Chapter 29: Declining Shadows

Mrs. Hale found me in the library the next morning. Her face was serious, and she spoke gently. “Miss Aurora, there’s news from the Sinclair house. Isadora’s condition has gotten much worse. The doctors are very concerned.”

I set my book down slowly, my stomach twisting. “Worse how?”

“They said it’s some kind of mysterious illness. She’s very weak now. They’re not sure how much time she has.”

The words hit me hard. I stood up, feeling unsteady. Isadora had been cruel for so many years, but there was still that small part of me that remembered the woman who used to bake cookies with me and read bedtime stories. The woman who had once felt like a mother.

“I need to see her,” I said when Lucian came down for breakfast. My voice shook. “Please, Lucian. Just one visit. I know she hurt me, but I can’t just pretend she doesn’t exist.”

Lucian looked at me for a long moment, his jaw tight. “It’s not safe, Aurora. Reginald and Natalia are still there.”

“I know,” I replied, stepping closer. “But she might not have much time. I need some kind of closure. Even after everything she did… she was still part of my life for a long time. Please. I’m begging you.”

He rubbed his temple, clearly fighting with himself. “Fine,” he said finally. “But I’m coming with you. We leave in thirty minutes. You stay by my side the whole time. No private talks with Reginald or Natalia. If anything feels off, we leave immediately. Understood?”

“Thank you,” I whispered, relief washing over me. “I really appreciate it.”

The drive to the hospital was quiet. Lucian sat beside me in the back seat, tense and silent. I kept my hands in my lap, trying not to cry. When we arrived, the room smelled like medicine and sadness. Isadora looked so small and frail in the hospital bed, her face pale and eyes half-closed. Natalia stood in the corner, arms crossed, glaring at me with pure hatred.

Reginald was there too. He gave me a concerned smile. “Aurora. You came. That’s good of you.”

I walked closer to the bed. “How are you feeling?” I asked Isadora softly.

She opened her eyes slowly. “Tired,” she whispered. “Very tired. Everything hurts.”

I didn’t know what to say. The words felt stuck in my throat. “I’m sorry you’re sick. I really am.”

Natalia snorted from the corner. “Sorry? After everything you did? You probably wished for this, didn’t you?”

Lucian stepped forward immediately, his presence intimidating. “That’s enough, Natalia. Watch your mouth.”

Reginald tried to pull me aside. “Aurora, sweetheart, while you’re here we should talk about the company. Now that your mother is like this, we need to think about the future…”

“No,” I said firmly, stepping back toward Lucian. “I’m not here for that. I came to see Isadora.”

Lucian placed a protective hand on my lower back. “We’re not staying long,” he told Reginald coldly. “This visit is for Aurora only.”

The conversation with Isadora was short and painful. She barely spoke, but the sight of her so weak stirred old memories, both the good and the bad. I felt tears burning in my eyes. “I hope you feel better soon,” I whispered.

On the drive back, the tears finally came. I turned my face toward the window, trying to hide them. Lucian was quiet for a long moment. Then his hand reached over and gently took mine. His fingers wrapped around mine, warm and steady. He didn’t say anything, just held my hand the whole ride back. The simple touch meant more than words could.

Back at the mansion, the emotions finally broke me. I went straight to the garden and sat on the bench, sobbing quietly. Everything crashed down on me at once.

I didn’t hear him approach until he was right there.

“Aurora,” Lucian said softly.

I looked up, tears streaming down my face. “I’m sorry. I just… I don’t know how to feel about any of this. She was so cruel to me for years, but seeing her like that still hurts.”

He didn’t hesitate. He pulled me up from the bench and wrapped his arms around me in a real embrace. One hand gripped my waist protectively while the other stroked my hair gently. I buried my face in his chest, crying harder.

“You don’t have to figure it out right now,” he murmured against my hair. “Just let it out. I’m here.”

I clung to him, feeling the solid warmth of his body. For once, it didn’t feel possessive or controlling. It felt like he was actually trying to comfort me. My body pressed against his, and I wondered again how my shape, my innocence, seemed to pull both cruelty and care out of him.

After a while, my sobs quieted. He didn’t let go right away. His hand kept stroking my hair slowly.

“Thank you,” I whispered against his chest. “For coming with me today. For this.”

He didn’t reply. Just held me a little longer before finally stepping back, looking conflicted.

“Go rest,” he said, voice rough. “I’ll check on you later.”

I nodded and went inside. That night, I lay in bed thinking about everything.

Lucian’s Pov

I stood in my study, watching the security feed of Aurora sleeping. The image of her crying in the garden, then burying her face in my chest, kept replaying in my mind. Holding her like that had felt too good. Too right.

My obsession was battling with guilt now. I clenched my fists.

But as I watched her sleeping form on the screen, I knew I had lost the battle.