Chapter 18
The little girl stared at her hands in surprise, her ten fingers flying over the keys as a clear, flowing melody poured from her
fingertips.
“Daddy, I really did it!”
Her voice was full of joy.
The man smiled and nodded. Then he looked up toward the woman leaning against the grand piano, resting her cheek on
her hand as she smiled warmly at the pair.
The woman was beautiful, dressed in a fiery red dress. Her long, curled hair lazily draped over her pale shoulders, making
her look irresistibly alluring.
The man patted the little girl’s shoulder, then turned to the woman.
With his left hand behind his back, he bent forward about forty-five degrees and extended his right hand palm-down
toward the woman in an invitation to dance.
“May I have this dance?”
“Of course.” The woman smiled brightly and placed her hand in his palm.
The piano’s melody floated gently as the man, wearing a shirt, supported the woman’s waist and danced gracefully.
Her red dress swirled in the air, freezing the moment like a beautiful still frame.
The little girl played happily, pressing every key with utmost seriousness.
A breeze blew through again, lifting the white curtains.
Through the window, she spotted a little boy standing on the second-floor balcony of a nearby villa.
He wore a cream-colored British-style polo shirt.
His forehead was framed by fine strands of hair, beneath which were dark black eyes.
Calm and still, yet sharp like a blade.
Time rushed by as Aurora watched the boy’s young, familiar face merge with the adult Ethan’s.
Mature and reserved, with a sharp edge beneath the surface.
“Beep beep beep…”
Back in the hospital room, Aurora suddenly opened her eyes.
The room spun wildly, the white ceiling seemed to revolve continuously.
She felt a wave of nausea.
The air smelled strongly of disinfectant, and her temples throbbed painfully.
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Lying on the hospital bed, it felt like she was on a ship’s deck tossed by heavy waves.
Images of the dream kept flashing in her mind-her parents’ dance from years ago, Ethan’s dark eyes replaying over and
over.
Tears quietly trickled from the corner of her eyes.
She couldn’t tell whether they came from her physical discomfort or from memories past.
“…Wasn’t it you who hit her and then tried to brush it off?”
“Isabella, don’t go too far!”
As the voices of an argument reached her ears, Aurora frowned slightly.
She recognized Isabella and Ethan’s voices.
Were they fighting?
Had something happened?
She forced herself to sit up, but the dizziness hadn’t lessened.
Supporting herself, she glanced at the nearby sign.
It read: Concussion.
Aurora touched the bandage on her forehead and remembered the impact.
Then she instinctively placed her hand on her belly.
Her abdomen still hurt faintly.
The child… was it still there?
She didn’t know.
“…Are you going to come at me because of her?”
The shouting outside the ward grew louder.
Isabella was yelling, sounding like she was being bullied.
Aurora pushed herself up, slipped on flat slippers, and slowly walked out, holding onto the wall.
Not far away, three people stood by the emergency exit.
Ethan, Isabella, and Lilian.
Ethan was still in the same clothes from the morning. Lilian had changed into a cream-colored Chanel suit.
They were tangled up with Isabella in her white coat, but it wasn’t clear what was going on.
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Worried Isabella might be at a disadvantage, Aurora immediately asked, “What are you doing?”
“Aura!” Isabella was the first to react and rushed over to support her.
Ethan stood beside Lilian, frowning as he scanned her from head to toe before finally resting his gaze on the bandage on
her forehead.
“What happened?” Aurora asked.
Before Isabella could explain, Ethan spoke coldly.
Looking at Aurora, his voice dripped with sharp sarcasm,
“Looks like you’re fine after all.”
Seeing Aurora pale but only wearing a small bandage for the scrape, Ethan’s anger boiled inside.
So it was all a show staged by her and Isabella?
Faking the accident just to force him to leave Lilian and come here?
Remembering the call he’d taken in the car and Lilian’s guilty, worried look that almost made her vomit blood, Ethan’s anger flared further.
No wonder Isabella didn’t want him to see Aurora before.
He should never have believed her lies!
Veins bulged on his neck in anger as he looked away.
His anxiety and worry had become a joke!
Aurora didn’t understand.
She had just woken up, still dizzy and nauseous from the concussion.
Isabella shouted angrily, “There’s nothing wrong? Can’t you see the wound on Aura’s head? Did you just ignore what I
said?”
Lilian retorted rudely,
“That tiny bandage?”
“Lilian!” Isabella exploded.
Lilian stood straight and defended herself, “You made dozens of calls to Ethan while he was driving. You even told
Isabella to call and yell at Ethan, ordering him to come here-all for that little injury?”
“Do you know how many cars there were on the highway? How dangerous Ethan’s driving was? Isabella, the way you said it, I thought Aurora was about to die!”
“Aurora, Isabella, I’m dying soon, but I won’t stand by and watch you bully Ethan!”
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Lilian’s voice was strong and resolute.
She stepped out from behind Ethan, trembling slightly but looking firm.
Like a warrior fiercely protecting her man.
Ethan didn’t say anything.
He just looked coldly at Aurora, his dark eyes full of impatience and disgust.
“You’re talking nonsense! Lilian, I’ll fight you!”
Isabella couldn’t hold back anymore.
She charged forward, ready to tear into Lilian’s mouth.
Lilian didn’t dodge.
She was prepared to fight Isabella.
Ethan reached out to stop them.
Aurora, confused by the chaos, hurried to pull Isabella back, afraid she’d get hurt.
Outside the emergency exit, the scene turned chaotic.
The fight was centered on Isabella and Lilian.
Isabella had lost her rationality out of anger.
Lilian looked combative but kept glancing toward Aurora with the corner of her eyes.
Neither held back.
“You actually dared to choke me, Lilian!”
Smack!
“Ah! Isabella, you slapped me!”
Aurora and Ethan both tried to intervene.
The four of them tangled together, and no one could tell whose hands were whose.
The fight moved from the emergency exit into the corridor.
Isabella and Lilian’s screams echoed continuously.
Suddenly, a fierce glint flashed in Lilian’s eyes.
Then, she headbutted Isabella hard while pretending to accidentally shove Ethan’s hand away with her body.
In the next moment, Aurora, still holding onto Isabella, felt a strong force at her waist.
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She suddenly realized that though she had been standing behind them moments ago, she was now near the stairs.
With her child still in her belly, here in the stairwell-if she fell…
No!
Everything happened in a flash.
Aurora tightened her waist muscles, reached out, and grabbed the railing to steady herself.
