Chapter 77
Aria's POV
"You have what's on your mind, just tell me. Don't keep it bottled up," Sophia said, her voice gentle as she rubbed my back. I'd nearly choked on my beer after slamming the door on William.
I forced a smile that didn't reach my eyes. "I'm fine. Really."
Sophia gave me a knowing look. "Aria Harper, that smile might work on fashion executives and investors, but not on me."
She was right. Behind my smile, my mind was a battlefield of emotions—relief that I'd finally stood up to my father, terror about what would come next, and a strange emptiness where familial obligation used to reside.
"It's just... surreal," I admitted. "Four years of playing the perfect daughter, and now—"
A heavy thud interrupted us. Something—or someone—had fallen against my apartment door.
Sophia and I exchanged puzzled glances. "Did you hear that?" she whispered.
I set down my beer and approached the door cautiously. Opening it, I froze at the sight before me—William Harper, CEO of the Harper Media Group and my estranged father of approximately thirty minutes, lay unconscious on the hallway floor.
"Oh my God!" Sophia gasped, rushing forward. "Mr. Harper? What's wrong with him?"
I knelt beside him, instinctively checking his pulse. It was rapid but present. His face was flushed, and his breathing seemed labored. My mind registered these facts with clinical detachment, as if this were happening to a stranger rather than the man who'd raised me.
"He's not going to die," I said, my voice hollow as I reached for my phone and dialed 911. "Not in my hallway, anyway."
The paramedics arrived within minutes. After a quick assessment, they determined he needed immediate hospitalization. One of them turned to me. "Are you family? Someone should accompany him."
"I..." The word caught in my throat. Was I still family? Thirty minutes ago, I'd declared I was no longer a Harper.
"She's his daughter," Sophia answered for me, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze.
The ride to the hospital passed in tense silence. I sat as far away from William's stretcher as the ambulance allowed, watching the paramedics work. My father's face appeared oddly vulnerable without his customary stern expression. For a fleeting moment, I saw echoes of the man who'd once carried me on his shoulders through Central Park.
Upon arrival at New York-Presbyterian, William was whisked away for tests while I completed paperwork. I was directed to a private waiting area—the perks of being a Harper, even when you'd just renounced the name.
I hadn't been waiting long when Victoria burst through the doors, her designer heels clicking against the polished floor. Her face was a perfect mask of wifely concern, but her eyes betrayed calculation rather than worry.
"William, darling!" she cried, rushing past me toward the doctor who'd just entered. "What happened? How is he?"
The doctor explained that William had suffered a mild heart attack, likely triggered by extreme stress. He was stable but would need to remain under observation. Victoria nodded attentively, occasionally dabbing at dry eyes with a silk handkerchief.
Once the doctor left, her façade crumbled. She whirled toward me, her voice dropping to an accusatory hiss.
"This is all your fault! Your wedding spectacle today—humiliating both families in front of New York's elite! You put your father in that hospital bed!"
I met her gaze steadily. "Interesting theory. I'm sure it had nothing to do with his daughter discovering her fiancé was sleeping with her stepsister. Or that said stepsister is pregnant with his child."
Victoria's eyes widened momentarily before narrowing. "You've always been jealous of Scarlett. Now you've fabricated this ridiculous story—"
"Save it," I cut her off. "The pictures and messages weren't fabricated. The only fiction here is your concern for my father."
"How dare you!" Victoria's voice rose. "I've been a devoted wife to William—"
"After being a devoted nurse to my mother?" I retorted. "Quite the career advancement strategy. The Ross family might not have much talent, but climbing into beds not meant for them seems to be a special skill."
Her perfectly Botoxed face couldn't fully hide her fury. "You think you're so clever, Aria. But look where it's gotten you—alone. You couldn't keep Ethan interested. What makes you think any man of substance would want you?"
I smiled coldly. "Perhaps you should check with the billing department about insurance forms. I'm sure a 'devoted wife' like yourself wouldn't want to miss handling those details."
Victoria stalked off toward the nurses' station, her posture rigid with anger. I turned to leave, eager to escape the antiseptic smell and the weight of family drama.
"Aria!" Victoria's voice called from behind me as I walked down the corridor. "Did you plan this? Deliberately humiliate Ethan and Scarlett with those photos?"
I continued walking, my heels clicking against the polished floor. My pace quickened, and on the slick surface, I felt my ankle wobble dangerously.
Before I could fall, a strong arm circled my waist, steadying me. The familiar scent of sandalwood and mint enveloped me as Devon pulled me against his solid chest.
"Careful," he murmured, his deep voice reverberating through me. His arm remained firmly around my waist, even after I'd regained my balance.
Victoria stopped short, her eyes widening at the sight of Devon. Her gaze darted between us, processing our apparent intimacy. Her expression shifted from shock to calculating understanding.
"Well, well," she said, a nasty smile spreading across her face. "Now it all makes sense. You were already playing with the big boys, weren't you, Aria? Is that why you orchestrated today's disaster? Already traded up from Ethan to the Kane fortune?"
Devon's hold on me tightened almost imperceptibly. "Mrs. Harper," he said, his tone deceptively pleasant. "I understand emotional distress can cause people to say regrettable things. Perhaps you should focus on your husband's health rather than your stepdaughter's personal life."
Victoria's smile hardened. "Don't be fooled by her, Mr. Kane. Aria used Ethan to build her little business, and now she's latched onto you. She orchestrated this whole scandal to humiliate the Blakes and cover up her affair with you."
I felt Devon's body tense beside me. Before I could respond, he spoke, his voice dropping to a dangerous register.
"According to my information, Mrs. Harper, you moved into William Harper's home less than six months after Elizabeth Harper passed away. Rather quick for grief recovery, wouldn't you say?" His gray eyes flickered with cold amusement. "No wonder your daughter learned to crawl into her sister's fiancé's bed. Family traditions run deep."
A shocked laugh escaped my throat before I could suppress it. Victoria's face drained of color.
"You have no right—" she began, but Devon cut her off.
"I have every right to defend Aria from baseless accusations. Now, if you'll excuse us, she's had a trying day."
I gave Victoria a triumphant smile as Devon guided me toward the elevator. "I need to give the hospital my contact information for updates on my father," I told him. "Then I'm leaving this place."
"I'll drive you home," Devon replied, his hand still at the small of my back.
As we passed Victoria, who stood frozen in humiliation, I couldn't resist leaning into Devon's embrace, my hand resting on his chest.
"Thank you for coming, darling," I said sweetly, watching Victoria's eyes narrow.
Devon's lips curved into a knowing smile. "My pleasure," he replied, his voice dropping to an intimate murmur.
Victoria's parting shot followed us down the corridor. "She's using you to get back at Ethan! Don't be her fool!"
Devon turned, his expression bored. "Whatever her motives might be, Mrs. Harper, they're still more honest than marrying for money and status." With that final barb, he guided me toward the hospital entrance, leaving Victoria speechless behind us.
Outside in the cool evening air, I finally stepped away from Devon's embrace, suddenly self-conscious.
"Thank you," I said sincerely. "For showing up and for... that." I gestured vaguely back toward the hospital.
Devon studied me, his expression unreadable. "Victoria Harper has quite the reputation in certain circles. She needed to be reminded of her place."
I laughed softly. "You should have seen her face. That was the most satisfaction I've had all day." The tension drained from my shoulders as a genuine smile spread across my face. "And that's saying something, considering I just blew up my own wedding and exposed my ex-fiancé's affair in front of New York's elite."
Devon's gaze intensified, his gray eyes holding mine. "So," he said, his voice dropping to that dangerous velvet tone that always made my heart race, "how do you plan to thank me?"