Chapter 72
Holding the instruction manual in my hand, my eyes darted to Aurora, who was sitting on the carpeted floor while tightening the bolts on the wooden crib. Tilting my head, I studied how focused she was, her brows furrowed in quiet concentration.
"Ro," I called out, setting the paper on the console table before heading to the pile of paper bags nearby.
I sat on the floor and began pulling out some of the white fabrics.
"Didn't you say you had something to do at the office?
" I asked, standing with the folded linens in hand.
I walked to the dresser cabinet, placing the blankets neatly inside before closing the drawer.
"I'll finish this first before leaving," she said without looking up.
When I turned back to her, she was already fixing the baby mobile onto the crib. I couldn't help but smile at the sight. Even though we weren't expecting yet, the room was already complete—as if we were preparing for the arrival of another little angel.
Standing beside her, I wrapped an arm around her waist as she adjusted the last piece. "There you go," she said proudly. I laughed softly as her arm slipped around my shoulders.
"The only one missing is our future baby," she added, her tone tender and hopeful.
I looked up at her, smiling. "Can't wait any longer?"
Pressing her lips into a thin line, she poked the tip of my nose. "Just eager to have a baby with you," she said with a shrug. "But I can wait."
Swallowing hard, I glanced at the crib, my fingers brushing along the smooth wooden edge. "Ro," I murmured, "there's something I want to tell—"
My words were cut off when her phone suddenly rang. She pulled it out and looked at the screen. "Hold on, Sloey," she said, staying close as she answered the call.
"Celeste? Something's up?" Her expression shifted slightly as she listened. "Well... I can come. You go first, and I'll catch up. Uh-huh... yes. Alright, thanks." She ended the call and looked back at me.
Blinking, I tilted my head. "You need to leave now?"
"Sorry," she said with a shy smile. "Something came up. I'll need to leave earlier than planned."
Nodding, I returned her smile. "Go on. It must be important."
"But weren't you saying something?"
Shaking my head, I laughed softly. "That can wait, Ro. Just go ahead."
She hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Okay, I'll go change quickly." Leaning in, she pressed a soft kiss to my lips before rushing out of the nursery.
I let out a sigh, running my fingers through my hair. "Ro," I whispered to myself. "I don't know if you could forgive me for all the secrets I've kept from you. I don't know what your reaction would be... or if, once you find out everything, we'll make it—or break."
Glancing up at the ceiling, I let out a bitter laugh. "I guess I was so focused on getting revenge that I never thought about what would happen if we started over again."
Leaving the nursery, I closed the door behind me and headed to the living room. The thought of how to tell her about the embezzlement was eating me alive. I wanted to tell her—but I didn't know where to begin.
"Sloey." Aurora's voice pulled me from my thoughts. I straightened and looked over my shoulder to see her standing there in a fresh three-piece suit.
I smiled and stood up. "You look nice," I said as she approached.
Her face flushed, and she cleared her throat softly. "Am I, really?" she asked, her voice almost shy.
Humming, I nodded as I took in the sight of her. "Well, it's lucky I've got you tied to me. Otherwise, I'd have a lot of competition—both women and men." I teased, making her laugh.
She leaned in and kissed my forehead. "Have you forgotten what I told you before? I would only marry you. No one else."
This time, it was my turn to flush. Clearing my throat, I gave a faint smile. "Just my luck then," I said softly.
"It's me who's lucky," she murmured, cupping my face in her hands. "I love you, Sol." She pressed a kiss to my lips before chuckling. "But I really need to go."
"Go on," I said, gently pushing her away with a smirk. "You've been flirting with me—you might end up late to your meeting."
Aurora laughed, shaking her head. "I'll be home once it's done. Do you want me to buy something on my way back? Something you're craving?"
Shaking my head, I looked at her. "Just drive safe, okay?"
"Of course," she sighed. "I'll go ahead. Just send me a message if you suddenly crave something." She gave me another quick kiss before rushing out. "Gotta go!"
As Aurora left the house, I turned on my heel and headed down the hallway toward the bedroom. I went straight to my study and locked the door behind me.
Crossing the room, I approached the vault and unlocked it. A series of folders greeted me from within. I pulled out several and placed them on my desk before locking the vault again. Each folder contained information tied to the embezzlement.
My hands trembled as I brushed my fingers over one thin folder—the edges yellowed from being stored for too long.
I opened it and immediately felt my breath hitch.
The memories, the pain, the suffering—they all rushed back.
I slammed the folder shut and clutched my chest, swallowing hard as the ache spread through me.
The way I begged them not to do it. The way I cried, telling them I was pregnant. I sank into my chair, my vision blurring with unshed tears. My breathing grew ragged; my chest felt as though an invisible hand was squeezing it tight. I gasped for air, coughing.
"Ro wouldn't hurt me like that..." I whispered to myself, remembering what had happened months after we broke up. Tears slid freely down my cheeks. "Ro... did you really order them to hurt me?"
I could still feel it—the blood that oozed from my thigh, the terror that consumed me when I almost... almost lost Dione. My gaze drifted to the folder again. I opened it once more, and there, right on top, was an old ultrasound result.
"They were twins, Ro..." My voice cracked. "We should've had twins by now—if only you hadn't ordered them to hurt me."
A cold, bitter laugh escaped me.
When my body finally steadied, I stood and gathered the folders.
Carrying them out of the study, I entered the nursery.
Opening the dresser drawer where the blankets were neatly stacked, I tucked the folders underneath—hidden, but close.
"If we really want this to work," I murmured, clenching my fists, "I'll tell you everything at once—on our anniversary."
Leaving the nursery, I went to our bedroom to take a bath. Once done, I dressed in an army green silk blouse tucked into black leather pants and paired it with knee-high boots.
Sitting before the vanity, I applied sunscreen and a light pressed powder, then traced a burgundy lipstick over my lips.
Looking at my reflection, I gave myself a faint smile.
"Maybe I could ask her to grab dinner with me after her meeting," I said softly, picking up my handbag and phone.
I left the bedroom and headed straight to the garage. Driving off, I made my way to Aurora's building. Upon arrival, I parked and entered the lobby, approaching the concierge desk.
"Hi," I greeted politely.
The employee looked up, immediately standing and bowing. "Ms. Duvall," she said with a smile.
"Is Aurora still in her meeting?" I asked.
"Ms. Aurora?" she repeated, typing something into her computer. "Ms. Duvall, Ms. Aurora isn't in today. She doesn't have any scheduled meetings."
I blinked, a frown tugging at my lips. "No—there must be some mistake. She told me she was heading—" I stopped mid-sentence, tilting my head. "Celeste. Is Celeste here?"
"Well," the woman began, "Celeste already headed out, Ms. Duvall."
"Oh." I let out a slow sigh. "Alright, thank you then." I waved my fingers lightly before turning to leave.
Stepping out of the building, I muttered under my breath, "What the hell?"
Walking back to the parking lot, I slid into my car and pulled out my phone. I dialed Aurora's number—it rang once before she answered.
"Where the hell are you?" I snapped, not even bothering with a greeting. "I went to your office. Empty. No assistant. No schedule showing you'd be anywhere else. And you've been gone for hours."
Where the hell could she be?
I could hear muffled voices in the background. Was she in a public place?
"I'm visiting," she said simply, her tone calm.
My brow furrowed. "Visiting? What does that even mean?" Was she at her mother's grave?
"Come here, Sol. If you want to know, come and see."
I swallowed hard, trying to process her words. Clearing my throat, I let out a dry chuckle. "You're impossible. Send me the address."
She didn't respond right away. Then my phone chimed—a message. "Already done," she said. "And Sol... don't come in your boardroom armor, please. Not here."
My frown deepened. Boardroom armor? What was that supposed to mean? "Okay, fine. Wait for me there," I said before ending the call.
Checking the message, I blinked. "Isn't this an NGO building?" I murmured. "What would she be doing there?" Slipping my phone into my pocket, I started the engine and drove to the address she'd sent.
When I reached the parking lot, I stepped out and glanced up at the building, still unsure what to expect. As I approached the entrance, I spotted Celeste waiting outside.
When she saw me, she smiled and walked over, giving a subtle nod. "Ms. Duvall," she greeted. "Ms. Aurora informed me you were coming."
"Why is she here?" I asked.
"It's her monthly visit, Ms. Duvall. Ms. Aurora owns this place," Celeste explained as we walked inside.
My lips parted slightly. She owns this place? I thought, taking in the surroundings—the soft pastel walls, the quiet hum of monitors, the distant laughter of children.
Celeste stopped in front of one of the rooms, knocked gently, then opened the door for me. "Ms. Aurora told me to let you in—she's inside."
"Thanks, Celeste," I said with a nod before stepping inside. The door closed softly behind me.
I froze for a moment. Children were playing quietly in the room, all wearing hospital clothes printed with tiny teddy bears. Their gazes lifted to me, and they paused mid-play to wave with bright smiles. I couldn't help but smile and wave back.
"Hi," a small voice beside me said. I turned to see a girl, maybe around Dione's age. Despite her pale skin and the faint shadows under her eyes, she smiled brightly. "Are you here for Ms. Aurora?"
I nodded, returning the smile. "Yes. I'm her wife. Do you know where she is?"
The girl tilted her head thoughtfully before taking my hand. "Come, she's here."
I followed her as she led me across the room. On a soft mat near the window, Aurora lay sideways, her arm draped protectively around a sleeping child.
"She's sleeping," the girl whispered, letting go of my hand.
"Thank you," I said softly, patting her head.
My eyes found a chair nearby—a blazer folded neatly over the backrest. I picked it up and walked toward Aurora. Sitting down beside her, I draped the blazer over her shoulders and brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
My fingers lingered over the faint scar on her cheek—the one I'd caused when I slapped her, back when she thought I'd let another man touch me.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, so quietly only I could hear it.
A tap on my shoulder made me look in that direction, only to see a little girl grinning at me.
"H-hi, Ms. Beautiful," she said, holding a storybook tightly across her chest. "Would you be so kind as to read us a story?
" She then pointed somewhere across the room.
Following her finger, I saw a group of kids sitting cross-legged on the floor.
I smiled, accepting the book and standing up. "Alright," I said, walking beside her toward the group of children now sitting in a circle. "Hi, kids," I greeted, lowering myself into the open space in front of them.
Just as I sat down, I saw movement where Aurora had been sleeping. The child lying beside her stirred, looked around, and then his eyes landed on me. I waved at him with a smile.
He smiled back and slowly stood, rushing toward us. The other kids made room for him, and to my surprise, he climbed onto my lap, making me laugh softly. "Alright, should we start?" I asked, glancing around at their eager faces leaning forward.
I flipped the book open.
"The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry," I began.
"Once upon a time, a little prince lived on a very small planet, no bigger than a house.
" I read the passage animatedly, my hands gesturing in the air.
"He had one friend there—a rose. She was beautiful but proud, and she often made him sad.
Still," I paused, scanning their faces, "the little prince loved her, because he watered her every morning and shielded her from the wind. "
The little boy tugged on my sleeve, drawing my gaze downward. "Was she mean to him?" he asked, his eyes wide and innocent.
I smiled, ruffling his hair. "Sometimes. But love isn't always easy, right? The little prince learned that even when someone hurts you, you can still care for them."
Turning the page, I continued reading.
"So one day, the little prince decided to travel.
He visited many planets and met grown-ups who cared about strange things—kings with no people, men who counted stars as if they could own them, and others who had forgotten why they were alive.
It made the little prince sad, because they had all forgotten what truly mattered. "
One of the kids whispered, "What mattered?"
I couldn't help but smile. "He found out later—when he met a fox. The fox told him, 'It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.'"
The children listened in silence. Some looked at me, others stared out the window where sunlight spilled in golden beams.
"The end," I said finally, closing the book. The room filled with clapping and giggles, the boy on my lap laughing with delight. One of the kids walked up, took the book from me, and carefully placed it back on the shelf.
"Thank you, Ms. Beautiful," the kids chorused before scattering to play again.
When I looked up, I noticed Aurora was already awake. I stood and walked toward her, still carrying the little boy.
"You're finally awake," I said, sitting beside her. "I didn't know you had this facility."
Aurora exhaled softly.
"This started twelve years ago," she began, her eyes following the children.
"I kept thinking... if it's hard enough for adults to deal with terminal illness, how much harder must it be for children?
" Her voice was low, gentle—almost as if she feared the kids might overhear.
I studied her quietly.
In that moment, I saw how tender she was with them.
Maybe because she was an only child. Or maybe because she was simply drawn to them—her heart too soft to turn away.
Either way, I knew... something inside me told me that when Aurora found out the truth—that we had a child together—she would be delighted.
?·???°???°???·?
The sound of laughter enveloped the two of us. We both looked into each other's eyes, as if we shared a silent understanding of how serious the children's conditions were. The little boy sat in front of us, playing quietly with his toys.
Aurora tousled the boy's hair. "They're just innocent souls who don't know how long they'll have in this world," she said softly. "That's why I decided to build this place—to create an NGO, partner with AMADE. To give them something."
Her words alone moved me.
I never thought she would do something like this.
Knowing Aurora, she never liked being around too many people.
But maybe the years apart had changed her—molded her into someone different.
She still felt like the same Aurora I had known back in our university days, yet in another way, she had become someone I could barely recognize.
But I was proud of her—of what she had become, of what she had accomplished—even if I hadn't been there to witness those years.
My hand reached out and held hers. "It must've been hard, carrying all of this," I whispered. "And it must bring back the pain of losing someone dear to you... someone who went through the same thing."
I felt Aurora's body stiffen. She looked at me, and I gave her a faint smile. "I was there," I murmured, almost as if confessing a secret. "At your mother's burial."
Even though I already had Dione at the time, I had managed to visit Monaco—just to attend her mother's funeral. Somehow, her mother had treated me like her own daughter. They never made me feel like I was only with Aurora for her money. They treated me like family.
"What...?" she breathed.
Swallowing hard, I cupped her face, my fingers brushing along her soft skin.
"I didn't come close," I said quietly. "I just stood from afar—far enough to see everything, close enough to remember.
I figured you wouldn't want to see me...
maybe you'd even push me away. So, I stayed back. "
If I had known better, I would've come to her—talked things out like an adult should.
I should've told her about Dione, let her decide what she wanted to do with our daughter—whether she wanted to reconcile and live together, to be a family again, or to remain apart, just as we had been.
That day, I saw how devastated she was—left all alone, with nothing but her wealth and heavy responsibilities.
Maybe that was why she never entered another relationship.
And maybe... maybe that was a good thing.
Because looking at us now, after everything, perhaps fate had been waiting for this moment.
"I..." Aurora started, but her voice faltered. She stopped herself, her eyes lowering as silence stretched between us.
Tilting my head, I smiled at her. "Maybe that's why you built this place—to give support to those who need it. To show your mother, even if she isn't here anymore, that you still carry her memory."
I knew how much Aurora loved her mother—how deeply she respected her. So maybe this was her way of cherishing her mother's memory.
"You could say that," she replied, her gaze drifting to the little boy.
The way she looked at him made me wonder if she wanted to adopt him. "Do you want to bring him home?" I asked before I could stop myself.
Aurora chuckled, blinking at me.
"No, not that," she said, lifting the boy into her arms. "He has parents, Sloey.
He's just not allowed to leave the facility—his body's too fragile.
The doctors..." her voice cracked, followed by a soft sigh, "they said he won't last long. "
My body went still as I looked at the boy whom she gently set back down. I swallowed hard, my chest tightening painfully.
"But he's a fighter," Aurora continued, her tone filled with quiet pride.
"He's already outlived the timeline they gave him.
" She gestured toward the other children nearby—playing, laughing, as if nothing inside them was breaking.
"And the rest of them... they're just like him.
Fighting every single day, never knowing when their bodies will finally give up and surrender to all the medicine keeping them alive. "
A knot formed in my throat.
"It must be devastating for the parents to see their children like this," I whispered, my voice low.
My thoughts drifted to Dione. I didn't think I could ever handle that kind of pain—but I knew one thing for sure: I would do everything I could to keep her safe, no matter how exhausted or broken I became.
I drew my knees up, reaching out to poke the little boy's nose. He giggled, and I couldn't help but smile at his innocent face.
Aurora hummed softly. "Yeah... it really is devastating for them."
Then something struck me.
I blinked, straightening up. "Our first wedding anniversary is coming up," I said.
"Maybe we could celebrate it here?" The idea warmed me from the inside.
These children's time was limited—maybe we could make something memorable for them. Something they'd hold on to.
Aurora raised a brow. "Here? Are you sure?"
I nodded eagerly, grinning.
"Yes. We can spend it here with them, and afterward, if you'd like, we can have a dinner date.
Just the two of us." My cheeks flushed at the thought—it wasn't our first date, but somehow it still felt thrilling.
"Besides..." I paused, exhaling softly. "There's something important I want to tell you. "
She tilted her head, smirking. "Now you've caught my attention. What's this important thing you're keeping from me?"
I laughed quietly, reaching up to pinch her cheek. "That, you'll have to wait until our anniversary to find out."
As we said our goodbyes to the kids, I couldn't help but grin and wave playfully at them. They looked so precious—pure joy wrapped in fragility.
On our way out, Aurora stopped to discuss something with Celeste. I stepped a few paces away, waiting near the exit door. My thoughts wandered until I felt a light touch on my back.
I turned to find Aurora standing there. "What are you thinking?" she asked, one brow raised.
"Huh?" I frowned, tilting my head. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you've been staring off into space," she said with a shrug. "Something stressing you out?"
Pressing my lips together, I shook my head.
"Just thinking, maybe we could grab something on the way home.
I was planning to ask you out for dinner, but I realized.
.. maybe a rooftop dinner would be better, right?
I remember you asking me before, and I couldn't join you.
So, maybe tonight's the perfect day to do it together? "
Aurora's smile widened, and she nodded. "That would be perfect, Sloey." She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me into a hug. "Sol..."
"Hmm?" I hummed, rubbing her back as she stayed pressed against me, her face buried in my shoulder. "What's wrong, Ro?"
"Thank you," she whispered against my neck, pressing a light kiss there.
"What for?"
Her arms tightened around me, holding me even closer. "Thank you for joining me here. For being here with me today." When she lifted her head, her eyes glistened.
I reached up and cupped her face, brushing my thumb along her cheek.
"I used to visit this place alone," she said softly. "Sometimes with Celeste, like today. It's my silent escape. But I'm glad I don't have to do it alone anymore—because you're here with me."
"Oh, Ro," I murmured, smiling as I tugged her closer and kissed her lips. "You won't be alone anymore, okay?"
She smiled into the kiss and leaned into my hand, as if savoring the warmth. "I love you. I really do," she whispered, pressing a kiss to my cheek. Then, with a playful glint in her eyes, she added, "Now come on—let's grab some takeout for our rooftop dinner date."
She took my hand and tugged me excitedly toward the exit, and we jogged together to the parking lot.
I giggled as I followed, watching her from behind. I had almost forgotten how lively she could be—how easily she could turn my gloom into light. She was still Aurora. My Aurora—the dawn of me.