Chapter 9
Alexander looked a little surprised.
But in truth, this was exactly what he had hoped for.
He had asked Aurora to come partly with this in mind. As the third son of the Frost family, he was well aware that Ethan was the current head of the entire Steele Group. If he could avoid a direct confrontation, he certainly would.
Still, the fact that Aurora agreed so easily did catch him off guard.
He had actually been prepared to talk to her privately and try to persuade her.
With that thought, Alexander frowned slightly and studied Aurora carefully, trying to figure out what she was thinking.
But the oversized sunglasses she wore completely hid her emotions. He couldn’t read her at all.
“Let’s proceed with the formalities,” Aurora said calmly.
She didn’t offer any explanation in front of the other two. Her eyes dropped slightly as she looked at the finely crafted wooden table in the Alexander Records office. The table’s surface was etched with natural growth rings, but there wasn’t
a ripple in her heart.
“My song will be fully represented by Alexander Records. Let’s handle this through the official agency procedures.”
As she finished, she turned to Alexander.
He understood immediately and gestured for the relevant team to come and handle the handover with Lilian.
Lilian glanced at Aurora, a flicker of contempt flashing in her eyes.
“Miss Rory, your decision is… interesting,” Lilian said, her tone laced with thinly veiled mockery. It was a jab at how Aurora
had insisted she wouldn’t sell, only to give in after all.
Aurora only smiled and didn’t respond. Then she stood up and walked out of the office.
She made her way down the hallway and poured herself a cup of coffee.
Alexander quickly followed.
“Aurora,” he called out.
She turned to face him and nodded slightly. “Mr. Frost.”
There was a trace of conflict on Alexander’s face. He hesitated, then finally asked, “Why?”
Aurora smiled.
She looked into Alexander’s searching eyes and said, “Did you hear her? She said she’s going on VocalNight.”
Alexander frowned, not quite getting it at first. But based on the information he had, he nodded. “Yeah, I heard. Lilian’s
going to be a guest-not a contestant. More like a judge.”
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Aurora’s smile deepened.
She set her coffee aside and said, “So, Mr. Frost, doesn’t that make you look forward to it?”
Alexander looked genuinely puzzled.
“I’ve already signed the divorce papers with Ethan,” Aurora explained, her voice calm. “It’ll take about a month for the court to finalize the ruling.”
“He told me he wanted the divorce so he could marry Lilian.”
“Didn’t she say this song would be her highlight? One day, everyone will know that I wrote it. Isn’t that… entertaining?”
When she saw the realization finally dawn on Alexander’s face, she smiled.
In a quiet voice, she added, “I’m waiting for that day… to see the look on their faces.”
“So this is your way of getting back at them?” Alexander asked.
Aurora didn’t answer right away. She picked up her coffee and took a sip.
The bitterness spread from her mouth to her heart.
“No,” she finally said.
“I originally wanted nothing more to do with them. I just wanted to focus on my own work,” she said, turning to look at the trees outside swaying gently in the breeze.
“But they forced their way in. If they insisted on walking right into the line of fire, then I…”
“Why not let it happen?”
Alexander listened to her speak with such composure, and his expression grew more complicated.
The Sinclair family had once held considerable influence in Ashire City. They were of a similar generation, and in a way, they had always known of each other’s existence.
Back then, Aurora Sinclair, as the shining young lady of Ashire, had been every man’s dream.
But the fall of the Sinclair family had been swift, and soon, most people had forgotten about her.
People were practical like that. If not for that incident back then…
Alexander’s gaze shifted away, hiding the emotion that flickered in his eyes.
“Maybe the divorce is for the best,” he finally said after a long pause.
Aurora looked at him gratefully.
“Thank you,” she said sincerely.
“It’s a win-win outcome,” Alexander replied with a faint smile.
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And he wasn’t wrong.
The Frost brothers were all vying for control of the Frost Group. In the end, it would go to whoever produced the best
results.
After exchanging a few more words, Alexander promised Aurora he wouldn’t reveal anything about her upcoming divorce. Then he returned to his office to handle some matters-there were still things to finalize regarding VocalNight.
Aurora remained in the hallway alone.
Holding her coffee, she looked out at the swaying trees.
She didn’t know how much time had passed.
Then came the sound of approaching footsteps.
A familiar shadow stretched into her space.
She knew it was Ethan.
So she pulled up her mask and turned her back to him.
“Why did you do it?” Ethan’s voice came from behind before she could walk away.
Calm and composed, his voice carried the weight of time and power-a presence that always felt unshakable.
The wind carried with it his familiar scent: that woody, tobacco-laced cologne.
That perfume named Tom Ford Oud Wood. It was the one he always wore.
“I could tell from your lyrics and composition that you’re well-read,” he said. “You’re a talented woman. So why make
things difficult for someone who’s dying?”
Aurora felt a pang in her heart as she listened to him.
She turned slowly and looked up at him-his brows were slightly furrowed as he gazed down at her.
“Me?” she said softly, meeting his eyes. “You think I’m talented?”
There was a flicker of confusion in Ethan’s eyes.
“Yeah,” he replied after a pause. It was simply the truth.
But Aurora laughed.
Talented?
A memory flashed through her mind. One year ago, on their wedding night.
He had lit a cigarette in their bedroom and said: “Aurora, Grandpa’s not doing well. I’m worried about him.”
That night, he had said, “You should take a break from your little songwriting hobby. Focus on taking care of my grandparents.”
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The smoke curled upward-light, indifferent.
Back then, she had insisted she could balance both: caring for the elderly and her music.
But he had frowned.
“Aurora, the Steele family doesn’t need someone doing such public-facing work.”
In the end, she had given in.
She told herself Damien really did need more attention, and she should focus on the family.
But deep down, she had always known what his words really meant.
Was it that he didn’t want her drawing attention? Or that he had never truly taken her work-or her talent-seriously?
He had never tried to explain.
Even though they were married, even though they had shared everything a couple could share.
Ethan looked at the woman in front of him.
There was something about her that felt so familiar-like he’d seen her somewhere before.
But her chest-length hair, that fashion-forward yet elegant outfit, and the way her heels highlighted the curve of her legs- none of it sparked a memory.
And yet, the feeling lingered.
A strange unease crept into his heart.
Because for some reason… the woman standing in front of him reminded him of Aurora.
