Chapter 2: The Night Everything Burned

The first thing Aurora heard was the sound of glass breaking.

The second was Adrian's voice.

“Turn the yacht around.”

She froze.

For a moment, she wondered if the champagne had gone to her head.

She had spent the entire afternoon convincing herself that tonight would be different. Tonight, Adrian would finally explain why he had sent her divorce papers.

Instead, she had arrived on his private yacht wearing the black dress he once told her made it impossible for him to look away.

Now she stood outside the private lounge, one hand wrapped around the railing, listening to the man she had loved for six years give orders in a voice colder than the ocean beneath them.

“I said turn it around.”

Aurora's heart tightened.

Why did he sound afraid?

She pushed the door open.

Adrian turned sharply.

His eyes met hers.

For one breath, neither of them spoke.

He looked exactly as she remembered him—tall, broad-shouldered, devastatingly handsome in a black suit with his tie loosened at the throat.

But something was wrong.

His face wasn't angry.

It was alarmed.

“Aurora.”

She swallowed.

“You asked me to come.”

His jaw tightened.

“I did.”

“Then why are you trying to leave?”

Adrian looked toward the windows.

The yacht was already several miles from shore.

“I changed my mind.”

A bitter laugh escaped her.

“Of course you did.”

She stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

“First you send me divorce papers. Then you invite me onto your yacht. Now you suddenly want to leave.”

“Aurora, listen to me.”

“No.”

Her voice cracked.

She hated that it did.

She had promised herself she wouldn't cry in front of him tonight.

Not after reading the divorce papers three times.

Not after spending three sleepless nights wondering what she had done wrong.

“I've spent months trying to understand what happened to us,” she said. “I thought perhaps you were angry. I thought maybe you needed time. But you never talked to me.”

Adrian stared at her.

“You don't understand.”

“Then explain it.”

Silence.

Aurora's chest rose and fell.

“Tell me what I did.”

“You did nothing.”

The answer came so quickly that she almost stopped breathing.

“What?”

Adrian walked toward her.

“Aurora, you did nothing.”

“Then why are you divorcing me?”

He stopped inches away.

For one dangerous second, she forgot everything except how close he was.

She could smell his cologne.

She could see the tiny scar above his eyebrow.

She could remember the first night he kissed her, the first time he called her his wife, the way he used to hold her when she woke from nightmares.

Her heart betrayed her before her mind could stop it.

Adrian reached toward her.

She stepped back.

“Don't.”

His hand fell.

Pain flashed through his eyes.

Then his phone rang.

He looked at the screen.

His expression changed.

“What's wrong?” Aurora asked.

He didn't answer.

He walked toward the window and answered the call.

“Speak.”

A man's voice came through the phone, too low for Aurora to hear.

Adrian's face hardened.

“How long?”

Another pause.

“Get everyone off the yacht.”

Aurora's blood ran cold.

“What?”

Adrian ended the call.

He turned toward her.

“Where is your phone?”

“My handbag.”

“Give it to me.”

“Why?”

“Aurora.”

Something in his voice made her obey.

She handed it over.

Adrian immediately removed the battery.

“What are you doing?”

“Your phone may be compromised.”

Her stomach dropped.

“By whom?”

“I don't know.”

“You're frightening me.”

“I know.”

He took her wrist.

“We're leaving.”

“Where?”

“Now.”

They stepped into the corridor.

The yacht was suddenly unnaturally quiet.

Aurora looked around.

“Where is everyone?”

Adrian didn't answer.

Then the lights went out.

Darkness swallowed them.

Aurora gasped.

Adrian pulled her against his chest.

“Stay behind me.”

Her hands instinctively gripped his jacket.

She could hear his heartbeat.

Fast.

Too fast.

“Adrian…”

“Don't move.”

A metallic click sounded somewhere ahead.

Adrian immediately shoved her down.

“Get down!”

The explosion came before she could scream.

BOOM!

The yacht shook violently.

Glass shattered.

Fire erupted through the corridor.

Aurora hit the floor, pain shooting through her shoulder.

“Adrian!”

She looked up.

He was gone.

Smoke filled the hallway.

“Aurora!”

His voice came from somewhere ahead.

She tried to stand.

Another explosion rocked the yacht.

The floor tilted beneath her feet.

She grabbed the wall.

“Adrian!”

“I’m here!”

He appeared through the smoke, blood running down the side of his face.

He reached her.

“Can you walk?”

“Yes.”

“Then run.”

They moved toward the emergency exit.

Behind them, flames climbed the walls.

Aurora coughed.

“What happened?”

“Bomb.”

Her eyes widened.

“A bomb?”

“Yes.”

“Who would do this?”

“I don't know.”

They reached the stairs.

The yacht tilted again.

Aurora lost her balance.

Adrian caught her around the waist.

For one second, they were pressed against each other.

His eyes locked onto hers.

“If we get out of here,” he whispered, “I'm going to tell you everything.”

Her heart stopped.

“Everything?”

“Yes.”

“About the divorce?”

“Yes.”

“About why you've been avoiding me?”

“Yes.”

“And whether you ever loved me?”

His expression shattered.

“Aurora, I never stopped.”

Then the ceiling collapsed.

Adrian shoved her away.

A massive beam crashed between them.

“ADRIAN!”

He disappeared beneath the smoke.

Aurora screamed his name.

She tried to reach him, but the yacht lurched violently.

Water rushed into the lower deck.

Someone had blown a hole beneath them.

The ocean was coming in.

“Aurora!”

She heard Adrian again.

He was on the other side of the fallen beam.

“Go!”

“No!”

“Get to the lifeboat!”

“I won't leave you!”

“That's an order!”

“I don't care!”

He stared at her through the flames.

For the first time in years, the cold billionaire mask disappeared completely.

He looked terrified.

Not for himself.

For her.

“Aurora, please.”

She shook her head.

“No.”

The yacht tilted again.

Her feet slipped.

Adrian lunged toward her.

Their fingers touched.

Then the deck split beneath them.

Aurora screamed.

The ocean swallowed her.

Freezing water closed over her head.

She tried to swim upward.

Her lungs burned.

Something struck her temple.

Her vision blurred.

Above her, through the dark water, she saw the yacht burning like a dying star.

And somewhere inside that inferno was the man she loved.

She reached toward the surface.

Her body became heavier.

Her eyes closed.

Then, just before darkness claimed her completely, she felt a hand grab her wrist.

A stranger's voice whispered beside her.

“Don't die yet, Mrs. Kingsley.”

Aurora's eyes opened.

The last thing she saw was the burning yacht disappearing beneath the waves.

Then everything went black.