LOGIN(Author’s POV)
Morning crept into Ryan’s room softly, sunlight filtering through the sheer curtains and painting the walls in gold. The world felt unhurried, suspended in that quiet space between sleep and waking.
Aurora was the first to stir.
She blinked slowly, awareness returning in gentle waves. Warmth surroun
(Aurora’s POV)I stirred slowly, still heavy with sleep, my body aching faintly from the emotional weight of the previous day. Morning light filtered softly into my room, pale gold slipping through the curtains and brushing across the bed. I turned instinctively toward the other side of the bed and froze.The space beside me was empty.I pushed myself up, my back resting against the headboard as a small frown formed between my brows. My eyes scanned the room quickly but no noise of water running or Ivy’s presence. My heart skipped, not with panic exactly, but with sudden alertness.“Ivy?” I called softly. No answer.I reached toward the bedside table to check the time, only to notice the display of the
(Author’s POV)The night had settled heavily over the Skylar mansion.Dinner had passed in near silence, not an uncomfortable one, but a subdued quiet where everyone seemed to be conserving emotional energy. Plates had been cleared, soft goodnights exchanged, and one by one the lights across the mansion dimmed. Even Kemal, after a brief, respectful conversation, had been shown to a guest room and left to rest.By the time midnight slipped past, the mansion was wrapped in an eerie stillness.No footsteps. No voices. Only the distant hum of the night outside.In Aurora’s room, Ivy slept beside her, the covers pulled neatly around her small frame. For a while, her breathing was even, her face relaxed until it wasn&rs
(Author’s POV)Ivy was terrified from all the strangers coming closer to her. She instinctively leaned closer to Aurora, her shoulder brushing hers, while Kemal subtly adjusted his position, angling his body so Ivy was shielded from the worst of the chaos.“Please, no comments right now,” Owen’s voice rang out sharply, authoritative, cutting through the chaos for a moment.“Step back”.But the reporters only grew more aggressive.“Mr. Arsalan, will you take custody?”“Did you abandon her once, will you do it again?”“Is this just damage control?”
(Author’s POV)The courtroom held its breath as the judge adjusted his glasses and looked down at the file one final time.His voice, when it came, was steady and measured but carried the weight of everything that had been spoken within those walls.“After reviewing the evidence, testimonies, medical and psychological reports, and the statement given by the minor, Ivy Hayes, this court finds the accused, Eleanor Hayes, guilty on all charges” The judge said.A collective gasp rippled through the courtroom.“Guilty of prolonged emotional abuse, neglect, exploitation, and willful endangerment of a minor. Guilty of knowingly exposing her child to harm for personal gain. Guilty of failing in her fundamental
(Author’s POV)Ivy's mother attempted to avoid making eye contact with Kemal during the court hearings, but her astonishment and anxiety were evident on her face.Then the moment arrives for Ivy's statement.The courtroom seemed to grow heavier the moment the lawyer on their side stood up and called Ivy’s name.For a second, time froze.Ivy's knuckles turned white as she intertwined her fingers and her heart thundered so loudly in her chest that she was sure everyone could hear it. This was the moment, the one she had been dreading, the one she had prepared herself for over countless sleepless nights.She lifted her eyes first toward Kemal who was already looking
(Author’s POV)Finally, the day arrived. The third trial.From the early hours of the morning, the Skylar mansion carried a quiet gravity. No one rushed. No one spoke unnecessarily. Every movement was deliberate, every breath measured, as if the house itself understood the importance of what was about to unfold.Aurora stood beside Ivy, adjusting the collar of her outfit with gentle hands. Ivy looked calm on the surface, too calm but Aurora knew better. She could feel the tension in Ivy’s shoulders, the way her fingers trembled just slightly before curling into fists again. Aurora cupped her face softly.“You don’t have to be strong today,” She whispered.“Just be honest. We’ll
(Author’s POV)Mr. Skylar forced his sons to have breakfast together the next day because they had been avoiding Aurora since their wedding. That’s why Aurora was shocked to see them all together.
(Aurora’s POV)Mr. Skylar turned to one of the maids with a firm, but polite, instruction."Please take Aurora to her room and kindly ensure she is comfortable" He sai
(Author’s POV)The car’s door opened and Skylar brothers stepped out one by one, together, for the first time in years. The media and public had been waiting for this very moment. The flashing cameras turned into an almost blinding storm of lights, capturing the brothers from every possible angle.
(Author’s POV)Owen’s frustration had only grown throughout the day. Every meeting, every report, and every single conversation at the office had been filled with irritation, his patience running razor-thin.







