Use what you have to get what you want

Author’s pov

  The next morning, Marian noticed Aurora coming down the stairs. Marian quickly stood up from the brown leather couch, surprising Aurora, who detected a hint of mocking remorse in her eyes.

  "Mrs. Lucas, I'm truly sorry for the way I spoke to you yesterday. I was upset because Lucas didn't invite me to your wedding," Marian said.

  Aurora could sense the lack of sincerity in her eyes and walked towards the kitchen without responding.

  "Do I have to grovel before you just because I'm staying here for a while? I knew Lucas before you. If it weren't for Lucas, would I stoop so low?" Marian continued, but Aurora remained silent, refusing to utter a single word.

  “I can’t wait for her to leave this house,” Aurora thought as she crossed the kitchen’s door.

  About an hour later, the three of them sat together for breakfast. Aurora's face reflected her inner turmoil. She was angry that Lucas hadn't yet agreed to let her work. The dining table felt lifeless, except for the sound of cutlery. Then Marian spoke up.

  "Lucas, I hope you know I have a degree in accounting. Just a word from you, and your company's HR would find a place for me." She stole a glance at Aurora, mischief evident in her eyes, before returning her gaze to her food. Lucas simply nodded in response.

  Lucas's unspoken words made Aurora feel nauseous; she was deeply upset. She was the first to finish her meal and left the dining room, unable to eat much. She was also angry because she knew Marian would be leaving the house with her husband. Naturally, she felt jealous and furious. She didn't speak to her husband before he left the house with Marian.

  In the evening, Lucas and Marian returned home. Aurora didn't come down to welcome Lucas as usual.

  “How was your day?" Lucas asked as he entered the room and found Aurora just ending a phone call.

  "Just the way you left it," she replied.

Lucas stared at her for a moment before taking off his suit and placing his suitcase aside.

  When it was time for dinner, the three of them sat down together again, mirroring the morning's scene. Lucas and Aurora sat on one side, facing Marian. Lucas was the first to take a spoonful of food, which he promptly spat out.

  "What's going on?" Aurora asked immediately with concern in her voice.

  "What did you prepare?" Lucas questioned, looking at his wife. It was then that Marian took a spoonful of her food and repeated the action, locking eyes with Lucas.

  "It's so salty!" she exclaimed.

Aurora took a bite from her own plate but didn't react the same way Lucas and Marian did.

  "It's alright," she calmly stated.

  "Alright?" Lucas and Marian said simultaneously, puzzled.

  "Taste what you served me," Lucas pushed his plate towards Aurora. As she took a bite, she quickly spat it out.

  "I didn't add much salt," she immediately said.

  "Then who did?" Lucas's anger was already brewing.

  "I'm telling you, it wasn't me," she stood up and replied politely.

  "Then who did? This is deliberate..."

  "No, no, let's not argue about this. Lucas, please, it must be a mistake on your wife's part. Let me quickly prepare your favorite dinner," Marian interjected, trying to diffuse the tension. Meanwhile, Lucas had already started walking towards the stairs, heading to his room. The scene became awkward with plates of unfinished food on the table. Marian shrugged and, receiving no response from Aurora, she went to the kitchen while Aurora climbed the stairs to meet Lucas in their room.

  "I'm sorry, but please believe me, I didn't do it," Aurora pleaded, her voice trembling and tears welling up in her eyes as she approached Lucas.

  "It's your denial that's making me angry. Marian said she apologized to you this morning, and I didn't want to embarrass you in front of her. Why would you do such a thing? You were the one who cooked the food, who else could it be? I know you're upset with her, but she apologized. Just so you know, her days in this house are numbered," Lucas looked directly into her eyes, and more tears streamed down Aurora's face.

  "Um... Lucas?" Marian knocked on the door. "I know you must be hungry. Your favorite food is ready."

  "So quickly, or does she want Lucas to join her in the kitchen the way he normally joins me?" Aurora thought.

  Lucas stood up, wearing a dissatisfied expression as he glanced at Aurora once again, and then he left the room to join Marian. As he closed the door behind him, Aurora collapsed onto the bed, sobbing even harder.

  About fifteen minutes later, she suddenly heard laughter coming from downstairs—it was Lucas and Marian, laughing heartily at the dining table.

  "Lucas has never laughed like that with me since we got married," she thought, tears streaming down her face. As she closed her eyes, a fleeting memory from the past flashed before her.

  She remembered waking up in their luxurious silk bed, feeling like she was living her dreams. The delightful aroma of lavender filled the air in their cozy room, embracing her senses with every breath. She would reach out, expecting to feel the comforting warmth of her husband beside her, only to encounter an empty space on the bed. The touch of the bed's surface served as a reminder that her husband had already woken up and gone downstairs to bring her a cup of sweet coffee.

  She got up from the bed and walked towards the window on the left, realizing how incomparable this room was to her room in her father's house. This room was three times the size, adorned with exquisite Italian drapes and resplendent American tiles. The automated pink curtains sensed her presence and opened, revealing a breathtaking view of the ocean. A smile spread across her face, and her joy reflected in the rhythmic waves.

  The cold ocean breeze gently blew her long brown hair back, tugging at her white nightgown and shaping it against her skin. It revealed the curves of her body, highlighting her bell-shaped breasts and feminine figure as if she were unclothed. After taking in the refreshing ocean air, her gaze shifted from the waves to a wedding picture in a golden frame on the wall. There stood her beloved husband, Lucas. Their love story was a dream come true for every young lady with a similar background like hers. Lucas had transformed her worst day into something beautiful and profound. Their marriage was a shining example of a husband and wife enjoying quality time together. He never let her go shopping alone. He was always by her side as they playfully strolled through the aisles, picking up their groceries. He attentively catered to her needs, no matter the time. Whether he was at work or at home, it felt as if he was right there with her through the wireless earpiece in her ear, allowing them to communicate as if he had just stepped downstairs.

  Four years ago, her parents' home was as peaceful as the ocean waves, until the sudden passing of Aurora's mother, which changed everything. Her father couldn't bear the loss and turned to alcohol, becoming an alcoholic. He lost his job, and nothing seemed important anymore. They fell into poverty, and his behavior resembled that of a drug addict as he began selling their belongings. His car was the first to go, followed by other valuables in their house. It was at that moment that Aurora realized her education was at stake. Her father couldn't afford her tuition, and she was on the verge of graduating. Would her three and a half years in college be wasted? Six days before her fees were due, she tearfully pleaded with her father, and this is what he said to her.

  "Use what you have to get what you want."

That's how fate unexpectedly became a blessing. At that time, the only thing Aurora had to offer for an immediate solution was her virginity. It astonished her how her once morally upright father had transformed into someone who no longer cared about how she lived her life. The clock was ticking, and she needed to take action. To secure a better future for herself, she made the difficult decision to compromise her dignity, something she had vowed to give only to the man she loved and would marry.

  Aurora downloaded an app to sell her virginity and filled in all the necessary details. It was Thursday when she took this crucial step in her life. The next day, she received a notification offering her ten thousand dollars, probably because she desperately needed the money. Rumors had it that others had sold theirs for as much as fifty thousand dollars. However, Aurora needed the funds to pay her tuition fees and prepare for an exam starting on Monday. It was on that Saturday when she met Lucas in a hotel room, and he became the stranger who changed her life with a single question.

  "Why are you selling your virginity at such a low price?"

Instead of answering, tears welled up in her eyes, catching Lucas off guard.

  "It's for my tuition fees and to secure the future and not to waste the years I have spent in college," she managed to say amidst sobs.

  Without laying a finger on her, Lucas handed over the money, marking the beginning of their love story. It was a journey from poverty to wealth, and she gave her virginity to the man she now calls her husband.

  The laughter of Marian and Lucas pulled Aurora out of her sweet memories, and she felt as if her husband and her wonderful world were slipping away from her grasp.

  "Should I go there and interrupt their conversation?" she thought as she continuously hit her thigh. Suddenly, Lucas' phone started ringing. She stretched her hand and took the phone, which was on the stool. To her surprise, it was Marian who was calling.

  "Why is she calling Lucas when he's there with her? Does this mean something else?"