Ch. 221..225: Trapped in a Secret Marriage with a Dangerous Billionaire Chapter 221-225

Chapter 221: The Citrus Champagne Launch

Stephanie forcefully held Stella down with a dark gaze, not even giving her the slightest chance to move an inch or say a word. But when the latter tried to prove stubborn, she slapped her across her face.

Stella held her cheek, and could only stare at Stephanie with horror written all over her face as fear gripped her nerves. She was too stunned to ask what was going on and why she was hit.

"Stella, listen to me carefully," Stephanie said in a frightening tone with malice dripping over it. "If it is confirmed lawfully and officially, that you murdered my brother, I will either set you and your daughter ablaze or bury you alive and send her to the mental asylum! But I will help you pray the court rules in your favour."

Stephanie’s move was unexpected and shocking at the same time, and even after she freed Stella and walked away, the latter was still in a state of shock.

Stella gasped as her back slid down the wall. She couldn’t believe what just happened. She was filled with fear and a little confusion at the brink of fading away.

It took her a moment to realise that Stephanie knew something. Finally, one of her worst fears had become a reality.

Although she couldn’t say for sure how much Stephanie knew she thought that if she had the whole clue of her crimes, nothing would have stopped her from killing her right now.

"No, no, no. I-I C-can’t..." Stella stumbled over her words as her fingers gently massaged her neck, her eyes darting across the hallway.

Stella fled to her bedroom and immediately started making calls.

"How long will it take you to find a buyer for the properties? Look, I don’t have time. I need to reinvest that money. What do you mean the price is on the high, shouldn’t it be so, given the location? All right. 25% off max. Yes. I need the money by next weekend. Is it doable? Good."

Stella let out an exasperated sigh as she dropped her phone on the bed and paced around her bedroom with her fingers in her hair.

She was so frightened and apprehensive that she couldn’t sit at a place. But that was the least of her problems. Her main concern was making a mistake in this state.

"I think I have to sell my jewellery pieces," she mumbled to herself. And with that, she dashed into her dressing room and went straight for her jewellery showcase.

She stared at everything she’d got and grabbed the most expensive pieces. She threw them inside one of her YSL big black handbags and left.

From the balcony upstairs, Stephanie stood with her hands behind her back as she watched Stella’s car leave the driveway.

"Keep an eye on her. I don’t want to ever hear you don’t know where she is," she said to the butler.

"Yes, Ma’am." The butler bowed politely and took a step back.

***

Finally, the day arrived for Aurora’s Citrus Fruits Punch Champagne.

The red carpet event started at 6 PM, and many guests arrived at the venue on time, mostly with their partners.

Today’s champagne launch had a different theme and lineup of events. It was definitely different from the first champagne launch.

This evening, Aurora didn’t make it about her even though the night exclusively belonged to her. Unlike last time, she came in with her arm draped on Xander’s arm. And they had walked in like any other couple.

But even at that, heads turned in their direction with admiration on their lips as this was the first formal event the couple were attending together after the news of their marriage blew across the internet.

The State dinner event with the royal family of Octavia doesn’t count.

As soon as Aurora and Xander walked in, she took him to the first row of tables to greet her Aunt and formally introduce him to the Vintage Cellar board of directors and some of their business partners.

As the LIVE orchestra played, the beautiful couple went from table to table with a glass of champagne each, greeting every face.

"You look so beautiful tonight," a familiar face complimented Aurora, her eyes glowing with admiration as they hugged.

"Thank you," Aurora replied with a sweet smile as she leaned back. After a few seconds chat, she took Xander’s hands and left.

"I think I owe Asher a grand for making me look beautiful tonight," Aurora whispered to Xander as they started walking back to their table at the forefront.

Hearing that, he smiled. "My wife has always been beautiful. Asher should be the one thanking you for allowing him the opportunity to dress you. You are a socialite and businesswoman advertising his brand. And let’s not forget, you are Mrs. Scott."

Aurora lifted a brow at his shameless pride and praise, and for a moment, she burst into a soft chuckle and used the back of her hand to stifle it.

Tonight, she looked incredibly beautiful with minimal makeup that highlighted her soft facial features. She was simple yet stunning, like a breath of fresh air.

"Sweetheart, don’t make fun of me." Xander narrowed his eyes a bit as he released her hand and quickly moved to put his hand on her waist. "Otherwise, I will have you rolling in a fit of laughter. Do you want the attention?"

Aurora didn’t want to be tickled, so she stood down.

As the music continued to play, Aurora and Xander settled at their own table with more guests arriving.

Just like Aurora had pre-planned, Stephanie sat at a different table with Vintage Cellar’s business partners.

Soon, Abigail arrived, followed by Asher. Aurora couldn’t help smiling as she embraced her best friend.

"Aura, you look beautiful and ready to be eaten clean," Abigail whispered with a sweet smile before releasing her from the hug.

Heart crept up Aurora’s lips. She badly wanted to pinch Abigail’s lips. Unfortunately, they were at her public event. So, she couldn’t make that move. Instead, she narrowed her eyes a bit in warning, still with a smile on her lips.

Chapter 222: A Never-Ending Jealousy

While Aurora greeted Asher in a friendly hug, Abigail greeted Xander with a handshake. Finally, they all settled down at their table.

"Did you two come together?" Aurora asked as two waiters came by their table to serve more glasses of champagne and a platter of sweet melon slices and some nuts.

"No, we didn’t." Abigail glanced at Asher and rolled her eyes before shifting her gaze back to Aurora. "Since you didn’t ask him to pick me up, he didn’t. We met coincidentally at the parking lot and walked into the hall together."

Aurora shook her head as she exchanged subtle glances with Xander. She felt that her best friend was giving her a complaint right now, but she could do nothing about it.

"If you want to be treated like a queen all the time by me, you have to earn the position in my heart," Asher said, and almost immediately, the three pairs of eyes fell on him.

"What?" he asked, staring at them. In the end, none of them said a word, but Abigail had to be the only one making a move.

She grabbed a melon slice from the plate before her and pushed it into his mouth. "You look more handsome when you keep your mouth shut."

As Aurora watched them, she noticed how much their relationship had improved and wondered if something might happen between them in the future.

Aurora wanted to share her thoughts with Xander, but it wasn’t convenient as they were all sitting at the same table.

---

As the minutes passed, more guests, including the mother and daughter pair, arrived.

It wouldn’t look good on their PR if they were absent since their family owned Vintage Cellar, so Stephanie gave them the invitation and ordered them to attend.

Olivia and Stella received curious glances from when they stepped into the hall until they settled at their table in the first row. But Stella had to stop at a few tables to greet her friends and acquaintances.

Although she was dressed expensively and adorned with gold jewellery, something was off about her aura as she sat on her seat with a half smile on her lips.

"Aura, did you invite them here?" Abigail asked as her mood dropped. She most definitely hated this mother and daughter more than Aurora did.

"Aunt Stephanie did," Aurora replied, picking her glass of champagne to drag a few sips.

"It’s good they are here," Xander said, swirling his glass of champagne. "They will remain uncomfortable until today’s event comes to an end."

A second later, Abigail agreed with Xander’s perspective. "Aurora’s success must be a slap to their face. Let them enjoy tonight’s event and eat everything from the hands of their common enemy."

A few minutes before the champagne launch officially kicked off, Rachel Lee arrived and found her place at the table before the Major’s arrival.

"The Major has arrived," Xander whispered to Aurora who was making small talks with Rachel and immediately, she followed his gaze to see the man walking behind an usher, towards their table.

As if in sync, everyone at their table and neighbouring tables stood to greet him.

Major Walker politely nodded and waved at others before stopping at Aurora’s table. As his eyes took in their appearances, he responded to their greetings politely.

Xander pulled out a seat next to him for the Major before taking his own seat.

"I almost thought you wouldn’t make it to my event, Major," Aurora said to the Major with a small smile on her lips that didn’t reach her eyes.

"Alexander is a friend. I would honour his invite if I’m available," Major Walker replied.

Aurora nodded before taking her eyes off him. And throughout the duration of the event she didn’t utter another word to him, which confused Xander.

He didn’t understand why she would invite that man and ignore him throughout the night. But whatever her plans were, he just had to sit back and watch them okay out.

Shortly after, Xander’s parents arrived. And they walked into the hall at the same time the MC stepped on the stage, so he had to acknowledge their presence.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please let’s acknowledge the presence of one of the founding families of Wing City, Mr. Lawrence Scott and his beautiful wife, Dr. (Mrs.) Margaret Scott."

Men and women stood in their numbers and clapped their hands with big smiles on their faces as the old couple walked past them to their table in the first row.

"It is a delight and an honour to meet the patriarch and matriarch of the Scott family after over ten years of stepping out of the limelight..." The MC continued his introduction until the old couple finally took their seats.

Aurora and Xander had gone to meet them halfway and escort them all the way to the roundabout table beside theirs.

Meanwhile, Olivia clenched her fists under the table. Watching Aurora get the attention of all the people in the room hurt her emotionally to the extent that she began to feel the pain physically.

"You shouldn’t have let her grow up," Olivia whispered to her mother in a hushed tone. "You should have ended her life when you had the easiest opportunity instead of letting her grow in misery only to bask in this glory."

Stella was alarmed by Olivia’s bold, ugly words. She had to pinch her thighs, signalling her to shut her mouth.

What if others at their table heard her?

Olivia’s brows furrowed as she glared at her mother for a moment before looking away. She was mad not just at one person but at everyone.

For a moment, she thought about the possibility of burning herself along with everyone in that room.

Olivia had been ignored from the time she arrived. No one wanted to greet or acknowledge her presence as if she was the worst existence on earth. But the others did greet her mother right in her face.

The painful feeling of being ignored sowed an ugly seed in Olivia’s heart, and she couldn’t wait to get back at everyone who caused her to be in this state, starting with her mother.

As Olivia came to that conclusion, she spared her mother a glance and looked away the next second, only to see Owen sitting in the third row with a glass of champagne in his hand.

Immediately, she stood up from her seat, gnashing her teeth.

Chapter 223: A Test from Aurora?

Stella and everyone at their table were shocked by Olivia’s abrupt attitude. And they couldn’t help watching.

Olivia stared angrily at Owen, already picturing swinging her hand across his face. But just when she had pushed her seat with the back of her knees, her mother grasped her hand firmly.

"Sit down," Stella ordered through gritted teeth, her smile worse than a grimace, as she felt the gazes of everyone at their table on them.

Immediately, Olivia glanced at her, her nose flaring. She didn’t look ready to listen to her, so Stella had no choice but to mouth, "If you don’t want to die by your mother’s hands, sit down."

Although Stella was aware that there might be a high chance of her own future being ruined, that doesn’t mean she would want the same for her daughter.

Olivia was very stubborn and didn’t know or care what was at stake here. But luckily, she was here to keep her in check.

After exchanging heated glances with her mother, Olivia had no other choice but to sit back down on her chair.

She shut her eyes and palmed her face as her ragged breathing continued.

’Why did they have to invite him here to get on my nerves!’ Olivia groaned inwardly, feeling the vibration of her fingers on her face.

She was beyond livid with anger and could barely control it. If not for the lot of eyes on her right now, coupled with her past reputation in ruin and the death threat, she would have long made a move.

Owen seemed to be the trigger for her madness. And from the look of things, she definitely won’t stay put until she teaches Owen a lesson and gets herself in trouble, too.

Meanwhile, Stella kept her eyes on her and even offered her a fresh champagne glass. "Think of the future," she reminded her in a whisper.

Olivia glared at the liquid in the glass before slowly accepting it while still struggling to calm her raging emotions.

On the other hand, the MC continued to run down events according to the card in his hand. He livened the mood with jokes that caused even the most stoic face to crack, except for Olivia and Stella.

Stella was in the right state to worry about the death sentence that awaited her if she didn’t manage to leave Wing City before she was caught and locked up, while Olivia was simply a psychopath at the moment.

Her gaze was currently burning a hole through the back of Owen’s forehead, thinking of different creative ways to murder him.

But it either Owen completely had no idea that someone was watching him intently or simply didn’t give a fuck.

Who knows? He might be aware that Olivia was watching him.

Regardless of this pathetic couple’s thoughts, the programme continued with different entertainment tactics while the waiters served every guest an endless array of continental dishes, exotic fruits, and expensive wines.

There was so much to eat and drink tonight that the guests’ mouths kept moving. While the food kept them busy, they were in no way distracted from the main programme.

Suddenly, having watched the Major drink only the champagne Xander handed him and not touch anything else on their table, Aurora used a thing to pick some desserts from the tower platter at the centre of their table before stretching her hand to place it right in front of him.

And no, Aurora was in no way worried about that man. She just couldn’t stand the fact that he was being very discreet at her table and at her event in general. So, she purposely served him some desserts to see if he would eat them.

Everyone at their table observed Aurora’s actions well. But Xander and Asher were more shocked than confused, unlike Abigail.

"Sweetheart, Major Walker doesn’t eat at public events," Xander finally said, ending the silence that stretched between them.

He had to answer for the Major, fearing that Aurora would flip out if he did so by himself since she was already very mad at him.

"Really?" Aurora probed with a small smile before shifting her gaze to the Major who hadn’t made any move to touch any of the snacks she served him.

Finally, Major Walker let out a soft sigh and was about to speak kindly to her when she turned her attention to her husband.

"That’s fine. Darling, we can eat them then," she said, casually asking him to grab the plate of desserts and set it in front of them.

Xander reluctantly obeyed her command, and as he did so, he locked eyes with Asher, who was obviously biting back a laugh.

But seeing that Aurora was about to lose her calm and composure, Xander leaned in to whisper something in her ear. Three seconds later, he leaned away.

Aurora had to go up on stage an hour and a half later to address the guests. She appreciated their sacrifice and presence at Vintage Cellar’s new champagne launch.

She talked about what drove her passion and the consistency with it, plus Vintage Cellar’s aim.

Lastly, before Aurora got off the stage, she showed her deepest appreciation to everyone, thanking them for their support, but then, she had to start with Xander.

"I want to use this special opportunity to thank my Darling husband, Xander, for his support. I must say, he is the source of my inspiration... My Aunt, the Chairwoman of Vintage Cellar has time without number, proved her great leadership by recognizing great potentials..."

Aurora took in a deep breath, pausing for a moment before continuing, "I want to thank my late father, Adam Swift. He first believed in me and gave me the opportunity and platform to be who I am today. I wish he was still alive to witness the growth of that little girl he once held her hand and thought everything he knew about wine brewing."

Aurora recognized Adam as her father while pointing out his great exemplary impact on her life. She mentioned how much she missed him even though he was in a better place.

Then, lastly, she thanked everyone for showing up and being a part of her big memory.

Aurora passed the microphone back to the MC who took it and continued while she returned to her table as many eyes followed her.

"That was a good speech, Aura! Well done," Abigail said supportively, giving her a thumbs-up.

Asher and Rachel Lee congratulated her, showing their support while Xander gently squeezed her hand.

As for the Major, he didn’t utter a word, only managing a small smile. In fact, he seemed so out of place at their table, almost making his presence insignificant.

Who knows if Aurora had invited him purposely just to show him this?

Chapter 224: An Arrest Warrant

At long last, tonight’s event ended with every guest receiving another premium package courtesy of Vintage Cellar.

Just as Major Walker stood up and shook hands with Xander who was thanking him for his presence, Aurora finally appeared.

"Thank you, Major, for honouring my invitation this evening. I deeply appreciate your presence," she said with a pretty smile as she reached her delicate hand out for a handshake.

Major Walker firmly shook her hand with a polite smile, and as he withdrew his hand, Aurora’s smile grew brighter.

"I’m going to start a foundation for abandoned children. And when that time comes to kick-start this project, I will need your support if you don’t mind."

Xander almost snapped his gaze at her, hearing this surprising project he was only hearing for the first time. His gaze faltered as he smoothly glanced at her before directing his gaze back to the Major. And not even his expression shifted.

"Oh, that is very nice of you. I love philanthropists and love to support them in my own little way," Major Walker replied, expressing his interest. "When the time comes, your husband should reach out to me."

Hearing their conversation from the side, Rachel Lee stepped in with interest and asked Aurora what drove this passion of hers. "... If you don’t mind me asking."

Instantly, Aurora’s eyes glowed. Her joy knew no bounds. She has been hoping for someone to ask her that question so she could use the opportunity to give the Major a piece of her mind.

"It’s no trouble. I just happened to know someone whose father abandoned her when she was a toddler with her mother and never appeared in front of them again. This lady soon lost her mother three years later and was raised by her mother’s husband. Although maltreated by someone in the family, she grew up well."

"Oh... I’m happy for her," Rachel said, placing a hand on her heart. She then went on to say that Vogue would love to cover that story and also her philanthropic movement.

Meanwhile, Xander hid a smirk under his champagne glass as he watched the Major shift uncomfortably on his feet.

Serves him right.

At long last, the Major took his leave, with Aurora refocusing her attention on her best friend who was about to leave.

"I’m taking Asher for the night since he didn’t bring me here," Abigail said. Without waiting for any of them to say a word, she grabbed Asher’s hand and dragged him away.

As Aurora stood beside Xander, she watched the two walking away and narrowed her eyes. "Why do I feel like there is a kind of heated sexual tension between them?"

"True," Xander added, and their gazes immediately met.

"Abby has got to be kidding me," Aurora said, her nose flaring as she looked ready to chase after them. But Xander stopped her.

He shook his head and said to her, "It’s not your business. They are adults. And besides, you still have very important guests to bid ’byes’ to."

At his reminder, Aurora let out a deep sigh and followed him.

On the other hand, Stella didn’t know when Olivia slipped away from their table after a brief moment with a friend who stopped by to greet her before leaving.

"This girl!" Stella clenched her fists as her gaze swept the room, still half-filled with people.

Meanwhile, Olivia, who noticed Owen leaving and immediately followed him discreetly, found him outside the building with his hands pocketed in his pants.

"Oh, bastard. I’m so going to fucking embarrass you!" She promised before quickly matching towards him with her raging emotions.

But just five steps away from him, as she was planning to launch an attack on him behind, more than five bodyguards swarm into her view, immediately forcing her to a stop.

At the same time, Owen turned around with a small frown on his face. But a few seconds later, he scoffed at her and walked away.

It seemed he had been anticipating her madness when he got the information that she would be present at the champagne launch.

It pained Olivia so much that she could do nothing to Owen, even when he was right in front of her. She was so livid with anger that she watched him walk away. She equally bit her tongue while biting her lower lip.

Unknown to her, even her mother was in support of Owen’s actions otherwise it would have been difficult to protect her anymore if she had succeeded with her plans.

"How can I trust that you will be fine without me?" Stella said anxiously to herself as she watched Olivia clenching and unclenching her fists.

---

Aurora was more than tipsy by the time she got home with Xander. And he had to carry her princess-style up to their bedroom.

"Do you want to make a baby with me tonight?" she asked invitingly as he settled her on the bed and squatted in front of her to take off her shoes.

"Is this your new method of trying to get me into your bed?" Xander chuckled as he picked up her shoes and straightened his back.

The woman in front of him squirmed, not appreciating his response. "Guy, I am literally giving you a VIP gold express card and you aren’t taking it? Who are you to reject it?"

Xander laughed heartily at the way her words came out slurred. He could tell she must be having the best time of her life.

He put her shoes aside and returned to her. Then he got to her eye level and said to her, "If we have sex tonight, you are going to end up with a baby. And that’s not what the gynae wants."

"I don’t care what anybody wants. You should listen to me," Aurora retorted as she put her hands on him.

***

Two weeks later,

One hot afternoon at the police station, one of the detectives rushed into Detective Woods’ office with a stack of papers in his hands.

"Detective Woods, we have finally found the evidence that links Stella Swift’s ownership to that offshore account!" he announced as soon as he rushed in.

"That fast? Let me see!" Detective Woods demanded as lines appeared on his forehead. He cross-checked the facts on those papers himself before slowly smiling.

The evidence was right there in his face, and it took him a moment to take everything in. Finally, he lifted his head.

"What are you waiting for? Apply for an arrest warrant for Mrs. Stella Swift immediately!"

Chapter 225: A Mysterious Case

~One Month Later~

It’s been a month since Aurora’s spectacular Citrus Fruit Punch Champagne launch, which has surprisingly still been the talk of town.

Its sparkling goodness and citrus flavour seem to be a new taste, well suited to a majority of palates.

But while the hype about Aurora’s brand keeps growing daily, all thanks to a massive loyal fan of supporters, including the socialites, it’s also been, unfortunately, a month since Stella went missing.

Unexpectedly, she vanished without a trace on the same day the police got the arrest warrant and travelled to the Swift Family’s Residence to arrest her.

It’s also shocking to note how possible it was for someone to disappear without a trace after going into a spa despite being on the watch of three different teams.

People from Xander’s, Stephanie’s, and the Police have been keeping an eye on Stella, yet she managed to disappear right under their noses.

Since then, none of them have been able to give the sudden turn of events a break. They refused to give up and have been working separately to find answers as disappointment and regrets gnawed at them.

---

Xander’s Residence.

It’s Friday. After a hard day of work at the office, Xander returned home and went straight to his study to continue some of his private business after learning that Aurora was taking a nap.

As Xander sat behind his desk, he opened his laptop and had just opened a document when the ringing sound from his phone caught his attention.

Viewing the name on the screen, he slid his finger across the screen to take the call.

"Hey, Asher!" Xander greeted, placing the phone on his left ear as a sigh escaped his lips. His voice was dull, pointing at his lack of contentment due to the serious case he had at hand.

"You sound like you’ve been run over by a truck. No news yet?" Asher inquired with a tinge of curiosity missed with concern in his tone.

"Nothing yet," Xander replied, leaning against his leather seat, his gaze falling on the shelf of books. "Liam has been working on it. I believe he would have some answers when he returns this evening."

There was a two-second silence before Asher replied, "I am around your area and should drop by in ten minutes. We can go through whatever Liam brings and join heads to make some deductions."

Xander had no contrary objectives. He appreciated his best friend’s help and looked forward to their meeting.

Xander terminated the call and put his phone down. He glanced at his laptop and tugged at his tie. He was completely unable to focus and get back to work.

In the end, he got up, picked up his phone and left his study for the bedroom. Surprisingly, Aurora was awake when he walked in.

"Hey!" Aurora greeted with a tired smile, holding a cup of tea in her hands as her gaze followed him to the bedside.

"Hey!" Xander smiled back at her as he felt suddenly relieved from his tensed muscles. Seeing his wife was enough to make him forget his worries.

"Did you just come back?" Aurora asked before sipping her mint tea while peeping from the small gap.

Xander shook his head, leaning in to kiss her forehead softly. "I came back a while ago and heard you were sleeping, so I decided to go to the study to work for a bit."

"I know you didn’t want to disturb me, but I was in a very deep sleep and didn’t even know when Nene brought tea into the room." Aurora’s eyes slit into crescent moons as she set her teacup down on the saucer next to her on the lampstand.

Contrary to Xander’s sour mood, Aurora didn’t seem the least bit worried about her stepmother’s disappearance now. However, she had been furious when she learned about it a month ago.

"It’s fine." Xander leaned in to kiss her lips softly this time around before straightening his back. "How was your day?"

"Urrghh." Aurora let out a groan, shutting her eyes briefly. "Exhausting. I felt my bones about to break after working nonstop all morning. I had to leave work thirty minutes before time."

Xander caressed her left cheek with his thumb while smiling down at her. "It’s good to be a boss. Being in control of your schedule is one of the best feelings ever."

"I guess you are right," Aurora mentioned as she leaned into his palm, letting it cradle her cheek. They both stayed in that position for almost a minute long before Aurora broke the silence and leaned away.

"You should go take a shower," she said to him, pushing a few strands of her hair behind her ears.

As soon as she said that, Xander remembered that Asher was on his way and hurriedly mentioned it to her.

"I think I will be running a little late," Xander said, hinting at taking a while in the shower. He also needed some time in there to think to himself.

Aurora pushed the duvet off her body and got to her feet. "I will see what snacks the kitchen has, but first, let me pick something for you to wear from the closet."

Although Xander felt Aurora should be resting after complaining about exhaustion, he couldn’t help smiling, knowing she wanted to help him.

As Xander took off his clothes in the walk-in closet and headed straight for the bathroom, Aurora dropped his dirty outfit in the laundry basket before going through his wardrobe to select something casual for the evening.

She arranged the clothes on the plush couch before leaving the room.

"Nene, what kind of snacks do we have here?" Aurora asked after almost bumping into her just as she exited the stairs and took a turn.

Nene quickly followed Aurora, matching her steps as she responded to her question, "We have cookies, fruit and vegetable salad, cake cutlets and fish fingers. Are you hungry?"

"No, I wasn’t. But now, I am." Aurora said, leading the way into the kitchen.

Nene smiled, shaking her head, as the chefs and servants in the kitchen stopped for a moment to acknowledge their presence before continuing with their work.

"Would you like some fish fingers with mayonnaise and ketchup sauce?" Nene asked, peeping at Aurora, whose gaze wandered around the kitchen, looking for something she had no idea about.

"Yes," Aurora consented. "And I would love some hot chicken wings before I finish the fish fingers," she added and turned to Nene just to make sure she understood.

On the other hand, while Aurora insisted on sitting on the kitchen island and waiting for her snacks, despite how busy it was, Nene made sure to attend to her order.

"Asher will be coming over and might stay for dinner. Make something sumptuous," Aurora said to the chef as if the meals they prepared hadn’t always been sumptuous.

But she did know the reason she had to make the reminder. She wanted to properly serve her husband’s best friend and make him comfortable.

Who knows what nudged this extra soft spot in her today?

Nene microwaved some of the fish fingers while one of the chefs quickly made the dipping sauce. Two minutes later, they were served in front of Aurora.

"Ma’am, are you sure you don’t want to eat in the dining room?" Nene inquired calmly before glancing around and moving her gaze back to her. She was worried for her comfort, but it seemed like Aurora was very well settled in.

"Don’t worry about me. I can deal with the noise. It’s more lively here," Aurora said, meeting her gaze. "And I will leave after my hot chicken wings are ready."

At her insistence, Nene had no choice but to leave her side for a moment after serving her a glass of chilled pineapple juice.

Worried for her mistress, Nene hurried one of the chefs up with the hot wings, and a few minutes later, it was ready, just as Asher arrived. And since Xander was still upstairs, Aurora left with her snacks to keep Asher company.

Two minutes later, Aurora pushed the plate of snacks in front of her a bit. "Asher, these fish fingers are delicious. Please join me while they bring yours. You can try the hot wings as well."

The way Aurora stared at Asher surprised him, aside from the fact that she had just invited him to eat from the same plate. That doesn’t seem normal.

Was she really okay with that?

Still, he smiled and lifted his palms, trying to make an excuse about his dirty hands. Just then, a servant walked in with a bowl of water and stopped in front of him.

"Okay, thank you." He chuckled awkwardly and went on to wash his hands and dry them with a clean towel before moving to the end of the long couch he was sitting on.

Then, without wasting a second, he picked one of the fish fingers and took a big bite. As soon as the flavours hit, surprise-filled his eyes. "Umm... This is good."

"I told you." Aurora smiled before pointing at the dipping sauce. "Try it with the sauce."