CHAPTER 3 – THE FIRST TEST

Aurora's Pov 

The week went by slow and heavy. Every day, I played my part like I was born for it. I smiled where I should, laughed when expected, and pretended I didn’t care about anything except what Damien wanted me to care about.

Inside, I was awake in a way I hadn’t been before. Every conversation, every text, every meeting, I watched and listened. People liked to talk when they thought you were harmless.

By midweek, I had learned two things that made my stomach twist. The first was that the pre-partnership agreement Damien wanted me to sign would be ready next week. It was the same document that ruined me before, the one that quietly gave him control of my shares. Back then, I had been so trusting, now I knew better.

The second thing was about Lawrence Astor. In this life, he was even more distant and powerful than before. Everyone said he didn’t take meetings unless he wanted to. No one just ran into him. He didn’t attend public events, barely spoke to the press, and his company was like a fortress.

I sat on the edge of my bed one night and whispered to myself, “If I can’t reach him, I’ll make him come to me.”

That’s how I decided to go to the charity gala. I hadn’t attended it in my first life because Damien said it was a waste of time. But this time, I dressed for it myself, no stylist, no Damien. Just a simple black dress, my hair pulled back neatly, and a clear mind. I didn’t need to impress anyone, i just needed to find him.

The ballroom was filled with expensive laughter and too much perfume. I moved through the crowd carefully, smiling when someone greeted me but never stopping for long. My eyes kept scanning, searching for him. 

When I finally spotted him near the bar, my chest tightened. He looked exactly like I remembered. He was tall, calm, and dangerous in that quiet way that made people lower their voices. He was talking to a few men, all trying too hard to impress him.

I waited until one of them stepped aside and then walked forward, pretending to look distracted. My elbow brushed against his arm.

“I’m so sorry,” I said quickly.

He turned. His eyes met mine, steady and unreadable. “You’re not sorry,” he said. His voice was low and even. “You planned that.”

My throat went dry. For a second, I forgot how to breathe. “You think I’d plan to bump into someone like you?”

“Yes,” he said simply. “You don’t look like the kind of person who does anything by accident.”

That caught me off guard. I tried to smile, but it came out small and tight. “Maybe I’m just clumsy tonight.”

“Maybe,” he said, still watching me. He didn’t look away, not even once. “Why are you really here, Aurora?”

He said my name like he had known it for years. Something about that made my stomach twist. I could lie, pretend, flirt but I didn’t want to.

“Because we have a common enemy,” I said quietly. “And I’m done being naive.”

For a moment, he didn’t speak. His face didn’t change, but his eyes did. They softened a little, like he was seeing something unexpected. Then he took a sip of his drink and looked down, almost amused.

“People don’t usually start conversations with me that way,” he said.

“I’m not people,” I replied. My voice came out steadier than I felt.

He studied me again. It felt like he was trying to look past my face, into whatever was hiding behind it. I held his gaze because I knew if I looked away, he’d know I was scared.

“You sound different from what I’ve heard,” he said finally.

“What have you heard?” I asked.

“That you’re ambitious,” he said. “That you’re reckless and that you let Damien Black make all your choices.”

“That’s not true anymore,” I said, and I meant it.

He didn’t answer. He just reached into his jacket, pulled out a small white card, and handed it to me. “If you’re serious about that, he said,

call this number. It doesn’t go through my office.”

Before I could respond, someone came up behind him to say hello, and just like that, he turned away. The conversation was over. I looked down at the card in my hand. Just a name, a number, and nothing else.

The ride home was quiet. My driver asked if I wanted music, but I shook my head. My thoughts were too loud already. I kept replaying the moment he looked at me, how sure he had been that I planned it. He wasn’t wrong. I had planned it, but the way he said it made it sound like he saw something deeper, something even I hadn’t figured out yet.

When I got home, the house was dark except for the small lamp in my room. I pushed the door open, and my breath caught.

Damien was sitting on the edge of my bed, smiling like he owned the place.

“Long night?” he asked, his tone light, but his eyes sharp.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, keeping my voice calm.

“I wanted to surprise you.” He held up a black folder. “It’s ready. Our pre-partnership agreement. I thought we could sign it privately, just you and me, no need to wait for next week.”

My heart pounded. I tried to act confused. “You brought it here?”

“Of course,” he said, getting up and walking closer. “You’ve been busy lately, Aurora, I figured I’d save you some time.”

He placed the folder on my dressing table and opened it. The papers were neatly stacked, a pen waiting on top. I stared at it like it was poison.

He smiled softly. “It’s just a formality. You trust me, don’t you?”

I forced a small smile. “I did,” I said.

His hand brushed my arm. “You still do. You’re just overthinking again.”

My pulse raced. The memory of my first life hit hard, how I had smiled then too, how I had signed without reading, how he had looked so proud afterward. It won't happen this time.

He held the pen out to me. “Go ahead. Let’s make it official.”

I took it slowly. The pen felt heavier than it should.

Inside, I was screaming. This is your test. Don’t fail again.

I uncapped it, leaned forward like I was about to sign, and then stopped. He watched me closely, that patient smile still on his lips.

I tore the paper right down the middle. The sound was loud in the quiet room.

Damien froze. For a second, the smile vanished and his eyes turned dark, colder than I’d ever seen. Then, just as fast, he forced the smile back.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his tone too calm.

“I’ve reconsidered,” I said, my voice steady even though my hands were shaking. “I’m keeping my assets separate until after marriage.”

The silence stretched between us. His jaw tightened slightly, but he still smiled. “You’re joking.”

“I’m not,” I said. “If that’s a problem, then maybe we should wait before signing anything.”

He stared at me for a long moment. I could see the anger behind his eyes, the way it flickered before he pushed it down.

“Of course,” he said finally, his voice smooth again. “Whatever makes you comfortable.”

He picked up the torn papers, folded them carefully, and put them back in the folder. Then he looked at me, still smiling, but his eyes said something else.

“Goodnight, Aurora,” he said softly. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”

When he left, I sat down on the floor and let out the breath I’d been holding. My hands were still shaking, but I felt something new.

For the first time, I hadn’t let him win.

And even though I knew this was just the beginning, I also knew one thing for sure.

This was my first test and I passed.