You always creep around people’s houses at 2:00 in the morning. I wasn’t creeping. You were standing in my driveway staring at my house. I saw the lights and and I thought maybe something was wrong. Aurora studied him for a long moment. You want to come in? Ethan hesitated. I don’t think that’s a good idea. Why not? Because I don’t know you.

You keep saying that. Because it’s true. Aurora sighed. Fine. Stay out there and freeze. I’m making tea. She left the door open. Ethan stood there for 30 seconds, then walked inside. The interior of the mansion looked like a museum. High ceilings, marble floors, furniture that probably cost more than Ethan’s truck.

Everything was pristine, untouched, like nobody actually lived there. Aurora led him into the kitchen, a massive space with stainless steel appliances and a center island the size of Ethan’s garage. She filled a kettle and set it on the stove. You don’t have to stay, she said without turning around. I know, but you’re still here. Yeah. Why? Ethan didn’t answer.

The kettle started to whistle. Aurora poured two cups of tea and slid one across the counter toward him. They sat in silence. Finally, Aurora spoke. “You want to know why I’m here.” “You don’t have to. I was engaged,” she said quietly. “To a man named Damian Cross. He helped me build my company from the ground up.

We were supposed to get married last year. Ethan waited. Two weeks before the wedding, I found out he’d been forging contracts, stealing investors, setting up shell companies in my name so he could funnel money out of the business. Aurora stared into her tea. He wasn’t building the company with me. He was stealing it.

What did you do? I called off the wedding, fired him, took him to court. She laughed bitterly. He sued me for emotional damages. Launched a media campaign saying I was unstable. Convinced half my board to side with him. Did you win? Eventually, but it cost me everything. Partnerships fell apart. Investors pulled out.

My reputation tanked. She looked up at Ethan. So, I sold most of my shares, paid off the lawsuits, and disappeared. That’s why I’m here. Ethan felt something shift in his chest. I’m sorry. Don’t be. I made my choices. Still, Aurora smiled faintly. You’re a good person, Ethan Vale. You don’t know that. I do.

How? Because you’re sitting in my kitchen at 2:00 in the morning drinking tea you don’t even like just because you thought I might be lonely. Ethan looked down at his cup. This tea is awful. Aurora laughed, a real unguarded laugh that lit up her entire face. For the first time since she arrived, Ethan saw the woman underneath the armor, and it scared the hell out of him.

After that night in Aurora’s kitchen, something shifted between them. Not dramatically, not obviously, but enough that Ethan noticed the weight of her presence across the street felt different, less like a threat, more like a question he didn’t know how to answer. Chloe noticed, too. “You like her,” she announced one morning over breakfast, stabbing her fork into a pile of scrambled eggs.

Ethan looked up from his coffee. What? Aurora, you like her? I barely know her. You talked to her until 3:00 in the morning last week. How do you know that? Because I heard you come back inside. The stairs creek. Kloe grinned. So, do you like her? It’s complicated. That means yes. That means it’s complicated. Kloe rolled her eyes in a way that made her look exactly like her mother, which made Ethan’s chest hurt for reasons he didn’t want to examine.

He dropped Kloe at school 20 minutes later and drove to the hardware store to pick up parts for the Triumph rebuild. When he got back, there was a black Mercedes parked in Aurora’s driveway and two men in expensive suits standing on her front porch. Ethan carried the parts into his garage and tried not to stare. 10 minutes later, Aurora appeared in his driveway, her face tight with anger.

“You busy?” she asked. Ethan set down his wrench. “What’s wrong?” “Lawyers, they showed up unannounced with new paperwork from Damian’s legal team.” “I thought that was settled.” “So did I.” Auror’s jaw clenched. Apparently, he’s filing another suit. This time, claiming I used company resources for personal gain during our relationship.

Did you? No, but that doesn’t matter. He knows I don’t want to go back to court. He’s banking on me settling just to make it go away. Ethan wiped his hands on a rag. What are you going to do? Bite it again. She looked exhausted. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come over here. I just needed to talk to someone who isn’t paid to listen to me. It’s fine.

You sure? Yeah. Aurora leaned against the door frame, her shoulders dropping slightly. Can I ask you something? Go ahead. How did you survive your divorce? Ethan’s chest tightened. I didn’t have a choice. That’s not an answer. He hesitated, then set the wrench down completely and turned to face her.

My ex-wife had an affair with her business partner. When I found out, she told me it was my fault for being boring, for not making enough money, for caring more about motorcycles than her career. He paused. Then she filed for divorce and her lawyer made sure I walked away with nothing except Khloe and a storage unit full of tools.

Aurora’s expression softened. That’s brutal. Yeah, but I got Chloe, so I survived. You didn’t just survive, you rebuilt. Barely. Still, Aurora met his eyes. That takes strength. Ethan didn’t know what to say to that, so he changed the subject. You want coffee at 10:00 in the morning? You drank it at 2:00 in the morning last week.

👉 [Tap here for Next Part] 👈