The soft glow of the chandelier bathed the private dining hall in a warm, golden hue. Having finished dinner in the serene ambiance, Aurora placed her napkin aside, preparing to leave. "Thank you for the dinner, Mr. Harper," she said politely, pushing back her chair. "I should get going now."
Just as she was about to rise, a small voice tugged at her resolve.
"Miss Smith... can’t you stay a little longer?" Jenny pouted, her wide, twinkling eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I want to have dessert with you."
Aurora hesitated. She wasn’t one to be easily swayed, but the sight of Jenny’s baby-like face made her heart soften. Still, she had other matters to attend to.
Before she could decide, a deep, steady voice intervened.
"Jenny," Sebastian spoke, his tone firm yet gentle. "Miss Smith has other obligations. Don’t trouble her."
At his words, Jenny’s lips wobbled, and the corners of her eyes reddened. Aurora felt a pang of guilt settle in her chest. Letting out a quiet sigh, she finally gave in. "Alright, just for a little while," she murmured, sitting back down.
Jenny’s face instantly lit up with delight as she grabbed the nu. "Let’s pick sothing delicious together!" she chirped.
Sebastian, who had been watching the exchange in silence, leaned back against his chair, his lips curving slightly. Without waiting for Aurora to choose, he gestured to the waiter and ordered a dessert.
When the dish arrived, Aurora blinked in surprise.
Her favorite.
"You—" she looked up at Sebastian, but before she could question him, he spoke.
"Enjoy," he said smoothly, picking up his wine glass.
"I wasn’t aware of your exact preferences," Sebastian said smoothly, his deep voice carrying a hint of amusent. "But sothing told this would be to your liking. Seems I was right." A faint smirk tugged at his lips as he watched her reaction. "I’m glad it turned out just as I thought."
Aurora hesitated before taking a bite, the rich flavor lting in her mouth. A rare warmth flickered in her chest. "Thank you," she said softly.
Sebastian rely nodded, watching her with an unreadable expression.
As she continued eating, her gaze unintentionally drifted toward the man sitting across from her. She had never paid much attention to a man’s appearance before, but Sebastian... he was breathtaking. Straight out of a masterpiece sculpted by the gods. His deep-set brows frad his piercing eyes, sharp and unwavering. His voice, rich and magnetic, carried an allure that was difficult to ignore. And that scent—cedar and musk—intoxicating, yet dangerously comforting.
Before she realized it, her lips parted slightly, and she swallowed hard.
A low chuckle pulled her from her daze.
Aurora’s breath hitched as Sebastian’s smirk deepened, his gaze locked onto hers with an intensity that sent an unexpected thrill down her spine.
Sothing flickered within her—foreign, unfamiliar, and dangerously unsettling.
Before it could take root, she straightened her posture and quickly shook off the feeling. It’s just dessert, she told herself firmly.
Yet, Sebastian’s gaze didn’t waver. He watched her as if he saw through every wall she had ticulously built.
Apart from the plump, softly contoured cheeks, there was a newfound sharpness to her features; he could see the sharp awareness in her eyes, the quiet vigilance in her deanor. It nagged at him, a faint sense of familiarity he couldn’t place. She reminded him of soone, but the mory remained just out of reach.
Sebastian was certain they had never crossed paths before—at least, not beyond their recent encounters. And yet, the way she carried herself stirred sothing unsettling in his mind.
According to the reports, Aurora was nothing more than a foolish, naive girl—easily deceived, lacking intelligence.
But the woman standing before him told an entirely different story.
She carried herself with an aura of quiet strength, her presence strikingly different from the weak, pitiful girl he had read about. For the first ti, doubt crept into his mind.
Is she really that good at hiding her true self?
But why? Why would she go to such lengths to act dumb, to make herself less likable, to endure the tornt and ridicule?
His initial skepticism gave way to intrigue.
Aurora Smith was far more than she appeared to be, and now, he found himself wondering—just how much more could she surprise him?
Just as she was about to break the silence, a sharp yelp echoed through the room.
Aurora snapped out of her daze, her head whipping toward Jenny just in ti to see the young girl lose her balance.
The next mont, scalding heat seared through the back of her hand.
A sharp gasp escaped her lips as the steaming water splashed onto her skin, turning it an angry shade of red.
Before she could react, a strong hand grabbed hers.
Sebastian.
His grip was firm yet careful as he swiftly dipped her injured hand into a glass bowl filled with ice water. The contrast of scorching pain and icy relief sent a jolt through her system, but what truly made her shiver was his touch.
A strange, electric current seed to pass between them—brief but intense, like a spark in the dead of night.
Aurora’s lips parted slightly, her heartbeat stuttering in her chest.
Sebastian, too, stilled for the briefest mont, his fingers lingering against her skin before he abruptly let go. His expression remained unreadable as he turned to his assistant.
"Liam, bring the burn ointnt. Now." His voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable edge to it.
Jenny’s eyes brimd with tears as she rushed to Aurora’s side. "Jenny is so sorry, Miss Smith!" she sniffled, her small hands wringing together. "Jenny didn’t an to do it!"
Aurora looked at the girl’s remorseful face and offered a small, reassuring smile. "It’s okay, Jenny. I should have been more careful too. You don’t need to apologize."
Jenny sniffled again but nodded, rubbing at her wet eyes.
anwhile, Sebastian remained silent, his sharp gaze fixed on Aurora’s reddened skin.
For a mont, Aurora could have sworn sothing flashed in his eyes—sothing unsettlingly similar to concern. But before she could dwell on it, Liam returned with the ointnt, breaking the montary tension that hung between them.
Sebastian took the ointnt from Liam without a word and knelt beside Aurora, his movents steady and precise. Without waiting for her permission, he gently took her hand in his, his touch surprisingly cool against the lingering warmth of the burn.
"Hold still," he murmured, his voice softer than usual.
Aurora tensed but obeyed, watching as he carefully applied the ointnt to her reddened skin. The cool sensation soothed the stinging pain, but what unsettled her more was how delicate his touch was—so different from the ruthless, commanding presence he usually exuded.
"There," he said after a mont, his fingers lingering for just a second longer before he finally let go.
"Thank you," Aurora muttered, pulling her hand back, unsure why her heartbeat felt unsteady.
Sebastian straightened and glanced at her. "I’ll drive you ho."
Aurora blinked. "That’s not necessary. I can—"
"Doctor," he cut her off, his gaze turning sharp "You need to treat Jenny." His expression darkened slightly. "And your hand is wounded. Do you really think you can drive yourself like this?"
She opened her mouth to protest, but he didn’t give her the chance.
"If you don’t want your wound to worsen, the only reasonable option is for to take you ho," he stated firmly, his tone leaving no room for argunt.
Aurora hesitated, her pride warring with reason. She didn’t like the idea of accepting help from him—Sebastian Harper.
But as she glanced at her injured hand, she knew he had a point.
With a quiet sigh, she finally relented. "...Fine."
Sebastian smirked slightly, as if he had expected her answer all along.
"Good," he said smoothly. "Let’s go."
As they stood at the entrance, waiting for the car to arrive, the crisp night air did little to soothe the tension humming beneath Aurora’s skin. She kept her gaze forward, focusing on the dimly lit road ahead, unwilling to acknowledge the man beside her any more than necessary.
Just as she exhaled, trying to compose herself, a voice—one she knew all too well—cut through the air like a jagged blade.
"Sis?"
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