Chapter 2

I hadn't even fully healed from my wounds when the family business calls started coming in.

Several of the Reynolds Family's businesses had some accounting problems that needed me to look into.

The moment I reached the intersection, I felt something was off.

A group of men in black suits closed in around me.

"You're Aurora Richardson?" They looked me up and down, contempt dripping from their eyes. "Aiden just died, and you're already throwing yourself at his brother? Not satisfied with one Reynolds man—you want to bag the whole family?"

I blinked, then it clicked. Everyone thought Mason was still alive.

"Who told you that?" I gripped the file folder in my hand, my voice dropping low.

They didn't answer.

A man sneered and stepped closer. "What, you can't get enough of that Reynolds blood?"

The next second, his palm connected with my cheek.

The slap landed hard, a blistering sting spreading from my face to my ear.

One of them spat at my feet. "The Reynolds Family doesn't want your kind here. Do yourself a favor and disappear."

The others joined in, jeering. Someone kicked me square in the shin, the pain so sharp I nearly screamed.

After they'd gone, I pushed myself up off the ground, hands shaking. The wound on my back had split open completely, blood trickling down my waist. I leaned against the wall, gasping for air, before I fumbled for my phone and dialed the butler.

"Find out who started the rumors about me outside the family."

Three days later, the butler handed me the investigation results. Every lead pointed in the same direction—the source was Juniper's personal maid. And there was no way Juniper herself didn't know.

So I had to find out for myself.

Juniper's villa sat on the south side of the city, wild roses climbing the entire white wall. When I arrived, she was sitting in the garden on a wicker chair, having afternoon tea. Her belly was slightly rounded, a gentle smile on her face, a parenting book in her hands.

The picture of peace.

I walked over and set the investigation report on the round table in front of her. "Juniper, I think you owe me an explanation about those rumors."

She looked up, a flicker of panic in her eyes, quickly replaced by innocence. "Aurora? What rumors? I—I don't understand what you're talking about…"

"The whole family's circle is talking about how I seduced Mason." I held her gaze. "It came from your people. And you're telling me you had no idea?"

Juniper flinched at my tone. She stood up, twisting the hem of her dress, her small shoulders trembling. "Aurora, I didn't mean anything by it… I just… I love Mason so much. I saw you two together sometimes, and I was so scared he'd leave me for you…"

She was sobbing now, her whole body swaying like she might collapse at any second. Pregnant women are emotional, fragile—anyone looking at her would feel their heart soften.

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms again.

Then I heard hurried footsteps from the front gate.

Aiden strode in, still in his suit, a thin sheen of sweat on his brow—he'd clearly rushed over from some meeting. His eyes landed on Juniper, tear-streaked and trembling, then on me, cold and unmoving across from her. His gaze hardened instantly.

"What happened?" He moved to Juniper's side, his hand instinctively steadying her arm.

Juniper clung to him like a lifeline, sobbing into his chest. "Mason… Aurora came to blame me… she said I started those rumors… I didn't, I really didn't… I just missed you so much…"

Aiden lifted his head to look at me. Those green eyes held something I couldn't read. Three seconds of silence, then he spoke—his voice cold as ice:

"Aurora, Juniper is carrying a child. She can't handle this kind of stress. Couldn't you have waited until I got back to deal with this? I'll have someone look into the rumors myself. Don't trouble yourself."

"I already did." I pushed the papers across the table. "The evidence is right here."

Aiden didn't even glance at them. His brow furrowed as his eyes swept over Juniper's trembling shoulders and red-rimmed eyes, then back at me. All I saw in his face was irritation and disgust.

"That's enough." He cut me off. "Juniper would never do something like this. I know her better than you do. Aurora, maybe you've been under too much stress lately. I get that you miss Aiden, but I'm not him. Stop pulling these stunts. I only love Juniper. Nothing you do will change that."

"I only love Juniper."

The words landed like a knife, straight into the softest part of my chest. I knew he was "Mason" in this moment, I knew he had to say it. But it didn't matter—the pain was real. The blade didn't care about context.

A handful of household staff stood nearby; Juniper's maid among them. All of them were watching me. Sympathy in some eyes, contempt in others, a few barely hidden smirks.

I looked at Juniper, buried in his chest. I could have sworn the corner of her mouth twitched—but I had no proof.

"…Fine." I drew a long breath and shoved every emotion threatening to spill out back down where they belonged. When I spoke, my voice was so steady it sounded like a stranger's. "You're right. I'll keep my distance."

I turned and walked away. I didn't look back.