Ch. 201..205: Trapped in a Secret Marriage with a Dangerous Billionaire Chapter 201-205

Chapter 201: Nowhere Near The Experience

Aurora lost the zeal to continue shopping. She couldn’t focus on anything else meaningful as Casey’s unsettling revelation repeatedly echoed in her ears.

Fortunately, she had already gotten most of the items she wanted to visit Xander’s parents. Otherwise, it would have been a disaster.

Still, Aurora couldn’t take her mind off what Casey told her on her way home from the mall. The information and the sight were haunting enough to make her sleep.

This made her wonder how that mother-daughter pair manages to get a good night’s sleep whenever they shut their eyes at bedtime.

"They can’t be humans!" Aurora mumbled to herself, noting how far kind she was to her wicked enemies.

She tried putting herself in Casey’s shoes to understand the pain and emotions she felt back then and realised that she couldn’t bear it. Not even for a second.

No matter what Oliver and her mother did to Aurora, she never took revenge on them because she relied on Xander. And then, when karma returned to collect its debt from them, Aurora leaned back more to watch from the sideline.

Maybe Aurora felt that she didn’t have to do anything anymore and let nature take its course.

But with what she had just learnt, she couldn’t sit back and let karma do its work. She had to interfere to balance the equation.

Olivia and Stella’s ability and confidence to take someone’s eye, knowing that justice might not be served because of the lack of evidence of their involvement, needed to be trampled upon.

The ride back home was more difficult for Aurora than anything else she had had to go through in the past week. Her breathing was laboured and dragged.

She also felt bile rise to her throat but managed to swallow it down. In the end, she picked up her phone to dial Xander’s contact, which was saved as ’Darling’ and had three red heart icons next to it.

Just two rings later, the call connected.

"Hello, Sweetheart," Xander’s excited, deep voice greeted her immediately. "Where are you?"

"I’m about seven minutes away from home," Aurora informed. "Are you back yet?"

"Yes, for a while now." As soon as Xander answered that question, Aurora threw another one at him. "Has Olivia been released?"

Xander paused for a moment before replying to that question. He wasn’t sure if she was asking because she didn’t trust that he wouldn’t harm her step-sister like he promised or not. Regardless, he answered truthfully.

"She has been released since two hours ago. But she has refused to leave the house for some reasons best known to her. She returned inside the house and shut the door after it was automatically unlocked."

Instantly, Aurora’s brows furrowed, and without mincing words, she asked, "How comfortable did you make her that she wouldn’t want to leave anymore after being held captive for two days?"

"You said not to hurt her." Xander shrugged. "Already, holding her against her wish is breaking the law, and I didn’t want to break it any further by doing something else because of you. You know, I’m trying to keep a clean image for your sake."

This would have been the moment that Aurora ought to fall on her knees and thank God for giving her such a thoughtful husband, but instead, she was mad.

Aurora clenched her fist until her knuckles turned white. For those few seconds, she didn’t say a response, and Xander noticed that something was wrong with her.

"Sweetheart, what’s wrong?" he inquired. "You were the one who didn’t want her just. Would you have preferred I went against your wishes?"

"Yes," Aurora managed to reply. "Olivia doesn’t deserve any kind of disguised kindness. And do you know what I feel should be done to her?"

Xander squinted his eyes as he shoved one hand into his pants pocket. "Tell me."

"Turning her into a plaything shouldn’t be bad," Aurora suggested.

Xander didn’t make any comments for a while, but when he did, it didn’t look like he was in support.

"Sweetheart, such thoughts are unhealthy for the baby," he said. "I feel like there is something wrong. Why don’t we talk about it when you come home? I will be waiting for you in the bedroom. Is that okay with you?"

Finally, Aurora released a deep breath. She nodded in agreement. "See you in a bit," she said before terminating the call.

---

When Aurora came home, she found Xander in the bedroom with a towel loosely wrapped dangerously around his waist. One tug and it will come undone, exposing his member and his sturdy thighs.

Unfortunately, Aurora wasn’t in the mood for that.

As soon as she stepped into the room, she dropped her bag on the rug and made a beeline for the bathroom, where she threw up into the toilet seat until Xander came to squat behind her and gave her slow pats on the back.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" His gentle voice soothed her as he swept her lush hair strands to the back to prevent it from joining the mess.

Aurora couldn’t answer that question. It wasn’t until she had flushed the toilet and brushed her teeth that she could reply to that ever-so-patient husband of hers.

"I met Olivia’s ex-best friend at the mall today," Aurora started as she reached for the zip of her dress.

Xander had to step in to undo it for her as he listened to why she was furious and sick.

"She had passed information to Tea Time Gossip blog to run Olivia down." As Aurora said this, she pulled her dress down to her feet before stepping out of it.

Then, Xander bent over to pick it up for her while she moved to unclasp her bra.

"If you remember, Casey betrayed Olivia first, then out of curiosity, I pointed that out and asked if she had the right to do it. And guess what she told me."

Xander shrugged. "I’m guessing Olivia must have done something hurtful to her. But what exactly did she do?"

Aurora handed her red bra to Xander before taking off her panties and doing the same thing. Then she stood right there to meet his gaze.

"Casey took off her sun shades, and what I saw gave me the shock of my life," Aurora continued. "Casey’s right eye was missing, and that spot stitched. Apparently, the mother and daughter pair did that to her because she was going to reveal their secret to me at Olivia’s wedding before she was intercepted."

For a good minute, Xander didn’t utter a word. But there was only one expression on his face. Neutral.

For a fact, it was difficult to remain sane while the woman he was sexually attracted to stood naked to talk about something serious.

He didn’t know her agenda but didn’t think about it; she might have done it innocently because she felt she could be comfortably naked around him. But what she didn’t know was that another message was being passed on.

Although Xander was a bit distracted, he did his best not to let his gaze stray from her face.

"They took her eyes?" Xander inquired as a sudden rage overwhelmed him.

"Yes, they did," Aurora admitted with a nod. "I couldn’t believe it, Xander."

At that moment, tears started flowing from the corners of Aurora’s eyes as she stood in the gap to feel Casey’s pain.

How could a human being be this wicked as to take someone else’s eye as punishment for whatever?

Even Xander hadn’t done a thing like that to the worst criminal in his care. So, imagine how someone like him felt to learn that regular individuals who hadn’t been trained brutally in the army or gang could do something like that.

"I would have burned their world down along with myself if I were to be in Casey’s shoes," Aurora said as Xander brought her into his embrace wordlessly.

He slowly patted her back as he continued to listen to her pour out her grievances.

"When Olivia cheated with Owen back then and even went as far as getting secretly engaged to him, I had sworn revenge, but in the end, I haven’t done anything about that to date. That betrayal was painful, but look what she did to her ex-best friend for making out with her fiancé. She couldn’t take what she gives to others."

Aurora was so mad thinking of what Casey went through with no one to help her. It made her realise that what she had gone through in Olivia and Stella’s hands might not have been as painful as having their eye taken out.

Although Casey wasn’t innocent, she didn’t deserve what she got. No human being deserves to ever experience something so horrific and traumatising.

"I need to make them pay, but how do I do that?" Aurora muttered under her breath as she wrapped her arms around Xander’s neck, regret warming all around her.

 

Chapter 202: An Assisted Bath

"Sweetheart, although it isn’t too late to get your personal revenge on those two, I suggest you don’t entertain any thought of that sort," Xander said after a while.

Aurora didn’t say anything to counter his suggestion and instead listened to understand his reasons.

"Karma is already taking its course. And while it may seem like it isn’t enough, I promise to make sure none of them escape unscathed."

In another sense, Xander was asking Aurora not to interfere in his plans anymore. He was asking her to trust him to handle the situation and not think about it.

"If we are going to have a baby, you must be in the right frame of mind and a healthy environment. Don’t bother about the nut case, your husband will take care of it."

Leaning back a bit, Xander cupped Aurora’s face and peered into her eyes. "Just live your life like they don’t owe you anything. Pretend like they are mere rubbish addictions to life that will soon be discarded by natural forces."

Aurora subtly nodded in response before resting the side of her face on his chest. "Get Olivia out of that house tonight. I don’t care how you do it."

"Yes, Ma’am." Xander humoured her as his sturdy arms snaked around her waist, his breath falling at the top of her head.

The couple maintained that posture for another long minute before separating.

"I think I should take a shower now," Aurora said, stepping out of his embrace as she locked some disobedient hair strands behind her ears.

"And I think I should get another one," Xander said, but as soon as she narrowed her gaze on him, he quickly explained, spreading his arms apart, "We hugged in this state. It’s only natural that I freshen up a bit."

Aurora gazed at him for a moment before agreeing to his reasons. She thought he made sense, so she turned and went into the glass shower. She turned the shower on and grabbed her soft loofah while he dumped her clothes in the laundry basket before stepping into the shower.

As Xander slowly removed the trowel from around his waist, Aurora asked while lathering up soap in her hands, "Did you give my invitation to Major Walker?"

"Yes, I did," he smiled as he reached out for the liquid soap to drip some on his palms before stepping under the running shower.

"How did he receive it?" Aurora inquired with curiosity laced in her tone. She wanted to know about the Major’s reaction to her insistent invitation.

Xander plastered the shower gel all over his body as the water splashed heavily on his back. "He received it well. I made sure to pass your message accordingly. Although he didn’t give any response, I know he would come."

"And how do you know that?" Aurora asked at the same time as she reached out with her loofah to start sponging his body from his shoulders. A warm smile immediately slipped from his lips at that gesture.

He seemed to be enjoying her hands and that loofah gently running across his chest.

"I just know it," Xander replied. "The Major I know would also like to find out how much you know about him."

Aurora’s brows furrowed slightly as her pace slowed down. "He suspects I know about our blood relationship?"

Xander nodded in response. "His subtle reactions proved that. Anyways, fingers crossed," he said, catching her hands on his chest. "I will help you scrub your back," he added. Then without waiting for her response, he snatched the loofah from her hands and gently turned her back to him.

Xander’s scrubs were gentle. Surprisingly, he didn’t do anything weird like fondling or letting his touch longer in the sensitive places. As soon as he was done scrubbing the entirety of her back, he put his hands on her shoulder and slowly spun her to face him. Then, he continued his task of giving her a good scrub.

At that moment, Aurora’s eyes fell on the tattoo on his arm. She remembered the reason he got it and couldn’t help asking, "Did you change your mind about removing the tattoos?"

"Why?" Xander asked with an ever-growing smirk. "You don’t like them anymore."

"I still like them." Aurora shook her head and sort to explain herself. "It’s just that you once mentioned taking them off through laser treatment. I was just wondering if you changed your mind about it."

Xander finished scrubbing the area around her chest and belly gently before squatting before her to take care of the remaining parts.

"I didn’t change my mind about them." As soon as he said that, Aurora reached out to turn off the shower, thereby putting an end the to splashing sound so she could hear him properly.

And as if he could read her mind, he repeated what he had just said and continued. "I will wipe them off before my next mission."

"That’s a shame," Aurora muttered to his hearing.

"Hold my head and lift your left leg," Xander instructed before continuing on their conversation. "I can’t have any detail ruining my future mission, so I have to get rid of them. But if you love me having tattoos that much, I can put your face on me after my next mission."

Aurora held his head and lifted her left leg so he could gain full access to scrub her foot. He was treating her like a child, and she didn’t mind any of that.

"Not bad," she said thoughtful regarding the tattoo topic. "Can I choose the part of your body where I would like it?"

Xander made her put her left foot down and lift her right foot so he could also wash it. "You have rights to my body, " he smiled. "So, where would you like to have your face on?"

Aurora didn’t answer that question immediately as her gaze grew thoughtful. And all of a sudden, a smile that reached her eyes appeared on her face.

"Instead of my face, can I have my name there?" She asked.

"Anything you want. But where would you like it?" Xander asked as he put her right foot down and straightened his back, his height towering over her figure as he gazed upon her softly.\

Chapter 203: Whatever His Wife Wants

At that moment, Xander asked a question and stood before her. Aurora swiftly moved to gently grab his member.

"I would love to have my name here," she said meeting his gaze with a sultry one as a playful smirk outlined her face.

Almost immediately, a hearty chuckle escaped Xander’s lips as he dipped his head backwards. "Sweetheart, you are asking me to die. Do you know that?"

"How so?" Aurora asked as she released his member at the same time. She liked genuinely curious to know how impossible it was to get a tattoo on his cock even though she had been joking about it in the first place.

’How would it kill him?’ she wondered.

Xander met her gaze as his laughter toned down a bit. He saw how curious she was and explained, "Sweetheart, tattoos are naturally painful and the depth to the skin is enough to leave scarring marks. Now, do you remember how my cock felt in your hands the first second you touched it?"

"Soft?" Aurora replied.

"Exactly. It was soft, then the next second after it’s touched, it becomes excited," Xander added. "Tell me how practical it is to get that needle into my skin?"

Though Xander asked that question, he did not give her a chance to give an answer.

"One, I can’t picture bringing out my cock for my fellow man or a woman to grab and draw a tattoo on it. Two, that place might become paralysed with a wrong move. And while I want to live my life pleasing you, I don’t want to do it with a dick that doesn’t work."

Aurora raised her brows in amusement as she finally understood. "I see... So, you prefer sex to any other thing."

Xander didn’t deny her statement. Instead, he said as he turned on the shower before drawing her under it so they could rinse off the soap lather on their bodies, "What else am I living for?"

Aurora chuckled heartily at his response and wrapped her arms around his waist.

---

Twenty minutes later, Aurora and Xander stepped out of the shower and grabbed towels to dry their bodies.

As Aurora wrapped a bathrobe around her body, Xander did the same before guiding her to sit in front of the mirror and take out a hand dryer to dry her wet hair.

"Are we going to sleep over at your family’s place?" Aurora asked as their gaze briefly met in the mirror.

"You are my family," Xander quickly corrected the notion with a smile.

Aurora nodded in agreement before changing her wording. "So, are we spending the night at your parents’ place?"

"Do you want to?" He threw a question back to her and then waited patiently for her response as his gaze returned to her hair.

"Well, you have never shown me around the place you grew up or the room you used to live in before you moved out. I’m genuinely curious about your childhood experiences."

Aurora didn’t know if a lack of time or something else was the problem, but as soon as she noticed this lack, she wanted to set things straight.

On the other hand, Xander thought Aurora was right and immediately agreed for them to spend the night at his family’s old house.

"Although there is nothing much to see since I practically didn’t grow up here, I would do you the honours of showing you everything about my childhood," Xander promised.

"Thank you," Aurora said with her gaze on him through the mirror as a megawatt smile rose to her lips.

She couldn’t wait to see all of Xander’s childhood pictures that she had never once set her eyes on. Unknown to her, he was fighting some difficult thoughts in his mind.

Xander hadn’t yet forgotten about his parents’ involvement in the chip found in Aurora’s head. He hadn’t forgiven them yet, hence the battle in his mind.

If it wasn’t for Aurora’s growing suspicion if he refused them visiting his parents to personally deliver the invitation letter or spending the night over, he would have given one excuse to cancel the trip.

But maturity and focusing on making his wife happy meant he should make himself uncomfortable to accommodate her wishes.

---

After drying Aurora’s hair, Xander excused himself. He went into their bedroom and picked up his phone to make two calls.

First, he called his family’s old house to inform the butler that he was coming home for dinner and a sleepover with his wife.

Secondly, he phoned Asher to pass on Aurora’s new instructions.

"My wife wants Olivia out of that house by any means possible before the end of today."

"Wow!" Asher exclaimed with surprise sizzling in his tone. "Your wife sounds pissed. Might I ask, who provoked her?"

Xander let out a deep sigh into the phone. "Take a guess. The answer is not far from what you are thinking."

"Mmm... I guess Olivia must have done something else to invoke her anger. Tell me what it is this time," Asher probed.

Knowing how peaceful Aurora was, he was right to think that she wouldn’t resort to violence unless she were pushed to the corners.

So, without holding back, Xander revealed the truth, proving how inhumane Olivia and her mother were. The truth shocked Asher to the core.

"Is that even possible?" he asked shortly after assimilating the news.

"With that mother and daughter pair, anything is possible, Asher." Xander let out a sigh. "Anyway, just do as my wife wants. You can set the forest or the house on fire if you have to."

At this point, Xander no longer cares if Olivia lives or dies. He just wanted her out of his wife’s life.

"I will do exactly as she wants," Asher assured him. "I will text you as soon as the target has been eliminated from the sight."

"Thank you," Xander said before terminating the call. Putting his phone away, he returned to the dressing room to join Aurora to get ready.

Chapter 204: Bonding Amidst Guilt

The Scott Family’s Old House.

A white Rolls Royce pulled up in front of the driveway. Then, Xander stepped out of the car before going to the other side to take Aurora’s hand.

Just then, the butler, who had been waiting right outside the building, approached them with a polite smile.

"Good evening, Mr. Scott. Mrs. Scott," he greeted with a deep bow. And as soon as he straightened his back, he gestured towards the entrance, leading the way.

Meanwhile, Nene and Liam who had come with the couple, grabbed the items in the car and followed after them.

Xander’s parents were already sitting together on a plush two-sitter couch in the living room, waiting when the butler led Aurora and Xander in.

"Mama, Papa," Aurora called respectfully with a warm smile that reached her eyes as she released her hand from Xander’s hold and made her way over.

"Oh, dear." Old Mrs. Scott was the first to react. She quickly helped herself up from the couch and spread her arms out, matching Aurora’s energy.

The two women hugged each other for a few seconds before separating.

"It’s good to see you again, Aurora," Old Mrs. Scott said, pulling away from her embrace as she leaned back to meet her gaze. "I heard you fixed this date."

"Yes," Aurora nodded in response.

At the same time, Old Mr. Scott rose from his seat as Aurora turned to him. "Welcome," he said while reaching out his right hand.

Almost immediately, Aurora took it and pressed a soft kiss at the back of his hand.

"Good evening, Papa," she greeted, just the way her mother-in-law had taught her the first time she came to visit.

"Welcome, daughter," Old Mr. Scott replied.

Then, Aurora turned her gaze to Xander who had just come up to stand next to her. He was a bit slow which made her think that he was probably trying to give her all the time to finish greeting his parents before he would come over.

"Mama," Xander called, his tone gentle like there weren’t any leftover grudges in his heart. At the same time, he took his mother’s right hand and kissed the back of her palm before gently letting it go.

Next, he turned to his father and did the same, and received a small encouraging pat on his shoulder.

The old couple exchanged subtle glances while having the same thoughts.

They both thought, "Has he forgiven us, or is this just some kind of a front because his wife is here?"

Unfortunately, no matter how curious they were about the answer to that question, they couldn’t get it. They especially couldn’t ask Xander about it.

Soon, everyone took their seats at the same time as Nene and Liam stepped in to put down the gifts Aurora brought with her.

"You didn’t have to," Old Mrs. Scott said with a kind smile. She wholeheartedly welcomed the bottles of champagne, as they were her favourites; the other gifts from Aurora were a little too much.

The old lady felt that Aurora didn’t have to waste her money on things they could get by themselves.

"I really do have to," Aurora said to her. "I see you as my Mum and Papa, as my Dad. I would have done this for my parents if they were still alive."

Instantly, the old lady was touched. "Thank you, Aurora. Your gifts are well received."

"We just didn’t want you to stress about it. But since it gives you joy to give to us, you are hereby permitted to continue," Old Mr. Scott said with a neutral expression on his face.

Aurora was excited and couldn’t help but start explaining the reason for her visit as soon as the old lady mentioned one more time how happy she was to see her.

"I had to take the initiative no matter how busy I am, not just to see you, but to personally invite you to my next product’s launch this Sunday. I take you and Papa dear to my heart, so your presence will gladden my heart and reassure me of the new parents I’ve found in you."

Aurora’s words warmed the old couple all the way to their hearts. While they were touched by her statement, which proved how much she valued them, they also couldn’t help but feel guilty about the other matter.

Aurora personally opened the special invitation box before them and took out the bottle of champagne along with the invitation card.

She handed the invitation card to her father-in-law with the bottle for him to examine, and together, the old couple went through it as she returned to her seat next to Xander.

Xander squeezed Aurora’s hand gently as his thumb finger traced the back of her hand in slow caresses. Although he looked like he was paying attention to the scene unfolding before him, he was deeply lost in thought.

His worries weren’t far off from what his parents were thinking.

On the other hand, his parents finished going through the invitation card before lifting their filled with pride.

"We were just going through the invitation to check the information for the venue and time for the event," Old Mrs. Scott said to Aurora.

"My wife and I have already decided to come to any event of yours as long as we are in perfect health and you want our presence," Old Mrs. Scott added.

Instantly, the corners of Aurora’s lips stretched into a wild grin.

"Thank you, Mama, Papa. I am grateful for your support," she said as her gaze moved from one person to another.

"You should be rest assured that you have a full, powerful family backing you up. There won’t be any slip-ups," Xander said suddenly, squeezing her hand gently as his gaze softened on her.

Aurora quickly tilted her head to the side and flashed her white teeth at him. "Thank you, Darling."

Her gaze held a deep gratitude as if it wasn’t for him, she would have perished long ago at the hands of her enemies.

Xander shook his gaze subtly and returned her smile.

Meanwhile, his parents exchanged another glance before returning their attention. Although it wasn’t quite known if they were uncomfortable with Xander’s statement about the slip-ups he mentioned, but they were both eager to change the conversation.

"Thank you, daughter, for this bottle," Old Mr. Scott said with a notable smile aimed at Aurora. "We will use it tonight."

At the same time, old Mrs. Scott added, "Dinner is served already. We should head over to the dining hall."

---

Dinner went on amicably with Xander’s mother bonding relatively with Aurora while Xander and his father watched from the side.

Both men only chipped in one or two words once in a while when needed. But apart from that, the women owned the conversation.

As old Mrs. Scott’s laughter died down a bit, she fixed her gaze on Aurora and said meaningfully, "Dear, although I haven’t said this before, I want you to know that my husband and I are happy to have you join our family. Our son has changed positively for the greater good since you came into his life. Thank you for influencing him."

"I-I didn’t do anything," Aurora said with a soft chuckle. Although she didn’t know how or who Xander used to be before they met, she didn’t want to admit that she had that much power over him.

On the other hand, the old lady didn’t care of she was trying to be polite or not, and went on to defend her statement.

"Really. I am not making such statement to please you. I know my son. I used to wonder if blood ran through his veins, but thanks to you giving him a chance to love on you, it has been proven that blood actually flowers through his veins and not liquid metal."

This statement threw Aurora into a fit of laughter as she gauged the old couple’s reaction before turning to give Xander a stare.

There on Xander’s lips, laid a small smile. "You seem to be having a lot of fun with your husband being roasted," he said to her.

"I don’t understand what you mean by that," Aurora denied and picked up her cutlery. This brought smiles to the faces of the old couple.

They really loved the harmonious atmosphere and prayed that things will remain that way.

---

There was something Aurora noted in the past away since she arrived at the Scott family’s old house. It was the fact that Xander’s parents cherished each other so much to the point that they acknowledged each other in every conversation.

Aurora also noted that it was just the way Xander was around her. He liked to tell other people, even in her presence, ’My wife and I’.

It seemed that slogan was picked up from his father which is a good one.

During dinner, the two couples, young and old, popped the champagne to have their first taste of it.

Chapter 205: Little Doubts

Xander’s parents both enjoyed the champagne and had two takes on the taste. And Aurora appreciated their ratings, as their praises meant a lot to her.

After dinner, an opportunity presented itself for Aurora and Old Mrs. Scott to be alone.

The old lady mentioned her priceless dish collection, which she had never touched since she got them over fifty years ago. Aurora seemed invested, so she took her into the well-furnished kitchen.

"Wow!" Aurora’s eyes glowed as soon as she set her eyes on the exquisite, polished, fine dishes. She hadn’t seen anything like that in her life. "Now, I get why you’ve never touched them."

"Right?" Old Mrs. Scott smiled before moving on to lift one of the soup bowls to show her carefully. "You are the only one who understands me."

Aurora nodded in response as she appreciated the wares. "These dishes are a work of art, and eating with a work of art is an abomination."

Almost immediately, the old lady leaned in and said in a hushed tone, "I told that to my husband, but he never agreed with me. He simply doesn’t understand that not every dish is meant to be used."

Instantly, a soft chuckle escaped Aurora’s lips. Indeed, not all men would ever understand why women are like that. From the men’s perspective, it was crazy weird for women to appreciate stuff like that.

How could one spend thousands of dollars on culinary wares and only use them as a decorative piece? What is the essence of buying them in the first place?

Old Mrs. Scott wasn’t yet done venting her grievances now that she had someone like Aurora who appreciated and supported her actions.

"He always has a different idea regarding stuff like this, but can you believe he has about five vintage cars from the 1940s in his garage collection that he has never driven? But he doesn’t think what I deem important is worth it."

As the old lady made that statement, she rolled her eyes. Aurora couldn’t help chuckling at that.

She could sense the old lady’s love for her husband despite her current anger at him for belittling her own little collection.

"Mama, men will be men, and women will always be women. Nobody can change that fact," Aurora said with a smile that reached her eyes.

Fortunately, the old lady agreed with her and decided to end the conversation. While she was returning the wares to the shelf, a thought came to her mind. Instantly, she lost the smile on her face.

As soon as she straightened her back, she took Aurora’s hand and fixed her gaze on her. "Aurora dear, I have something important to inform you, but I don’t know how you will see us from today."

The smile on Aurora’s face slowly disappeared as she noticed the change in the old lady’s aura. Aurora quickly paid close attention to the hint of seriousness on her face.

"What is it, mama?" she inquired with a slight furrow in her brows as her mind wandered through different scenarios of the important conversation they were about to have.

Truth be told, Aurora was a bit nervous. She only hoped that whatever her mother-in-law was about to tell her wouldn’t break her.

Old Mrs. Scott released a deep sigh, her gaze never leaving Aurora’s. Having made up her mind, her lips parted. But just then, Xander’s sudden presence interrupted them.

"Sweetheart, I think we should take a walk while I show you around the house," Xander said as he walked towards them with an oblivious smile on his lips.

Immediately, something felt weird about his actions to Xander. The husband she knew wouldn’t blindly interrupt any conversation, even if he was unaware.

The man she knew should have walked in with curiosity laced in his brows and probed, regarding the topic they were chatting about.

"Oh..." Aurora drawled as she glanced at him before shifting her gaze back to the old lady. "Mama, we will continue our chat later," she assured her with a smile.

"Mmm." Old Mrs. Scott nodded with a small smile on her lips and patted the back of her hand. "Go ahead. Follow your husband," she added before releasing her hand.

Aurora bowed slightly in respect before taking Xander’s hand and letting him lead her away.

’Is this true or am I just being paranoid? It seems like Xander just stopped his mother from telling me whatever she had in mind."

Almost immediately, Aurora shook her head, practically banning that thought. She thought there wasn’t a way Xander would try to hide something from her, given how close they had become.

’I must be overthinking things,’ Aurora concluded to herself as she withdrew her gaze from Xander’s side profile.

---

The House in the Woods.

After Olivia had eaten her meal, she prepared a bath for herself and got into the tub with a glass of juice in her hand.

As soon as her tensed back made contact with the warm water, her nerves began to relax. And as she leaned back in the tub with her eyes shut, a soft exhale escaped her lips.

"I haven’t had this much peace in a long time," she mumbled to herself as the water began to soothe her back. "I should do this often."

Olivia seemed to have forgotten that she was kidnapped in the first place and decided to think that she had escaped from the stress and embarrassment and come down to the woods to renew her mind and her strength.

"I should really see how long those lunch packs can last me," she said as her lashes slowly patted.

A small smile hung at the corner of Olivia’s lips as she sipped from her glass of juice. Suddenly, a minute later, she heard a loud bang. Her brows furrowed slightly. Soon, she forgot about the gunshot sound and went back to soaking in the tub.

But the next five seconds later, the series of loud gunshot sounds jolted her out of the tub. The glass of juice in her hand slipped and shattered into pieces.