Chapter 264

Aurora 's Perspective The hot shower washed away the last chemical traces of the lab from my skin. My own soft pajamas felt foreign. I should have been relaxing, but I wasn't. Every muscle screamed for rest, while my brain whirred like a computer forced into a reboot—overloaded, frantic. Brett's face, Uncle Jacob's eyes dimming with instant despair, Aunt Selena's silently trembling shoulders… these images bombarded me, hurting more than any physical wound. I couldn't do it. I couldn't lie in my safe bed and pretend everything would be okay. I threw on a thick robe, my hair still dripping, and rushed downstairs. Light spilled from the slightly ajar door of the family's small conference room, along with the murmur of tense conversation and the heavy scent of cigar smoke—a sure sign my dad was under extreme stress. I took a breath and pushed the door open. Everyone was there. My dad, Ethan, sat at the head of the table, brow knotted, a long ash