the news.

"Aria, when you left...Lexi got closer to Cyrus. Uhmmmm, I also don't know how it happened but they somehow clicked together. I haven't talked to them both in so long because of how  busy I am with my work but I often see them in the news. I think they're also getting married soon." Rina said.

Aria swallowed as she felt her mark heated up on her neck.

"Oh well...I'm happy for them." She muttered before she forced herself to drink the coffee that suddenly tastes like sand in her mouth. 

Maybe Travis was right after all. She also has to move on with her life for herself and for her future.

And what is the best way to build a future? For Aria, it's to make peace with her past. She quickly made a mental note to visit the place where she started to dream, her home that made her want to pursue singing. 

She smiled to herself thinking what to get for her brother Lucas. She would definitely visit him soon.

At the other side of the City, Cyrus Carter is fuming.

"Dylan, when the hell are they going to stop talking about my love life for fucks sake! This is getting ridiculous!" 

Cyrus threw the remote control of his TV in the office after turning off the device that showed him another report of him secretly dating his friend Alex Perez.

"Why are you so riled up about that news? Aren't you used to it by now? I've never seen you this mad about it." Dylan said before picking up the remote and putting it back in its place.

"I'm just so tired of this. Why the hell do they care more about how many holes I fuck more than the current issue in this country?!" Cyrus wants to smash his head on his wooden table because of the piled up frustration.

"Are you tired of the ridiculous news or just frustrated about the negative report on  Aria's whereabouts?" Dylan bluntly asked, which made Cyrus head snap towards him.

"It's been 3 months! It's been 3 fucking months and we still have no clue where she is! Where the hell could she be hiding?”

Cyrus gritted his teeth when he finally admitted the main source of his stress.

"It's because I think we're looking in all the wrong places, Cy. This weekend, I'm going home." Dylan said, which made Cyrus' eyes widen in shock.

"Oh"

"Might as well pay an old friend a visit. Who knows, I might bump into their pretty singer again." Dylan said with a smirk on his lips.

"Dylan, why do you think she would want to go back there?" Cyrus asked because he really doesn't want to give himself a false hope anymore 

"The omega is an orphan and her only friends are close to you. The only person left that she could go back to is Lucas Monroe, her adopted brother."

KNIGHT’S PENTHOUSE, NY

Aria was still staring at the street through the wide glass window from Knight’s home. It's been hours since she bumped into her best friend Rina and yet she still couldn't believe that she met her friend.

The omega couldn’t help but remember everything Rina had told her but one thing stayed with her.

‘Lexi became close to Cyrus after you left. There's a rumor that they're getting married soon.'

Aria closes her eyes as she tightens her grip on the wine glass she was holding. She is all alone in the penthouse and since she was already getting paid as a music producer, she can afford to buy bottles of wine for her and Knight when they hang out. 

It's one of the many things they both share and since she was still living at the penthouse for free, she always made sure to buy Knight’s favorite wine no matter how expensive it was.

"He’s getting married but why the hell won't you leave my skin?" Aria lifted her free hand to graze over the mate mark on her neck. 

She might not see it but she can feel it as if it's mocking her at the moment.

She knows that a mating mark isn't something you can just get rid of, especially for fated mates like them. 

She learned in high school that the mating mark would only vanish when the one who made it dies or loses his feelings toward the person carrying the mark.

 It is also the reason why she thinks she’s still alive because she had always thought that her mark was a symbol that Cyrus still has feelings for her somehow. 

But now that she learned of her ex-husband's relationship with her best friend, then maybe the feelings that are keeping a mark on her are not love.

"Must be hatred then...it's the only feeling as strong as love." She mumbles again before she drowns her drink.

 It hurts, it really hurts knowing that the person you've been wanting to find you doesn’t even care and is already smitten with your friend.

 Aria chuckles bitterly at her thoughts and how pathetic she is for thinking that her mating mark still means something to Cyrus. 

Now that she remembers that she also put a mark on the alpha, she feels even more embarrassed because she's sure Cyrus might be thinking that she is still longing for him.

Aria pours another drink into her glass. 

 She needs the alcohol to knock her out tonight or else he wouldn't get any ounce of sleep with her head running a mile a minute. 

That night, she drank her sorrow away knowing that she’d wake up tomorrow with the feeling still lingering on her.

CARTER MANSION

Cyrus sighed for the nth time that evening after making sure his little princess was sleeping peacefully in her bed.

 Be came home late again and her nanny was the one who put her in bed that evening. 

The pure-blood alpha is so thankful that they have the old woman taking care of his pup because Felicia just seems to know how to deal with Kiana even when she's difficult.

Ever since he started participating in politics, he became so busy that he rarely spends time with his daughter but Felicia made sure that Kiana is being taken care of. 

She will be turning 4 soon and one thing she has learned from her nanny is to listen to different types of music. 

He even bought his daughter a vinyl player for her room because Kiania fell asleep faster with her music on. She loves music just like her mother.

Cyrus smiles fondly at his sleeping daughter when the music from the recorder changes. The song is new.

 This time the song sounds so sad. Even the lyrics reminded him of someone, the someone he's been looking for so long. 

Cyrus stands up and walks towards the player as if listening to the song would suddenly reveal the person he's looking for. He closed his eyes as he listened to the song. it sounded familiar but unfamiliar.

When the alpha feels like the song is suffocating him, he quickly turns the player off before he leaves the room. 

He didn’t know why he felt like the song was speaking to him so he went to bed trying not to think of anything.