Chapter 5: No Exceptions

The nursery door opened slowly.

Very slowly.

As if the person doing it… knew that even the slightest sound could ruin everything.

Aurora stared at the screen without blinking.

Her smile didn’t fade.

Instead… it deepened.

“Come in…” Aurora whispered softly.

“Step further into my trap.”

On the screen, Lily stepped inside.

The dim light illuminated her face.

Pale.

But her eyes… were sharp.

Different from earlier that day.

No longer hiding her intentions.

No longer pretending.

Aurora leaned back in her chair.

Her arms crossed.

Her gaze cold.

Watching. Calculating. Waiting.

Lily approached the crib.

Her steps were slow, but certain.

As if she had already made her decision.

Outside the room, the nanny was nowhere to be seen.

The hallway looked empty.

Silent.

Perfect.

Exactly as Lily wanted.

But what she didn’t know… was that Aurora had arranged everything.

The nanny… was deliberately out of sight.

Because Aurora wanted to see…

Just how far Lily would go.

Lily stood beside the crib.

Staring at Aurora’s baby.

The baby slept peacefully.

Her tiny chest rising and falling softly.

Unaware that she had become the center of a cruel plan.

Lily swallowed.

Her hand slowly lifted.

Slightly trembling.

But not from fear.

From anticipation.

“This is the moment…” she whispered.

“Everything that should have been mine… will finally be mine.”

Her hand moved closer.

Almost touching the baby’s blanket—

Click.

The lights snapped on.

Lily flinched.

Her body froze instantly. Her eyes widened.

Slowly… she turned toward the door.

And there, Aurora stood.

Still.

Calm.

With a smile that could no longer be called gentle.

It was… cold.

Judging.

And filled with victory.

“Why did you stop?” Aurora’s voice was soft.

But every word… carried pressure.

“I want to see just how brave you really are, Lily.”

Silence.

Lily didn’t move.

Her body remained frozen.

“Aurora… I—”

“Quiet.”

One word.

Enough to silence her instantly.

Aurora stepped inside.

Slowly.

Each of her footsteps echoed in the room.

As if each step… was counting down to Lily’s destruction.

Aurora stopped right beside her.

Her gaze dropped to Lily’s raised hand.

Still hovering.

Just inches from the baby.

Aurora smiled faintly.

“So this was your plan?”

Lily swallowed hard.

“I just wanted to look. Isn’t my best friend’s baby also mine?”

Smack.

The slap echoed through the room.

Fast.

Hard.

Without warning.

Lily’s head snapped to the side.

Her breath caught.

Aurora stood tall.

Her hand not yet fully lowered.

“I said… don’t touch my baby.” Her voice was low.

But filled with threat.

Lily trembled.

Her hand slowly dropped. Her face turned pale.

“Aurora… you misunderstood…”

Aurora let out a soft laugh.

A laugh that made the air feel colder.

“Misunderstood?” Aurora tilted her head, her gaze piercing.

“Did I also misunderstand… when you and Dante planned to switch the babies?”

Silence.

The world seemed to stop.

Lily froze. The color drained from her face.

Her eyes widened in fear.

Aurora stepped closer.

Very close.

Close enough for Lily to feel her breath.

“I heard everything.”

The whisper was soft.

But devastating.

“Every word.” Aurora stared straight at her. “Every disgusting plan of yours.”

Lily staggered back, her legs weak, nearly collapsing.

“No… that’s not true…”

Aurora smiled.

“Still denying it?”

She raised her phone.

Pressed a button.

And the sound filled the room.

A recording.

Dante’s voice.

“We’ll switch the babies.”

Lily’s voice.

“So… I get to raise that bastard child?”

“However you want.”

The atmosphere froze.

Lily trembled violently. Tears streamed down her face.

“Aurora… listen to me…”

Aurora stopped the recording.

Her gaze turned even colder. Sharper.

“Now… tell me,” she stepped closer again, “who came up with this first?”

Lily fell silent.

Her lips trembled. Her eyes darted nervously.

Aurora waited.

Unhurried.

Because she knew… Lily would speak.

And sure enough—

“Dante…”

The word came out softly.

Broken.

Aurora smiled.

“Good.”

The door suddenly opened.

Footsteps.

Dante.

He stopped at the doorway.

His eyes immediately took in the scene.

And… the panic on Lily’s face.

“What’s going on? Why aren’t you asleep?”

Aurora turned slowly.

Her gaze met his.

Her smile returned.

But this time… no one could call it warm.

“Ah, you came at the perfect time.”

Aurora stepped away from Lily.

Giving space.

But not to save her.

To trap her deeper.

“I just heard something interesting.”

Dante looked at Lily. Then back at Aurora.

“What do you mean?”

Aurora raised her phone.

Pressed the button again.

The recording played once more.

Clearer.

Sharper.

More devastating.

Dante’s face changed instantly.

Rigid.

Pale.

Aurora watched him closely.

Savoring every subtle shift.

“So…” Aurora tilted her head, “would you like to explain… or shall I continue?”

Silence.

Dante didn’t answer immediately.

His eyes moved quickly.

Calculating. Weighing.

And within a second—

He made his choice.

He took a small step back.

Away from Lily.

A small movement.

But unmistakable.

Aurora saw it—and smiled.

Of course.

He chose himself.

“Aurora…”

Dante finally spoke.

“I don’t know what that woman was planning.”

The words fell just like that.

Without guilt. Without hesitation.

Lily turned sharply, her eyes wide.

“Dante?! What are you saying?!”

But Dante didn’t look at her.

Not at all.

Aurora laughed softly.

“Interesting…” she said, slowly circling them.

Like a predator studying its prey.

“Very interesting.”

She stopped in the middle.

Between them.

Then looked at Lily—now completely alone.

“So… you’ve been abandoned?”

Her voice was gentle.

But painful.

Lily bit her lip.

Tears fell uncontrollably.

Aurora watched her for a few seconds.

Then smiled.

“This game… has only just begun.”

She turned to Dante.

“Next week, the internal audit begins.”

Dante stiffened.

“An audit?”

Aurora nodded.

“All transactions.”

Her smile widened slightly.

“No exceptions.”

Silence.

The words hung in the air.

Heavy.

Threatening.

Aurora picked up her baby and walked toward the door.

But before leaving—

She stopped.

Without turning, she spoke softly,

“Oh, and…”

Dante and Lily held their breath.

Aurora tilted her head slightly.

Her smile returned.

“If I were you…” she paused, letting the words sink in, “…I would start thinking about how to survive.”

Silence.

Then Aurora turned slowly.

Her gaze lethal.

“Because from now on…” her smile deepened, “…I won’t kill you quickly.”