Quietly, Aurora began her search in Kieran's room. She started with the drawer, rifling through the documents inside, but found nothing of interest but a pink labubu. Calmly, she checked under the bed, her fingers brushing against dust bunnies and forgotten items, but still, nothing useful turned up.
Next, she moved to the walk-in closet, her eyes scanning the rows of pink clothing. She dug through pockets, hoping for a clue, but came up empty-handed. With a sigh, she turned her attention to the shoe rack filled with pink shoes, her fingers sifting through the various pairs.
She scanned the walk-in closet with disdain and said to herself, "What a sissy !"
Next, she walked into the bathroom and started her search from the bathtub, to the shower head. As she searched throughout the stand by his bathtub, she came across his pink sponge and then a pink container labeled secret.
She smirked as she thought she had finally stumbled on a clue and she opened it .
'Pop' the container made a pop sound and there was what laid inside it. She raised her brows in amazement , "A rubber duck ?"
The disdain in her eyes grew stronger as she asked no one in particular, "His he a kid or what? "
Meanwhile, Kieran was lost in a nightmare, his subconscious dragging him back to the most traumatic night of his life. In his dream, he was an 18-year-old boy again, running out of the mansion, his voice filled with youthful innocence as he shouted, "Mom, you forgot your phone!"
But as he reached the compound, horror struck. He froze, witnessing an assassin in black, a figure that would haunt him forever, stabbing his mother. "Mom!" he screamed, his voice trembling with fear and disbelief.
The assassin fled, leaving Kieran to rush to his mother's side. He fell to his knees, cradling her in his arms, his heart pounding as he called out, "Mom!" Tears streamed down his face as she weakly caressed his cheek, her gentle smile a stark contrast to the chaos around them. "Kieran, Mom loves you. Live a happy life. Don't seek revenge," she whispered, her voice fading as she slipped away.
The darkness enveloped him, and a haunting voice echoed in his mind, "It was all your fault. If you had followed her, she wont have died.She died because of you. You are not worthy of your mother."
Kieran jolted awake, a traumatized yelp escaping his lips. "I'm sorry, Mom!"
Aurora, who had been rummaging through his shoes, heard his cry and instinctively tiptoed into the room.
---
At the Century Club, Mia and Zoe were living it up, the energy of the place buzzing around them. Zoe leaned in, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "One day, we'll be here not just as visitors, but as the DJ and the dancer!"
Mia nodded, her gaze fixed on the elevated platform where the popular DJ Tweel spun tracks, and Vicki J danced beside him. "Yes! I can totally see it!" she replied, her enthusiasm infectious.
Zoe took a sip of her vodka, savoring the moment, when a waiter approached with their bill. She grabbed it without a second thought, pulling out her black card and handing it over. But to her shock, the waiter informed her that the card was inactive.
"What?!" Zoe exclaimed, her heart sinking. She watched as Mia tried her own card, only to receive the same disappointing news.
After several attempts, frustration bubbled over. "Could Oldie have frozen our cards?" Mia suggested, realization dawning on her.
Zoe kicked the table in frustration, cursing under her breath. "Damn it!"
Just then, a charming voice broke through their annoyance. "I'll pay for you," said Knox, stepping forward with a hopeful smile.
Mia's expression twisted into one of disgust and deep hatred, and Zoe mirrored her feelings. Zoe hissed and said to the waiter "Mandy,we are in bit of a situation now. We'll pay some other time,"
Since they were regulars , Mandy agreed and lef while Zoe pulled Mia up from her seat.
Knox watched them leave, hurt and disappointment etched on his face.
Aurora stepped into the room, her heart sinking at the sight of Kieran. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, his hands gripping his head tightly, sweat glistening on his forehead. His brow was furrowed in distress, and she could see the pain etched across his face.
Kieran felt as if his head was about to split open. A throbbing headache pulsed through him, and the voices in his mind were relentless, echoing like a haunting chorus.
"It was all your fault!"
"She died because of you!"
"If you had just followed her, she wouldn't have died!"
"You are not worthy of your mother!"
Each accusation felt like a dagger, twisting deeper into his heart. But then, amidst the chaos, he heard her voice—the gentle, soothing tone of his mother. "Don't seek revenge."
It was a bittersweet reminder, each voice competed with one another as if competing on who to dominate his mind. And the conflicting emotions swirled within him like a storm. He felt as if he were teetering on the edge of sanity, the voices battling for dominance in his mind. Overwhelmed, he let out another painful yelp, a raw expression of his inner turmoil.
Aurora stood silently, watching him from the side intently but emotionless. She shifted her weight, trying to find a more comfortable position. In doing so, her elbow accidentally nudged a drawer, and a bottle tumbled out, hitting the floor with a sharp, crisp sound .