The days after finding Dove's abandoned bag were chaos—fear, confusion, unanswered questions.
But everything changed with a single notification.
Aaliyah was sitting on the edge of the hotel bed, scrolling aimlessly, when her phone lit up:
@dovecameron posted a new photo. Location: Paris, France.
Aaliyah's breath caught.
She opened the post immediately.
It was a mirror selfie: Dove in a hotel bathroom, red lipstick, messy hair, and a caption that read:
"Needed space. Don't look for me."
Just like that.
No explanation.
No apology.
Nothing.
Aaliyah let out a slow, shaky exhale.
—She's alive… she's okay…
The weight that had been crushing her chest finally loosened. For the first time in days, Aaliyah's body stopped shaking.
She whispered to herself:
"If she's fine… then I'm done chasing ghosts."
And she meant it.
Dove made her choice.
Aaliyah wasn't going to lose herself trying to understand it.
—
That night changed everything.
Damiano had been watching her carefully all evening, afraid of pushing too hard, afraid of breaking what was left between them.
But when Aaliyah walked toward him, quiet and steady, he knew the storm had finally calmed.
She didn't say anything.
Just took his hand.
And it was enough.
The night they shared wasn't wild or rushed—it was soft, slow, filled with apologies whispered against skin and tears that tasted like healing.
Two people who had been shattered… finally choosing to rebuild.
For the first time in a long time, they fell asleep tangled together, instead of on opposite sides of the bed.
—
Meanwhile, social media exploded.
Someone had snapped a picture of Thomas and Estrella leaving a café in Rome together—close.
Too close.
The photo went viral fast:
"NEW COUPLE?
Thomas Raggi spotted with mystery girl in Italy."
Estrella almost choked when she saw it.
Thomas just laughed.
—"Well… guess we're famous now," he joked.
Estrella hid her face in her hands.
But the blush on her cheeks said everything.
—
Aaliyah's return to the stage
Three days later, the lights of Rome's arena burned bright as Aaliyah stepped onto the stage for her comeback performance.
Her new song—"Back From Ashes"—echoed through the massive venue, raw and powerful.
It wasn't just a song.
It was a declaration:
She had been betrayed.
She had broken.
But she survived.
Damiano watched from backstage, eyes shining with pride and something deeper—love, fear, gratitude… all mixed together.
The crowd roared her name.
Rome roared her name.
And for the first time since everything fell apart…
Aaliyah felt alive again.
—
But in Paris…
Dove watched the concert livestream from her hotel room.
Smiling.
And hiding something Aaliyah still didn't know.