Cold Hearted | Damon Salvatore

two

02. Never Let Me Go

Five Years From Now,

Aria Connor sat in her home office, talking to her agent while at the same time keeping an eye on her daughter who was sitting in the corner, talking to Hope and Jayden on her tablet.

"Congratulations Aria, your book Heartless Love is once again a number one bestseller" Aria's agent Sophia said, "This is the third week in a row, you are going places kid, people are dying for book two, they want to know if the two star crossed lovers Ryke and Rose will find their way back to each other or not".

"Sophia, I told you this before and I'm telling you this now, Heartless Love isn't getting a sequel" Aria said.

"And I told you this before and I'm telling you this now, you can not end Ryke and Rose's story like this" Sophia said, "Those two need to reunite".

"Not all love stories are completed Sophia" Aria said, a distant look forming on her face.

Sophia signed, "There's nothing I can do to convince you to give them a sequel and this time use your real name instead of a pen name?".

"No and no" Aria simply said.

"You are one stubborn person" Sophia said.

"So everyone tells me" Aria said.

"Alright then, I tried, now hang up and work on your next master piece" Sophia said.

Aria chuckled, "Will do, bye Sophia".

"Bye Aria" Sophia said.

After seeing her mother hang the phone up, Mia ran over to her.

"Hey bunny" Aria said, picking Mia up and placing her in her lap, "Finished talking to Hope and Jayden?".

"Yeap" Mia said, handing her tablet over to her mother, "Mom, can I ask you a question?".

"Of course you can" Aria assured.

"Well, I asked Hope as to why Uncle Nik keeps taking her and JayJay to New Orleans, Hope said it's because New Orleans is their home and you have to visit home no matter how far you go from it" Mia said, "Then I remembered, that though we live in Dallas, you always tell me, Ash and Alec that your home is Mystic Falls because your parents were born there and so were you, right?".

"Right" A confused Aria said, not knowing where her daughter was taking this.

"So why don't we ever visit Mystic Falls?" Mia asked confused, "I mean, you and dad tell us stories but you never take us there, why's that?".

Aria sighed, "Mia, Mystic Falls will always be my home, and as much as I would love for you and your brothers to grow up in the same place as me, unfortunately that can't happen".

"Why not?" Mia asked curiously.

"Because Mystic Falls is a place that your mom and dad can't go back to" Aria admitted, "It's part of a dark past that I'll tell you and your brothers about once you've grown a bit more, for now just know that even know Mystic Falls is home, we aren't allowed there".