She stood still, mystified by the urgent call and the need to come home in an emergency. She was sceptical about what she should do first: clean up the mess of the broken cake or dress up to visit her grandparents.
With a sigh, she walked to the living room, grabbed a cloth and knelt to scoop up the cake, her hands trembling. Icing smeared the floor as she scrubbed. “What should I do with this now? The reason for it had been trashed!” she thought, her heart racing with worry. She tossed the ruined cake into the trash and wiped the tiles until they gleamed.
"At least this way, he won't be more pissed," she thought, standing up and dusting off her knees. She hurried to her room and quickly dressed, putting on a long black chiffon gown and white sandals. She booked a ride and hurried out, her thoughts racing about what awaited her at her grandparents' house. She hoped to be back before Caspian returned.
It had been months since she'd last visited. Seeing her grandparents' house in the distance, she felt relief knowing their business was booming and they were living well. Theodore had kept his promise and provided the money he promised.
Whose cars are those? It should be the supposed visitor,” She thought, sighting three exotic-tinted cars parked at the front of their house. As she met her grandmother Evelyn outside their house, they shared a warm hug.
"My granddaughter! I'm so glad to see you again. Come with me to see your visitor," Evelyn said, holding Aurora's hand and leading her into the living room. Aurora smiled upon seeing her grandfather hurrying over to exchange sweet hugs before he could stand.
“Welcome, my granddaughter,” Theodore said, smiling sweetly. Before Aurora could reply, her gaze met a beautiful, well-dressed woman adorned in gold, radiating wealth.
“Good day, ma’am,” Aurora greeted, bowing her head. Before Seraphine could respond, Aurora sat down close to her grandparents.
“Oh! My darling daughter! I am glad to see you again; you have grown into such a beautiful young lady,” Seraphine said. Aurora smiled, wondering who this elegant woman was and why she was at their house.
“Well, my granddaughter, there is a secret about your birth that we’ve never told you. But now that you’re grown and mature, it’s time you knew,” Theodore said, clearing his throat and adjusting his seat. Aurora focused her gaze on her grandfather, giving him her full attention.
“What secret is this man talking about? I am 23 years old now! Why didn’t you tell me when I was 18? Let me hear it out!” Aurora thought, nodding to Theodore to keep speaking. The living room fell into an absolute silence.“Your mother, Cassandra, my precious daughter, battled leukaemia and was unable to conceive, which made them look for an alternative through which you were born,” Theodore explained, taking a deep sigh.
“Alternative? What alternative?” Aurora could no longer contain her curiosity; She couldn't believe she had never been told the story of her birth.
“This woman here, Seraphine, was the alternative. Her womb was used to birth you. She stood as your surrogate mother,” Theodore revealed, his words hitting like a bombshell. Aurora’s heart began to race uncontrollably. She bowed her head in shock, rendered speechless.
“I am sorry, my daughter. Don’t feel bad! Surrogacy isn’t a bad thing. Your parents are still your biological parents; my womb was just used to carry you,” Seraphine explained gently.
After she was paid by Aurora’s parents following her birth, Seraphine left Montana City and traveled to Italy. She spent most of her life there, building a successful business empire. Recently returning to Montana, she purchased major houses, estates, and companies in the city. However, she remained without a child of her own and decided to seek out the child she once carried, hoping to make her a part of her life.
Aurora took a deep breath, processing the revelation. She understood what surrogacy meant and was grateful toward Seraphine for coming to her parents’ aid.
“I appreciate you, ma’am! Especially for coming to my parents' aid. Thank you for saving them from the shame of childlessness,” Aurora said, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Seraphine was astounded by Aurora's response. She had worried about how Aurora might react, but the gratitude and acceptance in her words were a relief. Seraphine stood up and moved closer to Aurora, who had her head bowed in her palms, trying to process the shocking revelation.
“I am sorry, Aurora. My name is Seraphine Well. I just returned from Italy, where I lived after your birth. When I returned and learned your parents were now late, I felt terrible. However, if you allow me, I would gladly accept you as my daughter. I have also made you the director of all my companies, and all my properties are now willed to you. You are now a trillionaire,” Seraphine explained, gently placing a hand on Aurora’s back.
Hearing that, Aurora was astounded, struggling to process Seraphine's words. Theodore and Evelyn beamed with joy, tears of happiness streaming down their faces as they watched Aurora and Seraphine.
“Oh! No, ma’am. Of course, I stayed in your womb for a good nine months. You are, of course, my mother. It's not negotiable, but willing your properties, home and abroad, to me isn't something I can accept. I’m sorry, ma’am, I can't!” Aurora firmly held Seraphine's hands, staring deeply into her eyes.
“I understand, my daughter, but you don't have to reject it. You are my daughter now! My only child. Please don't refuse it,” Seraphine pleaded, their eyes locked. Aurora couldn't control herself and began to shed tears.
“I would love to take you out with me. There are things I need to show you, and also have a mother-daughter discussion,” Seraphine said. Aurora, caught in a rollercoaster of emotions, nodded.
“If this is true, then I definitely have plans for those who have hurt me in the past,” Aurora thought amidst her swirling emotions.
After some minutes, Aurora found herself in one of the exotic cars. None of such multi-million dollar cars can be found in Caspian’s compound, signifying Seraphine's enormous wealth.
Soon, they arrived at an eatery, one of the best and most luxurious in Montana, now owned by Seraphine Well. As the driver stopped, Aurora was in awe. She never imagined she'd dine in such an upscale restaurant. She believed that marrying Caspian would bring her access to wealth and a splendid life, but during their three years of marriage, Caspian never once took her out; instead, he treated her like a piece of trash.
As they made their way toward the elevator to the VIP room prepared for Seraphine, Aurora's gaze fell upon a familiar figure. There, in the regular section, was her husband, Caspian, locking lips and being all romantic with a strange lady. A deep shock ran through her spine.
"Are you good?" Seraphine asked as she noticed the sudden change in Aurora's demeanour.Aurora forced a nod; her eyes couldn't leave the distressing scene before her. "I... I'm fine," she managed to stammer, her voice quivering with emotion.Aurora allowed Seraphine to guide her into the elevator as she felt her soothing hands tapping her in a comforting way. As they ascended to the VIP room, Aurora's mind raced with conflicting emotions, anger and pain.Aurora was determined to focus on why she was there; she tried to forget the despicable scene of Caspian and the strange lady. The servers warmly welcomed her into the VIP section. Immediately, a variety of delicacies were served at the dining table. Aurora was shocked; she couldn't believe she could experience such luxury."Would you like to have some?" Seraphine asked, offering Aurora a warm smile. Aurora nodded and tried to smile back. She picked up her spoon and took a couple of bites. The food was so delicious, she wanted to excl
When the elevator finally stopped, Aurora maintained her gaze straight ahead, determined not to see anything that would tear her heart once more. She kept her eyes forward, but the regular section's sweet, mixed voices of laughter drew her attention. She couldn't help but glance over, only to be surprised when she didn’t see Caspian with the strange woman.“Where the hell have they gone?” she wondered, halting her step as her eyes scanned the area. She wanted to know where they headed. “Probably, he has taken her to a hotel,” she thought, trying to steady her gaze.“Is everything alright, Aurora?” Seraphine's question brought her back to the present. “Why do I even care so much about someone who disregards me? To hell with both of them,” she thought and forced a smile.“Oh! I’m sorry, Mum! I was just admiring the beautiful scenes of couples in the regular section,” Aurora said, walking up to Seraphine and holding her hands firmly.“It’s fine. It’s part of what you control now! You can
"Aurora! Aurora!" A scream shattered the peaceful environment, and a car screeched to a halt beside the roadside; two young ladies emerged and rushed towards two girls who were chatting and laughing. "Aurora!" She called out again, and as the girls turned in their direction, she shoved one of them forcefully, sending her tumbling to the ground."You, you poverty-stricken girl. Do you think you can push me off the stage and get away with stealing all the applause and praise that rightfully belong to me? Absolutely not! How dare you think you can outshine me?" Annabel roared as she glared at the helpless girl on the ground.Undeterred by the fall, the girl got back on her feet, dusted herself off, and was about to walk away with her friend when Minty, Annabel's friend, grabbed her in anger, accidentally stepping on her leg."You stepped on me?" Minty raised her eyebrows in disbelief, glaring at Aurora with her mouth agape."How dare you step on my friend?" Annabel snarled, her hand risi
Aurora attempted to rise, but excruciating pains coursing through her body kept her grounded. Some onlookers rushed to their aid, offering assistance getting them both up. Just then, Theodore's wife, Evelyn, appeared, balancing the food ingredients she had gone to buy on her head."What happened, my husband?" she exclaimed, dropping the food ingredients to the ground as her eyes saw the wasted engine oil and the mess in their office and apartment. Tears welled up in her eyes as she asked, "Who did this to us? What happened?""Harrison came demanding the money; where am I supposed to get such an amount from?" Theodore uttered, his voice filled with anguish."I'm sorry; let me help you inside. You need to clean up from this mess first," Evelyn said, guiding her husband through the cluttered entrance to their apartment. "I'm relieved they didn't reach the bedroom; you must shower first. I'll go prepare food for you right away," she added as she led him into the bathroom.Hurrying to chec
"This is unbelievable; it can't be! There must be some kind of mistake!" Janet lamented, frustration evident in the firm hits of her hands against the wall. She double-checked the list of winners, but Aurora's name was nowhere to be found. Not only was she absent from the list of winners, but her name also didn't appear among the participants selected to represent their country in the competition against the advanced Western world. Janet felt a wave of anger, wanting to shatter the glass covering the winners' names and tear the paper apart."How on earth did that girl win? Everyone knows you're the best! You should have won this prize, Aurora! What went wrong? Something isn't right!" Janet lamented, bombarding Aurora with rhetorical questions. Aurora Sterling remained silent, her mind ablaze with frustration. It felt as though the ground should open up and swallow her whole. The world suddenly felt empty to her. All her hopes were shattered, and her face contorted with deep pain."Eve
The wedding day arrived, and the venue exuded glamour as Harrison Monroe welcomed dignitaries from far and wide. Rumours quickly circulated that Harrison was marrying a girl young enough to be his granddaughter.Theodore and Evelyn took their seats at the front of the lavish hall, appearing more radiant than ever. Theodore's heart swelled with relief on this day, a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long while. Despite his strong objections to Aurora marrying an older man, he reluctantly accepted it as the only solution to settle the debt. Their faces radiated with joy like never before."Look at that poor girl marrying a man old enough to be her grandfather! It's infuriating to think that we might be related someday. But on the bright side, Caspian, Harrison's handsome son and heir to his business, has returned from Canada. I hope to meet him today and perhaps catch his eye. Who knows, we might even get married," Annabel mused with a hint of anticipation."My goodness, Annabel, Caspi