Chapter 56
Without sparing Lucas another glance, Aurora turned her back to him. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to calm the storm brewing inside her. Yet, despite herself, she strained her ears, listening for any movement behind her. Click.
The lights went out, leaving only the soft glow of a wall lamp casting a warm hue over the room. Then, the mattress dipped beside her. Before lying down, Lucas carefully pulled the covers over her, as if afraid she would catch a chill. He figured she was upset, likely dwelling on the unpleasant events at the banquet.
It was obvious that Grace favored Tessa. And Tessa was only adopted. Anyone would be bothered by such blatant favoritism – let alone Aurora. What kind of mother neglected her own biological daughter while doting on someone who wasn’t even related to her by blood? The thought gnawed at him. Lucas made a mental note to have someone look into why Grace had chosen to adopt Tessa all those years ago. He hoped he was overthinking things. But in high society, secrets were never simple.
While Lucas was lost in thought, Aurora lay awake as well. She couldn’t shake the bitterness in her chest. She hated being treated as a replacement. More than that, she hated the fact that she cared. She told herself it was about respect. Even in a marriage of convenience, respect was the bare minimum. And this – this was disrespect. This crossed her bottom line. She barely slept that night. By the time morning came, she had only managed a few restless hours. It was the weekend, so she allowed herself to stay in bed until nearly nine, trying to shake off the lingering exhaustion. She remained under the covers for a while, listening. There was silence. By now, Lucas should be up – he never went into the office on weekends, preferring to work from home. But the house was eerily quiet. Too quiet. Aurora got up, freshened up, and stepped out of the bedroom, only to find that Lucas was nowhere to be seen. However, on the dining table, a neatly prepared breakfast awaited her.
The sandwich was still warm, suggesting he had only left a short while ago. She pulled out a chair and sat down to eat. After finishing, she placed the dishes into the dishwasher and planned to spend the morning working from home, tackling a few pending documents. Just as she was about to start, her phone buzzed. It was Megan. “Such a beautiful day, and you’re just going to stay cooped up at home? What a waste!” Megan’s persistence was hard to ignore, and after some back-and-forth, Aurora finally agreed.
They set a meeting spot, and she headed to her room to change and put on some light makeup. Thirty minutes later, Aurora arrived at the café first. She was dressed in a loose brown sweater paired with fitted jeans – a casual yet effortlessly chic look. The relaxed warmth of her outfit, paired with her natural grace, earned her more than a few passing glances. Before she even had a chance to sit down, a man approached her. Aurora calmly raised her hand, subtly displaying the wedding band on her finger. The message was clear. She was married. The man looked visibly disappointed but didn’t linger. As he turned to leave, however, something nagged at him. She looked so familiar. Where had he seen her before? Then it hit him – she looked just like his buddy’s wife. Could it really be that much of a coincidence? Curious, he discreetly snapped a photo and sent it over. “This your girl?” His friend’s reply came almost instantly. “Where? Send me the location.”
Meanwhile, Megan finally arrived at the café. After grabbing their coffees to go, she turned to Aurora. “Anything you feel like shopping for today?” Aurora took a sip of her drink and raised a brow. “Didn’t you drag me out here to shop? Shouldn’t you be the one with a list?” Megan grinned mischievously, linking arms with her, “How about we check out that place?” Without waiting for a response, she tugged Aurora into a high-end men’s boutique. “Help me pick out a tie for my cousin. You know, they say giving a man a tie means you want to keep him tied to you for a lifetime.” Aurora frowned slightly at the notion. She didn’t agree with it. If a man truly loved her, he wouldn’t leave so easily. If he didn’t, then forget a tie – even if he were chained down, he’d still find a way to break free. The thought made her lips curl into a self-deprecating smile. She had barely escaped the pitfall of Joseph, only to fall right into Lucas‘ hands. Wasn’t that ironic? Just as she was lost in thought, Megan suddenly tugged at her sleeve, lowering her voice. “Aurora, look over there, isn’t that guy acting suspicious?”