Chapter 5 — The Seat That Was Never Hers

Aurelia lay on the bed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling as she watched the first light of dawn seep through the curtains. Pale streaks of morning stretched quietly across the room, soft and indifferent, while the house remained completely still, as though nothing at all had happened the night before.

Yet within her, everything had changed.

She had not slept, not even for a moment, but the exhaustion she should have felt never came. Instead, her mind was unusually clear, as though the long, sleepless night had burned away every trace of hesitation she once carried.

Pain had never been something she feared. To Aurelia, it was simply something to endure, something to pass through until it no longer held power.

She pushed herself upright slowly. Most of the injuries from the previous night had already faded, leaving behind only faint signs, dried blood on her sleeve, and a tear in the fabric where the champagne rack had struck her. When she glanced at her arm, she found no scar at all. For someone like her, such wounds were insignificant.

But the ache in her chest had only deepened.

A faint sound drifted in from outside, the low hum of a car engine, followed by footsteps approaching the house, the front door opened, and voices soon followed—Alexander, and someone else.

Aurelia’s expression stilled slightly as realization settled in. So this was the day he intended to force her to apologize to Clara; he had even brought someone along, perhaps to reinforce his decision.

The footsteps grew closer, and without so much as a knock, the bedroom door swung open.

Alexander entered first, impatience already evident in his expression. Chris followed behind him, his arms loosely folded as he observed the scene in silence. “Didn’t I tell you yesterday?” Alexander said sharply. “You’re apologizing today.”

His gaze swept over her, irritation deepening. “Why are you still in bed?”

Aurelia slowly sat up. As she moved, her loose shirt shifted slightly, revealing part of her collarbone and shoulder. Despite years spent at home, her body still carried the strength of someone who had never stopped training, lean, controlled, and quietly powerful.

Both men paused, if only for a second.

Chris blinked, clearly caught off guard; he had not expected that from someone Alexander dismissed so casually.

Aurelia noticed his reaction, and something inside her tightened.

“Dressed like that…” Alexander muttered, his tone laced with irritation. “Who exactly are you trying to impress?”

His voice hardened. “Go change before you come out.”

Aurelia offered no response. She simply stood, picked up a change of clothes, and walked past them without a word. The door closed quietly behind her.

Outside, Chris let out a soft breath and remained silent for a moment before speaking. “Are you sure about this?” he asked gently. “Making her apologize?”

Alexander shot him a glance. “She didn’t do anything wrong yesterday.”

Chris frowned slightly, confused by the contradiction.

Alexander rolled his eyes. “Are you my friend or hers?” he said coldly. “Why are you defending her?”

He crossed his arms, his tone turning firm. “She may not have done anything wrong, but she embarrassed my guest.”

Chris did not interrupt; he simply watched him.

Alexander’s expression softened briefly, though the change was fleeting. “Do you know how long I’ve waited for Clara to come back?” he said, his voice carrying something more complicated, now something unresolved.

He hesitated, then continued anyway. “Even though Aurelia is my wife…” His gaze drifted slightly. “…they’re not the same.”

His voice lowered, quieter but heavier than before. “One of them is like dust… and the other is a star.”

The words lingered in the air, heavy and unkind, behind the door. Aurelia heard everything.

She had already changed, and her hand rested on the door handle, but she did not move. A faint tightness spread through her chest, not sharp, not overwhelming, but enough to remind her that the pain was still there.

After a moment, she opened the door.

Both men looked up immediately. Alexander stiffened slightly, already aware that she had heard everything.

Chris stepped forward first, offering a small, polite smile. “Hey,” he said gently. “I heard you got hurt yesterday. Are you okay? Do you need to have it checked?”

Aurelia blinked once, momentarily caught off guard. It was such a simple question, yet it came from someone she barely knew. “I’m fine,” she replied quietly. “Thank you.”

Alexander scoffed under his breath. “She was pretending yesterday,” he said dismissively. “Otherwise, how could she recover that quickly?”

His gaze flicked toward her arm. “There isn’t even a scar.”

Aurelia frowned slightly as she began to respond. “I—”

“I don’t want to hear it,” Alexander cut in immediately. “You’re just making excuses.”

A brief silence followed.

Then Aurelia spoke again, her voice calm but noticeably colder.  “You haven’t let me finish a sentence since yesterday.”

Her gaze met his steadily. “If you’ve already decided not to believe me… then we should just go.”

Without waiting for a response, she walked past him.

Chris watched her for a moment, thoughtful. Something about the previous day did not sit right with him. The injury had been real, Clara herself had confirmed it, and yet Aurelia had recovered far too quickly.

He shook his head slightly. It didn’t make sense.

Outside, the car was already waiting.

Aurelia moved toward the passenger seat, but Alexander stopped her with a firm voice. “That seat is reserved.”

She paused.

Chris chuckled lightly, attempting to ease the tension. “They go way back,” he explained casually. “Childhood games, playing house— he was always the bride, and he was the groom.”

He smiled faintly. “I was just the extra kid.”

Aurelia showed no reaction. She simply stepped back, walked to the rear seat, and got in without a word.

As the car pulled away, she turned her gaze toward the window and remained silent. However, something within her shifted quietly, almost imperceptibly, as though a line had finally been drawn.

From this moment on, the distance between them would only continue to grow. They picked up Clara shortly afterward and then headed to a café.

As they approached the entrance, Aurelia noticed the looks subtle, but unmistakable. Before she could think much of it, a waiter stepped forward and blocked her path. “Sorry,” he said politely. “We’re not hiring part-time workers right now.”

A brief silence followed.

Alexander looked embarrassed and shifted awkwardly. “Honey… maybe we should go somewhere else.”

Clara stepped forward calmly. “She’s with us.”

The waiter shook his head. “This area is for VIP guests only.”

Clara turned slightly toward Alexander. “Should I call the owner?”

Alexander nodded without hesitation.

Clara took out her phone, but before she could dial, Aurelia stepped forward and gently pressed her hand down.

Her voice was calm and steady as she spoke. “And who said…”

She lifted her gaze, cool and unbothered. “…that I need help?”