When her mother suffered a near-fatal asthma attack, nine-year-old Aria’s pleas for help were ignored by her own father, Victor, and her brother, Caleb—leaving her and her mother to perish in the attic. In her moment of utter despair, Aria entered into a pact with Elara, eventually becoming the cherished ward of a powerful, high-ranking crime family. Years later, a car accident brought Victor and Caleb—who had since learned the truth and were consumed by remorse—face-to-face with Aria once more. Though they desperately sought to mend their broken family ties, Aria remained steadfast in her refusal to forgive them. In the end, Victor and Caleb met a grim, lonely death on the streets, haunted by the sight of the woman and child they had abandoned—now finding true happiness in the arms of others—while Aria herself finally discovered the genuine happiness she had long deserved.
