Something bad happened. I got tired of people. I moved somewhere nobody would bother me. She glanced toward the house. How’s that working out for you? Fine. Liar. You don’t know me. I don’t need to. I can see it. Aurora pushed off the workbench and walked toward the door. Thanks for not calling the cops about Titan.

I wouldn’t do that. Most people would. I’m not most people. She smiled. A real smile this time. The kind that reached her eyes. No, you’re not. Then she was gone. Ethan stood in the garage for a long time staring at the bottle of wine she left behind. He didn’t drink it, but he didn’t throw it away either.

3 days later, Khloe came home from school and announced that she’d invited Aurora to her class presentation. Ethan looked up from the stove. You did what? We’re doing family heritage projects. I told Ms. Rodriguez that our neighbor’s a billionaire and she got really excited. Chloe, Miss Rodriguez said if Aurora comes, she’ll bring her camera and we can record the whole thing for the school website.

Ethan set down the spatula. You can’t just invite people without asking me first. Why not? Because that’s not how things work. She said yes. when this morning I saw her walking Titan and I asked. Ethan closed his eyes. Chloe, what? She was nice about it. That’s not the point. Then what is the point? Ethan didn’t have an answer. The presentation was on Friday.

Ethan spent the next two days trying to figure out how to uninvite Aurora without making Khloe cry, but every conversation ended with his daughter staring at him like he just kicked a puppy. On Friday morning, he gave up and drove Khloe to school. Aurora was already there. She stood outside the classroom in a navy blazer and black slacks, looking like she’d stepped out of a boardroom.

Parents and teachers hovered nearby, whispering and stealing glances. Kloe ran over and grabbed Aurora’s hand. “You came. I said I would. Dad didn’t think you would.” Aurora looked at Ethan. “Dad doesn’t think much of me, does he?” Ethan felt his face heat. That’s not It’s fine. I’m used to it. Miss Rodriguez appeared in the doorway, a young woman with bright eyes and an overly enthusiastic smile.

Miss Sinclair, thank you so much for joining us. This is such a treat for the kids. Aurora shook her hand politely. Happy to help. The presentation was supposed to last 20 minutes. It went for an hour. Kloe stood at the front of the class talking about her family tree, her grandmother’s recipes, the town where Ethan grew up.

Then she pointed at Aurora and said, “And this is my neighbor. She’s a billionaire.” The room erupted in whispers. Aurora handled it perfectly. She answered questions about her company, her career, what it was like being the youngest woman to build a tech empire from scratch. She didn’t talk down to the kids. She didn’t sugarcoat the hard parts.

When one boy asked if she was lonely, Aurora paused. “Sometimes,” she said quietly. “Success doesn’t mean you’re happy. It just means you’re successful.” Ethan, standing in the back of the room, felt something twist in his chest. After the presentation, parents swarmed Aurora with questions, business cards, requests for advice.

She deflected most of them with practiced ease, but Ethan could see the exhaustion creeping into her expression. He waited until the crowd thinned, then walked over. You okay? Aurora blinked, surprised. Yeah, why? You look tired. I am tired. Then why’d you come? Because your daughter asked me to. You barely know her. I know, but she reminds me of someone.

Who? Aurora looked away. Me? before I learned to stop trusting people. Ethan didn’t know what to say to that. They stood in silence while parents filed out of the classroom, dragging their kids toward the parking lot. Chloe was already outside talking to a group of classmates who suddenly thought she was the coolest person alive.

She’s going to expect you to come around more now, Ethan said. I know. I can’t stop her. Once she decides she likes someone, I get it. Aurora met his eyes. You don’t want me in your life. It’s not that. Then what is it? Ethan hesitated. People like you don’t stay in places like this. People like me, rich, important, connected.

You’ll get bored in 6 months and disappear and Chloe will be crushed. Aurora’s expression hardened. You don’t know anything about me. I know enough. Do you? She stepped closer, her voice dropping. You think I moved here because I was bored? You think I spent $2 million on a house in the middle of nowhere because I felt like slumbing it? Ethan held his ground.

Then why are you here? Because the alternative was worse. She walked away before he could respond. Ethan stood in the empty classroom, staring after her, wondering what the hell that meant. That night, Ethan couldn’t sleep. He lay in bed staring at the ceiling, replaying the conversation over and over because the alternative was worse.

What did that mean? What was Aurora running from? At 2:00 in the morning, he gave up and went downstairs. Through the kitchen window, he could see lights on in Aurora’s house, not just one or two rooms. The entire mansion was lit up like a damn airport. He watched for a while, then grabbed his jacket and stepped outside.

The air was cold, sharp enough to sting his lungs. He walked across the street and stood at the edge of Aurora’s driveway, staring up at the house. One of the security cameras swiveled toward him. A moment later, the front door opened. Aurora stood in the doorway barefoot, wearing sweatpants and an oversized sweater.

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