Chapter 158

Lucas watched Aurora’s retreating figure but didn’t follow.

He knew what she needed right now wasn’t more pressure, but space to cool down. If he pushed too hard, it would only make things worse. His fists clenched tightly at his sides. Only when the guest room door slammed shut with a loud bang did he snap out of his daze.

Letting out a long, heavy sigh, he turned and headed toward the master bedroom.

Meanwhile, in the guest room, Aurora sat in silence, unable to shake the frustration tightening in her chest. She had told herself from the very beginning to never believe a man’s promises. She and Lucas had always been about mutual benefit, and nothing more.

And yet, something had started to shift. Something she hadn’t accounted for. Things were slipping out of her control, veering in a direction she didn’t expect or want. She raised a hand to her chest, fingers pressing lightly against her heart. That steady thrum felt more and more unmanageable. Why had she gotten so angry tonight?

“What’s that supposed to mean, brother?”

Wendy sat in her room, video-calling Kenneth with an obvious scowl on her face. Whatever he’d just said, it had clearly struck a nerve. Her frustration was practically written all over her face.

Across the screen, Kenneth appeared calm, composed in his usual wire-rimmed glasses, his scholarly, refined presence unshaken by her outburst.

“What I just told you—you’d better remember it.”

“Why should I?” Wendy snapped.

He wanted her to stay away from Lucas? Not a chance. She hadn’t flown all the way here just to play nice. She came to size up her so-called sister-in-law and write her own love story with Lucas.

But Kenneth’s eyes suddenly darkened, a sharp glint flashing through his otherwise cool expression. “You’re not even listening to me anymore, are you? Lucas isn’t someone you should be chasing. I let you return to calm your mind for a few days, not to stir up trouble. Keep pushing like this, and I’ll have no choice but to tell Grandfather everything.”

Seeing his sister’s stubbornness, Kenneth had no choice but to pull out the one card he knew might work—their grandfather.

At the mention of him, Wendy’s pout deepened. She looked genuinely aggrieved as she muttered, “Is it wrong to like someone?”

“All I want is to get closer to him. What’s wrong with that? It’s my right to pursue what I want. Not even Grandfather can take that from me."

With that, she abruptly ended the call.

Kenneth let out a frustrated “You…” but the screen had already gone dark. Staring at the blank screen, he let out a weary sigh. His little sister had been spoiled by the Shaws family from the moment she was born. This was the result of years of indulgence. He could only hope that, while she was in Ravenshore, she wouldn’t cause Lucas too much trouble.

But on Wendy’s end, the moment the call ended, all trace of her pouty innocence vanished. She tightened her grip around the phone, her eyes turning cold and sharp.

“Give up? In your dreams.”

That woman, Aurora? Please. She was so easily provoked with just a few words, clearly nothing but a decorative shell. Someone like that could never be worthy of her Lukey.

Only she was the one who truly matched him.

Meanwhile, in the master bedroom, Lucas lay awake, tossing and turning. Without Aurora beside him, the room felt strangely empty. Even the faint scent of her was gone, and without it, it felt like something important was missing.

On any other day, no matter how late he came home, the bedside lamp would always be left on for him. And every time, that faint rise beneath the covers was all he needed to feel at peace, especially when he caught a glimpse of Aurora’s sleeping face—so calm, so serene—it filled his chest with a warmth he could never quite explain.

But tonight, the bed was cold, the sheets empty, and no matter how many times he turned over, she refused to come.

In the end, Lucas gave up trying and got out of bed before dawn.

Chapter 159