Chapter 327
Aria’s POV
I glanced at my phone with anticipation. Monday had finally arrived, and Linda was in New York for a concert series. We’d arranged this meetup through I m a month ago, and I couldn’t wait to see her.
Linda had arrived last Friday. With performances scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday, Monday was our only option to catch up. We’d met years ago at a music festival-her violin was every bit as impressive as my piano. We connected instantly, discovering our personalities clicked perfectly, and soon became close friends.
In earlier years, when Linda’s schedule was less demanding, she’d frequently fly to New York just to have dinner with me. But the past two years had been different. Her family business faced difficulties, and she’d been forced into a marriage of convenience to save it. For over a year after that marriage, she barely touched her violin or performed.
I thought she’d given up music entirely and mourned that loss for her. Still, I understood the weight of responsibility she carried. The Smith family had given her twenty-five years of privileged comfort; when they faced trouble, she couldn’t just stand aside as their daughter.
While marriages of convenience among the elite don’t involve everyday struggles like ordinary people face, they come with their own complications. Linda’s situation was particularly difficult since her arranged husband had been with his girlfriend for five years before their marriage. Overnight, Linda became viewed as “the other woman” despite being his legal wife.
My father, Benjamin Jones, occasionally mentioned how chaotic Linda’s married life had become. My heart ached for her, but there was nothing I could do except offer friendship and support.
When Liam abandoned me at the altar, I couldn’t bring myself to tell Linda, not wanting to burden her with more problems. She found out anyway, and I practically had to restrain her from flying over with Lillian to beat Liam White to a pulp.
Later, when I married Aiden and the news created such a sensation, Linda realized I was doing well and stopped mentioning my situation altogether. I’d tried to visit her recently, but she declined. Then, barely two weeks later, she suddenly contacted me about her performance in New York and suggested we meet.
“Is this seat taken, beautiful p>
A familiar melodic voice pulled me from my thoughts. I looked up instinctively, meeting Linda’s fox-like mischievous eyes.
“Lindy, you’re here!” I smiled, using my old nickname for her.
Linda slid into the seat across from me, grinning. “Is it me, or have you gotten even prettier p>
I felt heat rising to my cheeks. “No way. It’s just been so long since you’ve seen me —you’re imagining things p>
Linda studied my flushed face, her smile deepening. “There’s something different… a sensual kind of beauty about you now p>
My face turned crimson as I quickly pushed the menu toward her. “Hurry and pick something to eat p>
She accepted the menu but couldn’t resist one more tease. “Well, that’s marriage for you. I completely understand p>
Seeing my complete embarrassment, Linda finally relented. “Let’s order, let’s order p>
She casually selected two signature dishes before returning the menu to me. Resting her chin in her hands, she observed me thoughtfully. “Seeing you this happy puts my mind at ease p>
I glanced at her. You look good too p>
After adding two more dishes to our order and setting the menu aside, I studied her appearance. “When did you cut your hair short p>
Linda took a sip of tea before answering. “It got hot this summer, so I cut it. Turns out I really like it short-don’t think I’ll grow it out again p>
I remembered Linda’s waist-length brown hair that used to shine like silk. During our late-night talks years ago she’d shyly confessed she was growing it for a boy she loved. Held told her when her hair reached her waist, he’d marry her. She’d decided to keep it that long forever so he wouldn’t have to wait.
But now, that symbolic waist-length hair was gone, replaced by a sleek, short cut.
Questions burned on my lips, but fearing I might hurt my friend, I swallowed them back.
“The short hair looks amazing!” I said instead, touching my own long locks. “I’ve been thinking about cutting mine too p>
“Go for it! You’re so beautiful, Aria, you could rock a shaved head if you wanted p>
I grimaced at the thought, about to respond when Linda casually dropped: “By the way, I’m divorced p>
“Oh-congratulations!” I blurted out after a moment of surprise, genuinely happy for
her.
Though Linda had never explicitly stated it, I could tell her two-year marriage had been deeply unhappy. That’s probably why she’d avoided seeing me for so long.
“Finally escaped the tiger’s den. God, it wasn’t easy,” she sighed dramatically.
“The storm has passed. Nothing but sunny days ahead now!” I raised my glass in a mini-toast.
“Absolutely!” Linda reached across the table and playfully pinched my cheek. “Now, Aria, are you ever going to explain what happened with this mysterious Mr. Carter of yours? When I saw those gossip articles onfine, was shocked, I thought it must be someone with the same
name p>
I was mid-sip when she said this, nearly choking on my water. My face burned as I grabbed a napkin to dab my mouth. “I told you everything in our texts p>
“Really? There’s absolutely no childhood connection? No love-at-first-sight story between you and Aiden p>
I felt my cheeks flush. “None at all. I truly hadn’t met him before, except maybe passing by at some big event. You know what I mean—the kind of non-meeting that doesn’t count p>
Linda knew I wasn’t one to lie. “Alright, I believe you p>
Having not seen each other for so long, we had endless topics to discuss. I hesitated to ask too many questions about her last two years, afraid of touching painful memories.
Instead, Linda volunteered the
information unprompted:”I finally got out of that hellhole that was the Williams family. Now Rowan
Williams can run off to histor
soulmate. I don’t have to put up with his sister’s icy glares anymore, or listen to his mother calling me barren straight to my face p>
She let out a bitter, hollow laugh.”The irony’s priceless—her son was the one who couldn’t perform, and she had the nerve to blame me for not giving them heirs?” “Aria, let me tell you, arranged marriages are a special kind of torture. If I’d known the Williams family was going to be this vile—” She cut herself off abruptly.
I stared at her, confused. “If you’d known what? I thought you said no one could help your family back then p>
“Oh, you know—begged for a miracle from anyone who’d listen!” she recovered fast, too fast.”All I’m saying is, if I could go back and do it all over again? I’d never marry into the Williams family. I’d rather die first p>
Watching her rant with such fierce conviction, my chest felt heavy.I knew the truth.If she really could go back and choose… she would make the exact same sacrifice all
over again.
Unlike me, she never truly had a choice.