Untangling a Heart From the Past

Xavier quickly dropped Violet's hand and hurried over to Aurora. He grabbed her hand as his heart thundered beneath his ribcage.

"Rory, what are you doing here?" he asked. "How long have you been standing there?"

Aurora's lips trembled as she tried her hardest to keep her tears from falling. She clutched the hem of her blouse with feeble fingers and lied, her voice cracking, "I accidentally bumped my head. I was going to clean up in the restroom, but this restaurant is so big that it took me a while to find one."

Anyone who paid close attention would have noticed something was off about Aurora, but Xavier merely heaved a sigh of relief and didn't probe further. He shot Violet a meaningful look, indicating that she should leave, then led Aurora over to the sinks.

"I've only been gone for a short while, and already you've hurt yourself this badly?" he chided, gently cleaning the gash on Aurora's forehead.

Then, he retrieved a Band-Aid from the shelf and carefully stuck it over her wound. "Looks like I'll have to stick with you every second of the day to keep you safe, huh?"

He placed a tender kiss on Aurora's lips and murmured, "Come on, let's skip the rest of dinner and go home."

A distant look registered in Aurora's eyes. She wondered how Xavier could keep playing this role so convincingly. Didn't he ever get tired of pretending?

However, she swallowed her questions. She'd be leaving soon, and she hoped her last three days here in this city would go by in a blur.

Upon returning to the apartment, Xavier lovingly cupped Aurora's face as usual. "Your birthday's in three days, Aurora. I'd like to get our marriage license on that special day."

Aurora went still. She had no idea that the day she moved away from this city would be her birthday.

When she didn't reply, Xavier quickly added for good measure, "Are you worried there'd be another accident to stop us from getting our marriage license, Rory? Don't worry, I promise everything will go smoothly on your birthday, including getting our marriage license."

She pursed her lips tightly as bitterness welled up in her. So, this was the plan Xavier had devised to mark the 100th time he got out of marrying her, by suggesting that they get their marriage license on her birthday.

She forced a smile, her heart like a withered rose within her. "Sure."

"We have a deal, then. Promise me you'll prepare for our big day, Rory," Xavier said, grinning before carrying her into the bedroom so she could rest. She didn't put up a fight.

…

The next day, Aurora was packing her suitcase when she realized she'd left the farewell gift the orphanage director had given her back at the Bowman residence. If the orphanage director hadn't taken her in after she got lost as a child, she might not have survived all these years.

Now that she was about to leave Nordura, the farewell gift from the orphanage director was the last sentimental connection she had left of this city.

She took a cab to the Bowman residence. Once she arrived, she made her way toward the front entrance and ran into Violet.

Violet bristled at the sight of Aurora. "Aren't you supposed to be getting ready for your big day with Xavier? You're getting your marriage license soon, so why are you here?"

Aurora brushed past her into the villa. She had no intention to pick a fight with Violet. "I'm here to take something of mine. It won't take long."

"I didn't say you could come in!" Violet stormed after Aurora, her gaze darting to the third floor. A sudden idea crossed her mind when she heard the faint laughter coming from upstairs.

Letting out a sharp cry, Violet pretended to have twisted her ankle and fell toward Aurora. The two women tumbled down the stairs, and Aurora ended up underneath Violet, cushioning the fall.

On the third floor, Ethan and Xavier heard the commotion and abandoned whatever they were doing. They bolted downstairs. "What's going on?"

Violet sobbed, "Aurora got upset at me and tried to pay me to leave! When I refused, she pushed me down the stairs!"

The vein near Ethan's temple throbbed. He raised his leg to kick Aurora in the chest, and she flew backward. Before she could recover, Ethan clenched his fists and roared at her, "What did Violet do to piss you off? All she wants is to move back home after returning from abroad!"

"I didn't push her…" Aurora lay on the cold floor, feeling as if her bones were shattered.

On the other side of the room, Xavier helped Violet up with a concerned look on his face. He looked her over, checking for injuries. It was only when he realized she didn't sustain any severe, visible injuries that he heaved a sigh of relief.

"Didn't I already promise you that we'd get our marriage license on your birthday? Why are you still picking on Violet? She didn't do anything to provoke you, did she?" Xavier asked, his eyes full of rage and disappointment as he came to a stop before Aurora.

"She was the one who pushed me. I didn't even touch her," Aurora tried to explain, clutching her chest as the pain drained the blood from her face and caused her to break out in a cold sweat.

"How dare you lie to our faces!" Xavier shouted and slapped her..

The blow hit her like a lightning bolt.

It was the first time in seven years that Xavier had laid a hand on her. She stared at him in disbelief, tears spilling down her cheeks.

Xavier's chest tightened. His hand was still trembling following the slap. "Why are you crying? You'd better think about what you've done and start feeling sorry about it, or I won't bother getting a marriage license with you!"