Chapter 26

Meanwhile, earlier that day, Paul, who had been looking for Aria ever since she left Indianapolis without notice, got a lead that she was in Manhattan and that she worked at a school in town as a teacher. He headed straight for Manhattan to find her. Paul was the sole reason Aria left Indianapolis. She was running away from him, running for her life, running away from the pain and suffering that Paul had caused her. She had fallen in love with Paul the same way she had fallen in love with Nick, recklessly without any reservations, and Paul had taken advantage of her vulnerability to treat her however he wanted.

It didn’t clear from Aria’s eyes until he started hitting her. Then she had to take her mother and run out of town. She abandoned the music band that she had worked on and built for years before meeting Paul. She left all that and her friends behind and came to Manhattan to heal and start a new life. But now, Paul was on his way to Manhattan to find her and reconcile. H