CHAPTER 6Aurelia
Aurelia
After meeting with Charles about the inheritance and its possibilities, a tired but more carefree version of Aurelia emerged. The fear remained, but realizing she had nothing left to lose, not even her sanity, made it less overwhelming.
After Selene left, lunch was delivered, and Aurelia and Charles spent hours reviewing documents. Even with her love of reading, the fine print escalated her headache into a migraine that only a nap could cure.
Selene had also sent over the staff schedules, allowing her to shift her attention to coordinating meetings for a little while. It was a much-needed respite that brought a sense of normalcy. Then Charles dropped another bomb, shattering that illusion.
“Eleanor paid for the full-service fee in advance and shared her perspective on your personality with the matchmaker. Her name is Estrella Vale, and she is eager to meet you whenever you are ready.”
Shoulders slumping, Aurelia internally groaned.
“She’s also aware of Eleanor’s confidentiality requirements,” Charles added. “If you have a match that leads to marriage, I’ve drafted an ironclad prenuptial agreement to protect you. It’ll be at your discretion down the line when to tell your spouse about everything.”
Spouse. She bit the inside of her cheek, the word foreign on her tongue.
She wasn’t thrilled to learn that Charles had been working with the matchmaking service for the last couple of months. He insisted on calling them together to discuss next steps because he felt she was a “flight risk.” She was outraged at how accurate his assessment was.
Once her appointment was booked, he handed her a beautifully wrapped box. Inside was a turquoise designer tote—Eleanor’s final secret gift, meant to help Aurelia carry these documents discreetly and in style.
As she walked to her car, the envious glances the bag received had her grinning from ear to ear. While starting her car, she burst into a brief fit of laughter over everything that happened in her meeting.
Charles’s reference to her future spouse , someone she hadn’t even met yet, was absurd, but the thick folder of “homework” in her new bag wasn’t funny at all. Her first appointment with Perfectly Paired Matchmaking was officially scheduled for Thursday.
Thankfully, she still had her self-defense class that night. After her situation with Kyle, she joined almost a year ago. It was a lifeline, something to take back control, to release the fear that still clung to her. It also brought her one step closer to regaining her sense of self.
Will I ever stop looking over my shoulder?
Maybe not. But she could stop giving him space in her mind. Keeping busy helped. After Eleanor’s diagnosis, she had stepped back from most activities, except this one.
Until recently, she had been volunteering with the Joia City School District, helping foster kids improve academically. Though not a court advocate, she mentored at-risk teens weekly.
As she merged onto the main road, Aurelia made a mental note to reconnect with them before the fall. She had never forgotten what it was like moving from home to home without help. Reading became her escape, her way of learning beyond the classroom.
When graduation came, she, like many foster youths, had no money for college. So, she lived in her car and worked every job she could: overnight caregiving, temporary jobs, waitressing…all while saving for a home of her own.
She did that for nearly a decade.
Then Eleanor hired her as a personal assistant and changed everything. Aurelia wished more kids could be given the same chance.
That was when the idea hit her: I’ll use the inheritance to create a program for kids aging out of foster care for shelter, support, and other opportunities.
Suddenly, marrying a stranger didn’t feel so terrible. It wasn’t solely for her benefit; it could be the foundation for something bigger.
Her mood shifted into something bright and breezy. She turned up the radio and sang loudly and terribly along with the dance music, her hands tapping to the beat against her steering wheel.
When was the last time she truly let go?
Aurelia couldn’t remember when she last allowed herself the freedom to do so. Perhaps it was time to start prioritizing herself more often.
Once class was over, she had to review the paperwork. And tomorrow? A salon trip. Maybe some shopping.
After all, she had a husband to impress.
CLASS CANCELLED - FAMILY EMERGENCY - SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE!
Aurelia joined the crowd of classmates that gathered outside of Francisco’s Martial Arts and read the sign on the door.
She had been looking forward to her class tonight, but it must have been a serious emergency for the instructor to cancel class on such short notice.
Normally, they would get an email and text message letting them know the class was cancelled.
Now she found herself in the heart of the bustling city, dressed for a workout in plain black athletic leggings and a sports bra with a hot pink long tank layered over it, and with no plans for the evening.
The thought of going home so early wasn’t as appealing as it should’ve been. Kyle had never liked it when she became too friendly with others.Lord, she was tired of thinking about him and being alone.
She could be bold and muster up the courage to ask one of them to go grab dinner or do something else…to put herself out there and try to make a friend. Dig deep to find that fierce woman inside her that Eleanor claimed existed, and take a step towards rediscovering herself.
She gazed across the street at the park where young children ran around playing tag, their parents huddled on park benches chatting as they oversaw them.
Further away, a group of guys were tossing a football back and forth.
Aurelia scrunched her nose in concentration and pushed an errant lock of hair out of her eyes.
We’re already here anyway….
Taking a deep breath, Aurelia turned around and faced the group of classmates, and with the most confident tone she could rally, she asked, “Does anyone want to do our class in the park?”
An hour later, a very sweaty but content Aurelia plopped herself down on the grass next to her classmate, Adelen Mazao, as she gulped down half of her water bottle. She tried to smooth down the wayward strands as she fastened her damp hair into a semblance of a bun atop her head.
When she asked her classmates about holding their own practice session in the park, she expected them to decline.
Instead, they got excited and followed her across the street to the park to train together.
Under a shady spot of trees, they paired up, reviewing the different maneuvers they had learned so far.
Aurelia partnered up with Adelen, who joined the class five weeks ago. She felt strangely comfortable around her, like they were kindred spirits. Selene always had the gift of easily making friends growing up, while Aurelia mainly kept to herself and the safety of her books.
It was a lonely way to live.
It was also why she was determined to change that, one small step at a time.
“I’m so glad everyone came to the park tonight. I really needed this.” Aurelia glanced at Adelen, sitting next to her on the grass.
Adelen’s legs were stretched out before her as she leaned back on her palms. She wore a similar black athletic outfit to Aurelia’s, with a black tank top over it.
Looking roughly the same age, her midnight hair was pulled back in a French braid, showing off her wide, expressive steel-colored eyes, fair skin, and cochlear implants.
Her multiple ear piercings glittered in the sunlight.
She was gorgeous in a mysterious and dangerous sort of way.
And could probably kick Aurelia’s ass if she wanted to. She almost laughed aloud, thinking about it.
“Do you want to go grab something to eat?” Aurelia blurted.
Well, that was unplanned.
She wanted to crawl under a rock and hide from her awkwardness. Feeling her cheeks warm from embarrassment, she thanked god for her post-workout flushed skin that masked it.
Adelen fiddled with the end of her braid, quietly contemplating her question for a moment before she said, “Yeah, why not? There’s a burger place around the corner with amazing milkshakes.”
“God, I could kill for a good milkshake right now,” Aurelia groaned. She took a moment to enjoy the wave of relief that rocketed through her when Adelen agreed to go out.
Adelen snickered as they both stood and grabbed their water bottles. Aurelia’s steps and soul were lighter as they walked to the diner.
As they approached the restaurant, Aurelia noticed Adelen’s steps slow right before reaching the corner.
Her head turned slightly, sharp eyes scanning the street and nearby doorways with a level of precision that made Aurelia pause.
Adelen’s shoulders tensed for the briefest moment before she took a slow, controlled breath and forced them down again.
The movement was subtle and practiced…too practiced.
Aurelia was quite familiar with that routine herself, considering she had lived it for months after escaping Kyle.
It left her always on edge, always checking exits, and running through worst-case scenarios.
Hypervigilance became second nature when a person spent too much time waiting for the next blow to fall.
“You okay?” Aurelia asked gently, careful not to startle her.
Adelen’s mouth twitched into a humorless half-smile, the kind that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“Yeah…old habits,” she murmured, her voice cool and even.
She adjusted the strap of her bag across her chest like a shield and pushed open the door to the diner.
“Come on. That milkshake isn’t going to drink itself. ”
Aurelia let the moment pass, but something inside her stirred.
There was more to Adelen than she let on, beneath layers of carefully placed walls and shadows she kept hidden beneath that mysterious exterior.
Aurelia realized she wasn’t the only one carrying invisible scars, unsure of whether to be comforted or concerned.
Aurelia followed Adelen into the diner; the warmth and chatter inside were a sharp contrast to the tension that clung to them moments ago.
Sliding into the booth, Aurelia found herself studying the other woman across from her more closely, noticing her carefully controlled movements and the way she positioned herself with her back to the wall, always keeping the entrance in view.
She recognized that instinctive need to stay alert, to feel in control of her surroundings. It was a familiar kind of armor.
Strangely, Aurelia knew she didn’t have to explain herself to this woman to be understood, and maybe Adelen didn’t either.
A tentative smile tugged at her lips as she picked up the menu, a quiet sense of belonging settling between them.
One small step, she reminded herself. One small step that perhaps Adelen needed as much as she did.