Chapter 78

Tessa was never one to wallow in self-pity.

Julian’s heart skipped a beat.

Up until now, he had been quite satisfied with Tessa. Her family elders adored her, always speaking highly of her. Though she wasn’t as stunning as Aurora, she was still a well-bred socialite of Ravenshore, and being engaged to her elevated his own status significantly. Giving her up wasn’t something he was willing to do.

With that in mind, Julian pulled Tessa into his arms, his voice dripping with tenderness. “Tessa, it was Aurora who seduced me. You’re the only one I love.”

“Don’t say such things. We’re already engaged. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. My heart belongs to you, and only you.”

Julian had always been handsome, but it was his eyes that were his greatest weapon – no matter who he looked at, there was always an illusion of deep affection in them. Under his gentle coaxing, Tessa let herself believe him.

She took a deep breath. “Fine, I’ll give you a chance. But what about Mom? How are you going to explain this to her? Aurora’s recording is already out there. It won’t be easy to talk our way out of it.”

At the mention of that, Julian’s expression darkened, imagining Aurora’s smug face. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle Madam Grace. As long as we stand together, she won’t keep us apart.”

Tessa thought about it and realized he had a point. That was enough to ease her concerns.

Julian smiled. “I made dinner reservations. Come out with me tonight.”

Tessa gave a small nod, her eyes still misty.

Julian reached out and gently wiped away her tears. “Enough of that. If you keep crying, my heart will ache.”

Just like that, it was as if nothing had ever happened. They were back to how they had been before.

Aurora returned home to find the house in complete darkness. She was surprised that Lucas wasn’t back and let out a breath of relief.

Good. She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to face him anyway. She had been overthinking it on the drive back, but now there was no need to stress over it. He wasn’t home. Problem solved.

Feeling at ease, she switched on the lights only to see Lucas sitting on the couch. She startled, frowning. “Why are you sitting here in the dark?”

Lucas didn’t respond. The sharp lines of his nose cast a shadow over his face, his thin lips pressed into a tight line. Anyone could see that he was in a bad mood.

He stood up and walked toward Aurora, his voice low and steady. “Why didn’t you reply to my messages all day?”

Aurora hesitated. Was it just her, or did he actually sound a little… aggrieved? She glanced away, her tone casual. “Work kept me busy. I didn’t check my phone.”

“It’s been an entire day.”

Lucas stopped right in front of her, his dark eyes locked onto hers. “No matter how busy you were, you still had time to check your phone. But you didn’t reply to me… not even once.”

He was standing close now – too close. Their breaths intertwined in the quiet room. Aurora could feel the heat rising to her cheeks.

“There was just a lot going on at the company. I’ll be more mindful next time,” she said, avoiding his gaze.

With a face like his right in front of her, it took all her willpower to stay composed.

Lucas, however, wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her even closer. He dipped his head, his voice brushing against her ear. “Mrs. Carter, why are you avoiding me? If I did something wrong, you can tell me directly.”

The mention of that made Aurora think of his notes – the one about his true love. Her thoughts sharpened, and her expression cleared.

She pressed a hand against his chest, pushing him back slightly. “There’s nothing.”