Chapter 6

The hotel ballroom was filled with golden light from the massive chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling. Classical music flowed softly between the conversations of the guests crowding the room. Women in sparkling gowns and men in expensive suits walked around laughing elegantly as if their world had always been perfect.

Aurora felt out of place among all of it.

Her hand was still in Richard’s grasp since they got out of the car earlier. The man walked calmly beside her as though he was already used to being the center of attention.

And that was indeed the reality.

The moment Richard entered the ballroom, several people immediately approached him with wide smiles.

“Richard! Long time no see.”

“You look healthy as always.”

“You look much younger now.”

Richard only gave a faint smile while shaking their hands one by one. Aurora stood beside him with her body slightly tense. People’s gazes had now started falling on her.

“And who is this beautiful woman?” a middle-aged man asked while looking at Aurora curiously.

Richard glanced briefly at Aurora before the corner of his lips lifted slightly. “She is my fiancée.”

That sentence instantly made several people fall silent for a moment.

Aurora could feel the change in atmosphere around them. Some were surprised, some impressed, while others looked at her with hidden jealousy.

“Richard Calloway is finally willing to marry again?” one of the women laughed softly in disbelief.

“She must be very special.”

Richard gently brushed the back of Aurora’s hand. “Of course. If she wasn’t special, how could she possibly be standing beside me?”

Aurora forced a small smile even though her chest felt uncomfortable.

She knew that starting today, she would become the talk of New York’s social circle. An ordinary young woman who suddenly appeared as Richard Calloway’s fiancée.

And Aurora was not naive enough to think everyone would accept her kindly.

On the other side of the ballroom, Ethan stood silently while watching everything from afar.

The man had still come in the end even though he had decided earlier to go to the office instead. Somehow, his body had moved to follow Richard’s car without him being able to stop it.

And now he regretted it. Because seeing Aurora standing beside Richard like that hurt far more than he had imagined.

Ethan gripped his wine glass too tightly until his knuckles turned white.

Aurora looked beautiful today.

Too beautiful to ignore.

The white gown she wore made her skin appear even softer beneath the ballroom lights. Aurora’s long hair fell in waves over her shoulders, while the small smile that occasionally appeared on her face reminded Ethan of the days when the woman had still been his.

And that thought instantly made his jaw tighten.

“Annoying...” Ethan muttered softly before finishing his wine in one gulp.

“Ethan?”

A woman’s voice made Ethan turn lazily.

It was Vanessa Carlton standing beside him in a tight red dress that was far too striking. Her blonde hair was styled perfectly, her lips were painted dark red, and her eyes immediately glanced toward Richard and Aurora.

Vanessa smiled faintly. “Am I seeing things? Is your daddy really accompanying a woman who looks more suitable standing beside you?”

Ethan did not answer.

Vanessa crossed her arms over her chest. “Richard is really annoying.”

Vanessa’s gaze lingered on Aurora for a few seconds longer. And it was obvious that the woman did not like what she was seeing.

Vanessa had been around Richard for years. Everyone knew she was obsessed with him. Not only because of his wealth and power, but also because Richard had never truly been interested in her.

That was what made Vanessa want him even more.

Richard could sleep with many women. Models, actresses, socialites.

But he had never wanted to sleep with Vanessa. And now Aurora suddenly appeared, a woman much younger than her.

An ordinary girl who did not even come from their social circle.

Vanessa immediately walked toward Aurora without waiting for Ethan.

Aurora, who had been standing alone a few steps away from Richard, immediately turned when the woman smiled at her.

“You’re Aurora, right?”

Aurora gave a small nod. “Yes.”

Vanessa observed Aurora’s face closely while still smiling sweetly. “I’m Vanessa.”

“So beautiful.” Her voice sounded gentle, but her eyes were not smiling at all. “No wonder Richard is interested.”

Aurora did not know what to say.

Vanessa took a glass of champagne from a waiter before taking a small sip and speaking casually again. “Richard gets bored easily, actually.”

Aurora slowly lifted her gaze. “What do you mean?”

Vanessa laughed softly. “Oh, come on. Everyone knows Richard’s bad habits.”

Aurora stayed silent and listened.

“He likes beautiful women.” Vanessa slowly played with the edge of her glass. “But it usually doesn’t last long.”

Aurora could clearly understand the meaning behind those words.

Vanessa was belittling her.

“Maybe he’s very interested in you right now,” Vanessa continued with a faint smile. “But once he gets bored? Well... who knows.”

Aurora looked at the woman for a few seconds. Strangely, she was not offended at all. Because from the very beginning, Aurora had realized that this relationship was not based on love. Richard brought her here because he was interested in her. And Aurora agreed because her family needed money. Their relationship was clearly just a transaction.

Simple as that.

Aurora finally gave a small polite smile. “Then I’ll just wait and see.”

Vanessa fell silent for a moment after hearing that calm answer.

Aurora looked far too calm for a woman who had just been insulted.

Meanwhile, from a distance, Ethan watched everything with a hardened jaw. He did not know why he kept looking at Aurora. It was so difficult for him to look away.

The more he saw the woman together with Richard, the tighter his chest felt.

Richard approached Aurora again a few minutes later.

“So you’re here.”

Aurora immediately turned toward him.

Richard glanced at Vanessa briefly before looking back at Aurora. “Would you like to dance?”

Aurora looked slightly surprised. “Huh? Right now?”

Richard casually held out his hand. “Unless you want to reject me in front of everyone.”

Aurora hesitated for a few seconds before finally accepting the man’s hand.

And Ethan felt his emotions nearly explode when he saw Richard pulling Aurora toward the center of the ballroom.

The music became slower.

Richard placed one hand on Aurora’s waist while the other held her fingers calmly.

Aurora looked nervous.

But Richard guided her slowly as though Aurora were something fragile that had to be protected carefully.

And Ethan hated himself for still watching everything.

Vanessa stood beside Ethan while also watching the couple dance.

“Strange, isn’t it?” the woman murmured softly.

Ethan did not answer.

“I’ve never seen Richard like that with any woman before.”

Those words instantly made Ethan look away quickly.

And what Vanessa said was absolutely true. Today, Richard looked different. And that made Ethan’s feelings even more chaotic. Because for the first time in his life, Ethan felt jealous of Richard—his own daddy.

“Excuse me,” he said coldly before walking away without another glance.

Vanessa frowned in confusion at Ethan’s reaction.

Meanwhile, Ethan kept walking out of the ballroom without looking back again. He could not bear seeing Aurora being touched by another man. Especially when that man was Richard.

An hour later, Ethan was already sitting in one of Manhattan’s elite clubs with several bottles of alcohol covering the table.

Music blasted loudly throughout the room, neon lights moved wildly, and people laughed while dancing without caring about anything.

But Ethan did not enjoy any of it.

The man leaned back with the top two buttons of his shirt already undone, while his eyes looked red from the alcohol and the emotions he had been holding back since earlier.

“Ethan, are you okay?” one of his friends asked worriedly.

Ethan laughed softly while pouring more whiskey into his glass.

“Okay?” he repeated quietly. “Yeah... I’m fine.”

He immediately drank the alcohol in one gulp. His head was starting to feel heavy. But Aurora’s image only became clearer.

“Damn it...” Ethan roughly ran a hand through his hair.

His friend started looking worried. “Ethan, stop drinking.”

But Ethan laughed even louder now. “Rory...” he murmured softly while lowering his head.

His chest hurt so much. And ever since Aurora left him a year ago, Ethan realized that he had never truly forgotten her.

“Aurora!” he suddenly shouted, making several people turn toward him.

Ethan laughed softly again even though his eyes had started reddening.

“Why does she have to become my stepmother...” his voice weakened.

Then his head fell back against the sofa as he slowly closed his eyes. But even in a drunken state like this... the name that kept leaving his lips remained the same.

“Rory...”