| She pays one way or another |

| She pays one way or another |

.<><><><>

Rayn stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his shirt, watching Aurora out of the corner of his eye. She was still sitting on the bed, completely absorbed in her book, wearing a simple dress that fell to her knees. Her hair was loose, and she hadn’t bothered with makeup or even moisturizer. She didn’t look like she was going anywhere, let alone excited for the evening out he had planned.

“Aaru,” he called out, trying to get her attention, “put down the book. You can read when we get back.”

She didn’t even glance up, her eyes still focused on the page.

Rayn frowned, feeling a bit of frustration creeping in. After waiting a few moments and still getting no response, he marched over to her, snatched the book from her hands, and tossed it onto the bed. He opened his mouth, ready to scold her, but stopped himself, letting out a heavy sigh instead.

“Are you planning to go out in this?” he asked, gesturing to her casual outfit. “You’re not even dres