Aria’s POV

 When I arrived at the breakfast table, I found Jones, Ben, Carter, and Matteo already seated. The mood was somber, the silence almost deafening. I noticed that Mrs. Fletcher had removed all the chairs from the far end of the table, leaving only the chair next to Matteo.

 I took my seat, feeling exhausted and drained, but I had at least managed to take a long bath and fix my hair before coming to breakfast. I ate silently, matching the atmosphere already in the room when a blonde woman in heels walked into the room. She was beautiful, like a woman pulled right off the magazines. She kissed...