Lord Frederick’s POVFor the past two hours, I had been staring at the frame of Aurora in my hand. It had been three years, yet there had been no news of her. I had done everything humanly possible to look for her, yet there was still no word from her. The only thing that kept me going was the word from a seer. She assured me that Aurora was alive and that, in due time, she would come to me. For a moment, I thought maybe she had been saved but was hiding away because she was still angry at me and Ian.Tears fell on my cheek, and I quickly wiped it away. “Where are you, Aurora? I miss you so much,” I whispered, still staring at the frame in my hand.A knock landed on my door, and I invited the person in. “Good morning, boss,” Fox greeted, but I hummed, my eyes still fixed on the frame in my hand.“Sir, Mr. Cain is here,” he announced, but I didn’t respond. Instead, I kept staring at the frame in my hand.“Should we ask him to leave?” Fox suggested, noticing I wasn’t in the mood to see
Aurora's POV “I still can’t believe he asked us for dinner,” I said to Cain, who was also dressing up like me. I was surprised when he came home and told me we were having dinner with the man he was hoping to strike a deal with. At first, I was confused and shocked because I knew Cain. This had never happened; he had never let me mingle in his business, so it was really shocking when he broke the news of the dinner to me. “Are you ready?” he asked, and I nodded while stealing a glance at myself in the mirror. “Good. Remember all I told you: be good and talk less. Allow me to do all the talking. This is a big deal for me, Tiana, and I can’t afford to make any mistakes,” he warned for the hundredth time, and all I could do was nod. “Your son, make sure he is well-behaved…” Cain warned while I frowned. I hated when he referred to William as my son, not ours. “I will not take any…” His words were cut short by the loud ringing of his phone. I watched him go for the call and step away.
Lord Frederick’s POV Mr. Cain’s wife?” I asked in disbelief, and she nodded. “Yes, Sir Frederick, I think you are mistaking me for someone else,” she said firmly, and I looked at Fox, who seemed as confused and surprised as I was. “You are Aurora. Why are you claiming to be someone else?” I said desperately, and saw her take a step backward away from me. “I’m not Aurora, sir. I might be her lookalike, but I’m not Aurora,” she muttered. I frowned as my heart pounded in my chest. This woman standing before me was Aurora; I wasn’t mistaken. She might have grown more mature and her body looked more curvy and mature, but her eyes, her eyes were the same, and I would never mistake them. “Aurora… is this a prank? Please stop it. I know you are angry at me…” “I think I will have to take my leave,” she said, making her way to leave, but I stopped her. “Please stay, I’m sorry,” I urged, and saw her raise a brow. If she really wanted to play this game with me, then two could play at it.
Lord Frederick's POVArriving at the dinning table, I met Aurora conversing with her son—or should I say, our son? The moment she noticed my presence, she sat properly in her seat and looked my way, our eyes interlocking until I took my seat.“Is everything okay, Sir Frederick?” she asked, looking tense and worried.“Yes, everything is fine. I might have mistaken you for my…” I paused, and she flashed me an assuring smile.“It’s okay. I believe we all have lookalikes,” she smiled while I nodded and gawked at her. The lady seated beside me was truly Aurora, but a lot had changed about her. That bastard has turned her into something else, and I will make sure he pays for it. He will pay for keeping Aurora from me, for touching her, and for keeping my son from me.“I have to apologize for my husband’s lateness,” she apologized, and I nodded and moved my gaze to the little boy whose eyes had not left me since I arrived at the dinner. The little boy had a striking resemblance to me, and I
Aurora's POVWe arrived home, and I could notice Cain constantly glancing at me. It made me so uncomfortable that I had to ask, “Is there something wrong?” He frowned but didn’t respond.Realizing that he didn’t want to talk about it, I decided to let it be. Going over to the shower, I took off the towel wrapped around my chest and stood in the running shower. With my eyes closed, I began to think of him, Lord Frederick. Ever since I set my eyes on him, I couldn’t get him out of my thoughts. It’s as if he had occupied my entire mind.Tonight was my first time seeing him, but why does he look so familiar? Why was there a comfortable and familiar aura around him? There was something mysterious about the man that just the mere thought of him was making my skin prickle.After taking my bath, I tied a towel around my chest and went back to the room where I met Cain on a call. Ignoring him, I slid into my nightgown and began drying my hair.“Did anything happen while I was away?” Cain asked
Aurora's POVAs he climbed down the stairs, I swallowed nervously and slowly got up on my feet. Our eyes interlocked, and I noticed he had a remarkable shade of piercing green eyes that made my breath hitch just by his gaze. Composing myself, I kept a straight face and held his gaze.“Good day, Sir Frederick,” I greeted, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he continued staring at me, sending shivers down my spine. I couldn’t explain why his stare affected me so deeply.“Tiana…” I loved the way my name rolled off his tongue. It was as if it were a melody in his mouth. “You are welcome.” He took both my hands and placed kisses on them, making my heart flutter. I had never felt my heart fluctuate this way, nor had Cain kissed my hand so tenderly like this.Letting go of my hands, he smiled at me and gestured for me to take a seat, which I obeyed while he took the seat across from me. Our eyes interlocked again, but I had to awkwardly look away. Damn those eyes of his!“What would you like to
Aurora's POVIt was already 9 PM, and just as Lord Frederick had said, Cain hadn’t returned, nor had I gotten a call from him. I managed to put William to sleep and even had dinner, took my bath, and now lay on the bed while waiting for Cain. It's not like I missed him or anything, but I was just curious to know if he had had the talk with Lord Frederick and if he had accepted the offer.Ever since I came back from Lord Frederick’s home, I have not been able to take him out of my head. There was this strange sense of belonging around him that I couldn’t quite place; it was as if I had known him all my life when, actually, I met him just a day ago. Cain had told me little about Lord Frederick, and what he said seemed different. According to Cain, Lord Frederick is a brutal mafia lord, but the man who tenderly kissed my hands didn’t seem like the person Cain had described.Inhaling deeply, I closed my eyes to try to get some sleep, but the images of Lord Frederick filled my mind; I just
Aurora's POVI could feel his eyes on me as we ate, but I didn’t find it awkward. Instead, I felt my cheeks burning. The way he stared at me was like I was the most precious thing in his eyes. There was this spark of warmth I always saw in his eyes whenever they interlocked, or perhaps I was just seeing things.“Are you done?” he asked, and I nodded. “Thank you,” I said and saw him smile, revealing a beautiful smile that looked exactly like William’s.“Come with me, my dear,” he gestured, and my heart fluttered at his words. It wasn’t just the words but the way he said them—it was as if he meant it, and I couldn’t help but wish to hear him say it again.Taking his hand, I felt a tingle in my body, and I had to swallow hard and look away. “I have to show you around. Today, you will have to know everything about me, and tomorrow and the next days, you will be meeting my uncle,” he said while I just nodded and followed his lead.First, he led me to a big room filled with books. It seemed
Aurora's POVMy eyes widened at what lay before me. We were at the seashore, but what left me dumbfounded was the sandy floor adorned with red roses and candles. A wave of sweet fragrance hit my senses. I looked around and saw the most beautifully decorated space I could have ever imagined. A cold breeze gently caressed my face as I took in the breathtaking view.A trail of rose petals in shades of burgundy and cherry red led me to a small seating area set up with comfortable cushions and throws. As I approached, I saw a table covered with red satin cloths and silverware, complete with a bottle of my favorite wine. The sound of my favorite music played in the background.I turned and held Lord Frederick’s gaze, asking, “What’s this?” He took a deep breath before speaking.“You know how much I love you, right?” My heart fluttered as I looked into his eyes. “Of course,” I replied with a smile.I watched him take a deep breath and get down on his knees. “I know that this is too early, bu
Aurora's POVThree months laterLord Frederick led me to the jet that was waiting for us. It was huge, and the inside was bigger than it looked. He helped me into a seat and sat right across from me. He smiled at me, and I smiled back. I was beyond excited about our trip and was looking forward to everything we were going to do. He made sure I was comfortable throughout the flight, helping me to calm down when there was some turbulence, and just being there for me.We finally arrived, and the jet landed. We got out, and there was a car already waiting for us. Our luggage was put into the back before we got in, and the car started. We were taken to a huge hotel. It was a five-star hotel and looked expensive. It was stunning, and immediately we got out of the car, we were ushered inside. Lord Frederick had already booked a suite in advance, so we were taken to the room, which was on one of the top floors.When we got to the room, I was awed by how beautiful it was. It had everything you
Lord Frederick's POV Dinner was served to me at the table, but I couldn’t eat. In fact, I kept staring at the table as the quietness of the mansion made my heart ache. There was no Aurora, there was no William, and it seemed parts of my life were taken away from me. Somehow I was beginning to regret; perhaps I shouldn’t have sent her away, but then I knew I had to do what had to be done. If she desires to leave, then I have to respect her wish and let her go. “Boss, sir Ian is calling,” Fox said as he handed over the phone to me. I took it and placed it on my ear. “Ian,” I cleared my throat. “Frederick, what is going on?” he asked, and a lump formed in my throat. “Are you serious about leaving them here?” he asked, while I remained silent, not knowing what to say or do. “Aurora hasn’t been herself since she arrived, and I believe you know that. And William, he has been asking for you. Frederick, they need you; don’t send them away,” Ian urged while I just remained silent and s
Aurora's POV All through the night, I couldn’t sleep as I kept thinking about Lord Frederick’s decision. I knew he had given me what I wanted, to leave with William for my father’s place, but I couldn’t explain why I wasn’t excited about it. “Because you still love him, Aurora. He is still your daddy,” a little voice spoke in my head, and I couldn’t deny it. Despite my anger and everything, I had never stopped loving Lord Frederick, and now that we were together again after years of being apart, I didn’t want to stay away from him. But how do I tell him that? “Mama.” I heard William’s voice and turned to see him waking up from his sleep. “Good morning, William. How are you?” I placed a kiss on his forehead. “Good morning, Mummy.” He responded while I smiled at him. “Come on, let’s go bath and go downstairs for breakfast,” I said to William before leading him out of bed. After I bathed him, I dressed him up and gave him his toys to play with before I went to freshen up. Taking his
AURORA'S POVA light sigh eased through my lips as I tucked William into bed gently. I didn't want to wake him after today's experiences; it was the second time I had endangered his life in a shootout. He was too young for things like this; he could barely talk clearly. But at least it was good to see that Cain was dead, and so far, things had calmed down.I sighed before relaxing back into the chair, my gaze lingering on Frederick's for a while.He hadn't said anything throughout the drive home and had stayed close to me while we returned. He watched silently as I put William to bed.My eyes shifted from his eyes down to his side; a gasp escaped my lips. How had I not seen this earlier?“You are bleeding, Frederick,” I said. He looked down at the side of his shirt, now soaked with blood.“I know,” he responded with absolute nonchalance before locking his gaze back with mine.“Let's get it treated. You need it treated,” I added hastily, but he shook his head and gave me a steely gaze.
LORD FREDERICK'S POV“Sir!” Jason called out hastily. I exchanged glances with Fox and then moved my gaze back to Jason, who had called out to me in a tone of urgency.“Excuse us,” I ordered the men in the room; they all bowed and nodded slowly before making their way out, leaving Jason, who was the head of the tech team, my most trusted man, and myself in the room.“Is anything wrong with the bracelet? I did ask you to be careful when putting in the tracking chip, so what have you done this time, Jason? Everyone doesn't seem to understand their jobs anymore,” I complained, groaning and fuming with anger as I spoke.“About that, the tracking device is working perfectly. As a matter of fact, I got signaled just now that Miss Aurora had left the building; she seems to be on the move, in a cab, and headed somewhere,” Jason explained. For a moment, I wasn't sure how to feel.“Cain,” I muttered beneath my breath before rising to my feet. How dare he? He did not only put William under my wa
Aurora's POVEver since I heard Cain's terms over the phone to get William back, I had been restless. My mind had been thrown in a haze coupled with a splitting headache. I paced back and forth in my room, worry struck. I needed to do something, find a way, I needed to think, but nothing was coming up. I wasn't entirely sure my father knew about the situation, and maybe keeping it away from him for a while was the best option available, yet I couldn't just sit and do nothing.My tummy growled for the fourth time in a row, reminding me I had not eaten anything all day and night yet how could I? Perhaps Cain wasn't that heartless; William did consider him a father at some point; maybe William would be fed; those were the things I had hoped for, but what were the chances that my hopes were everything but wrong?What if I had been screwed over? What will I be left doing then? Then I thought deeper; I was simply scared. I felt knots tied in the pit of my belly; I would make that exchange
Lord Frederick's POVAs soon as Cain disconnected the call, I exchanged glances with Aurora; she had tears streaming out of her eyes already, sniffing hard and wailing. She was in pain, and so was I, but I couldn't falter; I needed to be strong. This was all my fault; I should have suspected that something was odd about Cain when he brought her to me.I should have known he was up to no good and gotten rid of him, but my carelessness had caused him to escape, and now things seemed to have spun beyond my control. I drew in a loud sigh before pulling closer to Aurora. I don't like seeing her in tears or pain; I would have murdered anyone who caused her to cry in cold blood, but this time I was the one standing at the other end of the knife.“Aurora, I'm sorry, but I promise I will get our son back.” She shoved my hand as I attempted to lay it on her shoulder; her eyes were hard as she raised her gaze to match mine.“Our son? Isn't this the mess that brought him down here? None of this w
AURORA'S POV“William?” I called out his name, slowly peering through the window. I shrugged slowly, knowing how much of a loose person he was. I never really expected him to remain in the room, to be honest.I wiggled into dry clothes, drying my hair with a towel as I made my way toward the entrance. I barely left him alone for five minutes, and he's already disappeared into thin air.“Has anyone seen William?” I asked one of the men I ran into; he shook his head negatively, and I nodded with a smile in response before making my way back toward the door. Something was odd, very odd about him; I could have used my time better.But I knew if he wasn't playing around in the corridors, he would, of course, be with Frederick.As much as I wanted to avoid him at all costs, I had to bring William back. I didn't want him getting too attached to Frederick; that way it wouldn't be much trouble when it’s time for us to leave.“Is William in here?” I asked as soon as I made my way into the room.