Chapter 154: Blocked
Aurora POV
??"Cassey, what is the aning of this?" I snapped, trying to find a strength I didn’t feel. My head was throbbing, and my legs felt like they might give out at any second.
??"What is the aning? Oh, Aurora, I think the aning is quite clear," she said, her eyes flashing with a wicked light. "So, you attend a BDSM club? Tell , what will Oliver think when he sees his perfect little lover in a place like this?"
??I felt a wave of cold panic wash over , but I refused to let her see it. I knew exactly what she was up to. She was going to use this to blackmail , and I wouldn’t allow it.
??"What I do here is none of your business, Cassey," I said, my voice cold and firm.
??"Really? Well, I wonder what Oliver will say, because I have just sent these pictures to him."
??My heart stopped. The world seed to tilt on its axis. "You wouldn’t dare."
??"I already have." She walked closer, her perfu cloying and sweet. She leaned in, her voice a low hiss. "Oliver is mine. Don’t you think for one second that I have given up on him."
??With a final, triumphant smirk, she turned on her heel and walked away, getting into her car and peeling out into the street.
??I stood there, paralyzed. Was she serious? Did she actually send them? I scrambled into my own car, my hands shaking so badly I could barely fit the key into the ignition. I cursed and hit the steering wheel with the palm of my hand.
??Think, Aurora, I told myself, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps. Think of what to do.
??I thought about driving straight back to the packhouse, but I stopped myself. I could sll Raymond on my skin. If Oliver got close, he would know. He would perceive another man’s scent on , and then there would be no way out.
??I turned the car toward my apartnt instead. I needed to scrub this day off .
??Once I reached my place, I moved like a ghost. I stepped into the shower; the hot water stung the cut on my temple, but I didn’t care. I scrubbed until my skin was red, trying to wash away the feeling of Raymond’s hands on . I changed into fresh clothes and packed a small bag. My temple was still aching, but I ignored it.
??I got back into my car and dialed Oliver’s number. It rang and rang. No answer.
??I called again. And again. My stomach twisted with unease. Was he busy, or had he seen the pictures? Was he sitting in his room right now, staring at a photo of
leaving that club, his heart breaking?
??The drive back to the packhouse felt like an eternity. By the ti I pulled into the long driveway, the sun was out. As I walked through the halls, the staff stared at my bandaged temple, their eyes filled with whispered questions. I ignored them, keeping my head down as I took the private elevator to Oliver’s floor.
??I reached the door and knocked gently, my hand trembling.
??"Oliver?" I whispered.
??I didn’t wait for an answer. I pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was dim, the only light coming from the bathroom. Just as I crossed the threshold, Oliver walked out, a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair damp.
??The mont his eyes landed on , a deep, heavy frown appeared on his face.
??He moved toward , the coldness in his eyes replaced by a sharp, piercing worry. He moved quickly, his damp hair dripping onto his shoulders as he reached out to tilt my head toward the light.
??"You’re injured," he said, his voice low and tight. "How did this happen, Aurora? You were fine just a few hours ago."
??I swallowed hard, my heart racing. I needed a lie. A sensible one. Sothing that would explain the bandage without making him dig deeper.
??"I... I was bathing," I stamred, looking down at my feet. "I tripped in the bathroom at my apartnt. My head hit the edge of the sink. It’s nothing, really."
??Oliver’s frown deepened. He didn’t look convinced. "You tripped? This cut looks... deep."
??"It’s just a minor cut, Oliver. I’m fine, really," I insisted, trying to sound bored by the topic.
??He looked as if he wanted to argue, like he wanted to peel back the bandage himself and inspect the wound, but he finally just nodded. He stepped back and pulled on a pair of sweatpants, his movents stiff. I watched him sit down on the edge of the bed and reach for his phone, which was lying on the nightstand.
??My breath caught in my throat. This was it.
??"Oh, I saw you were calling," I said, my voice trembling slightly as I tried to sound casual. "I tried to get back to you, but you didn’t pick up."
??"Sorry," he said, not looking up as he tapped the screen. "I wasn’t with my phone for a while. I was in the shower."
??He started scrolling. I froze. My entire body went numb as I watched his thumb move over the screen. Was he going to see it? Was Cassey’s ssage sitting right there in his notifications? I waited for the explosion. I waited for him to roar at , to show
the picture of
leaving that dark, shaful place.
??Suddenly, a massive frown appeared on his face. He glared at the phone, his jaw clenching so hard I could hear his teeth grind.
??I stopped breathing. I sat there, paralyzed, waiting for him to lift his eyes and demand an explanation. But he didn’t. He just kept staring at the screen, his thumbs moving rapidly now, as if he were reading sothing that made his blood boil.
??The silence in the room was suffocating. I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to know.
??"Oliver?" I whispered, my voice sounding small. "Do you... do you still communicate with Cassey?"
??He snapped his head up, his eyes flashing with a sudden, sharp irritation. "Why would you ask
that? Why would I be communicating with Cassey?"
??"I just... I thought maybe she reached out," I lied, my hands twisting in my lap.
??"She’s blocked, Aurora," he said firmly, his voice dropping into a growl. "She is blocked from every single way of contacting . I told you, she is the past. Why is she even on your mind right now?"
??I swallowed hard, a tiny spark of relief flickering in my chest. Blocked. If she was blocked, then she couldn’t have sent the photos. The "I already have" was a lie. She was bluffing just to torture .
??But then Oliver raised a brow, his eyes narrowing as he studied my face. He put the phone down and leaned forward, his gaze searching mine.
??"Why are you asking about her?" he pressured, his voice turning suspicious. "And why do you look so pale? You look like you’re absolutely terrified, Aurora. What’s going on?"
Reviews
All reviews (0)