Aurora's POV
I stared at him, shocked and dumbfounded, not wanting to believe what he had just said.“If I were you, I would start preparing. Your thirty minutes have already begun,” he stated firmly, and I frowned.“Excuse me?”“I was just about to do that.” He turned and left, while I watched him, dumbfounded and shocked.This cannot be happening. I can’t let it happen. I dashed out of my room and took the stairs to the living room, where I met Father seated with Sir Frederick.“Father, what is the meaning of this?” I asked, burning with rage inside of me.“Is that supposed to be your good morning?” Father raised a brow, and I clenched my fists.“I'm not going anywhere with you,” I stated firmly, looking towards Sir Frederick.“That is not for you to decide, Aurora. You are leaving, and that’s final.”“No, Father, you can’t toss me around. I have the right to my freedom. I'm nineteen and have the right to make my own decisions!” I yelled at Father, who wanted to get up, but sir Frederick stopped him and stood instead.He walked over to where I stood, and we locked gazes. Despite wanting to look away, I stood my ground and looked back at him.“I thought you claimed you were a busy man and couldn't look after me, so what changed?” I sneered.Sir Frederick's expression remained unreadable as he replied, “Your behavior last night proved to me that you need some discipline and guidance. Your father was right.”I felt a surge of frustration and anger rise within me. I couldn't believe my plan had backfired so spectacularly, but I knew I wouldn’t agree.“I'm not coming with you,” I stated firmly, and his blank expression shifted to anger. He glanced at me for a moment and then brought forth his wrist to check his wristwatch.“You have just twenty minutes left of your time. If I were you, I would start packing.”“I can’t be tossed around. I have the right to my freedom,” I declared, my voice trembling slightly.Sir Frederick's expression hardened, his eyes narrowing at my words. He glanced at his watch once more, a silent reminder of the dwindling time I had left to comply.“You have just eighteen minutes left of your time,” he stated coldly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. “If I were you, I would start packing because once your time is up, I will take you with me whether you are in your pajamas or not,” he muttered harshly, and tears formed in my eyes.I looked in Father's direction, who couldn’t look my way; instead, he looked away, and a tear dropped on my cheek.“Fine!” I gave up and climbed the stairs.Reaching my room, I fell on my bed and wept. As tears streamed down my cheeks, I hastily began packing my belongings into a suitcase, my hands trembling with a mixture of anger and pain. Each item I placed into the bag felt like a surrender, a concession to a fate I couldn't escape. Once my clothes were folded and packed away, I walked into the bathroom, the sound of my sobs echoing off the walls.As the warm water of the shower washed over me, I let myself cry freely, the water mingling with my tears. I wished I could run away, but I knew that was a stupid idea. There was nowhere I could hide that Sir Frederick wouldn't find me; that's how big his connection is.After the shower, I dried myself off and composed myself as best as I could. With a deep breath, I descended the stairs, my suitcase in tow.A maid offered to help me with the suitcase, and I let her. Reaching the sitting room, I met Father and Sir Frederick, and the moment they saw me, Sir Frederick stood on his feet, his gaze on his watch.“You are twenty minutes late, Aurora. One thing you should know about me is that I love punctuality and always keep to time. But this is the first time, so I will let it slide.”Was he trying to make me hate him? Because he was doing an excellent job at that.“I will see you later, Ian.” He shook hands with Father while I didn’t bother to wait; instead, I walked out on them and left the living room.Getting outside, I spotted a black Mercedes-Benz waiting for us, and the driver opened the door for me to get in. Reluctantly, I sat at one end of the back seat, and moments later, Sir Frederick joined me.Looking away, I fixed my gaze outside the window, though it was pulled up and tinted. The driver soon started the car, and we began our journey. Despite looking away from him, I could feel his eyes on me, making me uncomfortable, but I shrugged it off and fixed my gaze on the window.“When you were little, you always wanted to spend the holidays with me…” he paused, and I frowned, wondering where he was driving at.“You would pack your things and wait for me, and even when I told you that I was really busy, you would cry to your father, begging him to take you to me. So, tell me, what has changed? Why are you acting like your father has sent you to live with a monster?” His voice was laced with anger and bitterness.Sucking a deep breath, I closed my eyes as his words resounded in my head. He was right; he was my favorite person on earth, and every holiday, I would want to spend the holidays with him. Despite being so busy, he would make up time for me. But all that changed when I turned fifteen and realized I had romantic feelings towards him. I saw him as more than a godfather and started having wet dreams about him. Soon, I began to withdraw from him, and he also made matters worse by getting colder as the years went by.An awkward silence filled the car as no one said anything; we were both lost in our thoughts. Moments later, we arrived at his residence and exited the car. A maid welcomed us and took my things inside while I followed her.Reaching the living room, I awkwardly stood in a corner and glanced around the house. I couldn’t believe I would be living in the same house with Sir Frederick, a man I had wanted to avoid all through my life.“I believe you remember your room?” he stated, and I frowned.“My room?” I asked, confused. I remember I had a room because of my frequent holidays, but I stopped coming to this house when I turned fifteen.“Yes, the third room on the second floor, remember?” He raised his brow, and I glanced at him for a moment. Did it really mean he had reserved that room for me? Or was I thinking too much about it?“But before you go to your room, we will need to talk. Have a seat.” He gestured as he sat on the single-seater couch and crossed his legs.“Sit,” he urged, and with a nervous gulp, I obeyed, taking the couch across from him.“Fox, get me the paper on my desk,” he instructed Fox, who nodded and climbed the stairs. I furrowed my brow and wondered what he had to say to me and why he would send for a paper.Moments later, Fox came back with a white sheet of paper in his hand. “Give it to her,” he instructed Fox, who walked over to me and stretched out the paper. “What is that?” I raised a brow at the paper in Fox's hand. “Take it and see for yourself,” Sir Frederick demanded, and out of curiosity, I snatched the paper from Fox. The first paragraph of the paper left me dumbfounded. “Rules and regulations for Aurora Ian Reeds,” I read out, confused and at the same time angry.Aurora's POVMy eyes widened at what lay before me. We were at the seashore, but what left me dumbfounded was the sandy floor adorned with red roses and candles. A wave of sweet fragrance hit my senses. I looked around and saw the most beautifully decorated space I could have ever imagined. A cold breeze gently caressed my face as I took in the breathtaking view.A trail of rose petals in shades of burgundy and cherry red led me to a small seating area set up with comfortable cushions and throws. As I approached, I saw a table covered with red satin cloths and silverware, complete with a bottle of my favorite wine. The sound of my favorite music played in the background.I turned and held Lord Frederick’s gaze, asking, “What’s this?” He took a deep breath before speaking.“You know how much I love you, right?” My heart fluttered as I looked into his eyes. “Of course,” I replied with a smile.I watched him take a deep breath and get down on his knees. “I know that this is too early, bu
Aurora's POVThree months laterLord Frederick led me to the jet that was waiting for us. It was huge, and the inside was bigger than it looked. He helped me into a seat and sat right across from me. He smiled at me, and I smiled back. I was beyond excited about our trip and was looking forward to everything we were going to do. He made sure I was comfortable throughout the flight, helping me to calm down when there was some turbulence, and just being there for me.We finally arrived, and the jet landed. We got out, and there was a car already waiting for us. Our luggage was put into the back before we got in, and the car started. We were taken to a huge hotel. It was a five-star hotel and looked expensive. It was stunning, and immediately we got out of the car, we were ushered inside. Lord Frederick had already booked a suite in advance, so we were taken to the room, which was on one of the top floors.When we got to the room, I was awed by how beautiful it was. It had everything you
Lord Frederick's POV Dinner was served to me at the table, but I couldn’t eat. In fact, I kept staring at the table as the quietness of the mansion made my heart ache. There was no Aurora, there was no William, and it seemed parts of my life were taken away from me. Somehow I was beginning to regret; perhaps I shouldn’t have sent her away, but then I knew I had to do what had to be done. If she desires to leave, then I have to respect her wish and let her go. “Boss, sir Ian is calling,” Fox said as he handed over the phone to me. I took it and placed it on my ear. “Ian,” I cleared my throat. “Frederick, what is going on?” he asked, and a lump formed in my throat. “Are you serious about leaving them here?” he asked, while I remained silent, not knowing what to say or do. “Aurora hasn’t been herself since she arrived, and I believe you know that. And William, he has been asking for you. Frederick, they need you; don’t send them away,” Ian urged while I just remained silent and s
Aurora's POV All through the night, I couldn’t sleep as I kept thinking about Lord Frederick’s decision. I knew he had given me what I wanted, to leave with William for my father’s place, but I couldn’t explain why I wasn’t excited about it. “Because you still love him, Aurora. He is still your daddy,” a little voice spoke in my head, and I couldn’t deny it. Despite my anger and everything, I had never stopped loving Lord Frederick, and now that we were together again after years of being apart, I didn’t want to stay away from him. But how do I tell him that? “Mama.” I heard William’s voice and turned to see him waking up from his sleep. “Good morning, William. How are you?” I placed a kiss on his forehead. “Good morning, Mummy.” He responded while I smiled at him. “Come on, let’s go bath and go downstairs for breakfast,” I said to William before leading him out of bed. After I bathed him, I dressed him up and gave him his toys to play with before I went to freshen up. Taking his
AURORA'S POVA light sigh eased through my lips as I tucked William into bed gently. I didn't want to wake him after today's experiences; it was the second time I had endangered his life in a shootout. He was too young for things like this; he could barely talk clearly. But at least it was good to see that Cain was dead, and so far, things had calmed down.I sighed before relaxing back into the chair, my gaze lingering on Frederick's for a while.He hadn't said anything throughout the drive home and had stayed close to me while we returned. He watched silently as I put William to bed.My eyes shifted from his eyes down to his side; a gasp escaped my lips. How had I not seen this earlier?“You are bleeding, Frederick,” I said. He looked down at the side of his shirt, now soaked with blood.“I know,” he responded with absolute nonchalance before locking his gaze back with mine.“Let's get it treated. You need it treated,” I added hastily, but he shook his head and gave me a steely gaze.
LORD FREDERICK'S POV“Sir!” Jason called out hastily. I exchanged glances with Fox and then moved my gaze back to Jason, who had called out to me in a tone of urgency.“Excuse us,” I ordered the men in the room; they all bowed and nodded slowly before making their way out, leaving Jason, who was the head of the tech team, my most trusted man, and myself in the room.“Is anything wrong with the bracelet? I did ask you to be careful when putting in the tracking chip, so what have you done this time, Jason? Everyone doesn't seem to understand their jobs anymore,” I complained, groaning and fuming with anger as I spoke.“About that, the tracking device is working perfectly. As a matter of fact, I got signaled just now that Miss Aurora had left the building; she seems to be on the move, in a cab, and headed somewhere,” Jason explained. For a moment, I wasn't sure how to feel.“Cain,” I muttered beneath my breath before rising to my feet. How dare he? He did not only put William under my wa