Chapter 25

Aurora bit her lip, staring off in a daze, as if time had rewound itself back to when she and Daniel were still in love.
A wave of aching sadness welled up in her chest. She set her phone aside, unwilling to let Daniel see her like this-vulnerable and on the verge of tears. “Aurora?” Daniel couldn’t see her, so his voice rose, tinged with concern.
She snapped out of it, not bothering to look at her phone. Her tone was cool but gentle as she replied, “Daniel, when you get back, let’s talk.”
It was time, she realized, that they sat down and had an honest conversation- instead of continuing this make-believe act of a happy marriage. The truth was, he didn’t love her. Not anymore.
Daniel was quiet for a couple of seconds before finally agreeing, “Pick me up from the airport the day after tomorrow. We’ll talk then.”
With that, he ended the call.
Aurora rubbed her forehead, sighing. She didn’t want to, but ultimately decided to meet him at the airport-at the very least, it would give them a chance to talk things through.
That night, she slept surprisingly well.
The next day, Aurora spent the morning at Una’s studio.
Una was always busy, but she couldn’t stand seeing her friend so downcast. She nudged Aurora gently, “Hey, remember last time you were here, someone gave you their card? They wanted you to join their company. Have you thought about reaching out?”
Aurora’s memory flickered. She remembered now: while she was helping out at the studio, a customer picking up an order recognized her as the former head of R&D at the Chambers Group. When he heard she’d left her job, he’d handed her his business card, eager to recruit her. She’d politely declined at the time.
What was the company called again?
“Olfactor,” Una supplied, “They launched that hit perfume earlier this year.”
Ever since the Almanac of Air line debuted, the Chambers Group had dominated half the fragrance industry, but this year, a new contender had surged ahead- Olfactor.
Their latest scent had broken into the top three in sales. Aurora remembered it well.
“You’ve already quit, so why not give it a try?” Una encouraged. “Better than sitting at home overthinking everything. I still have the guy’s card-I can set up a meeting.”
Aurora weighed her options and nodded. “Alright.”
Una found the card and set up a meeting for the next morning.
Aurora agreed-she’d meet Olfactor’s CEO and then head straight to the airport. The timing worked out perfectly.
…
The next day, Aurora and Una arrived at the restaurant as planned.
Olfactor’s CEO, Warner Frost, turned out to be a strikingly handsome young man, with a shock of fiery red hair and an infectious, youthful energy.
Warner was all enthusiasm, eager to sing his company’s praises and offering her a very generous compensation package.
But Aurora wasn’t swayed by money; she cared about their research capabilities. When Warner mentioned he’d personally developed their bestselling fragrance earlier that year, her interest was truly piqued.
Still, she didn’t give an answer on the spot. Instead, she suggested a visit to the company first.
Warner readily agreed, and after setting a date, paid the bill and left.
“Not bad, right?” Una linked arms with Aurora as they walked out. “I did my homework—the company’s solid, the boss is reliable.”
She just wanted her friend to move on. Men, in her opinion, were the most expendable thing in life.
Aurora couldn’t help but smile at Una’s infectious optimism. “Alright
Before she could finish, a group of people suddenly rushed over from the side. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ.net
Aurora’s body tensed with fear; the memory of her previous kidnapping was still raw. Instinctively, she stepped back.
“Aurora.” Una steadied her by the shoulders.
The crowd surged forward, shoving microphones and cameras practically in Aurora’s face.
“Are you aware that Mr. Chambers is on a business trip with Miss Eleanor?”
“Is it true Mr. Chambers is having an affair?”
“Did you leave the Chambers Group because of his alleged infidelity?”
A barrage of sharp questions flew at her. Aurora went pale. Only one thought echoed in her mind: Mr. Chambers is on a business trip with Eleanor…
He brought Eleanor on his trip.
“Mrs. Chambers, why aren’t you answering? Are the rumors of marital trouble true?”