Julia forced herself to calm down, taking a deep breath. She wasn’t going to let a four-year-old boy give her wrinkles.
After all, she needed to keep herself looking young and beautiful for Lucas. If she was ever going to win him back, she had to stay perfect in every way.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Caleb pulling out his bag.
He eagerly took out a tablet and started controlling a drone with it. His eyes were glued to the screen as he watched the drone’s surroundings on the tablet, moving it around Lucas’s mansion.
Julia wasn’t interested in whatever ga her son was playing, but a mont later, she heard sothing that made her freeze.
A voice. A female voice. One that sounded so familiar.
Julia narrowed her eyes, her intrigue piqued. "That voice... it can’t be."
Without thinking, she leaned over and snatched the tablet out of Caleb’s hands.
"Mommy!" Caleb cried, reaching for it. "Give it back! That’s mine!"
"Stop your nonsense, Caleb," Julia snapped, shoving him off as he sniffled, tears welling in his eyes.
But Julia wasn’t paying attention to him anymore. She was too focused on the screen.
Though she wasn’t well-versed in technology, she managed to get a handle on how the drone worked. She moved it around, scanning the different rooms in the mansion, searching for the source of the voice.
"That voice... it sounds like... Aurora."
Her heart skipped a beat at the thought. Could it really be her?
With determination, she moved the drone to the study.
The mont the screen displayed what was happening inside, Julia’s grip on the tablet tightened.
She saw Lucas sitting in his wheelchair, talking to Aurora.
"Aurora!"
Aurora nodded and smiled, responding to Lucas, though sothing in her expression seed off.
She contributed her ideas as Lucas and Gabriel discussed the project’s details.
Julia watched with growing irritation, noting how Aurora engaged in the conversation, though there was sothing distant about her deanor.
After a while, Lucas glanced at his watch, signaling the end of their eting.
"I believe that’s everything for now," he said, giving Aurora a polite smile. "We’ll send over the official contract soon. It’s been a pleasure discussing this with you."
Julia’s blood boiled.
How had Aurora managed to get back into the city? And even worse, how had she found her way to Lucas again?
A wicked idea began to form in her mind.
Julia glanced at Caleb, who was still crying softly beside her.
She gave the tablet back to him, her anger montarily replaced with an almost saccharine sweetness.
"There, there," she cooed, patting Caleb’s shoulder as he sniffled. "Mommy’s sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t an to be so harsh."
Caleb’s crying slowed, and he looked at her with wide, teary eyes.
"You were an to ," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes with his fists.
Julia leaned closer, her voice soft and affectionate. "I know, baby, and I’m sorry. Mommy loves you, you know that, right?"
Caleb hesitated but nodded, still sniffling.
Julia smiled warmly at him, her eyes softening. "Now, there’s sothing Mommy needs your help with. You’re such a big boy, and I know you can do it for , can’t you?"
Caleb blinked, confused but curious. "What is it, Mommy?"
Julia’s smile widened. "I need you to do sothing very important for Mommy. Sothing only you can do."
---
anwhile, the eting between Aurora and Lucas had concluded.
Gabriel had wheeled Lucas out of the study, and Aurora followed behind them, her mind still processing the strange interaction she’d just had with Lucas.
She couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling of being a stranger in his life. But as they moved through the hallway, sothing unexpected happened.
"Daddy!" A small voice called out.
Aurora looked up in surprise to see a little boy running toward them.
The child’s eyes lit up as he reached Lucas, who smiled warmly at the boy.
"Hello, Caleb," Lucas said, his tone gentle. "What are you up to?"
Caleb giggled, hugging Lucas’s arm. "I was playing with my drone, Daddy! But Mommy took it from ."
Aurora felt her chest tighten at the sight.
Lucas has a son?
She had never known.
Her eyes widened slightly, and she felt an odd mix of emotions swirling within her. When did this happen?
Lucas patted Caleb on the head affectionately. "Well, I’m sure Mommy was just looking out for you."
Caleb nodded, still clinging to his father’s arm.
Then, as if sensing soone else’s presence, Caleb looked over at Aurora, his big, curious eyes locking onto her.
He tilted his head, studying her for a mont.
"Who’s that, Daddy?" Caleb asked innocently.
Lucas glanced at Aurora, his expression calm.
"This is Miss Aurora," he said, introducing her. "She’s going to be working on a project with ."
Caleb’s eyes widened in awe. "Wow! Is she famous?"
Aurora couldn’t help but smile at the boy’s enthusiasm, though her mind was still racing.
She forced herself to respond in a calm, friendly tone. "Not quite famous," she said softly, "but I’ll be helping your daddy with his work."
Caleb grinned, clearly pleased by the idea. "That’s cool! Maybe you can show how to make movies too, Miss Aurora!"
Aurora smiled at him, but the conversation only deepened the strange feeling inside her.
Lucas has a child.
This small boy was his world now. And yet, here she was, standing in the mansion that used to feel like ho, completely disconnected from the man she once knew.
Gabriel, sensing the conversation drawing to a close, cleared his throat politely. "Mr. Lucas, shall we prepare for your next eting?"
Lucas nodded, glancing between Aurora and Caleb. "Yes, that sounds good. Caleb, go find your mother. I’ll see you later, okay?"
Caleb pouted for a mont, but then he gave his father a quick hug before running off down the hallway.
As the boy disappeared, Aurora couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of loss, though she wasn’t quite sure why.
Lucas had a whole life she knew nothing about.
"Miss Aurora," Lucas said, drawing her attention back to him. "Thank you again for coming. I look forward to working with you."
Aurora nodded, her polite smile returning. "Of course. I’ll be in touch."
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