That day, Aurora didn’t come back to the estate after going to the hospital with Edith. She wanted to take a breath—even just for a little while. The huge space in the estate was growing tighter for the three of them. She was unable to breathe every time she got caught up in Grayson’s possessiveness—and Natalie’s poison was starting to crawl under her skin.She had no reason to be angry about Natalie pouring all her hatred onto her. Natalie was hurt because of Grayson. She had every right to be angry. The truth hurt, but whether she accepted it or not, there was nothing else she could do about it.She had no place in Grayson’s life. That much was clear. What was she to him, anyway? Just a worthless girl—like a ragged doll he could throw away anytime.Aurora badly wanted to get out of that place. But how?Grayson would never let her go.Just as much as her heart never wanted to.She stared blankly out of the taxi’s window for a long time, her unkempt thoughts drifting far away. Her tri
Natalie had been brought to the hospital not long after the accident. The skin on her arm, red and blistered, had already begun to swell.Grayson arrived shortly after receiving the call from Edith.He didn’t ask many questions. He didn’t have to.His footsteps echoed down the sterile hallway, his presence sharp and quiet. The doctor kept pace beside him, murmuring details he didn’t really listen to—something about second-degree burns, how it looked worse than it was, how infection was the real concern. Grayson didn’t say anything. Just nodded once.Outside the private room, he caught sight of Aurora.She was sitting stiffly on a bench against the corridor wall, elbows on her knees, fingers moving restlessly in her lap. Edith sat beside her, a calming presence, though even she looked uncertain.Aurora didn’t look up. Her gaze was fixed on the floor tiles.Grayson’s eyes lingered for only a second before he turned away and stepped inside the room.It was quiet. The kind of quiet that c
Natalie slumped against the wall, gasping, one trembling hand reaching for her throat.Her lips parted in disbelief, but no words came.Just silence.The hallway felt colder somehow. Emptier, even.She stared at the place where he had just stood, where his cold back had disappeared seconds ago—like he hadn’t just snapped. Like he hadn’t just looked at her like she was nothing.This was the first time she had seen him like that.Grayson Moore had always been cruel in a quiet way. Distant. Calculated. He wielded silence like a knife.But this? That flash of rage in his eyes, the raw fury in his voice, the way his hands had gripped her throat without hesitation—That wasn’t the man she knew.He had lost control. And not for her.It was her—Nata
Grayson lay on his side, one arm tucked beneath his head, the other resting uselessly between them, caught in the empty space that somehow felt too loud. The early morning light crept in through the curtains, casting a soft, golden hue that slowly traced its way across Aurora’s face like a quiet intrusion, uninvited yet welcome.She was still fast asleep, her breathing even, her expression peaceful—so completely untouched by the storm that gnawed relentlessly inside him.He told himself not to move. Not to reach out. Not to want.But his hand didn’t listen.Like it had a mind of its own, it moved—hesitant but drawn, and slowly brushed away a loose strand of hair from her cheek. His fingers lingered, betraying him further, tracing the delicate curve of her face as if he were memorizing something he knew he shouldn’t want, but couldn't help needing.Damn it.He hated how easily his body betrayed him around her.His brain—the same one that had been sharpened for strategy, revenge, and
Aurora instinctively raised her hand and pressed it against his chest, trying to push him away. Her heart still racing wildly against her ribs, not just from fear but from the overwhelming tension between them.But Grayson seized her small hands effortlessly, locking her in his grip. His touch was firm, his warmth seeping through her skin like fire.Aurora struggled lightly, gathering enough courage to whisper, “This isn’t right… You have a fiancée...”Her voice was soft but trembling, the weight of the truth pressing heavily between them.For a moment, Grayson didn’t move. His jaw tightened as he stared down at her, the shadowed light illuminating sharp lines across his handsome face. A sharp glint flashed on his eyes— something raw and untamed.It wasn’t just anger. It was deeper than that, something that scared even him.Grayson’s hands tightened around hers as if her words had triggered a storm inside him. He wasn’t angry at her. He was furious at himself — furio
Aurora sat quietly on the edge of the couch, her hands folded on her lap, feeling out of place among the soft fabrics and elegant boxes. The gowns shimmered under the natural light illuminated from the chandeliers above the high ceiling, each of them so delicate and expensive-looking that she didn’t even want to touch them.Natalie was seated comfortably next to her, graceful as always, her legs crossed and her fingers skimming through the flowing fabric of an emerald gown. She smiled every now and then as she held up a dress and turned it slightly to show its details to the assistant standing nearby. Her voice was soft, her tone casual, but Aurora could feel something else beneath it—like thorns hidden under silk.Every now and then, Natalie’s eyes would glance toward her. Quick, subtle. But not warm.There was no kindness there, not really. Only something faint and cold, like a warning wrapped inside a smile.Aurora kept her gaze low. She didn’t belong here. She didn’t b