Chapter 50

Still, if you’re in the mood to be sarcastic, you must be feeling fine.
“I thought you’d have a long talk with Eleanor, so I walked around downstairs for a while. It was only later that I ran into Warner, but we barely spoke.”
“As for the divorce, everyone already knows.”
Aurora explained, her tone earnest and calm.
Daniel’s expression, already stormy, turned downright dark. He drew a sharp breath, chest rising and falling before he finally spoke, his voice cold as steel. “He’s just looking out for you, right? Finding you a divorce lawyer, and since he knows you don’t like Eleanor, he badmouths her for your sake.”
“And who does Warner think he is anyway? Riding on his family’s old reputation, talking like he owns the place.”
Aurora pressed her lips together, realizing what was really bothering Daniel.
It wasn’t the divorce. It was Warner speaking ill of Eleanor.
She said nothing.
Daniel’s next words were an order: “From now on, I don’t want you seeing him.”
Aurora knew Daniel had taken a blow to the back of the head while trying to protect her-Jordan hadn’t held back-so she kept quiet.
But telling her not to see Warner?
That wasn’t something she could promise.
“And what exactly did he say that wasn’t true?” Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs
Daniel’s expression didn’t waver, but his gaze was ice-cold as he stared her down.
“So you’re defending him now?”
Every word was a challenge, sparks flying between them.
The air grew heavy, suffocating.
Aurora had no desire to argue, especially since her precious head had narrowly escaped further injury tonight.
She picked up her phone and walked over to the sofa, scrolling idly.
But tonight, Daniel seemed determined to push her buttons, sulking like a
wounded spouse. “Aurora, a man who talks about a woman like that behind her back clearly has no character.”
Aurora looked up from her phone, eyes cool and detached. “Isn’t Eleanor manipulative?”
“If she hadn’t put on the waterworks, would you have taken that hit for me?”
“Or did Jordan smack the sense out of you?”
“Aurora.” Daniel’s eyes were dark with anger. “Eleanor spent days planning tonight’s farewell dinner, but Mr. Frost obviously prefers you. She’s just disappointed, that’s all. You shouldn’t call her tears disgusting.”
Aurora’s gaze sharpened with realization. So Eleanor had run to him, and now his heart was aching for her.
“She’s always crying, like it’s some endless performance. How is that not disgusting?”
Eleanor’s tears were a weapon, one her husband and family wielded again and again to hurt Aurora.
Calling it ‘disgusting’ was being generous.
“You-” Daniel’s anger threatened to boil over; he swayed slightly, looking dizzy.
Aurora noticed and, softening a little, set her phone aside and hurried over, pressing her hand to his forehead. “Are you feeling dizzy?”
“I’ll call the doctor.”
But the next instant, Daniel slapped her hand away.
A red mark bloomed across the back of her hand.
Aurora went quiet for a few seconds, then let out a low, bitter laugh. “Daniel, I’ve
said it before: if you like her, marry her. Leave me out of it.”
Whatever guilt Daniel might have felt vanished in an instant.
He grabbed her wrist, his grip bruising, his voice icy. “Eleanor is the head of development. She came to Mr. Frost’s dinner to build a relationship, to get him to endorse the new fragrance. And you, reckless as ever, ruined everything she worked for.”
“How long are you going to keep making a scene?”
Aurora thought to herself how bottomless human emotion could be. She’d
believed she was numb, but even now her heart ached and twisted.
She was actually touched that he’d shielded her from that slap.
But he’d done it because she was his wife; a blow to her was a blow to his pride.
He was protecting himself, not her.
The realization hit her all at once-how foolish she’d been.