Chapter 55 - Hidden Truth
Kiara's head snapped to the side. Her hair flew across her face, strands sticking to her skin as the sting bloomed sharp and unreal.
It should have hurt Aurora's hand. It should have burned. It didn't.
She was too furious to feel anything at all.
Her eyes were red, not teary, just blazing with a rage that had been waiting for a reason.
Leonard moved without urgency, striding to the car he'd arrived in with her.
He leaned against the hood casually, arms folding across his bare chest like this was a show he'd already paid for.
Aurora laughed.
It was wild, unhinged laughter, too loud, too sudden. The kind that made people step back without realizing they were doing it.
She clapped as she laughed, slow at first, then harder.
"Wow," she said, clapping again. "Wow. Amazing."
She tilted her head, eyes raking over Kiara.
"Hello, Bianca," Aurora added mockingly.
"Is that you? Bianca in disguise?"
Mara blinked. Once.
So the Aurora is this crazy. Not just crazy. Deranged.
Kiara's eyes burned with unshed tears, the slap finally catching up to her. "How dare you raise your hand on-"
"You do not yell at me."
The second slap landed harder. Louder.
Kiara cried out, stumbling back.
Aurora stepped closer, voice low now, stripped of laughter.
"So you're the one Ren warned me about," she said. "The friend I shouldn't trust. Let me guess, you were going to backstab me slowly this time?"
She scoffed.
"I saw your outfit at the party. The pictures. Oma said you were 'trying new things.' Funny how those new things all revolved around him."
Aurora smiled, but there was no warmth in it.
"What was the plan, Kiara? Dance for him? Tempt him? Turn me into a joke while you played innocent? Probably try to sabotage me?"
Kiara stared back, hatred and humiliation mixing with tears. Her face was soaked now, mascara smudged, hair clinging to her skin.
"I never liked you," Aurora said plainly. "Not once. No matter how sweet Oma painted you. My instincts don't lie, and you just proved it."
Behind her, Leonard watched quietly.
He didn't step in. Didn't stop it.
Something dark flickered in his expression, approval, interest, heat. This was new.
Is it strange how he finds this hot?
Kiara turned away from Aurora as if the slap had never happened.
Her gaze locked onto Leonard instead, desperate and glassy, like he was the only solid thing left in her world.
"I've liked you since the day you stepped into college," she said, voice trembling but rushed, as though afraid he'd cut her off.
"But you never noticed me. You barely spoke to anyone. Oma was the only girl you talked to, only her. Then she brought her."
She shot Aurora a look, sharp and resentful.
"And suddenly you were interested. Just because she played hard to get. Because she acted like she didn't want you." Kiara laughed weakly.
"That's all it took. One girl pretending not to care."
Her hands shook at her sides.
"This isn't a crush," she said quickly. "I'm in love with you, Leonard. I really am."
Leonard didn't react the way she hoped.
He looked... bored.
Not angry. Not conflicted. Just mildly entertained, like he'd heard the same confession a hundred times before and already knew the ending.
Still, there was satisfaction in his eyes. A quiet thrill. Another heart cracked open in front of him.
He saw the yearning. The need. The way her pain clung to him like a plea.
And he loved it.
Aurora turned away from Kiara sharply and faced Leonard instead. Then she looked at Mara.
"Get him a shirt," Aurora ordered, voice clipped.
Leonard smirked, slow and lazy, like he enjoyed being commanded by her.
Mara hesitated only a second before nodding and heading inside.
Leonard's attention returned to Kiara, his expression flattening completely.
"If she comes back," he said calmly, "and you're still on my property..."
He leaned forward slightly.
"...you won't be leaving on your feet."
Kiara's breath hitched. Tears spilled freely now.
"Leo..." she whispered, reaching for him with her eyes.
Nothing.
She swallowed, then turned to Aurora, hatred burning through the humiliation.
"You think I want to be your friend?" Kiara snapped. "I hate you. I hate you, Aurora."
Her voice broke on the name.
Then she ran.
She didn't look back. Her sobs echoed faintly as she disappeared beyond the gate, pride shattered and love left bleeding behind her.
Silence settled over the compound.
Leonard exhaled slowly, then turned to Aurora.
She was still rigid, anger vibrating under her skin, fists clenched at her sides.
Mara returned with a hoodie instead, and Leonard slipped it on without a word, covering his tattoos like he was done with the night entirely.
His eyes stayed on Aurora.
"Take me home," she said immediately. No softness. No debate.
"Now."
Gemma and Melvin arrived home later than planned.
They had stopped by the hospital first Dr Nina.
They updated her briefly..Aurora's mood. Her steadiness. The way she seemed... present again. Especially since she tried to unalive herself a day back.
Nina listened carefully, nodding, eyes sharp with professional concern and personal affection tangled together.
"If she went with him, then let her be. She's conscious enough to know she's safe with him. Especially at night. At his place." She said finally. "Just don't rush her."
Gemma had smiled at that. Melvin had only nodded.
Now, back at the Raven Mansion, they expected silence.
Instead, laughter floated down the hallway.
Not loud, contained. Excited.
The kind of laughter that came from secrets being shared.
Gemma slowed. Melvin frowned.
They followed the sound upstairs.
Elara's room door was slightly ajar, blue light spilling into the hallway. Inside, Elara and Xander were sprawled comfortably, Xander on the floor, Elara cross-legged on the bed.
The television screen was on, mirroring Elara's phone.
Oma's face filled the screen, animated, grinning, clearly mid-gist. "So then she slapped her!" Oma was saying, barely containing her laughter. "Like, full-on. I swear it was legendary. Kimberly did NOT expect it"
Xander burst out laughing. "I knew Auri had it in her." He said proudly.
Elara clapped her hands. "I've been waiting for this era."
Gemma cleared her throat. All three froze.
Elara scrambled for the remote. Oma's grin widened on-screen before Elara hastily waved.
"Goodnight, Oma," She said sweetly. "Thanks for the... update."
Oma laughed. "Blissful night, people. Sleep well."
The call ended. Silence.
Elara turned slowly. "Hi, Auntie. Uncle."
Melvin raised a brow. "Do we want to know what that was?"
Xander shrugged. "Depends."
Elara didn't even pretend.
"So. Aurora and Leonard," She said eagerly. "How long has that been happening? And why weren't we informed?"
Gemma sighed. She was too tired for this.
Melvin didn't answer. He simply turned and headed down the hallway. Gemma followed.
Behind them, Elara called out, "You do realize they've been gone for almost three hours, right?"
That made Gemma pause.
She and Melvin exchanged a look. A quiet one. A look that said everything without saying anything at all.
Then they continued to their room.
The door closed softly behind them.
Inside, Gemma slipped off her shoes and sat on the edge of the bed.
She stared at the floor for a moment, gathering words she wasn't even sure she should say.
Melvin loosened his tie, already sensing where this was going.
"I'm not discussing our daughter's sex life," he said flatly.
Gemma looked up at him, not offended, just serious.
"That's not what this is." Melvin exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his face.
"Doctor Nina said something," Gemma continued carefully. "You remember."
He stilled.
"She said if Aurora ever opened up enough to... sleep with someone, enough to let someone close, especially Leonard, who miraculously showed up. Her childhood. Then it could unlock something. Emotionally. Mentally."
Melvin's jaw tightened. "Fifty percent closer." Gemma added quietly. "To healing. To remembering."
The room felt heavier after that.
Melvin sat down beside her.
"It's a paradox," He muttered. "Risky as hell. And still... unavoidable."
Gemma nodded. "Exactly."
They sat in silence for a moment, the house breathing around them.
"I just want her safe," Melvin said finally. "That's all."
Gemma reached for his hand. "So do I."
She squeezed gently.
"Let's just hope this, whatever it is, doesn't break her again."
Melvin closed his eyes briefly.
"And that it saves her instead."
Aurora stared straight ahead, jaw tight, her fingers clenched in the fabric of her pajamas.
Bianca's face wouldn't leave her head, those fake smiles, the practiced innocence. It burned.
All thanks to Kiara everything flooded back.
"If you keep fuming like that," Leonard said smoothly, eyes on the road, "you might actually combust."
She didn't answer.
One of his hands stayed on the wheel. The other reached for hers.
Aurora shifted away immediately.
Leonard didn't care. He caught her hand anyway, fingers closing around her knuckles like it was instinct.
She turned toward the window, refusing to look at him.
His thumb brushed slowly over her clenched fist. A grounding touch.
Annoyingly effective.
"If I see her tomorrow," Aurora muttered, voice tight, "I won't be able to stop myself. I'll rearrange her face."
Leonard hummed.
"Do so. Just don't get arrested like I was."
She scoffed. Then paused.
"And what if I do get arrested?" she asked, finally turning to him.
That was all the invitation he needed.
His gaze flicked to her, slow, dark, amused. His hand slid down, resting briefly on her thigh.
"Then," he said quietly, voice dipping, "I'll have to do something much crazier to whoever thought putting you behind bars was a good idea."
Aurora's breath hitched.
She looked away instantly.
And just as quickly, she removed his hand, firm, deliberate.
The gates of the Raven Mansion came into view.
Leonard pulled in.
Aurora didn't wait. She opened the door, stepped out, and shut it behind her without a word. She didn't look back.
Leonard lingered for a second, glancing at the empty passenger seat.
Then he drove off.
She barely had time to shut her door when-
"Cousin!"
Elara and Xander popped out of nowhere.
"Shhh!" Aurora hissed.
Too late.
They barged into her room like they owned it.
"So," Elara said, grinning wildly. "How was it? Did you two make out? Or..." she wiggled her brows, "did you do it do it? Like the thing?"
Xander leaned closer, sniffed dramatically.
"You smell different."
Aurora stiffened.
She remembered Leonard's bathroom. His soap. His towels.
"Elara!" Xander suddenly squealed. "She slapped someone like six times! Leonard made four girls kneel for her! He carried her home when she had period cramps..."
"She's living it," Elara finished breathlessly. "LIVING IT."
Xander clamped a hand over Elara's mouth. "Enough. Chill."
Then he looked at Aurora, half teasing, half offended.
"Why didn't you spill the tea? We could've sat with snacks the night we arrived.
You're such a killjoy."
Aurora had been quiet through all of it. Tired. Drained. Still angry.
"Done?" she asked flatly.
They blinked.
"Now leave." She said, already pushing them toward the door. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"You're not even going to tell us about your boyfriend?" Xander protested.
"What?" Aurora snapped. "He's not my-gawd, you two need to get out."
"No," Elara said stubbornly.
Aurora exhaled, exhausted.
"Please. Tomorrow. Goodnight."
They paused.
Really looked at her.
Xander gave up first.
"Fine. But you're not escaping us tomorrow morning."
"Fine," Aurora said. "Now leave."
She shut the door behind them.
Her back slid down against it until she was sitting on the floor.
She sighed, long and heavy. Leonard.
The heat. The chaos.
She ran a hand through her hair, eyes closing, not even bothering to wonder whether her parents were home.
Tonight had already taken everything she had.
The next morning, Aurora left the house in a rush.
Too fast. Too early.
She slipped out before the mansion could fully wake,before her parents, before her cousins, before questions she didn't have the strength to dodge.
After last night, she couldn't face anyone. Not their looks. Not their curiosity. Not their concern.
She didn't even stop for breakfast.
All she did was murmur a quick message to Nanny Mira on her way out, asking her to tell everyone she'd left early for an eight o'clock class. It was half a lie, half a shield.
Then she was gone.
By the time she reached college, the sun was barely settled in the sky. She headed straight for the library, the only place that promised silence, distance, control.
Somewhere she could exist without being watched.
She picked a seat at the far end, pulled out the first book her fingers touched, and slid on her headphones.
The music came on loud, drowning out the world as she pretended to read.
Pretended.
Because no matter how hard she tried, all she could think about was Leonard.
Leonard.
Leonard.
The way his voice sounded in the dark.
The way his hand had rested on her thigh.
The way her body still remembered him far too vividly.
How he ate her up like his favourite food.
F?ck!
Annoyed, she switched the music, rap this time. Something aggressive. Something loud enough to bulldoze her thoughts.
It didn't work.
So she turned the volume higher. Too high.
Almost painfully loud.
That was when someone sat across from her.
Aurora didn't look up.
She didn't need to.
Sean smiled at her anyway, mouthing a greeting she pretended not to see. She remembered him instantly, the scratched car, the stone, the audacity of asking for her number like she owed him politeness.
She wasn't in the mood. Not today. Not ever.
When she didn't react, he pulled out a notebook, scribbled something, then turned it toward her.
'I waited for you at the Valentine's party. You didn't show up.'
Aurora scoffed softly and looked away.
Sean wrote again.
'I just want to be your friend.'
That did it.
She yanked off her headphones and stared at him flatly, her patience already spent.
"What exactly don't you understand about the word no?" she said coldly. "You asked for my number before. I shut that down pretty memorably, didn't I? And now you're here again. What do you want me to scratch this time, your face?"
Sean blinked, startled, then rushed to speak. "No, no, not that. I don't want any trouble. I just, look, I really like you. I just want to be friends. That's all. It's harmless, I swear."
Aurora studied him for a second, unimpressed.
"Don't approach me again," she said simply.
She slid her headphones back on, stood up, and walked out of the library without looking back.
Sean let out a slow breath, leaning back in his chair as he watched her disappear.
"Damn," he muttered to himself. "She's really tough."
She didn't return to the Raven Mansion. Instead, she stayed over at Oma's place, a quiet decision no one questioned.
Throughout the day at college, Aurora had kept to herself, existing in her own bubble.
Oma noticed immediately and, without asking a single question, gave her space.
That alone meant everything.
Leonard hadn't shown up to college either.
Neither had Kiara. Lucky her.
For once, the absence of chaos was enough. Aurora needed air. She needed silence. She needed to breathe.
Mr. Thorne, however, had been acting strange again. Stranger than usual. His eyes lingered longer.
His presence felt heavier, bolder, even, perhaps because Leonard wasn't around today.
Aurora noticed, but she didn't have the energy to dwell on it. He had always been unsettling. Today was no different.
Back at the Raven Mansion, Gemma stood in her bedroom, slowly brushing her hair in front of the mirror. Her movements were absentminded.
Mechanical. She wasn't calm like she'd been the night before, there was a storm brewing quietly beneath her skin.
Melvin walked in, pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.
She flinched slightly, pulled from her thoughts.
"What's wrong?" He asked softly.
Gemma didn't look at him. Her eyes stayed fixed on her reflection as she spoke, voice distant.
"I went to see Dr. Nina again today," She murmured. "She said... we can't give Aurora the injections anymore."
Melvin frowned, his hand instinctively moving to her shoulder. "Why?"
Gemma finally turned to him.
"She said Auri needs to face it now," She said, her voice trembling. "She's reaching that point faster than expected. The injections won't work anymore. Her memories... they won't be blocked."
A shiver ran through her.
"We'll do what the doctor says," Melvin replied calmly. "We'll handle it together."
Gemma shook her head violently, tears welling up. "You don't understand. She'll remember. She'll remember everything. What are we going to do? She will hate us. She'll despise us."
"Gem," He soothed, pulling her closer. "You said it yourself, she's opening up. She's healing. That's a good thing. You said we should focus on"
"No," She whispered, breaking. "No..."
Tears spilled freely now.
"You were okay yesterday," Melvin said gently. "We'll figure this out..."
"No," Gemma cut in sharply. "Listen to me."
Her hands trembled as she gripped his shirt.
"Auri only knows half the truth. And now nothing is stopping her from remembering the rest."
Melvin went still.
"Gem..." he whispered, the weight of her words sinking in. His eyes burned.
"Nothing is stopping her," Gemma cried.
"She might go crazy. She might lose her mind. She might run away. She won't be able to handle the truth."
Her voice cracked completely.
"We hid it," she sobbed. "We hid it from everyone. From the world. From her."
She swallowed hard.
"Ginny wasn't the only one victimized," She said, her voice shaking violently. "S-she wasn't the only victim."
"Gem-"
"The truth will come out," Gemma said, her tone breaking with fear and pain. "Our daughter... She- Auri was raped too. Aurora was raped. Zane raped her!"