Her eyes were fixed on the marble floor, watching how it reflected the bright lights overhead. She blinked dazedly, a small exhale leaving her nostrils. She could hear the chatter that was going around the room but it sounded muted in her ears.

For some reason, she couldn't get what bear Man said to her the other night out of her head. It had kept her awake and even bothered when Ryan didn't message her after that night. Asides asking if she got to the hotel well, there was no other word from his end.


Aurora hadn't wanted to admit it but she was beginning to worry. Ryan was the only stable thing in her wrecking life, if she lost him then she would truly lose herself again and she didn't want to go back to that robotic dark hole.

"AURORA!" A cutting voice from above her jolted her from her thoughts and she snapped her head up, meeting the glare of her mother.

Miriam Rochester narrowed her steely grey eyes at Aurora, ruby-red lips puckered in dissatisfaction. "What in the world are you doing?"


She blinked dumbly, jumping to her feet, "Uh-Sorry?"

Her mother rolled her eyes and wrapped her fingers around her elbow, pulling her over to a corner in the room, "You know how much I dislike it whenever you have that cloudy-eyed look in your face," She hissed and Aurora's eyes flickered over to the group of girls gathered around her aunt.


Aunt Christy's was dressed in a mermaid-styled white lace gown designed with pearls and small-sized diamonds. Her aunt looked magnificent and there was a happy glow around her, Aurora was pleased to see her that way.

"Keep your head straight and make sure you don't do anything stupid," She tried not to roll her eyes when her mother said that. Miriam's notion for stupid was doing anything human, even breathing loudly was considered stupid.

Aurora snatched her arm away from her mother's hold, rubbing the sore spot, "I won't. I just have a lot on my mind is all."

Her mother gave her a skeptical look and Aurora matched her glare. Ever since her parents arrived yesterday, she hadn't gotten so much as a break. Her mother kept hovering around her like an eagle, rebuking whatever thing she did or didn't do. It was unbearable.

"Go find that twat, make sure he's not causing trouble somewhere," Yeah, she forgot to mention that she had become Evan's personal babysitter. And the jerk made her task even more difficult.

Aurora sighed heavily but nodded, "Sure thing, mother," She offered the woman a faux smile before slithering out of the room.

She looked left and right, all the while cursing under her breath as she scoured the area for the blonde. The ceremony was going to start in a few minutes and if she didn't find Evan, her mother would not let her hear the end of it.

When she spotted his messy hair from afar, she sighed in relief and gathered the skirts of her gown in one hand, rushing towards him. The closer she got, the more she noticed how rapid his hands were moving,

She raised a hand, waving around to get his attention but he was too concentrated on whoever he was talking to. She frowned when she caught a glimpse of the person he was talking to.

Her brows furrowed even further at the sight of the unkempt woman, she looked like she was high on something and the bags underneath her eyes were startling.

"Evan?" She called warily, approaching them carefully. Evan spun so quickly, it scared her. The woman darted away from sight and she tried to rush in that direction but Evan wrapped his fingers around her wrist,

Her head turned to face him, "Who was that?" Her eyes peered through his wary eyes.

"What do you want?" He snarled instead, dropping her hand aggressively making her scoff.

Her eyes flickered in the direction the woman disappeared to but there was nobody there again, "The wedding is about to start, I'm here to make sure you don't cause any trouble."

He eyed her up and down, lips curving slightly, "Speak for yourself." With that, he trotted away casually, whistling a tune that she didn't recognize.

Aurora kept watching him, even after he had disappeared through the hallways. Her skin prickled and there was an unsettling feeling in her chest, there was something going on. Evan was plotting something and she had inkling that it wasn't going to be good.

She raked her fingers through her curls, blowing out a shaky breath. Whatever he had planned, she had to stop it but first she was going to figure out what he was hiding under his sleeves.



When Aurora returned back to the wedding hall, she was not surprised to see that it was filled to the brim. She quickly located her parents at the front of the pew, sliding in beside her father,

"Where were you?" He whispered, but his gaze was still fixed on the pulpit.

She adjusted her gown, eyes settling on the groom. Chandler looked magnificent in his black and white tux, his hands were folded neatly in front of him.

His eyes caught hers and they exchanged a small smile. He added an indiscreet wink causing her cheeks to flush slightly,

"Babysitting your son," She answered her father, adjusting her gown. He bobbed in head in short response and cleared his throat.

The wedding song began and the doors to the entrance flew open, everyone's head turned simultaneously, watching how the bride and the groom's father walked in together, hand in hand,

Her maternal grandfather was dead so they had to call in Chandler's father to stand in his stead. If she thought that Aunt Christy looked magnificent before, now with her complete look, with the veil and her little tiara, she was ethereal.

Her eyes roamed over the pew of benches, searching for a blonde in particular. When she found him, something shifted in her chest.

His eyes fell on hers and she froze, they remained like that staring at each other quietly scrutinizing. Aurora recalled the woman she saw him talking to and how skittish he appeared when she called them out.

She peered at him through narrowed eyes as if that would reveal what he was thinking of.

Tell me, she said in her head.

Tell me what you're plotting.

Almost like he'd heard her thoughts, his lips curled into a malicious smirk. Her lips parted in shock when he whispered the words,

"Get ready."