A soft knock echoed on the bedroom door, followed by the familiar, energetic voice of Wendie.
"Aurora, are you ready? I want to hit the mall before the crowd gets insane!"
Aurora smiled as she finished slipping on a pastel summer dress, her hair falling loosely down her back. "Coming!"
By the time she stepped out, Wende was already waiting downstairs in a pair of high-waisted jeans and a crop top, looking effortlessly stylish as usual. She grinned when she saw Aurora.
"Finally! You look like springtime and danger all wrapped into one," Wendie teased, linking her arm with Aurora's. "Let's spoil ourselves a little. You've been playing CEO-wife too well."
Aurora laughed as the two women exited the estate and slid into the backseat of a luxury car. The guards followed discreetly behind.
As they drove off, Aurora glanced back at the mansion, her thoughts flickering to Kai. He hadn't said much that morning, but she noticed the quiet weight in his eyes something deeper than work stress.
Back at the mansion...
Kai sat across from his grandfather in the sunroom a quiet, breezy part of the estate with creeping vines and warm light. A pot of herbal tea steamed on the table between them.
"I hear your wife makes you medicinal bath," the old man said with a teasing smirk.
Kai chuckled softly, "She does. And it's been helping my leg more than all the therapy combined."
His grandfather's expression turned thoughtful. "And how is the marriage, Kai?"
Kai leaned back slightly, fingers tapping on the teacup. "It's... not simple. But it's good. She's not like anyone I've ever known. Sharp, quiet, calm. But I can tell she's hiding things. I don't think it's out of malice... more like fear."
The old man nodded slowly. "The good ones always have stories, Kai. Just make sure you listen to them when they're ready to speak."
There was a moment of silence before his grandfather poured more tea. "And the company?"
Kai's expression tightened. "We're moving into expansion, but there are cracks forming internally. Someone on the board is working against me. Wallace is too quiet. And after that attack... I'm not letting my guard down again."
His grandfather sighed. "Power always invites enemies. But remember this a kingdom built on fear collapses in silence. A kingdom built on trust survives every whisper. Let her in, Kai. The girl. And your team. You can't fight this alone."
Kai met his grandfather's eyes and gave a slow nod. "I'm trying. She makes me want to be more than I was."
At the mall...
Wendie pulled Aurora into the third boutique, her arms already full of clothes. "Alright, serious question: do you like red or emerald on your skin tone?"
Aurora laughed, holding both against her in the mirror. "Emerald, I think."
"I agree. Makes you look... dangerous in a 'don't mess with me or I'll ruin your life gracefully' way."
As they moved between racks, Wendie grew slightly more serious. "So... how are things with my brother?"
Aurora glanced at her through the mirror. "Better than I expected. He's thoughtful. Charming. But... intense. Sometimes I feel like he's watching parts of me I didn't know I was hiding."
Wendie smiled gently. "That's Kai. He sees the world in layers. Just be careful. If you keep hiding, he'll keep chasing and he doesn't stop until he finds the truth."
Aurora looked down, her fingers brushing the soft fabric of a silk blouse. A whisper of guilt fluttered in her chest. There were parts of her past she hadn't dared to revisit, let alone reveal.
And something told her those hidden pieces were about to catch up with her very soon.
Wendie and Aurora stepped out of the boutique, arms filled with sleek shopping bags and bubbling laughter between them. They had just finished buying matching sunglasses Wendie's idea, of course and were debating whether they needed another round of iced coffee.
"I say we check out that bookstore next," Wendie said, pointing toward the cozy corner shop across the atrium.
"I'm in," Aurora replied. "Something tells me I might find something interesting there."
But as they made their way down the escalator, Aurora's instincts suddenly tensed. A figure in the crowd caught her attention not because he was familiar, but because of the way he pretended not to be looking at them. His eyes were trained on their reflection in the mirrored wall across the corridor.
Aurora gently nudged Wende. "Do you know him?"
Wendie glanced over casually. "Who?"
"That man near the plant display, in the denim jacket."
Wendie frowned. "Nope. Never seen him."
Aurora didn't answer. She already recognized the subtle signal: the man was tailing them.
She let her posture relax, but her eyes sharpened. "Wendie, we need to leave."
"What?" Wendie blinked. "Why?"
Aurora smiled tightly. "Because I'm about 60% sure someone's following us, and 100% sure he's not just here for the sales."
Wendie's face paled slightly. "Wait, are you serious?"
"Yes. Let's head for the elevator not the parking lot. Let's lose him in the service corridor."
Wendie nodded without protest. The shift in Aurora's tone calm but commanding startled her. She wasn't used to seeing Aurora this composed under pressure. In fact, she looked... trained.
They moved quickly but calmly, making small talk as they entered the elevator. Aurora hit the button for a restricted maintenance floor and used a pin she quickly keyed in. Wendie stared at her.
"What was that code?"
Aurora gave a distracted smile. "Something I picked up in my old life."
Before Wendie could ask more, the elevator dinged and the doors opened to a dim hallway. They slipped through and watched as the man rushed down the escalator, looking around clearly confused.
Aurora's phone vibrated. It was a secure message from Kai's assistant.
"We traced one of the attackers. He was hired by someone inside the company. Details being decrypted now."
Her stomach twisted.
Wendie leaned in. "Aurora... who are you?"
Aurora met her sister-in-law's eyes, and for the first time, didn't deflect the question.
"I'm someone who used to run from danger. Now... I walk straight into it."
Wende exhaled slowly. "Does Kai know?"
Aurora looked away. "Not yet."
Aurora led Wende through the dimly lit back passage, her senses on high alert. She moved with confidence, every step calculated, while Wende stayed close behind speechless now, her earlier curiosity eclipsed by concern.
They reached a discreet exit that led into a side alley. Aurora pushed the door open and scanned the street. Clear.
"I called a car to a different location," Aurora said, checking her phone. "We'll head there on foot. He won't be able to follow us without exposing himself."
Wendie was quiet until they reached the waiting SUV. Once inside, she finally asked, "Does Kai know you can do all this?"
Aurora looked at her with a tired smile. "He suspects something, but I've been trying to leave that life behind."
Wendie gave a low whistle. "You're full of secrets, sister."
"Only the ones that protect the people I care about."
Meanwhile, back at the estate…
Kai's grandfather sat in the lounge, his cane leaning beside his chair, sipping his tea with practiced calm. Across from him, Kai's brows were furrowed as he read through the encrypted file just delivered to his private line.
A single name glared back at him:
Leonard valen
"Grandfather…" Kai said slowly, passing over the tablet. "It's worse than we thought."
The old man took the tablet, adjusted his glasses, and read. "Leornard… I never liked his ambition. Too eager. Too polished. But to think he'd try to bring down his own company?"
Kai's jaw tensed. "He leaked sensitive documents to our rivals. He sold internal strategies and almost sabotaged our international deal. And now, he might be the one behind the attack on me and Aurora."
His grandfather leaned back thoughtfully. "You need to handle this delicately, Kai. You're in the public eye. A scandal could scare off your new partners."
"So you're saying let him go quietly?"
"I'm saying expose him without burning the entire house down," he said with a knowing look. "Make it clear to the board that betrayal comes with consequences but also show them your leadership isn't driven by emotion. Think legacy, not revenge."
Kai nodded, absorbing the advice. "I'll have my assistant compile a full dossier. I'll call a closed-door board meeting on Monday. Leornard will be confronted… but on my terms."
"Good," his grandfather said, setting down his tea. "That's the Kai I raised."
Later that evening…
Aurora returned home with Wendie and headed straight to the study, where Kai was waiting. The look they exchanged said everything both of them had encountered danger that day.
Kai rose from the chair, walking toward her. "We need to talk."
Aurora nodded. "Yes. We do."
But neither spoke immediately. Instead, Kai drew her into his arms not to ask questions, but simply to hold her. Both were tired of secrets, tired of pretending.
"We're not as safe as we thought," Aurora whispered.
"No, we're not," Kai replied. "But we're not alone either."