Chapter 5
Aurora landed hard on the ground with a thud.
Click click click…
Countless camera flashes lit up as the paparazzi captured her most embarrassing moment.
Instinctively, Aurora looked toward Ethan-only to meet his cold, indifferent eyes.
And in that moment, she understood what he wanted from her.
A dull ache spread through her heart.
He wanted her to face the media and say, “It was all just a misunderstanding. Miss Hart isn’t well, and my husband just happened to be here. It’s only natural for a man to show compassion toward someone who’s sick.”
Her hand, still guarding her lower abdomen, clenched slightly. Aurora lowered her head and laughed quietly.
The clouds drifted slowly across the bright blue sky, and sunlight filtered down through the gaps in the crowd. But none
of it touched her.
Aurora composed herself and slowly stood up. With her back to Ethan, she spoke calmly.
“I sympathize with Miss Hart’s illness. But that’s all.”
“So you’re saying you two are friends?” someone nearby asked without thinking.
“Friends?” Aurora let out a soft laugh.
“No. Who would be friends with someone who clings to their husband all day?”
With that, she turned and waved to Isabella, who had just pulled up in the car.
“Aurora!” Ethan’s voice rang out behind her, tinged with anger.
She didn’t respond. She stood firm, facing away from him.
Isabella rushed over to her and helped her into the car. As they were leaving, Isabella couldn’t resist throwing a jab.
“Well, anyone watching would think you were the mistress. I’ve never seen anyone so shameless. Ugh.”
“You-!” Lilian flared up, ready to respond.
But Isabella cut her off. “What, me? Everything I said was the truth. If you want to use your little cameras to bully me, be
my guest.”
Lilian’s face turned even paler, like she was about to faint.
The crowd started to stir again.
Meanwhile, Isabella got Aurora safely into the car. Without looking back, the two sped off.
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“Don’t worry. She’s totally faking it. I’ve seen that act too many times,” Isabella said reassuringly.
Aurora let out a reluctant smile. “It’s not her I’m worried about. I’m worried about you. What if they mess with your job?”
The traffic light turned red. Isabella stepped on the brake and flashed a huge grin at Aurora.
“Girl, did you forget? The hospital director is my dad.”
Aurora rolled her eyes. “Wasn’t it you who said you’d never acknowledge that man as your father?”
“Oh, please! Now I know why nepotism exists! I regret every time I said that. When the moment comes, you’ll wish every powerful man in the world was your daddy!”
They both burst into laughter again. The light turned green, and the car continued down the road.
“Alright, I’m free this afternoon,” Isabella said. “Whatever you need, I’m your girl.”
Aurora grinned mischievously. “Actually, there is something you can help me with.”
“What is it?” Isabella blinked innocently at her.
“Help me move.”
Aurora grabbed her wrist. “No backsies.”
In the end, Isabella caved.
So the two of them, along with some movers and a professional organizer, returned to the house Aurora and Ethan had shared for the past year.
Their marriage had been rushed, and everything in the house had been put together hastily. This place was no exception.
But after a year of living here, with her careful touch and decorating, the cold house had started to feel like a real home.
Sadly, that was over now.
Isabella directed the movers like a whirlwind while Aurora picked up a bottle of Chanel No. 5 from a nearby shelf.
It was the first gift Ethan had brought her after their wedding-on his first business trip.
This perfume had a classic scent.
When he returned, he’d still smelled like the London fog. He had rushed straight to her from the airport.
That day, his hugs had been urgent. His kisses had been hungry.
Back then, they’d seemed just like any other ordinary couple.
She opened the cap and sprayed a little.
The familiar scent lingered in the air.
It smelled just like the perfume he’d sprayed on her that day, right before he kissed her.
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“Should we pack this too?” Isabella asked when she saw the perfume. She motioned to the movers.
Aurora shook her head. “No need.”
She slipped off her wedding ring-the one Ethan had casually bought-and placed it on the table.
But as she watched the others moving around, she hesitated. Eventually, she placed both the perfume and the ring into a drawer instead.
After a while, the packing was done.
Everything that belonged to her-except for that bottle of perfume and that ring-had been taken away.
Moving out sounded like a hassle. But when you’d truly made up your mind, it became simple.
The same went for letting go of someone.
The car drove toward Aurora’s new place. The wind gently tousled her hair, and the house in the rearview mirror grew
smaller and smaller.
To move forward, she had to leave the past behind.
She still had many important things to do.
The Sinclair family’s sudden collapse, her father’s “accidental” death-she needed to find the truth behind all of it.
Her whole life had seemed like it was lived for someone else.
Now, she wanted to start living for herself.
And she would start with that music show.
It would bring funding. And it would allow people who once knew her father to see her in a new light.
With that thought, Aurora pulled out her phone, and sent a message: [I’ll join the music show.]
On the other side, Lilian was still crying.
Ethan comforted her gently, but all he could think about was the look Aurora had given him before she left.
She had stood there, her back to him, saying those cold words.
She had known exactly what he expected her to say.
But once again, she had gone against him.
He had sent her several messages. She hadn’t responded.
Again.
In just a day, she had become like a different person-finding fault with him at every turn.
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That had been the case when she filed for divorce. And now again at the hospital.
For some reason, the image of Aurora’s eyes from the night before flashed through his mind-when she had asked for his decision and looked at him steadily.
There had been sorrow there, yes. But also a strange calm.
A flicker of unease crossed his heart.
“Ethan, please don’t blame Aura,” Lilian said through her tears.
“I understand. She must’ve felt awful seeing those pictures of us at the hospital. I wouldn’t blame her for showing up and confronting me. After all…”
Her voice choked, and she began to cry harder.
“After all, I’m the one who stole something that wasn’t mine. These last six months… I stole them from your marriage. So
no matter how Aura lashes out at me, it’s what I deserve.”
As she spoke, she suddenly started coughing violently.
Then she spat out a mouthful of blood.
“Lilian!” Ethan panicked, immediately pulling out his phone to call for help.
Aurora’s strange behavior was brushed aside in his mind. He thought that she was just throwing a tantrum. She wouldn’t
actually leave him.
But Lilian shook her head, offering a weak smile.
“It’s already late-stage. This is normal. Don’t worry.”
The caretaker helped settle her into place.
As Ethan turned and walked off-probably to go confront Aurora-Lilian wiped the blood from her lips and casually spit
out the hidden blood bag she’d kept in her mouth.
She smiled at the caretaker and said, “What do you think he’s going to say to Aurora? I bet he’s going to tear into her. I
can’t wait.”
Then she gleefully opened up her phone and began scrolling through online comments.
The internet was flooded with hate for Aurora.
“Lilian was just at the hospital to get medication-and not even life-saving drugs. Just painkillers to help her die with dignity. And Aurora still had to cause drama?”
“Lilian is dying! Can’t Aurora give it a rest?”
“Lilian and Mr. Steele look perfect together. They’re like a royal couple.”
“Aurora fell on her butt and looked absolutely ridiculous.”
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“Step down, Aurora!”
“Aurora, get divorced already!”
“+1 for divorce!”
“+10,000!”
Lilian beamed as she read.
She picked up her phone and gave instructions: “This is exactly the kind of thing I want. Keep stirring up drama. Make sure Aurora is crushed beneath me.”
“Oh, and find out why she was at the hospital today.”
