ARIA'S POV
Aria followed Damien down the corridor to the large conference room, her tablet tucked under her arm, her heart still heavy from Julian's words.
Destroyed. Absolutely destroyed.
She'd known she'd hurt him. But hearing the full extent of it....the sleepless nights, the rage, the drinking alone in his study at 3 AM.....made the guilt almost unbearable.
But she didn't have time to dwell on it now. The board meeting was about to start, and she needed to be professional. Competent. Perfect.
The conference room was already filling up when they arrived. Fifteen board members, all powerful, all intimidating in their expensive suits and calculating gazes. She recognized most of them from the disastrous meeting on her first day.....including the silver-haired man who'd questioned her competence.
Aria took her seat beside Damien at the head of the table, opened her tablet, and prepared to take notes.
