All Chapters of The Fragments Of Our Marriage : Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

As I sat at my desk, the chaos of my life seemed to swirl around me, a cacophony of emotions vying for my attention. I stared at the papers in front of me, the diagrams and formulas I had been meticulously working on for the disease that had plagued our pack. Yet, despite my focus, my mind kept drifting back to Derek's proposal—the way his eyes had shone with desperation, the way I had walked away from him, leaving a gaping hole of unresolved feelings.Taking a deep breath, I opened my phone and hesitated for a moment. I had to reach out to him. He deserved an apology, even if I wasn’t ready to accept what he was offering. My fingers moved over the screen, composing a message that felt both necessary and terrifying.*Derek,* I typed, my heart pounding as I hit send. *I’m sorry for walking out on you earlier. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and the kids, but I can’t marry you. Please don’t try to gaslight me into feeling guilty for that.*I stared at the message, my heart ra

Days passed, but my mind kept returning to that close call at the treatment center, and to Zayn’s words echoing in my head. I couldn’t ignore that hint of worry in his voice, the way his anger had softened into something else—something almost protective. But I shoved those thoughts aside. There were more pressing matters to deal with, and I was determined to move forward with the cure, whether or not Zayn approved.The potential formula held promise, and my confidence in it grew stronger with each test. But to get real results, I needed to try it on a larger scale, which meant moving closer to the heart of the pack. The center’s equipment was limited, and staying on the outskirts of the territory wouldn’t cut it. It was time to make arrangements to move to Zayn’s pack—temporarily, of course. I couldn’t risk any missteps or delay in trying to save everyone affected.After a final review of the lab results, I leaned back and took a deep breath. This was it; I was ready. The formula had

The news must have reached them before I could even get a moment to settle in. My phone buzzed relentlessly with missed calls from Clara, and I knew she wouldn’t rest until I showed up. They were my family, after all, and being back after so long couldn’t go unnoticed.As I arrived at my parents’ home, the familiar warmth of the old house wrapped around me, filling me with a strange mix of comfort and anxiety. The walls were still the same muted blue I remembered from childhood, and the smell of my mother’s cooking drifted in the air.I opened the door, bracing myself. My mother’s voice was the first thing I heard, chattering away with Clara in the kitchen.“Aurora! You’re finally here!” My mother came out, wiping her hands on her apron, her eyes misty as she took me in. She pulled me into a tight hug, squeezing me as if she could pour years of love and worry into one embrace.“Mom,” I whispered, hugging her back. “It’s so good to see you.”Clara’s footsteps echoed from the kitchen, a

Aurora’s Pov. I arrived at my lodge, my entire body aching from the long day. As soon as I walked in, I dropped my bag on the couch and collapsed into the nearest chair. My eyes fell on my phone, its screen blinking with several missed call notifications. Derek. I sighed, picking it up. All the calls were from him. I hesitated for a moment, debating whether I had the energy to deal with whatever he wanted, but I knew avoiding him would only make things worse. The phone barely rang once before he picked up. "Finally! Aurora, where have you been?" Derek’s tone was sharp, almost accusing. "I was working," I replied evenly, trying to keep my voice calm despite his attitude. "I’ve been busy with drug testing all day." "That’s what you say," he snapped. "But were you really working? Or were you hanging out with Zayn?" “ You didn’t even bother to contact me or the kids ?” His words hit me like a slap. My patience was already running thin, and this? This was too much. "Derek

Derek paced back and forth in his living room, his hands balled into fists. His friend, Caleb, sat on the couch, watching him with a mixture of concern and exasperation. “I can’t believe this,” Derek growled, his voice sharp with frustration. “Now that Aurora’s there, everything’s going to fall apart. All my plans, Caleb! All of them!” Caleb raised an eyebrow, leaning back. “What plans, Derek? To keep her tied down here forever? You know that was never going to work.” Derek shot him a glare. “Don’t start with me. You know what I mean. Aurora’s mine, Caleb. I’ve been the one taking care of her, helping her raise those kids, being there when no one else was. And now, she’s back with Zayn, and he’s going to swoop in and ruin everything.” Caleb crossed his arms. “Ruin what exactly? He’s the kids’ father, Derek. Did you really think you could keep that a secret forever? And for the record, Zayn’s been trying to find her for years. You know that.” Derek sneered. “Oh, yeah, I know.