Ch. 51..55: Trapped in a Secret Marriage with a Dangerous Billionaire Chapter 51-55
Chapter 51: Her Safe Haven
The next morning, Aurora packed her bag and forced her way out of her bedroom with puffy eyes.
"Miss, you are not allowed to leave until you have recovered." one of the male domestic staff said, blocking her path with his arm. "It’s your father’s orders."
Aurora glanced at his hand before moving her gaze to his face. "Tell him that I said I would die if I don’t leave."
Adam exhaled deeply after he got the message and permitted Aurora to leave. Minutes passed before he stood at the window, hands tucked into his pockets, watching as she loaded her car and drove away.
Only when her vehicle vanished from view did he return to his desk, sinking into profound contemplation.
Time ticked by, and eventually, Adam rose from his chair and approached the shelf behind him. He retrieved a key from his pocket and unlocked the left cabinet door, revealing a safe within.
For a moment, he hesitated before entering his password and scanning his thumbprints to unlock the safe. Inside, a square-shaped box awaited.
"Evelyn, what do I do?" Adam whispered, his voice laced with turmoil.
In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to retrieve the box’s contents. With a heavy heart, Adam closed the safe, locked the cabinet, and exited his study.
On the other hand, Olivia heard Aurora had left and went to report to her mother. "Dad allowed her to leave. I don’t think she is going to come back here again."
"It would have been better if she came home every weekend. That’s the only way I can keep a close watch on her." Sniggering, Stella continued, "The people I paid to keep an eye on her keep disappearing."
Olivia’s concern deepened. "Mum, Dad must be behind it and maybe chose to deal with you differently." Her voice trembled. "I think you should quit this method before he takes it out on us."
Stella has known Adam for so many years but even if she felt this method wasn’t his style, she couldn’t prove it and had no choice but to resign to the fact laid out in front of her.
---
Aurora cried the entire drive back to Xander’s residence. Her tears blurred her vision so many times she lost count of how often she veered into the wrong lane or stopped at green lights.
When she finally arrived home, Nene gasped in shock as she met her at the door, her face filled with horror.
"Ma’am, what happened?" Nene asked, her eyes taking in Aurora’s puffy eyes, dark circles, and pale complexion. She noticed that Aurora seemed to have lost weight overnight.
Seeing how fragile she looked, Nene gently guided Aurora to the master bedroom. She brought an ice pack to soothe her swollen eyes before preparing a warm, scented bath.
Aurora sat in the tub, completely dazed, barely reacting, prompting Nene to help wash her. Once bathed, Aurora slipped into the simple nightdress Nene had laid out and sat at the dresser while Nene dried her hair, oiled it, and combed each strand with care.
"Ma’am, what happened to you?" Nene asked again, her voice filled with concern as she watched Aurora through the mirror.
Aurora remained silent until Nene finished her hair, then finally looked at her through the mirror, her face blank, devoid of any emotion.
"What would you do," Aurora began quietly, her voice hollow, "if you discovered that your entire existence was built on a lie?"
Nene’s brows furrowed, confusion flickering across her face as she tried to grasp the depth of the question. She stared at Aurora, who now looked more like a lifeless doll than the vibrant woman she once knew.
Without waiting for an answer, Aurora continued, her voice barely a whisper. "What would you do if the man you’ve called ’father’ your whole life... wasn’t your real father?"
Nene’s breath hitched as the realization set in. The emotional weight Aurora must have been carrying became painfully clear, and Nene’s heart filled with concern, though words failed her.
Despite Nene’s efforts to coax her into having breakfast, Aurora refused. She barely touched anything except a hot cup of chamomile tea, retreating to her room, where she wept for hours, refusing to let anyone in.
Late that evening, Nene gently knocked on the door and pressed her ear against it, her voice soft with worry. "Ma’am, are you alright? You asked for time alone, and I gave it to you, but it’s been hours. Please, open the door. I brought you dinner."
A minute passed and finally, Nene heard the sound of feet shuffling and quickly straightened her back.
Aurora unlocked the door for her and returned to bed. Fixing her eyes on her, she said weakly, "I’m not hungry, and I still need some more time to myself."
"Is there anything you would like me to do for you, anything that will help you feel better?" Nene asked kindly, putting herself in Aurora’s shoes.
"Keep the hot tea coming," Aurora said. "And take this entire week off on my behalf at work. I don’t have the energy to do anything."
Nene nodded and did as asked, making sure Aurora always had fresh tea. The following morning, she called in sick on Aurora’s behalf, informing the office that she wouldn’t be in for the week.
Meanwhile, as soon as Olivia arrived at the company and heard about Aurora’s absence, she couldn’t contain her delight. Skipping into her office, she locked the door, pulled out her phone, and quickly dialled her mother’s number with a smug grin.
"Mum, guess what?" Olivia’s voice brimmed with excitement. "Aurora didn’t show up at work today, and she’s taken the entire week off. At this rate, don’t you think she’ll end up leaving ’Vintage Cella’ to me?"
"Don’t get too excited," Stella cautioned, her tone sharp. "She’s only taken a few days off. She hasn’t handed in her resignation."
Olivia’s smile faltered, and she clenched her jaw in frustration. "Well, I hope she comes back with her resignation letter next Monday."
Meanwhile, Adam sat behind his desk, lost in thought after hearing that Aurora hadn’t shown up at the office. She’d taken time off, leaving her new project unattended. The thought gnawed at him.
"Maybe I should give her a call," Adam muttered, picking up his phone, hesitation clouding his actions.
Chapter 52: Vanished without A Trace
Adam listened to the long, empty ringing, his jaw tight. When the call clicked to voicemail, he released a tense breath and spoke, his voice a low murmur of concern.
"Aurora dear, just call me back whenever you’re ready. I want to make sure you’re okay."
He ended the call and set his phone down, his fingers hovering over it as if expecting it to light up any moment.
In her room, Aurora lay on the bed, unmoved, eyes fixed on the ceiling as her phone buzzed with her father’s message. She didn’t even look at it. The numbness from betrayal had seeped in too deeply, paralyzing her.
The soft knock barely registered until the door creaked open, and Nene stepped inside, her gaze shifting immediately to Aurora. She strode over to the curtains, tugging them open with a quick snap, spilling morning light into the dim room. She turned back, her eyes widening at the sight of Aurora’s ashen face and vacant expression.
"Ma’am?" Nene’s voice was laced with urgency as she came closer. Her hand instinctively went to Aurora’s forehead, recoiling slightly at the heat.
"Oh no, you’re burning up." Nene didn’t wait—she dashed out, returning moments later with the first-aid kit and a glass of water. Sitting by the bed, she slipped the pills into Aurora’s palm, her voice gentle but insistent. "Take these."
Aurora obeyed, her movements automatic as she downed the pills, then sank back into her pillow. Nene tucked the blankets around her, letting out a deep sigh.
"Ma’am, I will bring you a bowl of porridge," she said and turned to leave. Even she had failed to understand why Aurora had refused to eat. She felt the latter was torturing herself for nothing.
As soon as Nene got downstairs, she instructed the kitchen to make a bowl of bland porridge before shifting to a corner to make a call.
"Greetings, Mr. Moore," Nene greeted Asher respectfully. The former responded to her greeting with an ink of surprise and curiosity in his tone.
"It’s about Mrs. Scott." Nene let out a soft sigh and said, "She got back home early from work on Friday, packed a few things and left for her family’s residence. Then she returned yesterday’s morning looking pale with bags under her eyes. She’s been crying and asking to be left alone in her room since then, barely eating anything."
At the other end, Asher’s brows deepened. "Did she mention anything that might have happened while she was at the Swift residence?"
"She didn’t." Nene sighed. "But she did ask a weird question." Then Nene repeated the two questions Aurora had asked the previous day while she was combing her hair. "I think she found out Adam Swift is not her biological father in the most horrible way therefore, she feels betrayed."
"And she hasn’t eaten anything since she returned?" Asher asked with a tinge of worry in his tone.
"No." Nene shook her head. "Now, she is running temperature. I called because she can’t go on like this. Mrs. Scott has a best friend, Abigail Miller. I would appreciate it if you could bring Miss. Miller down here to comfort her."
Asher was silent for a moment before accepting her request. "I will do my best. Call the doctor to check on Aurora in the meantime."
As soon as the call disconnected, Asher found Abigail’s phone number and contacted her immediately.
"Hi, Miss Miller. I’m Asher Moore."
"Yes, why did you call?" Abigail asked, ignoring his greetings and discarding her manners.
Asher puffed a breath, stilling his nerves before resuming, "Your best friend is unwell and needs your presence."
"Aurora is unwell?" Abigail shot up from her seat immediately, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. "What happened to her?"
"I will give you the details on our way. Where should we meet?" Asher inquired.
Immediately, Abigail’s contoured in a frown. "Send Xander Scott’s address to me and I will find my way."
"I’m sorry I can’t do that." Asher refused her. Abigail ground her teeth and was just about to argue with him when she remembered that Aurora had once sent the address to him, and quickly terminated the call.
Abigail’s frown deepened when she went through her chats with Aurora and couldn’t find Xander’s address. "Where did it go to?"
Certain she hadn’t, Abigail still wondered if she’d accidentally deleted the message, leaving her confused.
Left with no choice, Abigail had to call Asher back and tell him where to meet.
"I will be there in ten minutes," he said to her.
On the other hand, Nene had a servant carry the porridge in a tray and follow up to the master bedroom. As soon as they opened the door, they saw Aurora who just stepped out from the restroom drop with a soft thud right in front of their faces.
"Ma’am!" Nene’s panicked voice echoed as she rushed to Aurora’s side, cradling her head and calling for help.
The doctor arrived quickly, setting up a drip and administering medication as Aurora lay unconscious, her breathing shallow but steady.
"She’s under extreme stress," the doctor informed Nene. "Make sure she eats and takes these medications morning and night for three days."
Aurora regained consciousness half an hour later, slightly more alert. Nene gently held a spoonful of porridge to her lips, pleading softly, "Please, don’t punish yourself for someone else’s mistakes."
Aurora managed a weak nod and took a few bites before pushing the bowl aside. Just then, a knock interrupted them as the butler entered.
"Mr. Asher Moore and Miss Abigail Miller have arrived, and are both waiting in the sitting room" he informed, glancing at Aurora with deep concern.
"Bring them up," Nene instructed and handed the leftover bowl of porridge to the maid before turning her attention back to Aurora as the butler left. "Ma’am, I thought your best friend’s company would help you feel better so I pleaded with Mr. Moore to bring her over."
Aurora stared at her gratefully. "Thank you."
Moments later, the door swung open, and Abigail rushed in, her face paling at the sight of Aurora lying motionless, a drip attached to her arm.
"Aurora..." Her voice trembled as she rushed to Aurora’s side, seeing the exhaustion etched across her pale face. "What happened to you?"
Asher appeared at the door in seconds and watched the two women for a while before casting his gaze on Nene.
Chapter 53: A New Look for His Mission
Nene excused herself and left with Asher and the servant.
"Mr. Moore, thank you for bringing Miss Miller over." Nene looked at Asher gratefully once they arrived at the living room.
Asher nodded. "Miss Miller may be Aurora’s best friend, but she’s incredibly inquisitive. Keep a close eye on her," he instructed, subtly hinting that Nene shouldn’t let Abigail roam around unnoticed.
"Thank you for the information, Mr. Moore," Nene said with her gaze on him.
Asher let out a sigh of relief. "Inform your mistress that I will return in the evening and spend the night if she doesn’t mind."
Since Abigail would be staying the night, Asher made it his obligation to stay over and watch her as he didn’t trust her.
Back in the room, Aurora opened up to Abigail seeing her worry. She mentioned her memory fragments, her visit to the neuropsychologist and her father’s admission to the fact that he wasn’t her biological father plus her memories being suppressed.
"Abby, can you believe all this?" Aurora started sobbing again, being reminded of the deep betrayal and her stark reality. "Even Olivia and her mother know about this."
"It’s no wonder they treat you the way they do." Abigail embraced her, patting her back rhythmically. "Please, don’t cry. Let’s not mention these things until you have recovered."
Aurora nodded, finding a quiet comfort in her embrace. She was deeply grateful that Abigail had dropped everything—even her shoot—just to be by her side.
Towards noon, Nene came back upstairs. "Miss. Miller, we prepared lunch for you, please come with me to the dining hall."
"Thank you for your kind gesture, but I think I will eat it here," Abigail said, glancing at Aurora.
"The dining table will be more comfortable for you," Nene replied politely, her gaze unwavering. "Also, Mrs. Scott needs a bath."
With Nene’s insistence, Abigail had no choice but to leave Aurora’s side.
As a servant escorted Abigail downstairs, Nene removed the drip from Aurora and helped her into the bathroom for a bath.
"I thought I saw Mr. Moore earlier," Aurora said to Nene as she scrubbed her smooth back gently.
"Yes, you did," Nene confirmed. "He had to return to the office and promised to be back later in the evening. He is also seeking your permission to spend the night."
Aurora exhaled softly. "I know he is worried with Xander’s absence. He can stay if he wants." Thinking for a moment, she asked, "Have you heard anything from Xander since he left?"
"No. He hasn’t contacted any of us but I’m sure he will do as soon as he gets the chance," Nene answered and proceeded to offer words of comfort.
~***~
Under the dim lights of a back-alley tattoo parlour, Xander Scott settled into the chair after getting a haircut, flipping through tattoo designs with a focused calm. He paused on a dragon coiled in flames, perfect for his back, then tapped a phoenix for his left arm.
"Both," he ordered, his voice calm and decisive.
The tattoo artist nodded, motioning for Xander to remove his shirt. Xander stripped off the black T-shirt, exposing his well-built physique. As the machine buzzed to life, the needle bit into his skin, tracing the first lines of ink along his back. He didn’t flinch, his focus unwavering.
The dragon tattoo took shape with every precise stroke, its serpentine body wrapping fluidly around his bulging muscles.
Hours later, with the tattoo complete, Xander approached a wall mirror, taking in his reflection and running his fingers over the fresh ink. He smirked, the faintest trace of humour in his eyes.
"Aurora’s going to say I look like a gangster when I return," he murmured.
Liam, standing nearby, smirked. "Well, sir, given that you’re now posing as a mafia boss, you didn’t really have a choice."
Xander’s grin faded as he turned away from the mirror, pulling his shirt back on. "Let’s get started."
At the safe house, Xander wasted no time gathering his men around a table covered in maps and blueprints of their target’s territory.
"Listen up," Xander began, his tone all business. "Our target is the Vanetti syndicate. They’ve been laundering millions through offshore accounts and smuggling weapons through every legal loophole they can find. The plan is to infiltrate their group, locate their main operations hub, and take them down—cleanly."
Liam pointed to a section on the map. "This warehouse here is where they conduct most of their laundering operations. We believe there’s also a cache of arms stored there, likely for overseas smuggling. If we hit them there, we can cripple their next shipment."
Xander nodded, eyes darkening as he processed the details. "We’ll need eyes on this site around the clock. Liam, organize a surveillance team to report every movement in and out of that warehouse. No detail is too small."
Another team member, Collins, leaned in. "We’ll also need a contingency plan, sir. They won’t hesitate to retaliate if they catch wind of us."
Xander’s gaze was steely as he replied, "They won’t see us coming. We’re going in as one of them, starting with their inner circle, gaining their trust, and getting close to their boss. Once we have what we need, we strike—and make sure they don’t rise again."
The men nodded, each exchanging a glance, understanding the gravity of the mission. The room filled with a silent resolve, as each prepared to follow Xander into the depths of a world where loyalty to their boss was their only weapon.
---
Back in Wing City, Asher arrived at Xander’s residence with a backpack and was shown to a guest room. After freshening up, he intended to see Aurora but was informed it was dinner time and that she’d be joining him shortly.
As he entered the dining room, he spotted Abigail already seated, and his mood soured instantly. He took a seat without acknowledging her, his gaze fixed elsewhere.
Sensing his desire to avoid conversation, Abigail leaned in with a smirk. "Good evening, Mr. Moore," she greeted, her tone laced with sarcasm. "Seems I’ve become invisible to you."
Chapter 54: Aurora’s New Man
"Please, Miss Miller, I don’t have the energy for you tonight," Asher said to her looking disinterested.
"Where else did you spend your energy today?" Abigail asked, spreading her hands out with a taunting smile. Then without waiting for his response, she said, "Ah! Let me guess, you probably went to ship off some hard substance, right?"
Asher scoffed as he picked up a glass of water and brought the rims to his lips, totally ignoring her. And seeing him try so hard to avoid having a conversation with her, Abigail took it upon herself to rile him up.
"Am I wrong?" she asked, giving him a scrutinizing glance. "You really look like a criminal to me."
"There must be something wrong with your eyes, Miss Miller." Asher turned to meet her gaze with an edge to his tone. "And why should I be surprised about that? This is the second time you are calling me that."
The first time that Abigail and Asher met, she had stared at him for a while before straightforwardly telling him to his face that he looked dangerous and exuded the aura of a criminal. And she had gone on to ask about his job just before Aurora and Xander arrived at the restaurant back then.
"I have a sound judgement, do not m—." Abigail had yet to finish her statement when Aurora arrived. Immediately, Asher stood up to greet her with a warm smile.
Aurora slowly approached the dining room and mustered a soft smile as soon as she saw Asher.
"I’m glad you feel a bit better, and I hope you don’t mind my presence," Asher said after exchanging pleasantries with her.
"I don’t mind," Aurora said to him politely. "And thank you for bringing my best friend to me."
"It’s nothing." Asher smiled and took his seat.
As soon as Aurora settled down at the head table, Abigail grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. "Try to eat something tonight."
Aurora nodded subtly. "I will."
Abigail and Asher spent the night at Xander’s residence and the next morning, they parted ways with Aurora.
"Thank you for your time, Mr. Moore," Aurora said gratefully as she shook Asher’s hand.
"It’s nothing. You’re my best friend’s wife, I should look out for you in his absence." Asher said with a hint of kindness in his eyes. "Also, please call me Asher. We are friends now."
Abigail rolled her eyes as soon as she heard that but when she met Aurora’s subtle glance, a smile quickly turned up on her face, masking her annoyance.
"Call me when you reach your shoot location," Aurora said to her. Almost immediately, she enveloped her in a warm tight hug for a few seconds before releasing her.
Abigail held Aurora’s gaze as she said, "You have lost a lot of weight. Your husband won’t be pleased when he returns from his business trip, and that’s if he cares."
"Ms. Miller, it’s time to leave." Asher frowned at her. He didn’t know what was wrong with her mouth and while nothing good could ever come out of it. Ignoring her displeasure, he turned to bid Aurora goodbye before turning to leave.
Abigail patted the back of Aurora’s hand before leaning in to kiss her left cheek. "Call me if there is anything," she reminded before quickly following Asher out.
~***~
Aurora stayed at home recuperating for one week straight. The doctor came to check on her every morning while Nene served her food and helped her take baths and walks on those days when she couldn’t get the job done by herself.
Aurora returned to work on a Tuesday and the first thing she did when she showed up was to hold a meeting with her team in regards to the data for her Fruit Punch Champagne sales.
She found out the sales had dropped in her absence and immediately came up with a new marketing strategy and promotion campaign that would boost her product sales once again and for once, she wasn’t even afraid of the situation.
As soon as Olivia clocked in at work that morning and learned that Aurora had finally resumed work, she went straight to the latter’s office to take a look for herself. And to her surprise, she noticed the new door lock and scoffed.
"Did she do it because of me?" Olivia said in disbelief. Since she couldn’t just open the door and help herself in, she called Lilian to knock on her behalf.
"My sister is in there, right? Go ahead and knock, I have something important to talk to her about," Olivia said as she tipped her jaw towards the tightly shut door.
Lilian did as she instructed and Aurora unclosed the door after hearing her voice.
"Ma’am, Director Olivia wanted to see you," Lilian informed Aurora before stepping out of her office. Immediately, Olivia walked in, looking around with a smile before resting her gaze on Aurora.
"Sister, I was concerned about your unforeseen absence and as soon as I heard you were back, I came to see you."
Aurora pressed her forehead, feeling an incoming headache. She hadn’t recovered all her energy and wouldn’t want to waste the little one on Olivia.
"Thank you for your concern. Now that you’ve seen me, you can return to your office," Aurora said to her.
Olivia smiled and took a good look around before turning to leave which was a surprise to Aurora.
’She hadn’t come to look for trouble today?’ she wondered.
Meanwhile, Olivia clashed with Lilian carrying two bouquets into Aurora’s office and narrowed her gaze. As soon as she returned to her office, she picked up her phone to make a call.
"Mum, Aurora has resumed work," Olivia informed her mother immediately.
At the other end, Stella let out a deep sigh. "Seems to me like she wasn’t hurt enough."
"Maybe she doesn’t have a heart hence, the reason for the quick recovery seeing that she returned to continue fighting with me for Dad’s company. So shameless!" Olivia gnashed her teeth.
Stella spoke words of comfort and was about to end the call when Olivia stopped her.
"Mum, Aurora received two bouquets today. In fact, I have noticed that she received one every Tuesday."
As soon as Stella heard that, she leaned out of her seat. "Really?" she probed with a calculative glint in her eyes.
"Yes," Olivia confirmed. "I saw the bouquet with my own eyes," she said as her eyes brimmed with jealousy, wondering the identity of the new man by Aurora’s side."
"Have you seen the Martin car again since that day?" Stella inquired.
"No." Olivia’s shoulder deflected as she went to sit behind her office desk. "But Mum, do you think that maybe Victor is the one sending the flowers?"
Chapter 55: Another Appointment with the Neuropsychologist
Olivia’s shoulder deflected as she went to sit behind her office desk, considering the issue on ground. "Mum, do you think Victor might be the one sending the flowers? After all, he’s recovered."
Stella’s gaze sharpened. "I’d almost forgotten about him. If he’s been up to something since the accident, it won’t be good for us."
"We need to deal with him before he crosses paths with Aurora," Olivia replied, her frown deepening. "Everything could blow up in our faces."
"Don’t worry, I will meet with him. If he’s tired of living, I’ll help him along," Stella assured with a cold smile. "Also, keep an eye out for that Martin car. I want the plate number as soon as it shows up."
At the knock on her door, Olivia hurriedly concluded their conversation. "Got it, Mum. Talk later."
---
Around lunch, Aurora received a call from her father’s secretary.
"Director Swift, the Chairman would like to see you in his office in ten minutes," the secretary informed.
Aurora’s fingers tightened around the phone. "Understood," she replied, steadying her breath before heading straight for the elevator. This was one meeting she’d never have accepted if not for the Chairman’s direct request, not her father’s.
When Aurora arrived, a few investors were leaving Adam’s office. She exchanged polite nods, then stepped inside to meet her father’s steady gaze.
"Good afternoon, sir," she greeted him coolly, shutting the door with a light thud before approaching his desk. There was no warmth in her tone; her gaze held a calm reserve as if making her stance clear. She would only attend to questions related to business.
Adam was caught off
Adam was caught off guard by her formality and took a moment to recover. "Please, sit." He gestured towards one of the seats in front of his desk.
Aurora took the offered seat, her expression unchanging. Since he refused to be honest, their relationship as father and daughter was over.
"I heard you took a week off," Adam said, his concern genuine despite his composed tone. "How’s your health?"
"Fine. Thank you for asking," she replied curtly, maintaining her distance.
Adam noted her cold response but continued. "I reviewed the sales data for Fruit Punch Champagne this morning. Sales dipped while you were out. Care to explain?"
"That’s on me," she replied. "But I’ve met with my team this morning, and we’ve set a new strategy to boost the numbers. I deeply apologize for my negligence."
Adam nodded, then added with a trace of concern, "It’s crucial to focus on product promotion after a launch. Take care of yourself."
"Thank you, Sir." Aurora rose, cutting the conversation short. "If there’s nothing else, I’ll be taking my leave right now."
Adam nodded as she left, sighing as he watched her go. He had only hoped to check on her health with the guise of holding a business conversation, but her indifference had left him at a loss.
Thankfully, she looked better.
~***~
FRIDAY.
A few days later, Fruit Punch Champagne regained its rankings with the sales skyrocketing and recording a 35% increase, thanks to Aurora’s brilliant marketing strategy, plus her high-ranking connections from different works of life rooting her.
Abigail took it upon herself to selflessly promote the champagne elegantly on her social media handle by shooting a 30-second video content for it. And the video gained millions of views and likes within 24 hours.
"Are you not afraid of getting into trouble with your agent for doing this?" Aurora asked Abigail over the phone after seeing the free promotional video circulating all over the internet.
"Since when have I been afraid of anyone?" Abigail retorted in confidence. "Did they help me create any social media account?"
A soft sigh escaped Aurora’s lips. "Don’t get into any trouble."
"I won’t," Abigail reassured her before inquiring about her health. "Do you feel better now?"
"No need to worry about me, I’m good," Aurora replied.
Abigail exhaled deeply. "Don’t forget I’m just a call away if you need anything." Getting Aurora’s response on that, she continued, "The new drama series I’m working on, ’Elegant Family’ airs in two months."
Abigail explained what the drama was all about before asking, "Are you interested in featuring your champagne in the drama?"
Aurora was marvelled by the opportunity and was dumbstruck for an entire minute before asking, "Are you sure about this?"
"I wouldn’t mention it if I wasn’t sure about this." Abigail’s light chuckles reached Aurora’s ears from over the phone and instantly, the corners of her lips stretched into a smile. This was her first genuine smile since her confrontation with Adam Swift.
"If you are interested, I will immediately speak to the producers and set up a meeting," Abigail continued with confidence brimming in her eyes. "Your best friend is an A-list celebrity and I’m yet to see anyone say ’no’ to anything I want."
Aurora’s eyes shimmered with pride. She was grateful to God for coming in contact with an angel in human form like Abigail.
"Set the meeting right away," Aurora approved, taking the opportunity immediately.
After the call with her best friend ended, Aurora stepped out of her car and walked into the hospital she had previously visited, to meet Dr. Lee for her appointment.
With her notepad in hand, Dr. Lee smiled at Aurora warmly, gesturing for her to sit on the couch to her left.
"Have you found the answers you needed?" Dr. Lee inquired.
"That’s why I’m here." Aurora’s gaze was steady. "I’ve confirmed the visions were real memories, but I still don’t know who my biological father is. I need your help to find out."
Dr. Lee leaned forward. "How can I assist?"
Aurora’s eyes turned misty. "Help me recover the rest of my lost memories."
Dr. Lee’s eyes met Aurora’s, a trace of caution flickering beneath her professional calm.
"Aurora," she said, her voice both gentle and firm, "Recovering lost memories isn’t simple. It carries risks—both emotionally and physically—especially when reopening parts of the mind that were closed off, perhaps even for self-protection."
Aurora’s brows creased, but she didn’t look away, her resolve unwavering.
"There’s a chance," Dr. Lee continued, "That only fragments may resurface, some unclear or even distorted. The process could leave you feeling disoriented, even drained." She paused, measuring her words. "And sometimes, the mind resists recovery, leaving you with memories that might be incomplete... or unreliable."
Dr. Lee’s words hung in the air, and Aurora could feel the weight of the warning. But the need for answers, the desperation for clarity, kept her rooted in place.
"Do you still want to give it a try?" Dr. Lee asked, her gaze steady, though her concern was unmistakable.