Chapter 88 One last time?
88\. One last time?
Rosario's arrival soon after the disconnection of the call offered Aurora some sort of distraction. Her breathing turned back to normal and she could also focus on other things. She was relieved that her thoughts were not clouded by the last night's doing and Damien's dirty words didn't tickle her much.
She was enjoying her time in a convenient store, going through the shelves of chocolates. Time spent with Rosario soothed her heart. She felt as if she was with an ultimately peaceful person who was here to give her the best homely moments. Like a brother.
"Come on, Aurora," He sighed wearily behind her. "What's taking you so long? Choose any one and get going."
He was slumped again the opposite shelves watching over her back as she stood there with hands on her hips. She seemed to be in a critical thinking process. As if it were not the brand and variety of chocolates she was to choose from but something even important.
"Look, that little girl is faster than you." He turned to her right to see a very small girl of four, falling under the height of Aurora's knees, picking dark chocolate and sprinting off like a duck.
He chuckled at her disappearance but Aurora didn't even budge.
"Should I give a call to your alpha boyfriend?" As expected, she reacted. "Ah, may be he will help you out."
Rosario removed his phone. "Don't you dare," Surprised, he hugged the phone to his chest like he was scared of Aurora's throats.
But she scarcely ended under his chin with her big rather innocent eyes attempting to throw daggers at him.
"My boyfriend is busy unlike you," She grunted and turned back to the shelves of chocolates.
Rosario rolled his eyes. He was busy no less, it is just that he wished to spend some time with Aurora. Not to forget, it was Damien who requested him to keep aside his work for a while and entertain his girlfriend.
He was her only friend after all. And the only guy Damien could rely around Aurora after that night. He couldn't refuse nor turn his own excitement down. Being around a pregnant Aurora was staggering. He enjoyed every moment around her.
"Are we done?" He broke the silence with his inquiry.
Yet as he could observe, she was still struggling to pick chocolates for herself.
"Shut up and let me think, Rose." Rosario frantically looked around for others but thankfully there was no one.
"I told you to not call me that!" He relievingly heaved and pocketed his hands as he paused beside Aurora. "Want me to help?"
"Yeah, I guess you can be of some help." She patted his bicep. "Use your muscles and pick a pack of each of these. I want them all."
"You could have done this earlier as well, Aurora. Why waste so much time?" He said with a tinge of irritation. "I have suggested you earlier but—"
"Okay, let's move ahead." He put a full stop as he realized Aurora's stern gaze on him and worked on her command.
"Good," She nodded passably and stepped further.
They picked some more stuff and since Rosario's hands were all full, he left Aurora to continue with her shopping and left to fill another trolley for her.
"Aurora," She was engrossed in the toys section, looking at all the cute eyes-warming toys when a steely expressionless voice whispered at her back.
Aura's hands clenched. Her mouth involuntarily ground as she realized who the person was.
"How are you?" Ginny was standing in a very simple attire.
She didn't look like herself— a renowned model as Aura had known her to be. Her eyes lacked their usual luster, her lips were dark without any coat of lipstick, a shocking sight. Her face was completely still with just a small grin denting the ends of her mouth. Rather a tormented expression.
No make-up facade of hers looked pale as if she was ill to the core with an incurable disease palpitating inside her body every day.
"It's been a long time since we met," Ginny said as Aura refused to speak to her.
"How is everyone? How is your…" Ginny cast her eyes below to her hand protecting her belly. "Baby?"
She hesitantly put her irritating loose strands falling out of her tied braid behind her ear as she steeled her shoulders. She registered disgust in Aurora's big unspoken eyes. She showed disgust for framing her under a plan that was meant to destroy her life.
However, Ginny was not standing before her to make her feel disgusted more under her presence. She just wanted to do what she should have done two months back. Apologize.
Despite the turmoil of bubbling emotions and a tight throat, she parted her lips to confess, "Aurora, I know you hate me for my wrongdoings. I deserve that. I am also aware of how uncomfortable I make you but please listen to me once and then I'll leave you be."
With her lips smacking together Aura slowly nodded. A part of her asked to run away as Ginny could be dangerous to her life and baby. She had been once in the past, she could be it all the way again. But another part of her, the softest part, convinced her to stay and listen to her.
After that night Aura never heard about Ginny. She was cognizant of Peter and his sufferings in the dungeons for messing with her and the baby, she never heard anything about Ginny.
"You must not worry yourself, love. All the evil is taken care of. Don't think about her. She's gone for good!" Damien had declared when she's asked about Ginny.
Her disappearance from the fashion industry provided her with an idea of what Damien must have done to her. He destroyed her career he has helped build.
Aurora still somewhere wondered where she could be until today. Seeing Ginny jump out of nowhere in a look that didn't belong to her, she felt her heart tear apart. She peered like a wilted flower.
She knew she wasn't supposed to think like that for she didn't deserve to be pitied, the Alpha's darling just couldn't stop it. After all, this woman used to be counted among the most beautiful ones in the world. But look at her now!
Her white flawless skin had transformed to pale brown with spots and scars of cuts on her forearm she tried to hide from Aura's scrutiny. There were dark circles under her once glowy eyes. Cracks on her once kissable lips. Not to forget to mention a look of indefinite despair darkening her dark cheeks that gave Aura the feeling of pity towards her.
"What is it that you want to talk about?" Aura spoke in a hard tone.
Ginny smiled, acknowledging the steeliness in her tone as she gently replied, "About that night."
Aura shrunk her shoulders in discomfiture. She had put it aside and moved on but its mention still haunted her.
"I don't want to bring those memories back to you, it's just that…" Ginny somewhat seemed to control her tears. "I had no idea about the baby, Aurora. That is true I despised you for tempting Damien in your bed while my life was going great as his privileged lover, I didn't mean any harm to that little life inside you. The plan was supposed to hurt you alone. To have you cast out of the mansion and Damien's life so that I could enjoy being his lover. I swear had I had any clue about the baby, I would have backed out."
"But you didn't," Ginny's guilt-knitted eyes stared down at her shoes. "You didn't back out unless the damage was done. You let it happen and enjoyed witnessing Damien throw me out."
"Those pictures made me abhor myself. It was as if I was seriously involved in a nasty relationship with Peter. It was you who got them edited, wasn't it?" Aura controlled her rage from reflecting in her voice.
Ginny's rigid posture remained motionless. Aura observed her fingers wring and wrench at her words. To her own ears it sounded awful enough, she can only wonder what effect it would have on Ginny. She had to listen to it though.
"I never meant any harm to you, Ginny. Falling in love with Damien was out of the blue thing that happened to me. I was merely infatuated. I was totally stunned when I realized that but I kept mum because Damien seemed crazily in love with you. I didn't want to ruin your relationship ever. Not that I had the ability to do that. We are talking about being in love with an alpha male here." Aura was shaking. "It was him who took a step towards me. He broke into my territory and made it happen."
Ginny quietly listened to her. Alpha Damien and his feelings were not unknown to her. She's smelled his desires towards Aurora long back, which is why she became afraid and began plotting against her. She was worried that if his eyes ever drew away from her then she would lose a rising career in the fashion industry.
But now she's gotten the fruit of her karma. She was suffering.
She stuttered her wet lashes and forced her lips to smile, "I know that, Aurora. I've known it forever. He loves you a lot. You can't even imagine how much."
Aura confusingly batted her lashes. Was she really Ginny? She never seemed like the type to acknowledge the truth that would show herself lower. But here she was doing it much to her dismay.
"He's loved you ever since I can remember. Everytime we had sex, it was your name I heard under his drunken breaths." Ginny took a step backwards.
She gazed at her phone, indicating that it was her time to leave. But before that, she offered her sincere lamentation through an ached gaze and a smile that couldn't be on her lips.
"Look, I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, not that I came here for that." She chuckled to ease her heavy voice. "I happened to notice you here and thought of meeting you one last time."
"One last time?" Aura repeated, slightly amazed.
"Yeah, I am leaving here tomorrow… forever." With a twinge of uneasiness she shrugged her shoulders.
"Where?"
"I am not supposed to tell anyone." Ginny smiled again while Aura found it weird.
"Is it because of Damien you have to leave?" Ginny shook as if fear whispered into her ears.
They stood there quietly in a discomforting air. Aura wondered what happened to Rosario as he still hasn't returned while Ginny played with her fingers. She was certain Damien had to do something with her leave.
"Any women in your shoes would never forgive a btch like me. But I just wanted you to know that I am sorry. I am sorry to you, to Damien and obviously… the baby. I am sorry Aurora. I had a hard childhood myself, I never intended to hurt a child." She pushed a foot back and swiftly whirled around before Aura uttered a word, and off her eyesight.
"What would you like to have, Mamma?" They were sitting in a restaurant with menus opened before them.
"Nothing?" Aura blankly replied.
She was not even looking at the menu. She put it aside. Taking her head in her palms, she sighed deeply. Her discomfiture was given away. Rosario stretched a hand out and covered one of her palms to seek her heed.
She looked up, her eyes wearily staring at him, "Are you okay? Want me to take you back home?" She's been like this ever since Rosario returned to her once he had taken care of her snacks.
They silently left the store and came to this restaurant where he hoped to relish a good lunch with his bubbly friend. He was looking forward to her buzzing jokes and melodious laughs. All that Rosario now received was a silent torment.
"If you want Damien then I can give him a quick ring. He would be glad to join you." Her hea d snapped up and she glared at him tightly, indicating her disagreement.
He was not joking this time. But he didn't have to talk about Damien again and again.
She then normalized the size of her eyes and defeatedly slumped her head before she said, "I bumped into Ginny in the store while you were gone."
Tbc…