The mansion was in a state of tension. All the maids and the butler were running helter-skelter, searching for Aurora. They scoured every possible location, from the grand halls to the servants’ quarters, but she was nowhere to be found. Stella, the maid in charge of her, was already in tears. Her body trembled with fear, dreading the consequences she would face if their boss returned and his wife was still missing. The butler, Thomas, hurried to the security quarters and announced that the madam was missing, causing an uproar among the staff. As they all frantically tried to locate her, Thomas instructed the security team to check the mansion’s surveillance footage. Perhaps the cameras had captured Aurora during the early hours of the day. He watched the day’s activities, fast-forwarding to noon when the mansion had been quiet due to the staff’s afternoon rest. On the screen, he saw Aurora walking out of the house, glancing around as if she was bored. He continued watching as sh
Aurora knelt on the wet stone floor of the maze, her body trembling as the rain battered her relentlessly. There was no shelter in this endless labyrinth of towering hedges and twisting pathways. Her clothes clung to her skin, soaked through, and her hair was plastered to her face. Every breath felt colder, harder to draw in, as the storm intensified around her. She had tried to run, to find a way out, but the deeper she ventured into the maze, the more disoriented she became. Now, completely spent, she collapsed to her knees, shivering as the cold seeped into her bones.She had never felt so alone.At the mansion, the worry had grown unbearable. The butler, Thomas, paced by the grand windows, staring out into the sheets of rain that obscured the maze. His face was lined with concern, his usually composed demeanor fraying at the edges. Stella, equally anxious, stood beside him, wringing her hands.“Sir, we need to call the boss. The storm has been raging for hours, and she’s still out
She hesitated at the threshold, her heart racing. His cold, distant presence made her feel even smaller than she already was. She twisted the fabric of the shirt between her fingers, unsure of what to say.“If you want to die so badly,” Damien’s voice cut through the stillness of the room like a blade, “why not jump off your balcony? Why torment yourself in my maze?”Aurora froze where she stood, his cold words slicing through her like the rain had earlier. The shame washed over her as quickly as the tears welled up in her eyes. She bit her lip, trying to stifle the sob that threatened to escape. Her heart raced with fear and regret, and the soft dawn light that streamed into the room felt harsh and unforgiving against the rawness of her emotions.“I—I didn’t mean to…” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I just wanted to understand…”“Understand what?” Damien turned slowly from the balcony, his dark gaze locking onto her tear-filled eyes. His face was impassive, though something deep
Aurora couldn’t sleep for long as she felt Damien was still upset with her, after thirty minutes, of deep slumber, she began turning on the bed before her eyes opened gently. The sun was up and her eyes saw Damien sitting in his balcony. Quietly she sat up, her body still aches from the exhaustion last night, she weakly walked towards him standing beside him. “You should be sleeping” his cold voice said for Aurora to sigh. “I can’t sleep” she whispered rubbing her hair backwards. Damien didn’t say anything as he silently stared into the estates. Aurora stood there, she don’t know what is going on, after his words during dawn, she felt something within her she have never felt before. Despite being nervous by his intimidating aura, she stood at his side because the urge to be beside him seems like it’s growing on her and very fast. After some minutes, Damien stood up and walked closer to the glass protector of the balcony then turn to look at her. “You can leave. Fredric wi
Aurora sat on her balcony, enjoying the warmth of the morning sun. Her heart was light, a smile lingering on her lips as she reflected on what had happened earlier with Damien. She still couldn’t believe her boldness, the way she kissed him so impulsively, and how he had kissed her back. It was as if something had awakened inside her—something new, something she has never felt before. She made the move, she didn’t leave, she will never leave. The thought made Aurora chuckle.. Her thoughts were interrupted when Stella came back from her nap, refreshed but eager to get back to her duties. After serving Aurora lunch, she left to take care of the housework. The day passed uneventfully until the evening began to creep in. Stella was still doing her choice, she was cleaning the glass window at the mansion’s backyard when a colleague of hers walked towards her. “Butler Thomas is asking for you,” the blonde haired girl said, her voice filled with curiosity. “Me? Why? What did I do?”
The grand dining hall was breathtaking, with a magnificent chandelier hanging in the center and a large family dinner table surrounded by beautiful Turkish royal chairs.The table was filled with various cuisines, and the delicious aroma filled the air. The maids and butler stood aside as Damien walked toward the chair next to Camila. He pulled it out for Aurora, who gently sat down, and then he took his seat beside her.Clara sat to the right of Grandpa Vladimir, who was at the head of the table, while John sat on the left, facing his wife. Daniel sat next to his father. Camila was beside her mother, facing her brother, and now Aurora was seated beside her, with Damien next to her.The atmosphere at the dinner table was heavy with silence. The family’s eyes were still on Damien and Aurora, making Aurora feel uncomfortable. The awkwardness of the situation was so intense that she couldn’t raise her head to meet anyone’s gaze.The silence was broken when Grandpa Vladimir cleared his th
Aurora’s eyes widened in shock, her breath catching in her throat as Damien kissed her. The kiss was sudden, filled with a mixture of his lingering frustration and something else—something deeper. It caught her completely off guard, but as the initial surprise faded, she found herself responding. Her lips moved softly against his, timid but sincere. The atmosphere was intense as Aurora’s wide-open eyes gently closed as she kissed him back. The kiss was intense, and her fragile hands moved into his hair as she tried to match the energy he was giving her, but it was too overwhelming. Damien could taste the delicious flavors of the meal she had eaten earlier as he deepened the kiss, not giving her space to breathe. Simon, who was driving the car, couldn’t help but quickly find a nearby empty park. He parked the car and left the couple alone as he took a walk. “Ahh,” Aurora let out a soft moan as Damien released her lips, slowly kissing her neck down to her collarbone. Without hesitat
At the Owen’s luxury jewelry store in the heart of the city, an elegant elderly lady stood glaring at the manager who refused to accept the Owen’s free card, a privilege that only the Owen family holds.“Do you know who I am?” she angrily asked, her voice sharp with indignation.The manager sighed, keeping his composure. “Ma’am, I’m sorry, but the company president has disapproved all branches of the Owen’s jewelry company from accepting anyone with the free card. It’s no longer valid.”“What nonsense!” she exploded. “Damien has no right to do that. I need to speak to him. I have every right to shop with this card.”The manager sighed again. “Excuse me,” he said, picking up the company phone to call the president.At Damien’s mansion, after instructing Simon on his tasks, Damien continued working alongside Mason. Suddenly, his phone rang.“Yes,” his voice was cold as he answered.“Sir, I’m sorry to bother you, but there’s a woman here demanding free jewelry using the Owen’s family fre
Agatha smiled at her colleague, who handed her the table number for her next order.“Two young women at table five, please. They asked for water and juice,” her colleague said. Agatha nodded and took the order.She had been selected by the restaurant’s headquarters to serve at the forum, and she was excited at the prospect of meeting wealthy guests.Walking to the table, Agatha served the drinks. As she did, a familiar face caught her attention, and she gasped.“Aurora,” she called, eyes wide with surprise.Aurora frowned at the waitress who had just said her name. The voice was familiar, but she couldn’t place it.“Excuse me?” Camila asked, prompting Agatha to bow quickly.“Sorry, ma’am,” Agatha said, but she couldn’t help stealing glances at Aurora.“Do you know me?” Aurora asked, confusion evident in her voice.“I’m sorry, I must have been mistaken,” Agatha replied and left immediately.The face and voice were Aurora’s, but her demeanor and expression were different. Agatha wondere
Inside the wet, dark cell room, two men sat far from each other. They didn’t know how many hours they had been there, but it felt like an eternity.“I told you we should leave, but you relied on that bastard who can’t even outdo his brother. Now look where we are,” one of the men said, causing the other to sigh. At that moment, they heard the rumbling sound of chains, and the door opened.The light turned on, and they immediately shut their eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness.They could hear footsteps—more than one person or even two.As they tried to open their eyes, they saw Damien in a wheelchair with three bodyguards.Damien’s cold gaze stared daggers at the two men, who immediately bowed their heads.“Tie them down,” he said quietly. Two guards stepped forward, raised the men, and sat them in iron chairs, binding them with chains.“Daniel asked you to kill me, but you didn’t do a good job. Why?” he asked. Both men frowned and then scoffed.“We don’t know what you—”O
Camila knew Damien might cut her off for this, but something told her that he was going to ask Aurora to terminate the pregnancy, as he didn’t look pleased with the news.“What did you say?” Old man Vladimir asked, making Camila smile.“She’s pregnant, Grandpa. He’s going to be a father,” she said, which made Daniel chuckle.“Why so soon?” he laughed, and the old man smiled.“That’s a man who wants to live life on his own terms. That’s a man of principle,” he said proudly, while Daniel scoffed, wiping his lips as he stood up and left the dining table.“Father, every man has his own priorities,” Clara said, making old man Vladimir scoff.“You should be happy. You’ll be a grandmother soon,” he said, calling out to his butler.“I know where my excitement truly lies,” Clara said, catching John’s attention.“Damien is your son too,” John said as Clara scoffed and put down her cutlery.“I know how many children I gave birth to, John,” she said, standing up, while old man Vladimir shook his
It was 9 a.m. when Damien Vladimir’s private jet landed at New York Airport. Several cars were waiting to pick them up. Mason had to leave home since he’d been away for a while. Damien asked Camila to head back home, leaving him alone with Aurora and Simon. The black SUV driving to Damien’s mansion was silent. Aurora watched the trees pass by one after another as they drove into the estate where Damien’s mansion was located. She couldn’t believe she was back in the reality she had planned so well to escape from. She sat at a distance from Damien, trying her best not to look at him and focusing instead on the scenery. “After you drop us, take the week off. I’ll handle the rest,” Damien said, causing Simon to frown. “But—” “No objections,” Damien’s voice was steady and cold as usual. Aurora still didn’t look at either Simon or Damien. The beautiful gates of the mansion opened as Simon drove in. He pulled into the garage and turned off the engine. Butler Thomas and the other staf
Damien sat in a daze, the words “I’m pregnant your child” lingering in his mind. He couldn’t wait for the test results; the thought of becoming a father in the midst of his family’s deadly feud was overwhelming. despite it all, he couldn’t abandon his child.“What are you thinking?” Mason asked as he entered with Camila, breaking Damien’s silence.“Where’s your wife?” Camila added, prompting Damien to raise his head.“Where is she?” Mason repeated.“Why is your wife acting like a scared cat around you?” Camila pressed.“Mind your business,” Damien snapped, causing Camila to purse her lips in annoyance.“She asked a question; she’s your sister and deserves—”“If you both don’t mind your business, it’s time for you to leave. I’m fine,” he said coldly, his patience running thin. Despite their presence, Damien’s tension remained, and Mason and Camila sat quietly. Time seemed to drag until Simon finally returned with the doctor and Aurora.“Hey, baby girl!” Camila greeted, rushing to hug A
It was 3 a.m. when Simon arrived at the hospital. He parked in the garage, carried Aurora in a bridal style, and made his way to the elevator that would take them up to the presidential suite. The guard on duty bowed as he opened the door. Inside, the room was quiet except for the soft hum of Damien’s life support machine. Damien was asleep, Camila was lying on one couch, and Mason on the other. Simon sighed, noticing the room was full, and decided to lay Aurora beside his boss, knowing the large bed could accommodate them both.After gently placing Aurora on the bed, Simon quietly left the room and went back to sleep in the car, as he hadn’t had proper rest since his boss’s accident.At 5:45 a.m., Simon yawned, opened the car door, and returned to check on his boss. Entering the room, he saw everyone gathered, staring at the still sleeping Aurora.Damien was awake, sitting up and staring at her as well.“When did she arrive?” Camila whispered.“I brought her in at three this morning.
The hall was silent as all the department heads of Vladimir Headquarters gathered, looking at the seat of the CEO.Daniel sat at the head of the table, tapping his fingers on the desk while surveying the room. His gaze finally settled on Mr. Ken, the vice president of the company.“You are no longer an employee of the Vladimir empire, so you have no right sitting here, Mr. Ken,” Daniel said coldly, making everyone frown.“See Mr. Kennedy out, and if he refuses, force him out of this company,” he continued, his tone ice-cold.“What’s going on here?” the assistant vice president immediately stood up, only for Daniel to scoff.“Sit down or follow him,” Daniel snapped before turning his attention back to the rest of the staff.“I think it’s not clear to you all that Damien is in a coma and won’t be waking up soon. I’m not just a sit-in CEO, I’m the—”“Boss is…”Mr. Ken tried to interrupt, but the guards dragged him out, silencing the room as they turned their focus back to Daniel.“I’m th
Aurora’s face tightened immediately upon hearing the word “boss” from the men around her.“Put me down!” she demanded, struggling against the guards. But they didn’t listen; instead, one held her tightly yet delicately as the other opened the car door. Gently, they placed her inside and adjusted her seat belt.“I’m sorry, ma’am. We have orders to bring you to the boss,” one of them said before closing the door.“Please, don’t take me back to Damien,” Aurora pleaded, her heart racing. She couldn’t imagine the coldness that awaited her if she returned after running away. As the car started moving, Aurora bit her lower lip, frantically thinking of a way to prevent them from taking her back to the mansion.“I’m hungry… I haven’t eaten,” she tried, but got no response.“Please, I’m thirsty,” she added, still met with silence as the guard drove straight to the airport.Aurora nervously rubbed her sweaty hands on her gown. Moments later, she heard the guard speak.“Yes, sir. We conducted a t
Mason took a deep breath, trying to process Damien’s words. “I understand your anger, but going down that road can lead to more chaos. You need to think this through.”Damien sat up in bed as if he hadn’t been unconscious hours ago, his eyes blazing with intensity. “Thinking hasn’t gotten me anywhere, Mason. I’ve played the game by the rules for too long. It’s time to change the game. I won’t allow anyone to take what I’ve built. My mother worked hard for this family. I was just a kid, but I saw everything. I won’t allow the child that was used to push my mother to her death to claim it.”Mason leaned forward, concern etched on his face. “But what about Aurora? She’s in the middle of this now, whether you want her to be or not. If you go after Daniel, it could put her in danger. I haven’t seen or know what she looks like, but I’m sure she won’t be—”“What?” Damien glared at Mason, who chuckled.“It’s only been two days and I’m missing you already,” he said and chuckled.“But why would