Chapter 66

Lucas’ touch was gentle, his fingers carefully running the towel through Aurora’s soft hair as if he were handling something rare and precious. His deep voice murmured beside her, pulling her from her thoughts. When she opened her eyes, she found herself staring straight into his dark, gentle gaze. They were so close. Her heart skipped a beat. For a brief moment, her defenses lowered, and the words she had been holding back finally reached the tip of her tongue. She was just about to ask about the woman who had always lingered in the shadows between them.

But before she could speak, the sharp ring of a phone shattered the delicate atmosphere. Lucas’ lips pressed into a thin line, irritation flickering in his gaze at the unwelcome interruption. Aurora sat up, pulling the towel from his hands and rubbing at her damp hair absentmindedly. Her tone was neutral. “You should answer that.” Lucas exhaled silently, clearly reluctant, but when he glanced at the screen and saw Desmond Watson’s name flashing, his expression darkened. He picked up. “What is it?”

Whatever was said on the other end made his face instantly harden. His usual calm wavered for a fraction of a second. “I’ll be there right away.” Aurora had never seen him like this before. And in that moment, a thought crept into her mind. Her gaze dimmed slightly. Lucas hesitated as he ended the call. His sharp eyes flickered toward her, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he simply said, “Something urgent came up. I have to go.”

The door slammed shut with a dull thud. For a moment, Aurora sat frozen, as if she had just woken from a daze. Then, the emptiness of the room hit her. A strange, unexplainable sense of loss crept up her chest. It had to be about the person who could make Lucas drop everything and rush out like that—who else could it be? She let out a soft, self-deprecating laugh, her lips curling slightly. Right. This was just a marriage in name only. They each had their own priorities. They weren’t supposed to interfere with each other’s lives.

The only thing that mattered now was securing the Vanguard Group project. That was her real goal. With that thought, she pushed aside the strange weight pressing against her chest. As her mind emptied, sleep crept up on her, and soon, she drifted off into unconsciousness.

Midnight.

Lucas returned home quietly, careful not to make a sound. As he pushed open the bedroom door, his gaze fell on the bedside lamp, still glowing softly. Something in his chest loosened. He stepped closer, standing by the bed, his eyes falling on Aurora’s sleeping face. Even in sleep, her brows were furrowed, her lips pressed into a faint pout. With a quiet sigh, he reached out, gently smoothing the crease between her brows with his fingertips. Only when the tension faded from her face did he finally pull his hand back, satisfied. Moving even more carefully, he slipped into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and then returned to bed. As soon as he wrapped an arm around Aurora’s slender waist, warmth seeped into him, grounding him in a way he hadn’t felt all night.

A faint smile played on his lips as he shut his eyes, his mood inexplicably lighter. Half-asleep, Aurora thought she heard something—a low, husky voice whispering against her ear.

“Rora… Rora…”

Lucas’ voice, deep and full of unspoken tenderness, wrapped around her like a cocoon of warmth. She struggled to open her eyes, but sleep pulled her back down. This has to be a dream. Hadn’t he left to see his first love? Why would he be calling her name like that? Confused, Aurora let the drowsiness take over, sinking back into sleep.

The next morning when Aurora woke, the space beside her was already empty. She reached out instinctively, pressing her palm against the sheets. It was still warm. She sat up slowly, blinking in confusion. So, Lucas really did come back last night? Then… the voice she had heard—wasn’t a dream? But why would he call her that? It didn’t make sense. And more importantly… what would his first love think of this?