Romance

  Aurora&#39;s Perspective
  It was a thrill that went bone-deep, like electricity under my skin, making every pore breathe in the night’s tense air. I tossed and turned in bed, the expensive Egyptian cotton sheets tangled into a ruin beneath me. Closing my eyes only brought a barrage of images—the pulsing red ambulance lights, Brett&#39;s stubborn &quot;I&#39;m fine&quot; grin, the frozen coldness in Mother&#39;s eyes when she&#39;d mentioned Uncle Keith&#39;s team moving out.
  Outside, the night was still a deep ink-black, only the faintest hint of grey seeping into the eastern horizon. The estate slept in silence, broken only by the low murmur of patrols changing shifts and the wind rustling through the ancient oaks.
  Then the sounds changed.
  First came sporadic, muffled cheers from the direction of the front courtyard, dulled as if heard through water. Then more voices joined in—

  Aurora&#39;s Perspective
  After the meeting, the heavy, almost suffocating pressure from the study seemed to cling to my skin like a film. I followed Lex out in silence through the thick wooden door, leaving Father, the uncles, and the shadow of that name—*Seyoum*—behind.
  The commotion in the front courtyard had died down considerably. The raw victory celebration had faded, giving way to the practical work of cleanup.
  Morning light had finally spread fully, revealing a cold, clear autumn day.
  Lex and I walked down the corridor toward the west wing, which housed the family&#39;s small infirmary and lounge area where Brett was presumably still under observation. Neither of us spoke. I was still processing the meeting&#39;s contents.
  Lex, I could tell, was already switching gears. The line of his jaw was tight, his gaze heavier than usual.
  We had just reached the small lounge o

  Aurora &#39;s Perspective
  The roar of the engine felt like it would tear the quiet night apart. Lex drove as if we were in a NASCAR race, every turn threatening to lift the tires off the asphalt. I sat in the passenger seat, fingers digging into the leather, knuckles white.
  In the back, Mother sat ramrod straight, her profile in the fleeting streetlights looking like a marble statue—tense and unyielding. Father held her hand tightly, his silence heavier than any words.
  The hospital&#39;s harsh, sterile lights and the smell of antiseptic hit us like a physical wall.
  We practically ran through the automatic doors into the emergency zone. The hallway was already occupied—Uncle Jacob paced like a caged bear, each heavy step seeming to crack the tiles beneath. Aunt Celena was curled in a cold plastic chair, hands clenched together on her knees, her eyes fixed on some distant point, 

Aurora&#39;s Perspective
  It was a thrill that went bone-deep, like electricity under my skin, making every pore breathe in the night’s tense air. I tossed and turned in bed, the expensive Egyptian cotton sheets tangled into a ruin beneath me. Closing my eyes only brought a barrage of images—the pulsing red ambulance lights, Brett&#39;s stubborn &quot;I&#39;m fine&quot; grin, the frozen coldness in Mother&#39;s eyes when she&#39;d mentioned Uncle Keith&#39;s team moving out.
  Outside, the night was still a deep ink-black, only the faintest hint of grey seeping into the eastern horizon. The estate slept in silence, broken only by the low murmur of patrols changing shifts and the wind rustling through the ancient oaks.
  Then the sounds changed.
  First came sporadic, muffled cheers from the direction of the front courtyard, dulled as if heard through water. Then more voices joined in—guttural whoops, sharp whistles, the solid *thump* of fists pounding on something. Like oil hittin

Chapter 272