Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

**Aria’s POV**

I had been biding my time, a silent observer in a game where I was supposed to be the one trapped. But yesterday, I had seen him—the way he crouched down, his fingers brushing against the gutter, as if he were picking up a lost treasure while the world remained oblivious.

At that moment, uncertainty had gripped me. I couldn’t quite discern what he had found, but the shift in his scent was unmistakable. A heady mix of excitement and trepidation wafted through the air, the kind of aroma that clings to someone who believes they’ve stumbled upon something valuable that doesn’t belong to them.

Had I confronted him immediately, he would have dismissed my accusations, perhaps even disposed of the evidence before anyone could arrive to witness the truth. But now? Now, he was a bundle of nerves, his heart racing so vigorously that I could almost feel the vibrations pulsating through the atmosphere.

I kept my voice steady, almost soothing. “You started to move it the moment Mrs. Jennifer mentioned her ring. I can sense the panic radiating from you, James.”

He flinched visibly, the tension in his posture a clear giveaway.