JACOBI watched as she makes conversations with everyone in the room. She seems to know what she is doing.Her confidence made everyone amused and she knew it. My hands ran through my hair. I can't believe I never saw any of this when we were together.It's like there was a veil over me and I refused to take it off.“Are you ready?” I heard Katherine's voice beside me. Here is one of the veils.“I am,” I said, not paying attention to her at all, she noticed and stood in front of me.“You are here for a contract and not to suck on ladies that you can't have,” she said, smiling.“Don't tempt me, Katherine. Your blackmail isn't going to hold for long,” I said to her.“Oh, the one where you believed your mistress instead of your wife. I'm not a reporter but I know every news outlet will be ringing that for weeks, especially now that she has raised an army of powerful women. You will love not just this contract or everyone you have but also investors.”I stared at her in anger but she did
AURORAThe sound of the opening of champagne filled the conference room as we celebrated our victory in the contract interview.“I have got to tell you Aurora, you keep amazing me,” Spencer said.“Aww, it almost feels like you mean it,” I said and he rolled his eyes and walked away. I still think he was in on the mutiny will Kent. I can't prove it yet but I will and he won't get away with it.“How are you feeling Andre?” I asked him.“Getting better everyday,” he said, smiling.“The Doctors said he still needs to rest up,” Carina said, standing beside him.“You should listen to her and to them,” I told him and he nodded then walked away from us.“How are you?” She asks me.“I'm livid. I won!” I yelled.“Yeah!” My employees cheered for me.“I know that, I mean are you okay with me not being home?” She asked, her voice laced with worry.“I'm fine, Carina, besides it's not like you are not coming back. You will be back,” I said, playing with her hair.“Okay if you say so but you are goin
AURORAI stormed out of the conference room with Carina hurrying after me, trying to keep up with me. “Aurora what's going on? What are you going to do?” She asked, her voice filled with concerns.“Kent pretends insanity, hitting the news isn't a coincidence, someone leaked the news to the press and I'm going to find out how,” I said, my mind running through every scenario I could think of. “i need to know who is behind all of this,” We reached the elevator and I pressed the button for the top floor, that's where the board of directors offices are located, “Carina get me a background information on all the board members especially a special connection between them and Kent or Jacob, Spencer including Katherine,” I instructed, my eyes fixed on the numbers of each button as they pass by.The doors opened and we stepped out into the furnished hallway. This is where they cash in on my money and they plot against me.Everywhere was lined with polished wood and gleaming glass.“What are th
AURORA“Haa!” Myself and Carina screamed as the door busted wide open. We hid ourselves underneath the table hoping the intruders would just go away.“Ma'am?” Martin, my head of security called out but I wasn't sure if it was really him.“It's Martin,” Carina said, trying to get out. I held her down, hoping for more confirmation from Martin.“Miss Clinton, it's Martin,” he said and I sighed in relief. Only Martin calls me Miss Clinton, the rest of his men call me Miss Aurora.I got out from underneath the table and saw a relief sign on Martin's face, then I helped Carina get out from underneath the table.“How about the intruder, have they all left?” I asked him.“Yes ma'am, but the men are still sweeping the place and I heard the police are on their way,” he said, sounding disappointed.“Why the sour look, Martin?” I asked and walked out of the office myself and Carina were hiding in.There were a lot of guards stationed at every door in the hallway, “why so many guards?” I was surpr
AURORAMy fingers turned into a fist as I watched the Detective and his officer walk out of my office. He then turned and looked at me.“I will find out what really happened here,” he said mischievously.“That is your Job, Detective. Not mine,’’ the whole room was silent. “And this is where I work, not yours. So please leave,”Adding please to my sentence was just a matter of courtesy and for him not trying to pin what happened here on me.Martin walked them out and I faced Carina, “do you see why I have to do whatever I deem necessary?” I asked her.“I don't understand what just happened,” she said with confusion written all over her face.“Why did it look like he wanted to pin this whole thing on you?” she asked and I looked at her surprised at her naivety.“Please don't tell me that,” I said to her still surprised, “whoever invaded the building gave him a target, which is me,” I said.“But the cops have to do their own due diligence,” she said and I sighed in frustration.“How can
JACOBHer hands left mine and it felt like something had been taken away from me. I know I made some terrible decisions during our marriage but I’m prepared to make them right.“What should I do, Aurora?” I asked, “don’t make me beg for something that used to be mine,” I said with disdain.She looked at me with disgust and my heart shattered. I keep saying the wrong things in order to prove to her, I’m not head over heels for her but I am. I kept looking at her with a strange face, one way or the other I’m going to get her back.I looked at the numbers displayed in the elevator; we were close to the ground floor.I pulled the stop button and faced her, “what are you doing?” she asked with uncertainty, “I need to get out of here, my employees need me.” She stood in front of me, trying to get to the button.“You are needed here, Aurora,” I held her back, and walked her towards the wall of the elevator and had her back against the wall.I took some strands of her hair and filled my nostr
AURORAI watch him go up into the crawlspace. He looks flushed but there was a hint of fear in his eyes. Moreso his question baffles me.“How much do I hate?” I scoff as the elevator doors opens up. How dare him asks me that sort of question.The doors open up and a lot of guns were pulled on me. “Goodness!” I screamed.“Stand down!” I held Martin yelled, himself and Carina walked towards me as I got down from the elevator.“What was that for?” I asked, a bit shaken about guns being pulled on me.“Sorry ma’am, we have been looking for you,” Martin said.“Yes, where have you been?” Carina asked, pulling me for a hug, “I was so scared,” I hugged her back.“I’m fine,” I said laughing, “I don’t know what happened. I guess time went by,” I said, remembering everything that happened in the elevator.“Are you sure?” I heard Carina asked, “seems your neck is your new favorite part of your body?” she said and I realized my hands has been on my neck, caressing it, trying to remember Jacob’s tou
AURORAI watched as the little girl in front of me slept. Her chest rises to the rhythm of the machines that surround her.How can one live like that and for how? She looks so peaceful and doesn't even care about her surroundings.I bent forward and my fingers trailed around her face, “what happened to you, sweetheart?” “What's making you be like this?” I asked, wondering if she could hear me.The doors of her hospital room opened and I stood up immediately and straightened up my dress.“What's your name?” I asked the woman who walked in. She ignored me instead and walked up to the girl on the bed.I walked towards her and stood in front of her. “You will answer me,” I said with anger in my voice.“How did you find me?” She asked, looking afraid.She should be afraid, after all she was the one who nearly ruined my life.“You will answer me first,” I said to her with authority.“I am Linda,” she said and I scoffed. I expected her kind of name.“The kind of name for someone like you,”
AURORAI have been in a moving vehicle for the better part of ten hours. Wherever my captors are taking me, they don't seem to have an idea what they are doing.This can't be LeVert, he won't make such a mistake by hiring amateurs, even if he is doing it by himself. He has enough experience to do it right.Suddenly the vehicle stopped moving, the back of the vehicle opened and I was brought out. One of them was about to speak when the other one shut him up without speaking.I kept my mouth shut, I need to be brave, for myself and for my family. My wedding is in a few hours along with Carina's and there is no way I'm missing it.They tied the blindfold around my eyes even tighter, causing the darkness to engulf me.The rough fabric of the blindfold pressed harder against my eyes, sending a jolt of sharp pain across my temples. Darkness was absolute now, not just the absence of sight but the weight of uncertainty pressing down on me. I tried to focus on my breathing, forcing myself to s
JACOB“I can't believe you are getting married!” Braden slammed into me. Trying to ruffle me up a little.“Says the married man,” Andre said to him. It's funny how we are all friends now and we have Aurora to thank for that. She brought all of us together. That's my future wife.“What are you smiling about?” Grey asked me.“You better not be thinking about my sister in some certain way in front of me,” Martin said and we all laughed.I have asked all of them to be mine and Andre best men including Michael, Ryan and Clay. Liam insisted on being the DJ for the service. Right now we are having our bachelor party and having loads of fun. “Thank you for allowing Aurora to do this with Carina,” I said to Andre holding his shoulder.“Are you kidding, Carina will have my head if I don't agree, plus we get to give the world the wedding of the year,” he said and I smiled.“Good man,” I shook his hands and walked towards Grey. “Hey bro,” he turned around and placed his phone in his pocket.“Th
AURORAONE YEAR LATER“What about this?” I walked out of my closet in a black gown filled with diamonds and a white off shoulder handle.“Perfect,” Carina squeaked. I rolled my eyes and walked deeper into the room.“People see me on this, they might think tonight is my rehearsal dinner,” I said to the soon to be bride.“Oh come on, you are the chief bridesmaid, you are meant to dress as elegant as the bride,” Aubrey said, adding her own wisdom to the situation.“Well, apart from that, I will think you guys are just playing dress up with me for me to impress Jacob,” I said to them and they both laughed.“Why are you laughing?” I asked them.“Nothing, just remembering how you blunted out I love you to him,” Carina said, still laughing. I rolled my eyes, trying to hide my blushing face.“Aubrey smirked, “Oh Aurora, you were so abstract about it. It feels like you have been bottling that emotion.”“Maybe I was. I guess my body moved before my mind,” I said to her.“And your timing couldn'
AURORA“Okay, alright. Be safe,” I said and hanged up the call.“Is everything alright?” Carina asked me. I looked at her with my puffy eyes. I can't believe I asked her to move her wedding date all because of LeVert. I feel so sad and heartbroken.“No, don't do that,” she said, hugging me. “Everything will work out. We just need to protect Anna and Mary and we all will be safe.”“But your wedding…”“Can wait,” Andre said, standing beside her. “We all need to be together right now.” He took my hands and I nodded.“Okay,” I exhaled, wiping my face with my other hand. “Let's do this then.”“The girls are pulling up,” Aubrey said to me. We raced towards the car to stop the paparazzi from taking pictures of them.“How come there are so many paparazzi?” Madeline asked as we moved through the crowd.“LeVert probably called them here to witness whatever he had planned,” I said to her.We finally got to the car and help Linda protect the girls from the cameras.“Aunt Aurora,” Anna and Mary hu
JACOB“What does Christina has to do with any of these?” I asked her.“I'm sure you heard from your stepbrother, Grey?” She asked.“Lara, what are you doing?” Aurora asked her. “Grey is not to be trusted.”“I was the one who told Grey to meet with you,” she said looking at me. “He is trying to make amends. You should let him.” I looked at Aurora, who just shrugged her shoulders.“So what about Christina?” Amy asked, standing in front of her. “You can't just drop a bombshell like that and not say anything to it.”“I was getting to it,” she handed her USB drive to Liam, “here, input it to the system,” Liam looks at me hesitant to do it. “Do it Liam,” I nodded.”A lot of files displayed on the bug screen. “These are all of the operations I could find that can be linked to LeVert, including serial killing of high profile women.” “Which one involves my step mom?” I asked, and a more detailed document displayed on the screen.“Wait,” Aurora scoffed. “You have this much evidence and LeVert
JACOBI kept pacing around, it's been almost two hours since Aurora left and she isn't back yet.“Martin is with her,” Madeline said to me, “he won't let anything happen to her.”“But if he can't,” I said and she looked confused. “Whatever is going on is beyond his power,” she sighed and shook her head.“Hey, you have to think good thoughts bro,” Amy said, holding my shoulder. “Aurora didn't come this far to give up or jeopardize everything.”“She is right, J,” Braden whispered, standing beside me. “You have to be able to trust Aurora, trust that she knows what she is doing,” he said and scoffed, “because she has been doing this long before she returned back to her life.”“I just want to protect her, want to keep her safe,” I said to him.“I know bro, but she got this and you know it.”I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down, even though every fiber of my being screamed to go after her. Braden was right, though. Aurora had proven time and again that she could handle herself.
AURORA“Thought I would recognize you?” I asked her.“Hoped,” she said, jerking her hands from Martin who was still looking shocked.“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked her with gritted teeth.“I don't know, hiding from my brother,” she said and I scoffed.“You are not that bumped into me,” I said to her. “You were at the precinct.”“No, you only saw me at the precinct when I came out, not before,” she said and I looked at Martin.“I will prove it to you,” she said and I turned to her.“How?” I asked, folding my hands. She tried to move but Martin stopped her. “Let her go, Martin. She knows she needs us,” Captain Marlow scoffed and walked deeper into the room.“Here,” she placed a material over her head and I could see the face of the woman we saw in the CCTV camera video.“Unbelievable,” I whispered. “Have you seen something like this before?” I asked Martin.“Heard of it but haven't seen one this real,” he said as Captain Marlow took it off.“Spent almost all the money I co
AURORA“You know he is just scared for you,” Martin turned around in the car and said to me.“If you are referring to Jacob then don't. I don't need a lecture right now,” I said and he sighed.“He just wants to protect,” I glared at him and he raised his hands in defense. “That's all I'm going to say,” he turned around facing the traffic.“I have been on my own for a while, I can handle myself,” I said out loud.“I thought you guys have moved past that?” Martin asked me.“Move past what?” I asked, feeling confused.“Move past what he did almost ten years ago?” He asked and I sighed.“We have but he has to know that I didn't have him or you protecting me then and I was still able to survive Copper and being kidnapped,” I said to him.“I get that but he is here now and from the look of things he wants to protect you at all cost.”“Why do you think I brought Michael with us?” I asked and Micheal smiled. “At least Michael can report to him if anything happens.”“We are here, Miss Aurora,”
AURORA“Hey,” I kissed Jacob on the lips as I took off my jacket.“I miss you,” he said, kissing my neck. I bit my lips smiling.“I know but we have work to do,” I pushed him slightly and walked over to the workstation he had set up in his penthouse.“Are you sure this place is secure?” Martin asked him as he walked in.“Yes, nobody knows about this place, not even Christina,” he said and I sighed.“Does Grey know about this place?” I asked him, for a while he has been having a blind spot when it comes to his step brother.“Jacob?” I called his name when I noticed he was hesitant to answer the question.“Yes he does,” he said and I dropped my hands loudly against my laps.“Why would you do such a thing? Grey is not to be trusted,” I said to him.“Look, Grey might have done a lot of things in the past but he helped us back in my airport.”“Or he brought you there to set you up along with Martin,” Braden said.“I agree with Braden,” Amy said and Jacob glared at her.“Don't do that, they