Aurora woke to the soft murmur of voices and the sterile scent of antiseptic. Her eyelids felt heavy, the light filtering through them warm but too bright. Slowly, she blinked her eyes open, squinting against the glare. The room around her came into focus — pale walls, the steady beeping of a heart monitor, and the cool air brushing against her skin.
A hospital.
Panic surged in her chest as memories rushed back — the dizziness, the ground rushing up to meet her, and then… nothing.
“Ms. Aurora?”
The gentle voice pulled her back, and she turned her head to see Paula sitting at her bedside, her eyes red and puffy. Behind her stood Lucing and June, their worry etched into every line of their faces.
Aurora stood at the courthouse steps, the sun beating down on her face, but she barely felt its warmth. The weight of everything she’d been carrying for weeks—no, for years—pressed down on her shoulders, but there was a new sense of determination in her stance. She wasn’t just fighting for herself anymore. She was fighting for her future—their future.Joseph stood at her side, his jaw set and his eyes hard. Their lawyer, Ms. Reyes, adjusted the stack of documents in her arms, the sound of rustling papers filling the tense air."Are you ready for this?" Joseph asked, his voice low.Aurora took a deep breath. "I’ve never been more ready."Together, the
The courthouse was packed — reporters, spectators, and an air so thick with tension it felt like it might suffocate her.Aurora sat at the plaintiff’s table, her back straight, her face calm, but inside, her heart was a storm. The weight of everything rested on this moment — on the truth finally coming to light.Joseph sat beside her, his presence steady and reassuring.Across from them sat Don Ramon Blackwood, his face a mask of cold fury. His lawyers whispered to him in hushed, frantic tones, but Don Ramon didn’t even flinch. He was a man who believed himself untouchable — a man who had built his empire on lies and thought it would never come crashing down.But today, the reckoning began.
Aurora took a deep breath as she stared out from her terrace. If she hadn’t known she was pregnant, she’d definitely be holding a glass of wine right now. But instead, she settled for orange juice, her mind replaying everything that had happened that morning.She won.She’d taken back everything Don Ramon had tried to steal from her. The Lancaster Corporation was finally hers again. And yet… she still didn’t feel happy.Something inside her whispered that something was missing.Aurora placed a gentle hand on her stomach. It was still small, but she could already feel the occasional flutter — soft, steady reminders of the life growing inside her.She sighed again, the weight of it heavy.“I’m sorry, baby,” she whispered. “I guess you won’t ever get to meet your dad.”Even though Lucian had testified against his father, he hadn’t escaped punishment. Like Don Ramon, he was found guilty — though his sentence was lighter. Three years in prison. It was nothing compared to Don Ramon’s twenty
Five Years Later“Be careful, Loyd Astrid!” Aurora called out as they walked through the airport lobby.“Don’t worry, darling! I’ll handle him!” Carmela replied with a laugh.Aurora could only smile as she watched her mother chase after Loyd — her lively, four-year-old son — who was running ahead with boundless energy.Taking a deep breath, Aurora continued pushing their luggage stroller forward, her eyes following the two fondly.It had been five years since she left Evermoore and decided to settle in America. What was supposed to be just a short vacation while waiting to give birth turned into years of staying, mostly because of her mother’s persistence. Carmela had insisted they stay until Loyd was a little older, and Aurora hadn’t been able to refuse.Despite being far from Evermoore, Aurora had still managed to handle the company. Joseph kept her updated with regular reports, and her monitoring system ensured she always knew what was happening.Things hadn’t been difficult for Au
The moment they arrived at the mansion, Loyd couldn’t sit still — a little ball of energy, running around like a wind-up toy. Thankfully, there were plenty of staff around to keep an eye on him.As expected, the first thing he asked for was food, and Carmela immediately took care of him. Aurora wanted to stop her mother and insist she take a break, but Carmela wouldn’t hear of it. Her love for Loyd was overwhelming — and as a result, the little boy was getting spoiled rotten.Letting them be, Aurora decided to start unpacking their things after finishing her meal. She’d managed to get a decent amount of rest on the plane, so at least she wasn’t too tired.Once everything was sorted, they finally put Loyd down for a nap. Of course, even then, the little boy chose to sleep next to h
Aurora woke up early the next morning. The soft light of dawn filtered through the curtains, casting a golden hue over the room. Even now, it still felt strange being back in Evermore. She had been gone far too long.Sighing, she sat up and stretched, brushing her hair back from her face. Today was the day she would finally face everything she had left behind. She was going to the company — her company — to take care of business herself. No more hiding.After a warm shower, she dressed in a simple, casual outfit and stepped out of her room. Before leaving for the office, she decided to check on her mother and Loyd. From down the hallway, she could already hear the sound of her son’s delighted laughter echoing from her mother’s room.A soft smile tugged at her lips. She knocked lightly before
After finishing her work, Aurora hurried out of the company. Rebecca had been calling her nonstop, wanting to meet up. Aurora had already suggested that Rebecca just head straight to their house to see her godson, but Rebecca had some errands to run first.She asked her driver to drop her off at the restaurant owned by the Dawsons, which Rebecca now managed. Once there, she sent the driver home, knowing full well she had no idea when her best friend would let her leave.It had been far too long since she’d last seen Rebecca. She had made it to Loyd’s christening and his first birthday in America, but after that, their conversations had been limited to video calls. Rebecca had gotten so busy managing their family’s business.“Yes, Mom. Sorry about this, okay? You know how Rebecca is,” Au
The restroom felt miles away. Aurora’s knees shook as she walked down the narrow hallway toward it.She had seen Lucian. Of all the times, it had to be now. And what hurt even more was that he seemed to be on a date.When Aurora entered the restroom, she quickly checked the stalls to make sure she was alone. Once she was certain, she locked the door behind her.Her hands trembled as she walked to the sink and splashed cold water on her face.There was no way she was mistaken. It was him. Lucian. She could never forget his face, no matter how many years had passed since they last saw each other.Tears welled up in her eyes. Was this why he never looked for her after their divorce was finalized? Because he already had someone else?Aurora covered her mouth, trying to steady her breathing. Wasn’t this what she wanted? For Lucian to stay away, to forget her? Then why did it hurt so much? Why did it feel worse than when Ethan betrayed her?The pain was sharper. Deeper. More devastating.It
The car sped down the highway, city lights reflecting off the windshield as Lucian gripped the steering wheel tightly. Aurora sat beside him, staring blankly ahead, while Loyd slept soundly in the back seat, unaware of the chaos surrounding them.They had barely spoken since leaving the hospital. Everything felt heavier now—more dangerous, more personal.Aurora finally broke the silence. “Where are we going?”“To a safe house I’ve arranged outside the city. Only Alfred and a few trusted people know about it,” Lucian answered without taking his eyes off the road.“And my mom?”“She’s already being moved under heavy protection. Alfred is overseeing it himself.”Aurora nodded, but her jaw clenched. “I hate this. I hate feeling like we’re just running away.”“We’re not,” Lucian said. “We’re buying time. Time to figure out our next move. They want you scared. They want you off balance.”“Well, it’s working.”He looked at her then, briefly. “You’re not weak, Aurora. Don’t start doubting y
Lucian rubbed his face with both hands after seeing the photographs Alfred had handed him.It was true.His adoptive father and brother were working together.And worst of all—it had been going on for a long time.“And you had no idea about this, Alfred?” he asked again, his tone hard.Alfred swallowed nervously.“Yes, Sir. Believe me—if I had known, I would’ve told you right away.”Lucian let out a frustrated sigh.Just like him, Lester had been raised by Don Ramon. He had found him in an orphanage too. But instead of telling Lucian that his brother was alive—and that he had found him—Don Ramon had kept it a secret.That only meant one thing:This was all part of a long, calculated plan.Everything that was happening now had been carefully orchestrated.Don Ramon had made sure that if he failed to manipulate Lucian, he had Lester as a backup.Lucian clenched his fists.All this time, he had thought he was alone in the world—believing he had no family. But in truth, he had simply been
Aurora had been staring at Loyd for what felt like hours. He was finally sound asleep in his hospital bed, but she still couldn’t bring herself to leave his side.After everything that had happened, it still didn’t feel real.She hadn’t recovered. Not even close.Don Ramon was out of prison. And worse—he and Lester seemed to be working together.Her chest ached again at the memory of that man.Lucian had lied to her. Again.They had been seeing each other for weeks, and yet he hadn’t mentioned any of it.They were even back together. And still, he chose to keep that secret.But why?“Where’s my grandson?!”Aurora looked up toward the doorway as a voice rang out. Her mother came rushing into the room, breathless and wide-eyed.“Oh God! Thank you, God! Loyd!”Carmela burst into tears and immediately embraced her sleeping grandson.“He’s resting now, Mom,” Aurora said gently, walking toward them. She rubbed her mother’s back, feeling the depth of her worry in every sob.“I thought I’d ne
Aurora's heart pounded as the car raced down the winding roads, city lights blurring like streaks of color. The GPS tracker embedded in Loyd's necklace had led them to a secluded warehouse district at the far edges of the city. The place was eerily quiet—the only sounds were the engine’s hum and the occasional rustle of wind brushing against the trees.“We’re close,” Aurora said, her eyes locked on the blinking dot on her phone screen. “Just a few more meters.”Lucian nodded, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. “We need to be cautious. Lester won’t make this easy.”When they reached the area, Lucian parked the car at a safe distance, concealed behind a row of abandoned trucks. The cold night air greeted them as they stepped out. Aurora pulled her coat tighter around herself, her gaze sweeping across the shadowy surroundings.“This is it,” she whispered. “Loyd is inside.”Lucian placed a steady hand on her shoulder. “We’ll get him back. Together.”They moved in silence, slipping
Aurora couldn’t stay still inside the car. Every passing minute put Loyd in even greater danger.“What’s taking them so long?” she muttered, her frustration mounting.She grabbed her phone and connected to Red.In an instant, Red’s emoji face popped up on the screen and greeted her. “Master! What can I do for you?”“Red, can you connect to any CCTV cameras in my location right now?”Red’s emoji face blinked for a moment. “I’m sorry, Master. But your location is abandoned. I can’t detect any internet connection or existing systems I can hack into.”Aurora’s shoulders slumped in disappointment. “How about a phone signal?”Red went quiet again. A few seconds later, an error message appeared on the screen. “There is a phone signal inside, but… they’re using old models. I can’t access them.”“Damn it! What’s taking them so long?” she snapped, slamming her hand on the steering wheel.Then Red’s voice spoke again—this time with something more urgent. “But… Loyd is not inside, Master.”A
Aurora could barely breathe as they drove to the location Lester had sent them.She still couldn't believe that Lucian had no idea about his brother.After all these years, he'd managed to hide—and now he chose to reappear.“There!” Aurora pointed at the abandoned building in the distance.Lucian immediately pulled the car over, stopping just far enough from the structure.She was about to get out, but Lucian quickly held her back.“What are you doing?” Aurora asked, confused.Lucian took a deep breath.“Don’t rush in, Aurora. We need to plan this out. I’m sure Lester’s not alone in there.”Aurora’s brows furrowed.“Lucian, he took my son. Our son. I’ll face whatever danger’s waiting in there. So if you’re scared, you can turn back now.”“That’s not what I meant, Aurora. I’m saying we have to be careful. I don’t want anything to happen to either you or Loyd. We won’t be able to save him if we just charge in blindly.”Aurora paused, taken aback. Her fear and desperation for her child
Aurora barely had time to think as she rushed through the grand hallway, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. Every second felt like an eternity, and every breath was filled with a sense of urgency. Loyd was out there, somewhere, trapped in the hands of a man she had thought was long dead.Lester Aldric.The name sent a shiver down her spine. She had spent the last few hours wrestling with the shock of it, but there was no time for hesitation now. If what Red had found was true, then Lester was alive, and he was the one behind her son’s kidnapping.She clutched her phone tightly in her hand as she stormed toward the front door. She was going to end this.But just as she reached the entrance, the heavy doors swung open, and Lucian stepped inside.Aurora’s breath hitched.Lucian was dressed in a sharp black suit, his tie loosened slightly as though he had rushed here. His golden eyes immediately locked onto her, dark with intensity. The moment he saw her standing there,
Aurora hadn’t slept for hours. The weight of the situation had turned her mind into a whirlwind of thoughts, none of them bringing any comfort. The room felt suffocating, the silence deafening. It was the kind of silence that screamed for answers—answers that she still didn’t have.She sat in front of her laptop, staring at the screen as Red’s interface blinked at her, its cheerful emoji face betraying the severity of the situation.“Find him, Red. Find Loyd,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from the strain of the past 24 hours.Her hands moved across the keys, the same commands over and over again. Every search, every trace led to a dead end. Loyd’s whereabouts were still a mystery. The police were still investigating, but they had no leads. No clues. The frustration gnawed at her like a beast trying to break free from its cage.Every second felt like an eternity. Every thought was a question. Where is my son?Her mind wandered to the last time she’d held him, kissed his forehead, t
Aurora sat in the living room, her hands gripping her phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white. The room was filled with police officers, their radios buzzing, their voices low but urgent as they coordinated the search for Loyd.But it wasn’t fast enough.Nothing was fast enough.Her baby was missing.Her heart pounded erratically in her chest, her breathing uneven.Loyd.Where was he? Was he scared? Was he crying for her?The thought made her stomach churn.She forced herself to stay strong. She couldn’t afford to fall apart—not now.Taking a shaky breath, she pressed the call button.Lucian picked up on the first ring.“Aurora,” he said, his voice sharp, controlled—but she could hear the underlying panic.“It’s Loyd,” she choked out.“I know.”There was silence for a brief moment. Then—“I’ll handle it.”Aurora clenched her jaw. “We need to tell the police—”“No.” Lucian’s voice was firm, cutting her off.She frowned. “Lucian, they can help—”“They won’t,” he bit out. “They’l