CHAPTER 4: THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH

Aurora's Pov 

The days after I refused Damien were strange, he didn’t yell or argue. He smiled like nothing happened, but I could tell something had changed. His eyes didn’t linger like before, and when he spoke to me, it was careful, like he was pretending to be polite. I’d catch him watching me from across the room, his jaw tight, his smile forced.

At first, I thought maybe I imagined it, but I knew better. He was angry, he just didn’t want to show it yet.

Seraphina started acting weird too. She was suddenly so nice, so sweet it made my stomach turn. She brought me coffee every morning, complimented my clothes, asked about my business. She even called me “big sister” again like we were close. I knew it wasn’t real. She never did anything without a reason.

“You’ve been working so hard, Aurora,” she said one morning at breakfast. “Maybe you should let Damien handle the partnership. He really wants to make things easier for you.”

I almost laughed. “Easier for me or for you?”

She blinked and pretended to look hurt. “You’re being unfair.”

“No,” I said quietly. “I’m being careful.”

Her smile didn’t move. “You used to trust people more.”

“Yeah,” I said. “That’s why I’m smarter now.”

She didn’t reply after that.

Dad seemed proud when I told him I was standing my ground. He said I had his blood, that I was sharp and fearless. I wanted to believe him, but every time I looked at him lately, something felt wrong. He looked tired all the time, his hands shook when he reached for his cup. His skin looked pale, almost gray under the light.

One night, I watched him eat dinner and noticed he barely finished half his food before saying he was full. His lips were dry, and when he stood up, he swayed a little.

“Dad, are you okay?” I asked.

He waved me off. “Just age catching up, sweetheart.”

But it wasn’t that, it wasn’t normal. I remembered how, in my last life, he got sick suddenly, and no one knew why until it was too late. My stomach twisted as I realized the signs were the same. I didn’t notice them before, i didn’t see it until after he was gone.

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I kept replaying everything in my head. Damien’s fake smile, Seraphina’s sweet voice and my father’s weak eyes. Every little thing felt like a thread leading to something ugly, and I knew if I pulled too hard, I might not like what I’d find.

The next morning, while I was checking emails in my office, a message popped up on my phone. It didn't have a name, just a number I didn’t recognize.

Private number: 8 PM. Restaurant Éclat. Ask for Room Twelve. – L.A.

I froze. It could only be one person. Lawrence Astor.

I stared at the message for a long time, my chest tight. We had never spoken before. He was a shadow, powerful, unreachable, and dangerous. If he was reaching out now, it meant something big.

At exactly eight, I walked into Restaurant Éclat. It was quiet and dark inside, the kind of place rich people used for secret deals. The hostess didn’t even ask for my name, she just said, “Room Twelve, this way, Miss Stanley,” like she already knew who I was.

When I walked in, he was already there. Lawrence Astor.

He sat at the far end of the room, calm, his hands resting on the table. He looked younger than I remembered, but his eyes weren’t. They were sharp, like he could see through skin and bone straight into thoughts you didn’t want anyone to know.

“Aurora Stanley,” he said when I walked closer. “You’re exactly on time.”

“You sent me a message,” I said, trying to sound steady.

“I did.” He motioned to the chair across from him. “Sit.”

I sat. My palms were damp.

He didn’t speak right away. He just looked at me, and the silence stretched until it felt heavy.

“You’re different from what I expected,” he said finally.

“Is that a bad thing?” i asked.

“Not yet.” He leaned back. “You refused Damien’s proposal.”

I stiffened. “You seem to know a lot for someone who shouldn’t care.”

“Oh, I care,” he said simply. “Because Damien isn’t after you. He’s after your company. He wants control of it through you, and once you sign, you’ll lose everything.”

I didn’t react, but my heart beat fast. I knew this already, but hearing him say it made it sound bigger, more dangerous.

“And how do you know that?” I asked.

He smiled, a small, cold smile. “Because I’ve been watching him and you. For a while now.”

I blinked. “Watching me?”

He nodded. “You interest me. You were going to sign the joint property last time, weren’t you? Why did you change your mind?”

My breath caught. Last time. He said it like he knew something he shouldn’t.

“What do you mean?” I asked carefully.

He tilted his head. “You were so eager to be part of his empire. Then suddenly, you pulled back, I’m curious what changed.”

My mind raced. I couldn’t tell him the truth, That i died and came back. He’d think I was insane.

So I said, “I found out he wasn’t who I thought he was.”

“Be specific.” he said 

I hesitated, then said, “He was cheating with my sister.”

He studied me for a long time. “And now?”

“Now,” I said slowly, “I’m going to destroy them both.”

Something flickered in his eyes, something dark. Then he smiled again, like he approved.

“Good,” he said. “That makes two of us.”

He leaned forward. “I’ve been planning to dismantle Damien’s empire for years. He’s a thief and a liar, he hides behind investors and ruins anyone who stands in his way. But you..” He paused. “You can get close enough to finish what I started.”

I stared at him. “You’re serious.”

“Completely.” 

He reached into his coat and pulled out a file. “This is a layout of his accounts, shell companies, and offshore transfers. Every illegal thing he’s done, i’ve been collecting evidence for years. All I need is someone on the inside.”

My throat went dry. “You want me to spy on him.”

“I want you to play the role you already play. His perfect fiancée and his biggest weakness.”

I swallowed hard. “And what do I get in return?”

“Protection,” he said. “And a clean path when this ends.”

I looked down at the papers, then at him. There was no hesitation in his voice, no mercy either. This man wasn’t helping me because he cared. He was helping me because I was useful.

Still, part of me wanted to say yes. Another part whispered that I might be stepping into something worse.

I asked quietly, “Why me?”

He stood up slowly. “Because you hate him enough to do what needs to be done.”

I stayed seated as he walked toward the door. He reached for the handle, then stopped and looked back at me.

His voice was calm but low. “Whatever your real secret is, Aurora Stanley, I’ll discover it. I always do.”

The door clicked shut behind him, and I sat frozen, my pulse loud in my ears.

He knew something. Maybe not everything, but enough to make me nervous.

I looked down at the file he left on the table, my fingers shaking as I touched it.

For the first time, I realized something worse than Damien existed.

Lawrence Astor might be more dangerous and now he knew my name.