All Chapters of ONE NIGHT STAND WITH MY STEPFATHER : Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

I drove to Aurora with one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting beside my phone. I was still tired from the previous night. My body wanted another few hours of sleep, but Joy’s call had made that impossible. A client. A real client. After everything Aurora had been through, those words felt almost unreal. When I entered the parking lot, I noticed more cars than usual. A few employees were already moving equipment through the entrance. Someone was carrying folders while another employee was speaking on the phone. The building looked busy again. For the first time since reopening, it felt like Aurora had something to look forward to. I parked and stepped out of the car. I barely made it through the entrance before Joy hurried toward me. “You finally came.” “I came as fast as I could.” Joy laughed. I gave her a tired look. “What happened while I was gone?” “The client is still here.” My steps slowed. “Still?” “Yes. They have been waiting in the conference room.” I loo

The moment William and Michael left Aurora, I turned to Joy.“We need more people.”Joy nodded. “I was thinking the same thing.”I picked up the contract from the table. “This event is too big for the staff we have now. I don’t want us rushing into it and making mistakes.”“We could ask the company across town.”I looked at her. “Will they still be able to lend us some temporary teams?”“They will. We have used them before.”“Then let’s go.”Joy smiled. “Now?”“Now.”There was no reason to wait. The event was already close, and every hour mattered. I put the contract inside my bag and followed Joy outside. As we drove, I kept thinking about the strange meeting with William. He had chosen Aurora despite everything that had happened. He had offered us an important contract and then refused to tell me who was actually hosting the event. I pushed the thought aside. Right now, I have a more urgent problem. Staff. Aurora needed people who could work quickly and professionally. I couldn’t

My heart sank. So we weren’t the first company to be kept in the dark. And suddenly, the missing name on our contract didn’t feel like a mistake anymore. Joy remained by the door, waiting for my answer. I looked down at the contract again. “They refused the job because they never knew who the real client was,” she said. “Evie, that should worry us.” “It does.” “Then why are we still doing this?” I looked around my office. The shelves were still missing some files. One of the walls had marks from the damage we had repaired. Aurora was open again, but it was nowhere near where it had been before. “Because we need this,” I said. Joy frowned. “Need it that badly?” “Yes.” I pushed the contract toward her. “Look at what this payment could do for us. We can replace equipment, pay the bills that have been waiting, bring back more workers and start taking bigger events again.” “I know.” “After the collapse, people stopped trusting us. Some employees left because they wer

The next morning, Aurora was already awake before I arrived. I could hear voices from the parking lot as soon as I stepped out of my car. A small group of people stood near the entrance, carrying bags, toolboxes, and folders. The fifteen temporary workers Marcus had promised us had arrived. Joy was already there, standing by the entrance with a clipboard. “You were almost late,” she said when she saw me. I looked at my watch. “I’m three minutes early.” She smiled. “Exactly. I was beginning to worry.” I shook my head and walked toward the group. “Good morning, everyone.” “Good morning, ma’am,” they answered almost together. Joy introduced them one by one. Some handled decorations. Others had experience with sound, lighting, transportation, guest arrangements, and event setup. I stepped forward. “I know most of you don’t work here permanently, but for the next few days, you’re part of Aurora. This event is important to us. Very important.” The group became quiet. “Aur

By the time I drove into the driveway, my body felt heavier than it had all day. The lights in the house were still on. I switched off the engine and sat there for a moment, staring through the windshield. Tomorrow will be worse. We had to be at the venue by six in the morning. That meant waking up before sunrise, getting everyone moving on time, and making sure nothing went wrong. I let out a quiet breath and stepped out of the car. The moment I entered the house, I saw Mom sitting in the living room with a cup of tea in her hands. She looked up. “You’re home.” “Good evening mom.” “Good evening Evie, you're late.” “Work.” She smiled softly. “Aurora?” “Yes.” I put my bag down and rubbed the back of my neck. “How did it go?” “Busy. Very busy.” “That sounds like good news.” “It is.” Mom looked relieved. For the first time in a while, Aurora was moving forward again, and I think she could see it in my face. “You look exhausted,” she said. “I feel exhausted