The days that followed the Blackwood Foundation Gala were a blur of corporate dinners, charity events, and little moments that didn't feel like enough to either of them.
Damien had kept his distance, but he was always there—hovering around Noah, offering a hand when needed, a smile when it mattered, but keeping his word. He let Aurora set the pace.
But it wasn't just the distance that weighed on her. It was the feeling that something was off.
She couldn't shake the look in Damien's eyes at the gala. The way he'd stared at her when he thought she wasn't looking. The way his voice had dropped an octave when he spoke to her—like every word had meaning. A meaning she wasn't ready for.
---
That morning, her phone buzzed with an unfamiliar number.
Unknown: We need to talk. Sabrina Voss. I'll be at your building in an hour. Don't make me wait.
Aurora's heart skipped a beat.
Sabrina.
The name was like a punch to the gut. Sabrina Voss had been more than just a woman from Damien's past—she was the one who had almost broken them both. The one who had come between them once before. Aurora had never fully understood their history, but she didn't need to.
She just knew that Sabrina was trouble.
With a sigh, she looked down at Noah, who was happily munching his cereal, oblivious to the growing storm. Aurora's mind raced. Was Sabrina here to cause chaos? Was she going to take everything they'd built apart, piece by piece?
But she had to know.
---
An hour later, Aurora opened the door to Sabrina, her face as composed as ever, but there was an edge to her expression that made Aurora's pulse quicken.
Sabrina stood tall, her heels clicking sharply on the marble floor as she crossed the threshold, her eyes scanning the apartment with a casual disinterest.
"Nice place," Sabrina commented, her voice dripping with mock approval.
Aurora said nothing. She stepped aside, letting Sabrina enter.
No formalities. No pleasantries.
"Don't pretend you're not curious," Sabrina continued, her voice now colder. "About me. About Damien. You don't know half the story, sweetheart."
Aurora folded her arms, standing tall. "What do you want?"
Sabrina's lips curved into a knowing smile. "I'm just here to make sure you're not thinking you've got this all under control. Damien's mine, you know. Always has been."
A flash of anger surged through Aurora, but she kept her composure. She had seen this side of Sabrina before—her sense of ownership over Damien. It wasn't just possessiveness; it was power. And Sabrina wielded it like a weapon.
"I'm not here to fight over him," Aurora said, her voice steady. "I'm here for Noah. And if you think you can come in and wreck that, you're mistaken."
Sabrina's smile faltered, her eyes narrowing. "You think you're protecting him? The little boy whose existence has just been dropped on the world like a bomb? He has no idea what he's getting into."
Aurora's pulse quickened. "He's my son. Not a pawn."
"Oh, sweetie, you don't get it. Damien doesn't share." Sabrina took a step forward, lowering her voice. "I've known him for years. I've seen every side of him. And trust me, you're not the one he wants."
A shiver ran down Aurora's spine. Sabrina was playing her cards, pushing her buttons. But this time, Aurora wasn't backing down.
"You're wrong," she said quietly, meeting Sabrina's eyes. "I'm not the one who needs to be afraid here."
Sabrina studied her for a long moment. Then, without a word, she turned and walked toward the door. "I'll see you around. You know where to find me."
As Sabrina left, the door clicked shut behind her, but the weight of her words lingered like smoke in the air.
---
Damien didn't call that night.
Aurora wasn't surprised. She knew he'd been busy. But she couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed. She wasn't naive—Sabrina was back in the picture, and whatever game she was playing, it wasn't over.
The next day, when Damien called her, she answered, her heart pounding.
"Aurora," he said, his voice smooth but strained. "I'm sorry I couldn't reach you last night. There was something I needed to handle."
"Is it over?" she asked, not caring about the pleasantries. She just needed to know.
Damien's silence spoke volumes.
"I know about Sabrina," she said, her voice tight. "She came to my apartment today."
Another long pause. Then, he sighed.
"She's always been… persistent." His voice was thick with regret. "Aurora, I'm not interested in her. You know that."
"I don't know what to believe anymore," she whispered. "What she said…"
Damien's voice dropped low, dark. "She's just trying to get under your skin. Don't listen to her."
"I'm not listening to her," Aurora snapped. "But I'm not blind, either. If you think I'm going to sit here and let her tear apart everything we've built, you're wrong. Noah deserves better."
There was a quiet moment on the other end of the line before Damien responded. "I'll handle it. But you're right. She's dangerous in more ways than one. Stay close to me, Aurora. Stay close to Noah."
---
That night, Damien arrived at her door, unannounced.
He didn't wait for her to open it. Instead, he knocked once, then let himself in, closing the door quietly behind him. The look in his eyes was dark, determined.
"You're right," he said softly. "This is bigger than any of us."
Aurora's heart raced.
"I'm going to end it. Once and for all. Sabrina won't be a problem anymore."
And with that, the world seemed to shift again. A new chapter was beginning. One that neither of them were prepared for, but neither could walk away from.
---