CHAPTER 95

CHAPTER 95

ARIANA’S POV

It felt strange going to see Diana again, especially after what happened the last time. Two visits in two days—it sounded desperate, but I had no choice.

The car slowed to a stop in front of the studio building, and I sat still for a moment, gripping the handle. I needed to breathe. I needed to believe this was for the best, that it wasn’t another mistake I’d regret.

Ethan wasn’t here to tell me everything would be fine. He always knew how to steady me when the world tilted. Now, all I had was my own voice.

“You’re going to be alright, Ariana,” I whispered to myself. “You’ve survived worse.”

I put on my hat and sunglasses before stepping out, hoping to stay hidden from wandering eyes. Two of Ethan’s security men flanked me as we walked toward the main entrance. Their silent presence made me feel protected, even as my pulse raced.

Inside, the lobby looked exactly as I remembered it—the same gleaming floors, the same scent of lavender and fresh polish. Behind the desk stood the same receptionist who had welcomed me yesterday. She smiled as soon as she saw me.

“Good day, Miss Hayes,” she greeted warmly. “Ms. Bennett has been expecting you.”

That alone made my heart skip. I nodded politely, and she guided me toward the stairs with brisk steps.

We moved quickly through the corridor, and the closer we got to Diana’s office, the heavier my chest felt. I couldn’t shake the worry that something had gone wrong.

At the door, I turned to my security team. “Wait outside,” I said quietly. They nodded and stepped back as the assistant held the door open.

“What’s your name?” I asked the young woman, trying to ease my nerves with conversation. She had been nothing but kind since I’d arrived.

“Ellery,” she said with a professional smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Ariana.”

I gave a small smile in return. “You too, Ellery.”

She opened the door fully, and there she was—Diana Bennett. Her eyes met mine immediately. They were sharp and assessing, yet softer than yesterday. She sat poised behind her desk, every inch the confident talk show host the world knew.

“Welcome back,” Diana said, gesturing to the chair in front of her. “Nice seeing you again, Ariana.”

“The pleasure’s mine,” I replied, taking my seat with care. I adjusted my posture, forcing my breathing to steady.

Ellery slipped out quietly, leaving the two of us alone.

I hesitated for a moment, then spoke. “Before anything, I want to apologize for how things went last time. I had no right to bring up your past or—”

Diana waved a hand, cutting me off with a faint smile. “Please, spare me the guilt trip. That’s not why I asked you here.”

Her bluntness caught me off guard.

“If you’re going to be on my show, I need to see the real you,” she continued, leaning back in her chair. “Not the polished version. The entertaining one. The woman people want to know.”

“Oh…” I blinked, still thrown off by her tone. “In that case, I’m not sorry for what I said. I was only trying to get back in your good books.”

Diana laughed, a rich, genuine sound that filled the room. “I’ll give you points for honesty. Still not the reason you’re here, though.”

“Then what is?” I asked carefully.

Her expression shifted, turning thoughtful. “It’s about what you said last time. And something else.”

I leaned forward slightly.

“I won’t lie, your words stung,” she admitted. “But they were true. You and I—we’re more alike than you think.”

I frowned, unsure where she was going with this.

“We were both judged before we had the chance to explain ourselves,” she said, her voice lowering. “I was condemned by people who didn’t want to hear my side. So were you.”

Her confession caught me off guard. Diana Bennett wasn’t known for vulnerability.

“The difference,” she went on, “is that I was guilty. Ethan gave me a chance to defend myself, and I blew it. You, on the other hand…” Her eyes softened. “You’re fighting against things that were never true. You’ve been painted as the villain in someone else’s story, and it’s time people saw the truth.”

For a moment, I couldn’t speak. The sincerity in her voice disarmed me.

“That’s why I’m helping you,” she said simply. “You deserve a chance to tell your story.”

Emotion swelled in my chest. “I—thank you,” I said quietly. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“Say you’ll come ready,” she said, smiling now. “I’m going to support you on the show, but you need to give them something real. Something that reminds everyone who Ariana Hayes is.”

“I will,” I promised. “You’ll get the real me. All of it.”

I was smiling now, for the first time in days. The anxiety that had been clawing at my chest began to ease. Maybe this was the start of something better.

Then my phone buzzed on the table.

I glanced at the screen and froze when I saw Ethan’s name. Relief hit me instantly—finally, after hours of trying to reach him.

“Excuse me,” I said quickly, answering. “Ethan? What’s going on, I’ve been trying to—”

But the voice that came through wasn’t his.

“Ariana, it’s Michael,” he said, breathless and shaky.

My stomach dropped. “Michael? Where’s Ethan?”

There was a pause, then his words came, low and trembling. “Ethan’s in the emergency room.”

My pulse spiked. “What?”

“He collapsed in his office,” Michael said. “He’s unconscious. You need to get here. Now.”

The world around me went silent.

Diana’s voice blurred in the background as I stood so fast the chair scraped against the floor. My phone nearly slipped from my grip.

“I’m on my way,” I whispered before hanging up.

I didn’t wait for questions. I didn’t explain. I just ran—past Ellery, past the stunned guards, down the stairs that suddenly felt too long.

My heart pounded in my ears, drowning out everything but one thought.

Please, Ethan. Stay with me.