"Rory?" Heath gave her a gentle pat, "What's up?"Aurora snapped back to reality, shaking her head, "It's nothing."Kieran drove them to the hotel, to the same presidential suite with its two bedrooms. Heath carried her into the living room and placed her on the sofa, touching her hair softly, "Play around for a bit, I need to handle some things."Aurora obediently nodded, sitting in the living room flipping through magazines when the doorbell rang.The study door was shut tight. Maybe Heath and Kieran didn't hear it. Aurora stood up to answer the door and froze."Eamon?" It took a moment for Aurora to register his presence, "What are you doing here?""Aurora, long time no see," Eamon greeted her, a bit startled himself.She let him in, "Heath and Kieran are in the study."Eamon nodded and looked back at her, "Aurora, are you visiting the States for fun?"Aurora smiled, "Yeah, it's my first time here. Heath brought me over for a look."Eamon glanced at her and without a word, knocked
Back in her sanctuary, Aurora was a flurry of emotions and hot showers. She glared at her own flushed face in the mirror and gave herself a pep talk – a literal slap of reality – muttering, "Get it together, Aurora. You're acting crazy!"The shock was real – she kissed Heath! Was she sleepwalking or what?She'd never let Heath get away with a kiss before without putting up a fight. What was different now? It dawned on her – he had guilt-tripped her! Her overflowing sympathy had left her defenses down. Yeah, that had to be the reason.In the midst of documents and serious business, Heath was in his room trying to focus but failing miserably. That kiss had left a sweet aftertaste that he couldn't shake off. Aurora was his weakness, and thinking about her just made him lose track of time and sense.He remembered the way she looked earlier, innocently standing on her tiptoes, her cheeks flushed and her eyes wide, fluttering like the wings of a butterfly. It was a snapshot he couldn't eras
Heath, attired in a black suit with a subtle pattern, possessed sharp, well-defined features. He didn't wear a mask, and as soon as he entered the hall, he was the focus of myriad stares. Many greeted him; he acknowledged them with a minimal nod in response.Aurora had been unaware of the extent of Heath's influence in the United States.Heath glanced at her and spoke, "I'll have matters to attend to with Eamon later; don't wander off. Stay and enjoy the banquet."Aurora nodded, intuitively feeling that Heath didn't wish to disclose the details of his business to her.The masquerade ball was a swirl of strangers' faces, with the majority of the men forgoing masks as their presence was business-oriented, not for covert leisure.In contrast, the women companions sported a variety of masks, their attendance purely for the festivities, along with the socialites wearing exquisite makeup, for whom their visage was key to allure the opposite sex - why would they hide behind masks?The bustli
Aurora watched as Carly walked to the door, followed closely by Jasper as they left the hall, presumably to scout the surroundings.Just as she turned around, Heath had come down and walked briskly to her side upon seeing her. Aurora felt a bit nervous, clutching her purse, hoping Heath wouldn't notice."How are you? Tired?" Heath asked.Aurora shook her head: "I'm okay."As music played timely, couples entered the dance floor to dance. Heath extended his hand with a slight smile, "May I have the honor of this dance, Miss?"Aurora smiled, picked up her skirt slightly, and curtsied, placing her hand in Heath's palm: "It would be my honor."He led her to the dance floor, moving to the soft music. Her unexpectedly professional dancing surprised him, "Have you learned dancing before?""Uh... my grandfather had someone teach me," Aurora made up an excuse to get by. The etiquette of these social events was a course she had to learn in the Abyss, or else she would be punished.Heath, dancing
She awoke in Aurora's body, and the very next day, Dominic and Isabella got engaged.All those sweet words, gentle gazes, unbeatable achievements, and her countless scars suddenly turned into the biggest joke.It was all a lie, and she was always Dominic's sharpest blade and most competent pawn.She hadn't thought of Dominic in a long time, her only focus was to kill Isabella, and if Dominic got in her way, she'd take revenge on him too.But she didn't expect to meet him so soon.She thought she wouldn't feel anything, but now, she felt as if her tongue had been taken away, unable to utter even a simple "hello."Heath's expression was beyond bad. He held Aurora's hand so tightly it was almost breaking, but she seemed numb to the pain, showing no reaction.This damned woman, she had never looked at him like that!Since Dominic appeared, Aurora seemed like she had lost her soul!Dominic met Aurora's gaze, feeling a tremor in his heart.In her clear eyes, there was hatred, conflict, desp
Crouched low, Carly sprinted towards the gunfire, while Aurora circled the house to find a large tree. She bent down, hitched up her skirt, and climbed up, adjusting her sniper rifle to find the right position among the branches.Loading, aiming, calculating wind speed, she fine-tuned her scope. The moment her eye met the scope, the green crosshairs filling her vision, she felt like a warrior returning to the battlefield, sword in hand.By now, most of the guests had left. Through her night-vision scope, the red halos that appeared were those engaged in the firefight.Aurora's gaze followed Carly, who, to avoid stray bullets, had to advance quickly, bent at the waist. Circling the bushes around the house, Carly took advantage of the distraction provided by the gunfire and slipped into the underbrush.A hand slowly emerged from the bushes, waving in the night. Aurora knew Carly had joined up with Jasper.But the gunfire around them was intensifying. Carly and Jasper could barely sneak
Heath had been sitting in the living room since he woke up, his gaze fixed on a pair of blood-stained high heels on the coffee table.Aurora's high heels.Just moments ago, she was dancing gracefully, holding his hand, and then suddenly, they were separated by the crowd.He knew, Eamon had confirmed it, the blood on the shoes wasn't hers.So where was she?"Boss, it's time for your medication," Kieran said, approaching with a glass of water.Heath, clutching his shoulder, winced in pain and asked, "Have you found her?"Kieran shook his head, remaining silent.Heath held the water glass in his right hand, his head bowed, not uttering a word.He couldn't care less about what relationship Aurora had with Dominic Ashcroft or whom she harbored in her heart. His mind was consumed with thoughts of her smiling face.As long as she returned safely.The doorbell rang.Kieran stood up to open the door, seeing Aurora standing there. He thought he was dreaming.Excitedly he shouted, "Boss! Miss Au
"Boss! Boss!" Kieran shouted, rushing to Heath's side.Hearing the commotion, Aurora ran out of her room. Seeing Heath on the floor with a bloodied shoulder, she hurried to help Kieran carry him to his room.After Kieran left to call Lysander, Aurora skillfully disinfected and bandaged Heath's wound.When Kieran returned, he found Aurora almost done with the cleanup.“Miss Aurora...” Kieran began, curious about her emergency medical skills."Where's Lysander? How soon can he get here? I only managed to stop the bleeding, but Heath's wound looks infected, and he's feverish. Didn't you notice?" Aurora asked, packing up the medical kit."A fever? He seemed okay when he woke up this afternoon..." Kieran said, puzzled."With such a serious injury, a fever is normal. Why wasn't someone with him?" Aurora asked, her voice filled with concern and reproach, as Heath lay still, his brow furrowed in pain."Miss Aurora, when the boss woke up, he sent us all to find you and insisted on being alone.