At Blackwood Manor, Lucian stood by the window, his gaze fixed on the landscape outside. His posture was rigid, his hands tucked into his pockets. Behind him, Don Ramon Blackwood sat on the couch, sipping his black coffee, deep in thought.“You’re already married to her,” Don Ramon said, his voice measured. “What’s your next move, son?”Lucian inhaled deeply, his expression unreadable. “I’m already working on it, Father.”Don Ramon arched a brow and studied his son’s back.“I hope your focus hasn’t wavered. You still remember our plan, don’t you?” His tone carried a quiet warning. “Remember your past.”Lucian’s jaw tightened. His fists clenched at his sides.Forget? Never.He turned around, his dark eyes meeting Don Ramon’s. “Of course, Father,” he said firmly. “My revenge is still in motion.”A slow, satisfied grin spread across Don Ramon’s face.“Good.”—Aurora smirked as she stared at her phone screen.Another missed call from Ethan.It was his fifth attempt this morning, and she
Aurora gripped the steering wheel tightly as she drove toward the Westmoor Division, her mind racing with all the possibilities. This branch wasn’t just any part of the Lancaster business—it was a critical division focused on manufacturing appliances, a steady and reliable source of income that supported many of their other ventures. Losing it would be disastrous.As she pulled up to the building, the sight that greeted her was disheartening. The parking lot, once bustling with activity, was nearly empty. The imposing glass doors of the entrance seemed to have lost their former luster, the once-thriving energy of the place now reduced to a dull, fading presence.Aurora pushed through the doors, her heels clicking against the marble floor of the lobby, the sound echoing in the near silence. Only a handful of employees wandered about, their faces downcast and tired. It was a stark contrast to the vibrant, fast-paced atmosphere she remembered.A security guard approached her, stepping di
Mario’s eyes widened as he shot up from his seat, his expression caught between shock and forced enthusiasm.“Aurora! What a surprise! I had no idea you were back!” he said, feigning delight.Aurora smirked, tilting her head slightly. “Didn’t you? I’m pretty sure we sent you an invitation to my wedding. You never showed up.” She glanced around the room. “I can see why—you’ve been busy.”Mario chuckled nervously. “Ah, Aurora, this is nothing, really. Just a simple business discussion. Should we talk outside?” He took a step toward her as if trying to steer her away.Aurora raised an eyebrow. “About what? About selling the company?”Mario stiffened. His nervous chuckle faltered. “O-Oh… Haha! No! Of course not!” He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. “Let’s talk outside,” he whispered, his tone more urgent, his face now serious.Aurora was amused by how desperate Mario was to stop her from speaking in front of the guests. Ignoring him, she turned her attention to the three individual
Aurora sat in her new office, her fingers drumming against the polished mahogany desk as she planned her next move. The events from earlier still lingered in her mind—her uncle’s betrayal, the attempted sale of the company, and the unexpected mention of Lucian’s interest in Lancaster Tech Innovations. Too much was at stake for her to waste any time. She needed to understand exactly what was happening within the company.She took out her tablet from her bag and put on her earpiece. The screen flickered to life, and soon, Red’s animated emoji face appeared.“Hello, Master! Do you need something?” Red’s lively voice chimed through the speakers.Aurora nodded. “Yes. Can you connect to LTI’s system?”“Of course, Master! It’s easy! Do you want me to proceed?”“Go on.”The screen shifted, displaying a series of flashing codes and security bypasses. Within moments, Red had successfully hacked into LTI’s system, granting Aurora access to everything—internal files, financial reports, and even t
Aurora stood before the vast glass window of her new office, the city lights below twinkling like stars captured in the night sky. The weight of the past few weeks settled on her shoulders—not with exhaustion, but with a deep, undeniable satisfaction. Lancaster Tech Innovations was back. And it was hers.She had spent countless hours undoing the damage her uncle had inflicted. One by one, she reinstated the talented employees he had unjustly fired—those who had once made LTI the powerhouse it used to be. She personally oversaw the restructuring of departments, making sure that no trace of Mario’s corruption remained. The siphoned funds? Retrieved. The reputation? Slowly, but steadily, being rebuilt.Now, Lancaster Tech Innovations was no longer a crumbling empire. It was standing tall again, its doors wide open to the public. And tonight, the world would witness its rebirth.A grand reopening gala had been arranged in her honor, marking her official return as CEO. It wasn’t just a par
The party buzzed with energy around Aurora, yet she felt disconnected from it all. The endless conversations, the clinking of glasses, the polite smiles—none of it truly reached her.For over an hour, she had stood among the city’s elite, shaking hands with businessmen and women who had once dismissed her. Now, they were eager to be in her presence, their words filled with flattery and shallow admiration. Yet to her, their voices were nothing more than background noise.Her feet ached, her legs burned from the constant standing, but the real exhaustion ran deeper. It was the weight of the charade, the ceaseless political games, the carefully measured words and masked intentions.She needed a moment. Just a brief pause.Scanning the grand hall, bathed in golden light from the chandeliers above, her gaze landed on her table—a quiet corner, untouched by the main commotion. Without hesitation, she made her way toward it, her stiletto heels clicking softly against the marble floor.Finally
“Ethan? Ethan!”Vanessa banged on the door of Ethan’s apartment, her frustration boiling over. She had been trying to reach him for days, but he ignored all her calls and messages. Ever since they learned about Aurora’s true identity, Ethan had completely shut her out.“Ethan! Fuck!”She kicked the door in frustration, but there was no response. Growling under her breath, she tried entering the passcode, only to realize—she didn’t know it.Her jaw clenched. Ethan wasn’t in his penthouse, the one where he used to take her. That much she had already checked. Luckily, his secretary had let it slip that Ethan also owned a condo unit where he sometimes stayed.A condo she hadn’t even known about.That alone made her blood boil.“You are really testing my patience, Ethan! Why are you doing this?!” she shouted, slamming her fist against the door once more.Before she could start yelling again, a man approached her, his expression disapproving.“Excuse me, miss? You can’t do that.”Vanessa whi
"Ms. Lancaster, Mr. Calloway is at the lobby again. Demanding to see you."Aurora looked up from her documents, her gaze landing on Beth, her human secretary. A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips as she placed the papers down and leaned back in her chair.Ethan had been relentless. Over the past few weeks, he had repeatedly tried to get close to her, each time under the pretense of business. But Aurora knew better. He wanted more than just a business partnership. He wanted control."What does he need this time?" she asked lazily, twirling a pen between her fingers.Beth sighed, clearly unimpressed. "He wants to discuss a project with you. Says it’s urgent."Aurora rolled her eyes. "Of course, it’s urgent." She took a moment before making her decision. "Fine. Send him to the meeting room. I’ll come when I’m done here."Beth nodded. "Right away, Ma’am."Aurora watched as her secretary left the office, then let out a small chuckle. Ethan was persistent—desperate, even. It was almost e
Aurora barely had time to think as she rushed through the grand hallway, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. Every second felt like an eternity, and every breath was filled with a sense of urgency. Loyd was out there, somewhere, trapped in the hands of a man she had thought was long dead.Lester Aldric.The name sent a shiver down her spine. She had spent the last few hours wrestling with the shock of it, but there was no time for hesitation now. If what Red had found was true, then Lester was alive, and he was the one behind her son’s kidnapping.She clutched her phone tightly in her hand as she stormed toward the front door. She was going to end this.But just as she reached the entrance, the heavy doors swung open, and Lucian stepped inside.Aurora’s breath hitched.Lucian was dressed in a sharp black suit, his tie loosened slightly as though he had rushed here. His golden eyes immediately locked onto her, dark with intensity. The moment he saw her standing there,
Aurora hadn’t slept for hours. The weight of the situation had turned her mind into a whirlwind of thoughts, none of them bringing any comfort. The room felt suffocating, the silence deafening. It was the kind of silence that screamed for answers—answers that she still didn’t have.She sat in front of her laptop, staring at the screen as Red’s interface blinked at her, its cheerful emoji face betraying the severity of the situation.“Find him, Red. Find Loyd,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from the strain of the past 24 hours.Her hands moved across the keys, the same commands over and over again. Every search, every trace led to a dead end. Loyd’s whereabouts were still a mystery. The police were still investigating, but they had no leads. No clues. The frustration gnawed at her like a beast trying to break free from its cage.Every second felt like an eternity. Every thought was a question. Where is my son?Her mind wandered to the last time she’d held him, kissed his forehead, t
Aurora sat in the living room, her hands gripping her phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white. The room was filled with police officers, their radios buzzing, their voices low but urgent as they coordinated the search for Loyd.But it wasn’t fast enough.Nothing was fast enough.Her baby was missing.Her heart pounded erratically in her chest, her breathing uneven.Loyd.Where was he? Was he scared? Was he crying for her?The thought made her stomach churn.She forced herself to stay strong. She couldn’t afford to fall apart—not now.Taking a shaky breath, she pressed the call button.Lucian picked up on the first ring.“Aurora,” he said, his voice sharp, controlled—but she could hear the underlying panic.“It’s Loyd,” she choked out.“I know.”There was silence for a brief moment. Then—“I’ll handle it.”Aurora clenched her jaw. “We need to tell the police—”“No.” Lucian’s voice was firm, cutting her off.She frowned. “Lucian, they can help—”“They won’t,” he bit out. “They’l
Lucian clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as he paced his office.His plan had failed.Aurora knew everything now.He had wanted to protect her—to handle this mess before she ever found out. But now, the fragile trust they had rebuilt was at risk of shattering.Lucian slammed his fist against his desk, his chest heaving.Damn it.He never wanted to invest in CRS Holdings. Never wanted to be involved with Don Ramon again. But the old man had forced his hand. Blackmail.If Lucian hadn’t complied, Don Ramon would have unleashed something far worse.And now?Now, he was losing Aurora.A bitter taste filled his mouth as he grabbed his suit jacket. He couldn’t let this continue.He had made a mistake, but he could still fix it.He was going to see Don Ramon.And this time, he was cutting ties for good.—Don Ramon sat comfortably in his leather chair, swirling a glass of whiskey in his hand. His gray eyes gleamed with amusement as Lucian stormed into his office.“Well, well,” the older
Aurora’s heart pounded as she watched Red process her request. The AI’s animated face flickered for a few seconds before its voice chimed through her AirPods.“Scanning for data… Please wait, Master.”Her grip on the iPad tightened.She didn’t know what she was expecting. Maybe she wanted Red to tell her that this was all a mistake—that Don Ramon was still locked away where he belonged. That someone was playing a sick joke on her.But she knew better.The locket in the black box had been real. And Don Ramon wouldn’t send something like that unless he wanted her to know he was free.Minutes passed in tense silence. Aurora sat frozen at her desk, her mind racing.She had spent years trying to rebuild her life after everything he had done. She had buried the past. She had fought through her pain, through her anger, and finally, she had found peace.But now?Now, he was back.Red’s voice pulled her from her spiraling thoughts.“Search complete! Displaying results now.”Aurora’s screen fli
For days, Aurora had refused to speak to Lucian. She had seen his messages, the calls he left unanswered, but she ignored them all.It wasn’t that she had decided to cancel the wedding. No, she still wanted to marry him. But she needed time to think.The past still hurt.Because of Don Ramon, she lost her father. Because of him, their family had nearly lost everything.And worst of all, her mother had suffered the most. It had taken years for Carmela to even tolerate Lucian’s presence in their lives, and that was only because of her and Loyd.If Carmela found out that Lucian had kept Don Ramon’s release a secret?Aurora clenched her jaw. She would be devastated.She thought she had reached her limit. That nothing could make this worse.But then—a package arrived.A small black box, wrapped in a blood-red ribbon.At first, she thought it was a wedding gift. A well-wisher, perhaps. Or maybe even Lucian, trying to make amends for what he had done.But the moment she opened it, a wave of
Aurora clutched the glass of wine in her trembling hands, staring blankly at the city lights beyond Rebecca’s penthouse window. The night sky stretched endlessly before her, but all she could feel was the suffocating weight pressing against her chest.Tears streamed down her face, hot and relentless. She wiped them away furiously, but they kept falling.“I should’ve known,” she whispered, voice hoarse.Rebecca, sitting across from her on the couch, crossed her arms, her expression hard. “You’re damn right you should’ve.”Aurora flinched at the sharpness in her friend’s tone. Rebecca never sugarcoated anything, but tonight, she wasn’t just blunt—she was angry.“Do you realize what this means, Aurora?” Rebecca continued, leaning forward. “That man—Don Ramon Blackwood—he ruined your life. He manipulated Lucian. He almost destroyed everything. And now he’s just… out?” She scoffed, shaking her head. “And Lucian didn’t even tell you?”Aurora swallowed the lump in her throat. “He said he w
Aurora stormed into Blackwood Enterprises, her heels clicking against the marble floors with purpose.The moment she stepped inside, the receptionist and employees turned to look at her. Some murmured in hushed tones, but she ignored them.She was furious.Lucian had been keeping something this important from her.Her hands clenched at her sides as she took the elevator up to the executive floor. The doors opened, and she stepped out, heading straight for Lucian’s office.“Ma’am—” Lucian’s secretary, Janine, started, but Aurora had already pushed the door open.Lucian was standing near the floor-to-ceiling windows, a phone pressed to his ear. At the sound of the door slamming shut, he turned, his blue eyes narrowing slightly when he saw her.“I’ll call you back,” he muttered, ending the call.Aurora stood there, arms crossed, anger simmering beneath the surface. “How long?”Lucian sighed, already knowing what she meant. “Aurora—”“How long have you known?” she demanded, her voice shak
Aurora barely had a moment to breathe.Between wedding preparations and handling company affairs, her days had turned into a whirlwind. But for the first time, she didn’t feel pressured.This wedding was different.It wasn’t an obligation, a contract, or a forced responsibility. This time, it was hers. It was theirs.She had chosen this path with Lucian because she loved him, and every detail of the ceremony reflected that. From the floral arrangements to the venue selection, everything felt magical.But even as she juggled everything, there was still work to do. Today, she had an important media interview representing the company, ensuring investors and clients that the transition of leadership under her and Lucian remained stable.Aurora arrived at the studio dressed in a tailored beige suit, exuding confidence. She had done countless interviews before, so she thought she was prepared.She was wrong.The first half of the interview went smoothly. The questions were professional—abou