Chapter 9

If they wanted Danica to stay, Aurora would have to go. This had always been the unspoken rule. Aurora had been brought in to play her part as a mere substitute. Now that Danica was back, what reason was there to keep her around? Yet this time, Taylor, Stellan, and Flynn stayed uncharacteristically silent. Rather than a decisive response, their gazes were complicated as though some memories had resurfaced. Taylor recalled the night Aurora had drank an entire table's worth of alcohol despite her allergy, simply to coax him into eating. Stellan thought of how Aurora had tended to him when he was sick, stayed by his side through a lonely night, and made a wish that he'd never be alone again. Flynn remembered Aurora blocking his car with her own in a desperate attempt to stop him from a deadly race, and how she'd nearly lost her life in the process. Somehow, the thought of casting her out made them feel a little upset. When Danica noticed their hesitation, her expression turned sullen. "Fine. If you're so unwilling to get rid of her, then she can stay. I'll leave." As she turned to go, Taylor hurriedly caught her wrist and said, "Calm down, Dani. She means nothing. She's just a little plaything." Stellan stepped in front of her too and reassured her, "She was only a temporary substitute. She could never compare to you." Flynn echoed them, "She's just a stand-in. Nothing important." Their words seemed intended as much for themselves as for Danica. Only then did Danica's expression soften slightly. "Then show me you mean it. Right now. Break it off with her in front of everyone here and make sure she never appears before me again." After a moment's silence, each of them, determined to appease Danica, finally made the call. Aurora was still hospitalized when she received their calls. After answering them, she yanked out her IV drip and left promptly. The rain was pouring as she made her way to the hotel. When Aurora opened the door, she was surprised to find the banquet hall full of people. She was soaked through, and her wounds were bleeding through her bandages. She noticed the glances around her—some pitying, others mocking. Aurora made her way to the front, where Taylor, Stellan, and Flynn were waiting. An uneasy understanding began to settle in her chest. The three men were equally silent, and their faces were unreadable. On the other hand, people around them gloated. "Aurora, don't make a scene when they break it off." "Now that Danica's back, you should've seen the writing on the wall." "Don't fool yourself and think they would ever care about you." Even as the message became unmistakable, none of the three spoke up until Danica grew irritated and turned to leave once more. That was when Taylor clenched his fists and stepped forward at last. "Aurora, I've had enough fun with you over the years. I'm done with you. Pack up and leave," he said. Stellan's voice was flat as he chimed in, "I'm done playing with you, too. No need to stick around." Flynn followed suit. "Get lost. And don't ever come back." Their words hung in the air, and everyone turned to Aurora, expecting her to cry and beg the three of them not to dump her. However, she merely paused and sighed emotionlessly. Much to everyone's surprise, Aurora didn't plead, cry, or lash out. Instead, she quietly reached into her coat and pulled out three bank cards, then placed them on the table. "Here's every cent you ever gave me. I never spent any of it. I wish you all happiness." With that, Aurora turned and walked out, leaving everyone dumbfounded. They hadn't expected her to walk away so easily, or to return their money. If she wasn't after their money… Then why had she stayed by their sides for all these years? Aurora stepped out of the hotel and into the rain. It would be a lie to say it didn't hurt. The three of them had reminded her of Louis, each in a different way. Taylor's face, Stellan's eyes, and Flynn's beauty mark. Put together and they resembled Louis. But Danica was back, and this ending was inevitable. Raindrops slid down her cheeks as she stopped in her tracks and looked up at the gray sky. "Louis… If only I could see you again. Even just one more time." Suddenly, her phone vibrated urgently in her pocket. She pulled it out numbly and answered the call, just to hear Paul's exhilarated voice. "Ms. Yancy! Mr. Merrick's alive! He's back!" Aurora's breath caught, and her body froze in shock under the pouring rain. Her phone slipped from her hand and fell to the ground with a thud.