Aurora sat stiffly in the living room, her cup of ice cream melting in her hand. William stood across from her, arms crossed, his expression a storm barely contained.
"I left this house for three days," he began, his voice a low growl, "three days, Aurora! And he somehow finds his way into your bedroom window?"
"Dad—"
"Do you have any idea what could've happened? Do you understand the risk?" His voice rose, echoing off the marble walls. "He is dangerous. He's reckless. And after everything we uncovered, you let him kiss you like nothing happened?"
Aurora stood slowly. "I didn't let him. He came. He didn't ask permission. I didn't invite him." But you didn't push him away either, did you?" William snapped. "You stood there and let him touch you like the past few months never happened. Like he didn't lie, hide, kill—"
"Enough!" Kim's voice cut through the tension like a blade. She stormed in from the hallway, arms folded. "You're scaring her, William." She needs to be scared!" he shouted. "She needs to wake up! She's carrying his child, and he's a threat to both of them."
Aurora's hands began to shake, tears stinging her eyes. "He's not a threat. He's the father of my child. "And he's a liar!" William thundered. "You think anonymous flowers make up for that?" Aurora blinked. "You… how do you know about the flowers?"
William scoffed. "I know everything. And don't pretend you don't know who sent them. He doesn't have access to see you , but Mark Wilson is watching everything. He has your medical files, your doctor's notes, even your sonograms."
Aurora's throat went dry.
"I didn't tell him," Kim said quietly. "He has someone feeding him everything. Ross maybe. But let's be honest Mark has always found a way."
Before William could speak again, Zayn stepped into the room. "Dad, maybe that's a good thing." William's eyes narrowed. "You stay out of this."
"No," Zayn said, walking forward calmly. "She needs support. And even if you hate the idea, he's still her husband. And this baby is his. He messed up, we all know that. But pushing her to hate him won't heal her. It's breaking her more."
Aurora turned her face away, lips trembling.
Kim moved to sit beside her, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders. "She cries every night. I hear her. And I see her wipe her phone screen when she gets the anonymous messages. She knows it's him, but she's too proud. Too hurt."
William shook his head, pacing. "I want him gone from her life. "Well," Zayn replied coolly, "you may want that, but he's not letting go. Even from thousands of miles away."
Meanwhile, in London…
Mark sat in a glass-walled office overlooking the Thames, rage simmering beneath his calm demeanor.
Across from him sat Luca Tiwa's boyfriend or rather, the idiot who had just cost Mark a $3.5 billion PR nightmare after hacking into one of their security systems trying to "impress" Tiwa with access codes.
"You're lucky I don't bury you in this city," Mark said coldly. "You embarrassed my sister. You endangered my company. You're finished." The guy tried to speak, but Mark held up a hand. "Not a word. Go home. If I hear your name again, I won't handle it with words." As the door slammed, Mark leaned back in his chair, eyes dark.
"Track Aurora's medical report from today," he told Ross over the phone. "And make sure the flowers got there." "Yes, sir. She smiled this time. Yellow tuilips, same note. No signature."
Mark closed his eyes for a moment, whispering under his breath. I know you hate me right now… but I'll keep showing up however I can."
He turned his phone over, the lock screen still showing the ultrasound from last week.His child. His wife. His mistake… and his redemption.