Aurora’s heels clicked against the pavement as she hurried outside the restaurant, her breath coming in uneven gasps. Her mind was a swirling mess of panic, fear, and desperate hope.“Loyd!” she called, her voice sharp with urgency as she scanned the street.The midday sun beat down on the busy sidewalk, casting long shadows from the people walking by—none of them her son.Lucian was right beside her, his strides purposeful, his eyes already sweeping the area with calculated precision. He wasn’t panicking. He never did. It infuriated her how calm he could be in a moment like this, but right now, she didn’t care.She just needed him to help her find Loyd.“He couldn’t have gone f
Aurora sat stiffly at the small metal table, her fingers curled around the edge as she watched Loyd and Elliot at the table beside them.The two boys sat across from each other, happily eating their ice cream, completely unaware of the tension in the air.Loyd giggled as Elliot made a funny face, exaggeratedly licking his popsicle.Aurora wanted to feel relieved, to bask in the fact that her son was safe and laughing, but her chest remained tight.Lucian sat beside her, his arms folded, his expression unreadable. Across from them, Evelyn stirred her iced coffee with deliberate slowness, her piercing gray eyes flickering between Aurora and Lucian.Aurora exhaled, pressing her lips together before forcing out the wo
Aurora Lancaster stared at the man and woman standing before the crowd. Her body shook, and her knees trembled. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard from the man she loved.“I want you all to meet my fiancée, Vanessa Steele!” Ethan Calloway announced proudly.The woman at his side smiled sweetly as she wrapped her arms around his waist. Aurora felt her world shatter as she watched them interact so affectionately as if no one else existed around them.It was a party that Aurora prepared for Ethan for successfully to get a partnership deal with the Drey Corporation, a big company on their town. Aurora turned away. She couldn’t bear to watch any longer. The man who had promised her the world was now engaged to someone else—and she couldn’t understand why.She had always been there for Ethan. When he had nothing, she stood by him. She had left everything from her past behind to prove her love, yet now, he was throwing her away like she meant nothing.Three years ago, Ethan had be
Aurora returned to their apartment, hoping to find Ethan, but he never came home. Instead, their landlady showed up, asking her to vacate the premises as the apartment was now up for lease. Aurora then discovered that Ethan had purchased a new house in an exclusive subdivision.He was truly erasing her from his life.Still desperate to talk to him, Aurora went back to his company, only to learn that Ethan had personally fired her. She begged him for an explanation, but Ethan was unyielding. No matter what she said or did, he had made up his mind—she was no longer a part of his life.Aurora had lost everything. She tried to claim what she believed was rightfully hers, but she was dismissed at every turn. No one in the company even knew about their relationship. To them, she was nothing more than a secretary—a role Ethan had deliberately ensured she played publicly. At first, Aurora didn’t mind keeping their relationship private, but now she understood why he had done it.Now, standing
“Don’t you think this is too soon, Francisco? Your daughter just came back home. Why are we inviting the Blackwoods already?” Carmela asked, her tone laced with worry. They were standing outside the mansion, waiting for their guests to arrive.Francisco waved her concerns away dismissively. “I won’t be deceived again, Carmela. Besides, you know how important this is for us.”“But—”Carmela sighed, turning her attention to Aurora. She gently caressed her daughter’s arm, feeling a deep sense of pity. She knew Aurora had always wanted to be free.“It’s okay, Mom. I’m fine,” Aurora said softly, forcing a smile. But her eyes betrayed her true feelings, revealing the storm brewing within.A few moments later, three cars pulled up in front of the mansion. Aurora held her breath as several men stepped out. Then, from the second car, a man exited the passenger seat. He was different from the others—his commanding presence and the way he carried himself exuded authority. He wore a perfectly tai
Aurora stared out the window, her fingers lightly gripping a wine glass. She sat in the living room, her mind racing with thoughts about her next move. Dinner had concluded, and Francisco and Lucian were still engrossed in a private discussion.Carmela had checked on her repeatedly, concerned for her well-being, but Aurora dismissed her worries with a practiced smile. She couldn’t falter now. Her father wanted her to prove her loyalty, and she needed the Lancaster wealth to accomplish her goal. Ethan had discarded her like trash, despite everything she sacrificed for him. Now that she was back, she would make him regret it.“I see you’re still awake.”Aurora flinched at the voice and turned to find Lucian approaching her. She cleared her throat and redirected her gaze to the window.“I see you’re still here,” she replied coolly.Lucian smirked, stepping closer. “I’ve been watching you, Ms. Lancaster. You seem… troubled.”Aurora raised an eyebrow but kept her eyes fixed on the glass in
Preparations for Aurora and Lucian’s wedding began immediately. The news of the union between the Lancaster and Blackwood families caused a stir, especially with Aurora’s unexpected return. Everyone was abuzz, labeling it the wedding of the year.Aurora stood in front of her father’s office door, her heart pounding. With her wedding approaching, she needed assurance for her own plans. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open.Inside, Francisco sat at his desk, immersed in papers. He glanced up when he heard her enter.“Aurora. What is it? Shouldn’t you be with your mother, preparing for your wedding?” he asked, his tone neutral but curious.“I just came back from the meeting with the wedding planner. Tomorrow is the fitting for my gown,” she replied with a forced calmness.Francisco gave a curt nod. “Good.”Aurora remained standing, her nerves evident. Francisco noticed her hesitation.“Is there something else?” he asked, setting his papers aside.Summoning her courage, Aurora n
“You’ve been gone for a long time, Master. What happened to you?” Red’s cheerful voice filled the room.Aurora sighed. Red was an AI, but she thought and spoke like a human—a design choice Aurora made years ago to have someone she could talk to, even if that someone wasn’t real.“I’m fine, Red,” she replied evenly.“Why did you come back? And how’s Ethan?”Aurora sighed again, this time with a touch of annoyance. The last time she used Red was before she left the mansion, crying and telling the AI she was choosing Ethan. Thinking about it now made her cringe.“Let’s not talk about him,” she dismissed quickly. “Show me the current state of Lancaster Enterprises.”“Right away, Master!” Red replied with a playful lilt, before her tone shifted to professional efficiency. “Displaying current figures now.”The central monitor lit up, revealing a detailed array of graphs, spreadsheets, and data on the Lancaster empire. Aurora’s expression darkened as she scanned the information.“Our revenue
Aurora sat stiffly at the small metal table, her fingers curled around the edge as she watched Loyd and Elliot at the table beside them.The two boys sat across from each other, happily eating their ice cream, completely unaware of the tension in the air.Loyd giggled as Elliot made a funny face, exaggeratedly licking his popsicle.Aurora wanted to feel relieved, to bask in the fact that her son was safe and laughing, but her chest remained tight.Lucian sat beside her, his arms folded, his expression unreadable. Across from them, Evelyn stirred her iced coffee with deliberate slowness, her piercing gray eyes flickering between Aurora and Lucian.Aurora exhaled, pressing her lips together before forcing out the wo
Aurora’s heels clicked against the pavement as she hurried outside the restaurant, her breath coming in uneven gasps. Her mind was a swirling mess of panic, fear, and desperate hope.“Loyd!” she called, her voice sharp with urgency as she scanned the street.The midday sun beat down on the busy sidewalk, casting long shadows from the people walking by—none of them her son.Lucian was right beside her, his strides purposeful, his eyes already sweeping the area with calculated precision. He wasn’t panicking. He never did. It infuriated her how calm he could be in a moment like this, but right now, she didn’t care.She just needed him to help her find Loyd.“He couldn’t have gone f
Aurora’s breath came in shallow gasps as she scanned the restaurant, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it might shatter.“Loyd!” she called again, her voice higher, tighter, laced with growing fear.She moved between the tables, her eyes darting from the entrance to the hallway leading to the restrooms, searching for any sign of him.Nothing.Panic swelled inside her, threatening to consume her whole.She turned sharply, nearly colliding with a waiter carrying a tray of drinks.“Miss? Are you okay?” the young man asked, startled.“My son,” Aurora choked out, gripping his arm without thinking. “He went to the restroom, but he’s not there. Have you seen a little boy? Dark hair, blue eyes—four years old?”The waiter hesitated, his brows furrowing. “I—I don’t think so, ma’am. But I can check with the staff—”Before he could finish, a deep voice cut through the chaos of her thoughts.“Aurora?”She spun around to see Lucian standing just a few feet away, his sharp eyes narrowing with
Aurora spent the morning distracting herself with plans for her son.It was easier that way — easier than thinking about Lucian’s words, his touch, the way he had looked at her like she was the only thing that mattered in the world.She pushed all of that aside and focused on something far more important: Loyd’s future.She had been putting it off for a while, unsure if she was ready for her little boy to take this next step. But after everything that had happened, she knew she needed to give him as much normalcy as possible — something stable and safe.And that’s why she found herself filling out forms and speaking with teachers at one of the most prestigious kindergartens in the city.
Aurora cried for the entire ride home.She sat in the backseat of her car, her face buried in her hands, as the weight of everything that had happened crashed down on her. She thought she’d been strong enough to face Lucian — thought she’d finally built the walls high enough to keep him out. But she was wrong.That kiss…It shattered everything.It shook her to her core, stirring up emotions she had spent years trying to bury. Anger, pain, longing — it all came flooding back, and no matter how hard she tried to push it down, it overwhelmed her. And worst of all… she hadn’t hated it.That scared her the most.By the time she reached the m
Aurora hurried toward the parking lot, her sobs breaking through the night’s stillness. She couldn’t believe her own reaction to what Lucian had done.He kissed her.And what made her even more furious — with herself — was that she had liked it.Something inside her had ignited the moment his arms wrapped around her, the second their lips met. It was as if she’d been transported back to a time when she hadn’t yet known about his betrayal. Back when she’d believed in him. Back when she’d loved him.God, she was so stupid.Why was she still letting him affect her like this? After everything he had done, after all the pain, how could he still have this kind of hold on her?
After the dance with Martin, Aurora stayed at their table, though she could no longer sit still. Every time she glanced around the room, her eyes would inevitably meet Lucian’s.The intensity of his gaze pinned her in place, and regret bloomed inside her — regret that she had come to this event at all."Still okay?" Martin’s gentle voice broke into her thoughts.Aurora turned to him, forcing a smile. "Yes. Don’t mind me."But Martin wasn’t convinced. He sighed quietly, his sharp eyes having long noticed the way Lucian’s attention never strayed from them."It’s him, isn’t it? Your ex-husband?"Aurora froze, the words like a cold
Martin Grey had been a constant source of support for Aurora while she was in the US. The moment he found out she was single, he wasted no time clarifying his intentions. But Aurora wasn’t ready — not yet. Her heart was still healing, and she told him as much, asking if they could just stay friends for now.But Carmela had other ideas. She kept pushing Aurora toward her godson, insisting that Martin was perfect for her.And maybe he was. But Aurora’s heart wasn’t so sure.Martin arrived right on time, his sleek black car gliding smoothly to a stop in front of Aurora’s mansion. When she stepped outside, his eyes widened with admiration, and for a moment, he looked completely stunned.“Wow,” Martin breathed, his gaze sweeping over
“Hey, babe! I’m so sorry I couldn’t join you two. I’ll make it up to you next time, I promise!” Rebecca’s voice came through the phone, warm and familiar.Aurora smiled. “It’s okay, Rebecca. You can visit him anytime.”Rebecca had called that afternoon to apologize for missing their day at Star City. Now, Aurora was getting ready for the party she was attending that night.Fresh out of the shower, Aurora sat in front of her vanity while the hair and makeup team she’d hired worked on her. She held her phone to her ear, listening to Rebecca rant as the stylist carefully curled her hair and applied soft, natural makeup.“That’s what’s so annoying!” Rebecca grumbled. “My dad forced me t