LOGINFor the next half hour, the kitchen became comfortably noisy.The bubbling of the pasta.The soft sizzle of butter.The smell slowly spread through the room.Then the unmistakable aroma of chicken grilling.“I think it’s done,” Camille announced proudly.I glanced over.The chicken looked surprisingly good.I raised a brow.“Not bad.”She folded her arms.“Not bad?”“I was expecting applause.”I laughed.“You’ll get applause after I taste it.”She gasped dramatically.“The disrespect.”I cut a small piece from one end.Blew on it.Tasted it.Then nodded.“It’s good.”Her smile widened immediately.“I knew it.”I shook my head, smiling despite myself, and grabbed two bowls.We plated the food together.Creamy macaroni.Sliced grilled chicken resting neatly on top.A sprinkle of parsley.We carried everything to the kitchen island before sitting beside each other.The first bite almost made me groan.“Oh, thank God.”Camille laughed.“That good?”“I genuinely think I was about to pass o
My eyes slowly opened to the familiar ceiling above me.For a few seconds, I simply lay there, staring blankly.It took my brain a moment to catch up with reality and everything that had happened earlier today.A long breath escaped my lips.I blinked a few times before reaching for my phone on the bedside table.3:07 p.m.I stared at the screen for a moment.Four hours.I’d actually slept for four hours.My eyes dropped to the notifications.Six missed calls.Three missed calls from Hayes.Two from Pierce.One from Ford.I stared at their names for a long moment.I sighed quietly.They were worried.Of course they were.I knew if I called one of them back, all four of them would somehow end up in my room within five minutes.Checking on me, trying to convince me not to think about everything that had happened.And right now…I couldn’t talk.Not even to them.I locked my phone and tossed it back onto the bed before pushing the duvet away.The moment I stood, the room tilted.“Oh…”I
Mia finally broke the silence.“So…” Her voice was careful, almost afraid to disturb whatever was happening inside my head. “What are you going to do?”I didn’t answer immediately.Because the truth was…I didn’t know.I've been trying to focus on my new life for five years now.Trying to build a new version of myself.But now…Now Dominic had stood in front of the entire country and ripped open the past I had spent years trying to bury.I slowly stood from my chair.Picked up my handbag from the desk.Slipped it over my shoulder.“I’ll go home,” I said quietly.Mia blinked.“…That’s it?”I nodded once.“I’ll go home and sleep.”Her brows drew together.Sleep?I could practically see the disbelief on her face.“Aurelia…”“I can’t think.”I surprised myself by how honest that sounded.“I genuinely can’t.”She stared at me for another second before giving a small nod.“…Okay.”There was sympathy in her eyes.Too much of it.I couldn’t bear looking at it.Without another word, I walked a
Reporters stood.Questions flew from every direction.“What?”“Excuse me?”“Mr. Kings—”He ignored every single one.“I was the one who approached her.”“I asked her out.”“I kept asking till she agreed. Then I asked her to marry me.”My heartbeat echoed loudly inside my ears.“I did that, she didn’t force me. I did.”Every word landed harder than the one before.“But I wasn’t good to her.”I closed my eyes.Why…Why was he doing this?He kept talking.“The real villain in that story…”His voice cracked.“…was me.”The room became silent again.“I neglected her after our marriage.”“I failed her.”“I took her for granted.”“I was emotionally unavailable.”“I wasn’t the husband she deserved.”His hands gripped the podium tightly.“I never appreciated the incredible woman she was.”His eyes shimmered.“I didn’t know how.”“I didn’t know how to love someone properly.”“I was afraid that she might disappear like… like Mirabel did.”“I was immature.”“I was selfish.”“I hurt her.”“I broke
The rest of the day passed by.I sat behind my desk, trying to focus on the documents Mia had left for me, but the words refused to stay still.Nothing was making sense.A knock came against my office door.Before I could answer, it swung open.Mia walked in so quickly that her heels clicked sharply against the marble floor.“Mia?”She didn’t answer.She walked straight toward the television.Picked up the remote and turned the volume on.“…breaking news. Dominic Kings has called an emergency press conference this morning following the allegations made against Miss Aurelia Sterling—”My pen stopped moving.“…the conference is being broadcast live across multiple news networks.”“What?”The word barely escaped my lips.Mia didn’t look away from the television.My heartbeat slowed.The screen switched.Rows of reporters.Camera flashes.News microphones.Then—Dominic.He walked onto the stage wearing a black suit.He looked…Tired.His eyes were red.His face looked like he hadn’t slep
“It tells the world we’re scared.”“It tells our competitors we’re weak.”“It tells every person who believed that article…”I paused.“…that maybe there’s some truth to it.”Silence.“They’ll say we ran.”My gaze moved slowly across every face.“And once people think that…”I shook my head.“…it would become the start of the end.”Richard frowned thoughtfully.I continued.“If we keep Fashion Week exactly where it is…”My heartbeat steadied.“…and we solve this before then…”I could almost see it in my head.“…Fashion Week becomes our comeback.”“Our statement.”“Our proof.”I leaned slightly forward.“It won’t just recover the brand.”“It’ll strengthen it.”Another silence settled across the room.Longer this time.Then one of the senior executives finally nodded.“She’s right.”Every head turned toward him.“We’re looking at today’s problem.”He tapped the folder.“She’s looking ahead.”Another executive nodded.“The bigger picture.”John slowly leaned back in his chair.His expres
The event continued normally after that.Like nothing had happened.Like my chest wasn’t still burning from irritation.At the front of the hall, the president of the school stepped toward the microphone with a warm smile.“We’re extremely honored to have this scholarship funded by Mr. Kings this y
Dominic stood up slowly after saying something else to Leo that made him grin again.Then he patted Leo’s hair lightly.Something unpleasant twisted in my chest immediately.Leo didn’t pull away.If anything, he looked comfortable.Too comfortable.Dominic’s mouth curved faintly before he moved tow
By the time the car finally pulled into the driveway, the sky above London had already gone dark.Soft golden lights glowed across the mansion windows, warm against the cold evening air outside.I leaned back briefly against the seat as exhaustion settled deeper into my bones.Thirteen hours.My bo
My eyes burned faintly when I opened them.For a second, I stayed still beneath the blanket, staring blankly at the unfamiliar ceiling while sleep clung heavily to my body.Then the curtains moved.“Aurelia.”Mia’s voice reached me carefully from somewhere near the windows.I blinked slowly before







