Chapter 7
A flurry of photos arrived.
In the pictures, Daniel stood in a sleek, tailored black suit, a crisp handkerchief tucked neatly in his breast pocket. Eleanor’s fair arm rested lightly in the crook of his elbow. She wore an elegant gown, her long hair pinned up with a delicate accessory, the very picture of gentle refinement.
They looked every bit the perfect couple.
Aurora’s chest tightened painfully. She was still lying in a hospital bed, recovering from a miscarriage, while he escorted Eleanor to the Perfumery Congress.
And that dress…
The gown was a luminous, pearly white-luxurious and unmistakably expensive.
It was the very dress Aurora had planned to wear to the Congress, a custom piece designed and handmade by Una herself. It had taken Una two weeks of careful work.
Just a few days ago, Una had let her know the dress was finished. If it weren’t for the sudden accident, Aurora would have picked it up yesterday.
Now, that dress was on Eleanor.
She didn’t need to guess. This had Daniel’s fingerprints all over it. Googlᴇ search.net
Grinding her teeth, Aurora swung her legs off the bed and messaged Una: “I’m coming over. Can you have someone bring a gown to the hotel for me?”
Una replied with a single word: “Absolutely.”
Half an hour later, Aurora arrived at the hotel hosting the Perfumery Congress. Una was already waiting at the entrance.
She took one look at Aurora and gasped. “Aurora, you look awful! Are you okay?”
Aurora didn’t hide the truth-she told Una about the miscarriage.
Una’s expression darkened with anger. “Those two are unbelievable. How dare they treat you like this? Come on, let’s give them hell.”
Aurora caught Una’s arm, grateful for her loyalty but knowing there were things she had to face on her own.
“I need to get changed first. And would you mind helping me with my makeup?” “Of course,” Una said fiercely. “I’m with you, no matter what.”
With Una’s help, Aurora changed into a new gown and let Una work her magic with brushes and powders. She swept her hair up in a simple twist, checked her reflection, and saw that she looked composed and strong. Arm in arm, the two women headed for the ballroom.
The Perfumery Congress was the industry’s most prestigious annual event.
As the lead perfumer of the Chambers Group, Aurora had received her invitation months ago.
But for the past three years, she’d kept a low profile. Few people knew her by sight.
So as they moved through the crowd, all the praise seemed directed at Eleanor. Guests gushed about how the Chambers Group’s head perfumer was not only a master of scent but also stunningly beautiful. No wonder Mr. Chambers never brought her out in public, they whispered.
They’d all mistaken Eleanor for Aurora.
Una squeezed Aurora’s arm and announced loudly, “The real lead perfumer of the Chambers Group is right here-Ms. Aurora Quinn.”
A ripple of surprise spread through the crowd.
Aurora made her way straight to Daniel and Eleanor.
Eleanor quickly slipped her arm out of Daniel’s and began to stammer, “Aurora, please don’t misunderstand-it’s just that you weren’t feeling well, so Dan agreed to be my escort-”
Daniel’s handsome, patrician face registered faint surprise. “What are you doing here?”
Aurora ignored him, her icy gaze fixed on Eleanor. “Ms. Quinn, do you always steal someone else’s dress for an event?”
Eleanor’s cheeks flushed deep red. She couldn’t meet Aurora’s eyes. She stammered, “Aurora, I—I stained my own dress, so Dan borrowed this one from Ms. Lawson for me ”
Una rolled her eyes and cut in sharply. “That’s not true. You two practically snatched it out of my hands. If I’d known Daniel wanted it for you, I would never have let him take it.”
Earlier, Una had been unable to reach Aurora, so she’d brought the dress to the venue herself. Daniel spotted her and immediately asked to borrow the gown.
Una refused. Daniel simply took it.
She’d assumed he meant to give it to Aurora, so she hadn’t pressed the issue. It was only later she realized when she saw Eleanor wearing it—just who the dress was for.