Chapter 67
Tapping my fingers on the vanity desk, I stared at my phone screen, reading the message over and over again. A sigh escaped me as I stood, grabbed my phone and handbag, and stepped out of the bedroom.
When I reached the living room, I saw Aurora sitting on the couch. The moment she noticed me, her brow furrowed, and she shut her sketchpad resting on her lap. I exhaled softly, forcing a smile that probably looked as uneasy as it felt.
"Where are you going?" she asked, taking a casual sip of her tea.
I swallowed hard.
"Okay," I began, sitting beside her and setting my bag on the coffee table.
"I know I said I'd be working from home to check up on you, but I need to meet with one of our partner firms. There's been an issue with one of their investors, and they asked me to step in. "
Margot had sent me a formal email about attending the meeting—and I couldn't say no, not when she was one of our main partners.
Aurora hummed and placed her cup back on the table. She smiled faintly, though her eyes lingered on me, like she wanted to say something else. "Go on," she said quietly. "It's your business, after all."
Cupping her cheeks, I tilted my head and studied her face. "Want to come with me?"
She chuckled and shook her head. "It's your work, Sol. It's not like we could sneak a date in while you're busy."
I squinted at her, sighing as I released her face and leaned back on the couch. "Why does it feel like you're not in the mood?"
Was she mad? It wasn't like I planned for any of this to happen.
Aurora shifted, turning toward me. "We just got back from Oxford a couple of hours ago, and now you're already heading to work. But I get it—it's your responsibility."
I let out another sigh and leaned my head on her shoulder. "Ro... do you want to ask me something? I can tell something's bothering you."
She hesitated, then looked at me. "Who exactly... in your business partners is that?"
I reached out and clasped her hand. "It's Margot. I don't know if you've heard of her—their company's expanding here. They're originally from France."
Come to think of it, Aurora might've never heard of Margot or her company. She probably didn't even know there was someone out there who looked exactly like her.
"Margot," she repeated with a chuckle. "And what—her surname is... Babe?"
I blinked.
Wait—what? I sat up straight, bursting into laughter when realization hit me.
She must've seen Margot's contact name on my phone.
Cupping her cheeks, I couldn't stop laughing.
"So that's why you've been off?" I leaned in and kissed her lips, then pulled back with a reassuring smile.
"It's Margot Verne—the owner of Maison Verne, the luxury champagne brand. "
Aurora just looked at me without saying a word. Was she jealous?
"Look," I said, still holding her hand.
"Margot was the one who set her contact name like that.
She insisted." I pulled my phone from my bag with my free hand, unlocked it, and showed her the contact.
"She's like a sister to me. I started at her company right after I graduated. It's been saved like that ever since."
I hovered over the contact and changed it to Margot instead of Margot Babe, letting her see it since I had nothing to hide—well, aside from the embezzlement, maybe.
Aurora averted her gaze, but her ears turned pink. I couldn't help but scoff softly, amused. "Are you seriously jealous right now, Ro?"
She clicked her tongue. "I'm not. Why would I be jealous of someone? That's petty. Besides," she added with a small smirk, "I doubt she could even compare to me."
My brow arched as I looked at her. She was really like this, as always. "You're so full of yourself. But... people at the office said Margot looks a lot like you."
I'd been hearing them murmuring behind my back. Every time I was with Margot, there were whispers about how much she resembled my wife.
"What?"
I shrugged, exhaling. "Well, she does. She resembles you—the younger you." I stood up and reached for my bag.
"Hey!" Aurora shot up, making me blink as she pointed a finger at me. "Are you trying to say I look older now?"
I smacked my forehead, laughing as I waved a hand defensively. Aurora didn't even look like she had aged much after twelve years. If anything, she looked more refined, composed—everything about her screamed wealth and grace.
"I didn't say that!
I'm just telling you what I've heard. Some people say Margot reminds them of the Dawn of DeLacroix Couture and Luxury House.
And as far as I know, you're the only Dawn I've ever met from the DeLacroix clan.
So..." I shrugged, leaving the rest unsaid.
With her arms crossed, she squinted at me. "Then... if Margot looks like me, who's prettier?"
Her question almost made me choke as I tried not to laugh. God, she was seriously jealous. I sighed and stepped closer, pulling her toward me before pressing a kiss to her lips. "Ro," I whispered, amused. "Are you serious right now?"
She groaned, wrapping her arms around me before biting my neck. I shrieked at how hard she bit me—as if she wanted to leave a mark. "Ro!" I hissed, pulling back to cover the spot with my hand.
"What?" she said casually, plopping back down on the couch and flipping her sketchpad open again. "It's just a mark."
"You're unbelievable," I muttered, clicking my tongue. I reached out and patted her head. Well, she wasn't wrong—it was just a mark. "Anyway, I really need to go. I'll be back once the meeting's over. How about dinner tonight?"
She glanced at me and nodded. "Sure. I'll fetch you. Just call me when you're done."
I frowned. "Are you sure you'll drive? Your arm's still sore. Why don't you let the driver take you? I'll drive us after." I smiled, trying not to sound too worried.
I didn't want her straining her healing arm just to come pick me up.
She groaned but smiled back. "Fine, boss. Go on now. Be safe, okay? I love you."
I waved at her. "See you later. I love you more."
As I walked out of the foyer, I turned to one of the housekeepers. "Please check on Aurora every now and then—especially with her injured hand. Don't let her do anything that might strain it."
The housekeeper smiled and nodded. I gave a brief nod in return before walking out of the house and heading to the garage. Sliding into my car, I started the engine and drove toward Margot's branch office.
It didn't take long to get there. Once I pulled into the parking lot, I headed straight to the lobby, where Millie was already waiting for me.
She bowed subtly before walking beside me. "Ms. Verne gave me the copy of the financials from one of their investors," she said, handing me a portfolio as we made our way to the elevator.
I sighed, flipping it open, my brow furrowing. "This investor is also one of their suppliers, right?" I asked, skimming through the pages.
Millie hummed in agreement, nodding as we stepped into the elevator.
She pressed a button on the panel and stood beside me again.
"Look at this one," she said, pointing at the revenue figures.
"I reviewed it earlier, and the supplier's earning more than their agreed share.
Ms. Verne suspects their partner is siphoning funds from the operational costs—or maybe manipulating vineyard prices. "
Closing the portfolio, I straightened up. "And Margot wants me to review and help cover the potential income loss once they confirm the numbers are manipulated."
Millie nodded.
The elevator chimed, and we stepped out. "As expected of you," she remarked. "Anyway, weren't you planning not to renew the partnership with her company?"
I glanced around before leaning closer to her, lowering my voice. "If I accept this, I'll probably have to renew the partnership. But... maybe there's another way to help them."
Millie hugged her tablet and clipboard to her chest, giving me a curious look. "You've been partnering with her for so long. What's with the sudden change?"
Giving her a faint smile, I said, "I didn't know.
.." I shrugged. "I just... she was my friend, but somehow, if I kept partnering with her out of appreciation for being my stepping stone before, it would've just stopped me from getting other opportunities.
" I shook my head, laughing lowly as we headed to the conference room.
"Whenever Duvall Capital Group was being appreciated by the public for awards and all, it was always tangled with the Maison Verne.
I wanted the company to grow for itself, not because we were partnered with them. "
A hum escaped Millie. "I didn't think it would be easy for you. After all, we both knew how persuasive Ms. Verne could be when it came to you."
"That's exactly why I no longer wanted to be partnered with them, Millie." I looked at her, swallowing hard. "She couldn't just stay within the boundaries of us being friends. She kept on talking about her feelings for me, and somehow, I started to get uneasy."
"Uneasy because?" Millie tilted her head, looking at me.
"Because I was married," I bit the inside of my cheek before letting out a sigh.
"I... I decided to give Aurora and me another shot.
If this kept on going, I would've definitely gotten tangled in an issue about keeping two women beside me, and I didn't want the public to see me like that—especially since I had a daughter with Aurora.
What would Dione feel if her mother got dragged into some scandal, right? "
"Is Dione really your concern? Or your wife's feelings?"
Her question made me pause, turning to face her.
"Well," I started, licking my lips as I hitched a breath.
"Maybe it was for Dione. Maybe it was for my wife.
Or maybe both? I just didn't want them getting tangled in this kind of situation—especially since I was aware that Margot still had lingering feelings for me. "
She twitched her lips, shrugging.
"Ms. Verne could be a little tactful sometimes.
Think you could handle getting her to stop?
She'd been pursuing you since she found out about your history with Aurora.
Even after that long, you stayed beside her as a friend and treated her like a sister.
You knew she wouldn't really accept that fact. "
A knot formed in my throat as I realized the implication of Millie's words. "I should've drawn boundaries from the start. It was my fault for letting her do what she wanted."
Millie shook her head. "You must've forgotten that Ms. Verne wasn't a child who needed constant reminders. But I hoped she would stop pursuing you—out of respect."
?·???°???°???·?
Clasping my hands together, I watched the board of directors file out of the room. Margot sat at the head of the table, spinning her chair slowly, leaning back with an air of casual authority.
I glanced at her and let a memory from Oxford surface. Reaching into my handbag, I pulled out a small box and placed it on the table, sliding it toward her. "Here—a simple gift."
Margot stopped spinning, blinking at the box before pointing at herself. "You brought me a gift?" she scoffed, though the corner of her mouth betrayed a hint of a smile. "Well... thank you."
Tilting my head, I sighed. "Don't get the wrong idea. I brought it for you as a friend. Nothing else."
Her wince was immediate, followed by a heavy sigh. "Do you really need to rub it in my face every single time, Sloane?"
I groaned, straightening in my seat. "Because you won't stop telling me I should date you, and it's driving me crazy."
Margot raised her hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay," she nodded, faintly smiling. "I'll stop pestering you about dating me."
Squinting at her, I wagged a finger. "That's it? Just like that?"
She raised a brow, shrugging. "You said you were giving your wife another chance, right? I'm not exactly the type to be a homewrecker. But... if she ever hurts you again like before, I'll keep her away from you." She crossed her arms, her tone firm.
I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me. "You know you can't do that, Margot." My eyes flicked to hers. "I know you mean well, but let me handle everything that has to do with my marriage."
Margot arched her brow and sighed, rolling her eyes. "Fine." She clicked her tongue. "Oh, right—about the contract renewal for our partnership. You're going to sign it, right?"
My body froze for a moment as I studied her. A faint smile tugged at my lips before I stood. "It's still a bit early to talk about that, isn't it? We have until next year."
She rose as well, nodding. "Uh-huh. But we've been partners for nine years. Both our companies are thriving, and we've always had each other's backs."
I hummed, conceding. "You're right. Let's see how things go, then we can talk about renewal again." I shrugged, lifting my handbag. "Now, Margot, I really need to go. Dinner date with my wife tonight."
I waved and started toward the door. Outside, Millie was waiting, giving me a subtle nod. "Heading home?"
Shaking my head, I glanced at her. "I'll grab some documents at the office first. Maybe wait for Aurora there."
"That's new," she said, laughing softly. "She's fetching you?"
Tucking a stray hair behind my ear, I raised a brow. "What now? Can't my wife fetch me once in a while?"
Millie shook her head, still chuckling. "I wonder how Dione would react if she knew her parents were starting over. She'd be delighted, don't you think?"
"You bet, Millie. You bet." I sighed as the elevator doors closed. "She's been trying to persuade me like she doesn't even know how her mother left me before." I laughed lowly. "But... do you think Aurora would be happy knowing we have a daughter?"
Millie's expression softened. "You still haven't told her?"
Shaking my head, I looked at my reflection in the glass wall.
"I haven't. I told Dione I'd tell Aurora on our first wedding anniversary.
I just..." I hesitated, exhaling softly.
"I want to see if she's truly worthy of knowing we have a daughter—that she has an heir. "
When the elevator doors opened, we stepped out and walked through the lobby toward the parking lot. "Anyway," I asked, glancing at Millie, "did you bring your car?"
She nodded. "Yeah, I did." Her lips curved into a small smile. "Oh, right—" she stepped a little closer, glancing around before grinning. "How did you know when you were pregnant?"
Blinking, I squinted at her, pointing accusingly. "Wait, hold on." I raised a hand. "You don't get to tell me—"
Her cheeks flushed immediately. "I'm not sure yet," she said, looking away. "I mean, I'm two weeks late, but I haven't tried taking a test."
"You should," I said, shrugging. "Maybe you two are expecting. Any morning sickness? Weird cravings? Anything?"
Millie shook her head, clutching her tablet to her chest as we walked. "No, nothing like that. It's probably stress. That's why my period's late."
"You still need to check," I said, stopping beside my car. "You both wanted a baby anyway, right? So find out."
She smiled faintly. "Yeah, maybe I'll grab a test on the way back to the office."
"Oh, you should." I waved her off. "Go on, Millie. I'll head out first, okay?"
She nodded and headed toward her car while I slid into mine. I gave her a quick honk before driving off toward the office.
Once there, I plopped down into my chair with a sigh and pulled out my phone, typing a quick message to Aurora: Just got back to the office. Can you come here? Or should I head to ours?
Her reply came almost instantly: I'll head to you. Wait for me there.
A smile tugged at my lips. "Is she staring at her phone all day?" I muttered with a small laugh, shaking my head.
When I finally saw her stepping out of the elevator, my heart skipped. I stood, slipping my things into my handbag. She caught my gaze and smiled, walking toward me. I waved her in.
Millie opened the door for her, and Aurora stepped inside, moving with that effortless grace that always caught me off guard. As she approached, I walked around my desk and met her halfway, wrapping my arms around her.
"So?" she asked, fingers brushing through my hair. "Did you close the deal?"
Humming softly, I shook my head. "I'm having second thoughts," I admitted. "Anyway—have you decided where to go for dinner?"
I turned back toward my desk, feeling her footsteps behind me. When I glanced over my shoulder, she had stopped. Her eyes were locked on the porcelain doll displayed beside my monitor.
I chuckled. "That doll is you. My doll's sitting on your couch."
"I thought you'd thrown it away," she said quietly.
I lifted my gaze to hers, one hand resting on the strap of my bag.
"I thought about it. But it's one of the few things I couldn't let go of.
Even after we broke up, I kept it. Because when I looked at it.
.." I paused, placing a hand over my chest. "I didn't feel so alone.
It felt like a piece of you was still here—still near me, even when you weren't."
Aurora's lips trembled into a small pout before she stepped closer, burying her face against my shoulder. "You're going to make me cry," she whispered, wrapping her arms around me.
I held her tight, my chin resting against her hair.
My eyes drifted to the doll on the desk—the same one we'd made for each other years ago.
It had always been our silent guardian, a reminder that even when we were apart, some part of us still watched over the other.