Chapter 32- Two Cradles
It's short.. sorry...
Time froze.
Eyes locked.
Just them. The world around them blurred until nothing else existed, no music, no chatter, no movement. Only the two of them.
Leonard couldn't even claim to know what was beneath that coat. He"s never seen her bare.
Gawd!
She's gorgeous.
Aurora’s gaze met his, once, sharply.
Then, as the seconds dragged on, her glare softened. Not because of him, but because the discomfort had started to creep in.
The kind that comes when too many eyes are on you, when too much of your past suddenly echoes in your present.
~ Oh my gawd.
~ She seriously wore big clothes again?
~ What’s with the coat?
~ She’s super pretty.
Leonard took slow, deliberate steps toward Aurora. Their eyes never left each other’s.
His cold, focused blue eyes met her brown ones. He saw the disapproval in her gaze, she didn’t want to be here.
Neither of them was aware of the eyes fixed on them. Or maybe they didn’t care.
Leonard reached her, their eyes still locked. No one blinked.
Oma watched from behind, but Mason’s hands couldn’t leave her.
His hands were all over her.
"There. I showed up, we’re even. Don’t do favors for me again when I don’t need it." Aurora muttered.
Leonard’s hand wrapped around her waist through the fur coat, yanking her closer.
Gasps erupted. Girls sneered.
Kiara held her breath.
"I’m leaving." Aurora said, looking away.
I feel like the rumors about her might be true. She is a pick-me.
Yeah, always trying so hard.
Are you blind? Can’t you see Leo’s the one interested in her?
I don’t blame her though. Leo is so hot.
Forget him, look at Aura.
Oh, please. All she wears is big clothes.
But her face card…
"Let’s go inside." Leonard said, pulling Aurora closer.
"What? Are you crazy?" She frowned.
"Outside is for everyone else. Inside is for you… and me." He wrapped both hands around her waist, leaving no breathing space between them.
This fur coat is saving her from a lot.
Ricky came up to them. "Dude, take this inside. You’re making people jealous, everyone’s looking." he whispered with a grin.
"Fuck them." Leonard replied simply, without taking his eyes off Aurora’s lips.
Aurora tried to pull away, but as usual, he let her go only when he wanted to.
She could see it. He was controlling.
"I’m leaving." She repeated.
Ricky turned to Oma with a grin. "Your bestie’s getting laid tonight." he whispered.
"Shut up." She glared.
Mason laughed slightly. "Damn, I already feel the heat, and the party hasn’t even started properly."
Collette balled her fists.
Ricky sighed and went to the DJ booth. He grabbed the mic. "Come on, guys! The night just began, and y’all are already dulling out? Go wild!!!"
The crowd cheered.
"There are no rules… Actually, there’s one, don’t get anyone pregnant. Let’s partyyyy!!!"
The DJ turned the volume up, making it ear-piercing, swallowing every other voice in the room.
Aurora swallowed. The same song. The same song from that night.
Leonard stayed neutral, watching her.
She wriggled her hand free from his grip and went to Oma.
He stayed expressionless. He had arranged this, the playlist for the night.
But the truth was, even he didn’t want to be at this party. It was making him sick, bringing back too many memories.
Oma squeezed Aurora’s hand.
"I’m leaving." Aurora said. The music was loud, but Oma could still read her lips.
“What?! Listen, we just got here, and you were brave enough to even show up. Thirty more minutes, at least!” Oma raised her voice.
Aurora said nothing and started walking away. She went to where her car was parked but halted.
What the actual fuck?!
Where is her car? Where is it?!
"Auri…" Oma trailed off when she noticed the car’s disappearance too.
"What the, where’s your car?"
Aurora glared knowingly and stormed back to the party.
Aurora stormed back into the party, her heartbeat louder than the music. The bass thumped against her chest, but it was nothing compared to the anger boiling inside her.
She spotted him easily, leaning against the bar, drink in hand, acting like the entire world existed for his amusement.
Leonard.
Of course.
She walked straight toward him, not caring about the eyes that followed her.
People moved out of her way like they could feel her fury burning through the air.
He looked up before she even reached him, that damn smirk already tugging at his lips. "Lose something?" he asked lazily, taking a slow sip of his drink.
Her jaw tightened. "Where’s my car, Leonard?"
He shrugged. "Safe."
"Safe?" She repeated, incredulous. "You had no right."
"I had every right." He interrupted, stepping closer. His voice dropped, smooth and low. “You were planning to run the second you got the chance. I wasn’t done with you.”
Aurora’s fingers curled into fists. "You can’t just, control everything."
"I’m not controlling." he murmured, brushing a stray lock of her hair off her face. "I’m protecting."
"From what?"
"From yourself."
She hated the way her chest tightened. The room suddenly felt smaller, the air thicker.
He always did this, twisted everything until she didn’t even know if she was mad at him or at herself.
"Give me my keys." she said through her teeth.
He leaned in until his breath brushed her ear. "Dance with me first."
She shook her head slowly. "You're sick."
She stormed out of the party, away from the villa compound and into the calm, empty streets.
The night air was cool, soft against her burning cheeks. She regretted leaving immediately, but she couldn’t go back either.
Just the thought of that party made her stomach turn.
Still… she knew she looked good. The coat, the boots, the confidence she didn’t feel but wore anyway.
And then the thought crept in, what if someone saw her?
What if someone came for her?
Her pulse quickened at the thought.
Even if she went back, she’d be alone anyway.
Oma was probably still tangled up with Mason.
Aurora scoffed. So much for being her emotional support.
The wind carried different whispers, the faint scent of flowers, the chill of night air… and then, that cologne.
Dior Sauvage Elixir.
She froze. Her breath caught in her throat.
Turning slowly, she saw him, standing under the streetlight like he’d been waiting all along, his eyes calm, commanding, like she was a stray cat that had wandered too far.
Aurora turned away and began walking faster.
"Take my coat off." Leonard’s voice cut through the air.
She stopped dead. Turned. He was closer now.
Her fists clenched. His face was blank, unreadable, so calm it made her want to scream.
He closed the distance, standing right in front of her. She didn’t move.
"You’re a sick bastard." She said coldly. "I hate you."
Leonard smirked. "But you trust me."
Her jaw tightened. She turned to walk off, but he caught her wrist, pulling her effortlessly against him.
Before she could react, he bent down and slung her over his shoulder like she weighed nothing.
"Leonard Grande, you motherfucking twerp! Put me down!" She shouted, pounding his back with her fists.
He chuckled darkly. "First time I’ve heard you yell, and it’s my name, too. Makes me want to tie you to my bed."
"No." her breath hitched. "Don’t talk like that."
"It’d sound better if you yelled the other name." He murmured, easing her down from his shoulder and into his arms, holding her like a bride as if she weighed nothing.
"What name?" She whispered, glaring up at him.
He didn’t answer. Just adjusted his hold and looked ahead, that same maddening calm in his expression.
"It’s not a party without dancing." He said quietly.
"I’m not dancing with you."
"Leo—"
"Ren." he cut her off.
"Huh?"
"Call me Ren."
"Ren…" she muttered almost to herself.
Music from the villa echoed as they got closer.
"You can put me down now. I followed you back." she said.
"Only because I forced you into my arms." he replied, raising a brow. "You really love it when I do that, don’t you?"
She rolled her eyes and looked away.
"You need to stop putting ideas in my head." he murmured.
He set her down but didn’t let go, still tugging her hand along.
"I’m not a kid, and it’s hard walking properly in these dang heels." she complained.
They reached the villa gate and saw Oma, Ivy, Roseanne, and Kiara waiting there.
"You got her." Oma said.
"I wanted to follow when I saw you leaving, but he stopped me." Oma added, and Aurora looked away.
Ivy and Roseanne wore their usual teasing looks. Kiara’s expression was unreadable.
Aurora tried to wriggle free from Leonard’s grasp, but he held her tight, like he’d lose her if he let go.
Without a word, Leonard dragged her inside, through the crowd, until they reached the villa door.
Roseanne and Ivy squealed.
"Should we write a story about this?" Ivy teased.
Oma chuckled. "Crazy."
"What do we call it?" Roseanne asked.
"The bad boy and the bad girl?" Ivy offered.
"Nahhh. Love in Trouble." Roseanne said.
"None. Bad meets baddest." Oma added, and they gasped.
"Perfect!" Ivy and Roseanne chorused.
"Guess we’re about to suffer major oppression." Roseanne fake-cried.
"At least you two are in relationships. What about me and Kiara’s single asses?" Ivy whined.
"I ship you with Ricky already." Roseanne shrugged.
Kiara stayed silent.
"No! Don’t talk about him. I don’t like him one bit."
"Ivy…" Ricky’s soft voice came from behind.
Ivy turned, eyes wide.
"I want to talk to you." he said.
Oma and Roseanne exchanged knowing looks. Oma pulled Kiara along, and they left.
Ivy tried to follow, but Ricky blocked her way.
"Ivy, please."
"What do you want from me? You probably just banged a girl behind the villa and got bored—now you remember me? Wow."
Ricky sighed. "You have every right to be angry. But please… just give me a chance."
"A chance to what?" Ivy snapped.
“To prove to you…” he stepped closer, "…that I love you."
Ivy froze. "Wha...what?"
“Yes,” he said softly. "It’s crazy, I know, but it’s true. I love you."
Ivy laughed bitterly. "Is this a truth-or-dare game with Leo or Sean? Or maybe Perry? I’ve seen you talk to him once."
"No." Ricky said. “No games. Just give me a chance.”
Ivy scoffed. "Fine then. I’ll give you now till February 14 to prove it. Let’s see how long you last without other girls."
She walked off.
"A week." he muttered under his breath.
At the Raven Mansion
Gemma sat alone in the dim living room, her hand resting on an old photo frame. The fireplace crackled softly, throwing slow, orange waves of light across the glass.
Her fingers trembled as she traced the image, a baby wrapped in a white blanket, her tiny hand curled around the edge of the cradle.
Beside her... an empty cradle.
A faint smile ghosted across Gemma’s lips, the kind that hurt to hold.
"I wonder." She whispered, her voice barely a breath, "if you’d both still look alike."
She closed her eyes and pressed the frame to her chest. Outside, thunder rolled over the mansion roof, low and heavy.
And somewhere deep within the house, from a room long left untouched, came a soft, childlike hum.
Gemma’s eyes fluttered open. Her whisper cracked through the silence.
"Where are you, Annora?"
TBC...