Though Aurora couldn’t pinpoint the exact year, she was certain that based on the birthdate of the original Aurora, she had been at least five or six years old when everything blurred into an abyss.
But why would Lily take the risk of creating a fake ID for her? What was her purpose? Was she deliberately hiding her from soone?
But from whom?
Luna was sure that her original birth records were with Lily. She needed to find them.
What conspiracy was going on?
On the other side of town, Lily had just received a tip about Aurora’s presence at the school.
A cruel smirk tugged at the corners of her lips. The task at hand was simple: deliver Aurora to Mr. Harrison.
There was no room for mistakes, and Lily had no intention of failing. Her contempt ran deep, her derision surfacing as she scoffed at the very idea of Aurora stepping foot inside a school.
"A dropout returning to school? She must think too highly of herself," Lily sneered, her voice dripping with disdain.
She wasted no ti. With calculated haste, she sped toward the school, anticipation crackling in her veins. The prospect of finally dragging Aurora to the Harrisons filled her with twisted delight.
However, as soon as Lily arrived at the university, she scanned the campus, her eyes darting from one student to another, searching for a familiar face.
She marched through the courtyards, the corridors, even peeking into classrooms, but Aurora was nowhere to be found. Her frustration grew with each passing second.
"Did that person lie to ?" she muttered under her breath, her grip tightening around the strap of her purse. The very thought of being deceived sent a wave of irritation through her.
She had co all this way expecting to confront Aurora, yet there was no sign of her.
Without hesitation, she yanked her phone from her bag, her fingers moving swiftly as she dialed the number of the man who had provided her with the tip.
The line barely rang before it was answered.
"Where is she?" Lily’s voice was sharp, demanding. "You told she was here, but I don’t see her anywhere! How dare you lie to ?"
The person on the other end stamred sothing, but Lily had no patience for excuses. Her blood was boiling, and she wasn’t about to let this slip through her fingers.
"I don’t care what it takes," she hissed. "Find her. Now."
Ending the call with a furious press of her thumb, she stood in place, her chest rising and falling with deep, angry breaths.
Aurora couldn’t have vanished into thin air. If she wasn’t here, then where was she?
The entire night, Lily paced back and forth in frustration, unable to sit still. No matter how much she searched, there was no trace of Aurora’s whereabouts. Every lead she followed turned into a dead end, every attempt to track her down proved useless. It was as if the girl had vanished into thin air.
"Where the hell did she go?" Lily muttered under her breath, her nails digging into her palms as irritation boiled within her.
Desperate for answers, she even tried tracing the license plate of the luxury car Aurora had arrived in earlier that day. But when she had her people look it up, the results left her stunned.
They couldn’t access the information.
Her brows furrowed in disbelief as she read the response from her contact. The plate was registered under a highly classified ranking, one that was beyond their authority to trace.
Soone powerful was backing Aurora—soone with enough influence to keep her details locked away from prying eyes.
Lily clenched her fists, her teeth grinding in frustration. "Who the hell is protecting her?"
This was no ordinary situation. Aurora, the girl she had discarded without a second thought all those years ago, was now moving in circles Lily couldn’t even reach. And that realization sent a shiver of unease down her spine.
And now when she finally got a lead, she wasn’t here. Panic was not an emotion Lily was accustod to, but an unknown glint flickered in her eyes as she processed the information.
Before she could react further, a hand clamped over her mouth, and darkness consud her vision.
Lily groaned as she slowly regained consciousness, her wrists bound tightly behind her back.
The dimly lit warehouse reeked of oil and damp wood. Panic surged through her as she struggled, but the ropes wouldn’t budge.
"Look who’s finally awake," a voice drawled.
Her eyes snapped open to see a man standing over her, his expression amused. Another figure leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching her with interest.
"What the hell is this?" Lily spat, fury rising within her. "Do you know who I am?"
"We know exactly who you are," the man replied smoothly. "And we also know who’s willing to pay a hefty price to get their hands on you."
Lily’s blood ran cold. "You don’t understand—"
"No, you don’t understand," the man interrupted. "A bounty was placed on your head. And guess what? Calvert Harrison was more than happy to claim you."
Lily’s breath hitched. A bounty? Who would dare put a price on her?
Her mind raced, a whirlwind of suspicion and fear gripping her. Who had put the bounty on her? Was it Stephen—her own husband?
A bitter thought struck her. Did he plan to hand over instead of that Aurora?
Her chest tightened as she recalled their last conversation. She had bought herself ti, promising Stephen that she would deliver Aurora to him today. But had he grown impatient? Had he decided that she was of no use anymore?
Lily clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. The possibility gnawed at her. Do I an so little to him?
Her breath hitched, and for the first ti in years, a single tear slipped down her cheek.
Had she really beco so insignificant in Stephen’s eyes? Had he already decided that she was expendable? The thought sent a shiver down her spine. She had spent years manipulating, scheming, doing whatever it took to survive—yet now, she was the one being played.
Her breathing grew uneven as she wiped away the lone tear, forcing herself to regain composure. No. I refuse to be discarded like this.
If Stephen thought he could use her and toss her aside, he was gravely mistaken.
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