What Was The Reason?!

Chapter Four

Celeste turned towards Ethan at that moment, her doe eyes as bright as the stars.

“This is really so beautiful, Ethan.” She uttered, holding the necklace up, “Can you help me put it on? I want to see how it looks like.”

Ethan got up without a word, taking the jewelry box from her hands.

Celeste turned in her chair, sweeping her long, dark hair to the side of her neck to allow Ethan gain access. She looked back at the shadows once more, her malicious gaze on Aurora’s.

Celeste was wearing a beautiful off-shoulder dress and when Ethan placed the necklace around her neck, she reached up and held his hand, keeping it in place on her bare shoulders.

Ethan leaned down at that moment so she could say in his ear, “Thank you.”

He smiled, a flash of dashing dentition, his thumbs drawing lazy circles around her smooth skin. His face was so close to Celeste’s that their lips, even their eye lashes were almost touching.

Riley clapped happily, “Daddy and Celeste look so happy good together,” she squealed in delight, “Daddy, when are you going to get married to Celeste? I want her to be my mom!”

Aurora turned away from the scene, her heart breaking, as those words sliced through it.

She was breathing hard as she tried to keep her tears back.

She practically fled from the building and threw up on the sidewalk outside. She squatted by the roadside and cried hysterically.

“Ethan Langford,” she said through gritted teeth amidst sobs, “How could you do this to me? You not only disrespected me but you…you dare to turn my daughter away from me too?”

She felt like crap, miserable and most especially disgusted at herself.

Disgusted that she didn’t have the nerve to walk up to Celeste and slap her across the face.

Disgusted that she did not have the courage to walk up to the table and tell them what exactly she thought of them, how they had no right to look down on her, how she was fed up with the way they had treated her…

At that moment, her cellphone buzzed once more.

Aurora stared at it, the screen blurry through her tears. It was a text from her senior once more.

Caspian: Aurora, let me know what you decide so I start making preparations for you. Even though you promised, I am completely okay with it if you changed your mind.

Aurora stared at the message for a long, long time until her tears tried up, until her calves started to cramp up from squatting for a long time.

After a while, she straightened up from her squatting position, her face pale but deathly calm.

She turned to look back at the restaurant which she’d just run out from. She could see glimpses of the party inside and at that moment, her heart hardened into granite.

Her eyes locked on Ethan, “You are already healthy.” She muttered coldly to herself.

Without another word, she turned and went to her car.

She drove away from the restaurant, her gaze hard as she placed a call to her senior.

He answered on the second ring, “Aurora.”

“Senior Caspian. I’m filing for a divorce. Can you help me get the papers ready?” She uttered quietly, as though she was discussing what to have for dinner that night.

Her gaze scanned the road as she maneuvered her car towards the Langford mansion.

She glanced at her dashboard when she realized that Caspian was yet to reply her.

“How soon can I get it?” She asked once more.

Caspian finally sighed, “I’ll make sure it’s ready tomorrow.”

“Okay…”

“Aurora…”

“What?”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.”

“Good choice…see you soon.”

***

Caspian Vaughn stood in his kitchen, looking at his cellphone while a piece of steak cooked slowly over the counter before him.

A slow smile spread across his face as the conversation which he’d just had with Aurora replayed in his mind.

Finally…

After six freaking years.

He was still a bit stunned, and he took a deep breath, willing his racing heart to calm down.

For a moment there, when she had called, he’d thought she was going to be calling to decline…

To say she had no plans of coming back…

That she would give up everything for the life she had currently….

But then…divorce?

Suddenly, his smile faded slowly as a frown replaced it. He wondered what had happened to make her change her mind, to make her make such a decision.

True, she had promised to return after six years…

After making sure Ethan was very much okay…

But he’d not expected divorce, especially not when they had a child involved. A child whom she absolutely adored.

Caspian slowly placed seasoning on his meat, his mind roving over the possibilities of what could have happened.

He was not very surprised though, not with Ethan Langford parading himself with that woman all over the internet.

But he’d thought…he’d believed Aurora would stay back for her daughter.

But here she was about to get a divorce.

He carefully placed the meat on a plate, and added the side dishes before taking it to his dining table.

He sat down and made another call, carefully slicing his meat as he waited for the receiver to pick.

“Yes sir?” His assistant’s voice came over the speaker in a few seconds.

“Aurora is getting divorced.” He uttered calmly, “I want you to provide her with everything she needs for it to go through.”

“Yes sir.”

“I want it ready by tomorrow morning.”

“Absolutely sir.”

The dial tone sounded, and Caspian continued with his meal. The meat was well cooked and well seasoned, melting in his mouth just like he liked it…

But that was not the reason for the smile slowly spreading across his face again.

He was still thinking about the reason Aurora would give up on Ethan Langford and their daughter after six years.

Whatever it was, he appreciated it.

He loved it.