MasukChapter Eighty-SevenThe night Ethan had left his family at the Winter Ice Gala, the Langford convoy had returned home to the family estate in a state that could charitably be described as unsettled.Vera had not spoken for the first fifteen minutes of the drive, which anyone who knew Vera Langford understood was a form of pressure in itself.Bella had filled the silence with increasingly agitated murmuring that passed for thought. Celeste had sat with her hands folded and her expression neutral, watching the city slip past the window.Her entire night had been ruined. Tonight would have been one of those days, where she would have solidified her presence in Ethan’s life to the public, and now it was all in shambles.Ethan had become more displeased with her, and she got to become aware of the very disturbing fact of Aurora being involved with the Vaughn family.Her well manicured nails dug into the fine leather of the car seats in anger.“Aurora, I will show you.”Ethan had called a
Chapter Eighty-Six“I know things have changed,” Aurora finally continued, “Six years is not nothing. The whole shape of who matters and why will have shifted. Mentors retire. Rivalries resolve or deepen. The younger generation starts defining what the field looks at next.” She turned her cup once in her hands. “I’m not worried about any of that.”Caspian watched her.“You’re sure.” He asked carefully,“I know what I’m worth, come on” she said.There was no arrogance in it. It was delivered the way a person stated a measurement, plainly and without decoration. She was also a little miffed that Caspian would think she would be uncomfortable with it.She knew he meant well, however, so she did not push it, “I know what I was before I left and I know what I’ve built since. The six years weren’t lost time.” She uttered confidently, flipping her light colored hair over her shoulder, “They were different times. And I suspect, when the work becomes more visible, people will understand that.”
Chapter Eighty-FiveThe next Friday, Aurora found time to visit Caspian’s residence again. She had actually forgotten all about Vixen sleeping on her coat but when Caspian mentioned if she’d spend the weekend with Shannon while he ran some errands, Aurora agreed.Caspian had been very valuable and helpful to her over the years.From the very day she’d met him in the university as well as the time he’d introduced her to her mentor, to the time he’d spent running her medical center while she played wife with Ethan. Aurora would forever feel okay with giving up some of her free days and free time in helping him out.She was supposed to spend the greater part of the day with Shannon alone and they had a splendid time. In many ways, Aurora was reminded of Riley whenever she was with Shannon, and at the same time, she marveled at how different they were.Shannon and Riley were both bright and bubbly children, with their sunny little expressive faces and mannerisms…However, Shannon was sig
Chapter Eighty-FourWhen they got to the house, Aurora was surprised to see that Caspian lived alone with Shannon.She had expected staff but the other two just blended in with that cozy feeling associated with a shared space.“What?” Caspian asked, when he noticed her slightly surprised look.“Oh, I was expecting staff.” She answered honestly, “I didn’t know you lived alone with Shannon.”Caspian shrugged, “There’s a cleaning service which comes and go several times during the week.” He answered, “Other than that, Shannon and I very much like to have the place to ourselves.”Aurora stared at him, nodding slightly in agreement. She felt that she was more acceptable of this method, than the one she’d grown accustomed to at the Langford residence.She was sure the Vaughn residence would have a system like that though, and she’d have to visit them to know for sure. Shannon had already blown through the front door and could be heard somewhere to the left calling for Ptolemy.“Well, make
Chapter Eighty-ThreeCarter said nothing. He actually did not know what to say to that question, and when the silence between them stretched to a point where he realized that Ethan was waiting for him to answer, he finally said hesitantly.“I presume you would know that, sir.”Ethan remained silent, his fingers tapping against the smooth surface of the desk. He had believed, for four years, that Aurora was a nameless woman. A woman without family or background or weight in the world.He had believed she had married into the Langford family the way a person without prospects married money, gratefully and with nothing to offer in return.His mother had believed it.His sister had believed it.He had never examined the belief because it had been convenient to hold.He had never asked her about her family or background.Not once.He had assumed the absence of the topic meant there was nothing to say.And frankly he did not care.Ethan’s fingers tightened She had let him assume. She had
Chapter Eighty-TwoBy morning, Ethan was still lost in his own thoughts. He had not slept.All through the night he kept thinking about that mysterious A.H who’d created the drug which had stabilized him six years ago.Surely, it could not be Aurora. Aurora was just…she was just an housewife with no skills and no background.He remembered when he’d married her, he’d not bothered to check out her background, and when his mother said Aurora was just a high school drop out, he was even more resentful of his grandfather for making him marry such a lousy woman.He had never thought to confirm it.He’d just beloved his mother.Thinking back now, he knew he should not have trusted his mothers words back then. Vera had always looked down on Aurora since the day she’d met her. There was nothing Aurora did that could please her, and even birthing Riley did not give her some points either.Ethan had always thought that Aurora had not just tried hard enough. It was her own lousy fault for not bei
Chapter Twenty-FourCeleste stayed behind while Ethan stormed out of the room.As soon as the door closed behind Ethan’s form, Celeste dropped her mask.Her face which was all pleasant earlier, with an innocent expression, turned hard with a sly smile.“What’s wrong?” Aurora asked, her lips curved
Chapter TwentyCeleste’s head whipped to the side with the slap, and she stumbled hard, almost crashing to the floor.“Aurora!” Ethan yelled from his position on the bed. In one swift movement, he was out of bed and was by their side in an heart beat, “Are you out of your mind?! How dare you hit he
Chapter Seventeen“Who’s going to take care of me for getting hurt?” Aurora uttered in a clear voice, while giving Ethan a deadly glare. She pointed to her face, “You hit me , remember?”Ethan grimaced, shifting uncomfortably under the harsh glare of Aurora’s criticism. Another wave of guilt hit hi
Chapter Seven.Since she’d agreed to the “rules” of their marriage, Ethan only came to her room on the seventh. Aurora learned to live with the arrangement and eagerly looked forward to the seventh of every month. She soon got weary of it though.Ethan treated the activity like it was one of the







