CHAPTER:3 Your Fathers Last wish
904 Words
Aurora stood motionless, the cream-colored card trembling between her fingers.
Your father’s last wish is waiting for you.
The words blurred as fresh tears filled her eyes.
“My father…” she whispered.
Her father had died believing she would have a happy life.
He had smiled weakly from his hospital bed just days before the wedding, squeezing her hand with what little strength he had left.
“Damian will take good care of you,” he had said.
Aurora shut her eyes.
How cruel fate had been.
Within forty-eight hours, she had lost both the man who raised her and the man she thought she would spend forever with.
Now, someone was claiming to know her father’s last wish.
It didn’t make sense.
She turned the card over.
Nothing.
No signature.
No address.
No phone number.
Only a black wax seal stamped with the image of a soaring eagle.
She had never seen the symbol before.
“Who are you?” she murmured.
Sleep never came that night.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the wedding hall.
The accusing stares.
The whispers.
Damian standing frozen while security dragged her away.
At exactly eight thirty the next morning, Aurora was already dressed.
She had chosen the simplest outfit from the box that had been delivered—a cream blouse, black trousers, and low heels.
The clothes fit perfectly.
Almost as if they had been tailored specifically for her.
That realization sent another chill through her.
At precisely nine o’clock, the sound of a car engine echoed outside the apartment building.
Aurora peeked through the curtain.
A sleek black Rolls-Royce Phantom stopped in front of the building.
The entire neighborhood fell silent.
Children stopped playing.
Neighbors stepped onto their balconies.
People whispered among themselves.
“What is a car like that doing here?”
“It can’t be for anyone in this building.”
Aurora’s heart pounded.
A man in a perfectly tailored black suit stepped out of the driver’s seat.
He walked calmly to her door and knocked three times.
She opened it cautiously.
“Miss Aurora Williams?”
“Yes.”
He gave a respectful nod.
“I’ve been instructed to escort you.”
“Who sent you?”
“I’m afraid I cannot answer that.”
“I don’t even know where we’re going.”
“You’ll have your answers soon.”
Aurora hesitated.
Every instinct warned her not to trust a stranger.
But another voice—the one that refused to give up—told her this might be the only chance she had to discover the truth.
She locked her apartment and followed him downstairs.
As soon as the neighbors saw her walking toward the luxury car, gasps filled the air.
Mrs. Benson, who had spent the previous day gossiping about the wedding scandal, stared with her mouth hanging open.
“Isn’t that the girl from the news?”
“What business does she have with people who own cars like that?”
Aurora ignored every stare.
For once…
She refused to let other people’s opinions control her.
The driver opened the rear door.
“Please.”
She climbed inside.
The soft leather seats, polished wood, and quiet elegance felt like an entirely different world from the cramped apartment she had left behind.
Without another word, the car pulled away.
Minutes turned into nearly an hour.
The city slowly disappeared behind them.
Towering buildings gave way to tree-lined roads and massive private estates hidden behind wrought-iron gates.
Finally, the Rolls-Royce stopped before the largest estate Aurora had ever seen.
An imposing black gate stretched high into the sky, guarded by uniformed security.
As the car approached, the gates opened automatically.
The driveway seemed endless, lined with fountains, ancient oak trees, and perfectly sculpted gardens.
At its end stood a breathtaking mansion that looked more like a palace than a home.
Aurora’s breath caught.
“Who lives here?” she whispered.
The driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror.
“The man who has been waiting for you.”
A strange feeling settled in her chest.
Fear.
Curiosity.
Hope.
The car came to a gentle stop.
Before the driver could open her door, the grand entrance of the mansion swung open.
An elderly gentleman with silver hair and an impeccable black suit descended the marble steps.
Despite his age, he carried himself with quiet authority.
He stopped directly in front of Aurora.
Then, to her complete shock…
He bowed.
“Welcome home, Miss Aurora.”
Aurora froze.
“I… I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”
The old man’s eyes softened.
“No, Miss.”
“We’ve been waiting for you for twenty-three years.”
⸻
Aurora’s heart slammed against her ribs.
“W-what did you just say?”
The old man reached into his coat and carefully pulled out a worn photograph.
He handed it to her without a word.
Aurora’s breath caught.
It was a picture of her father.
Standing beside him…
…was a younger version of the old man.
Both were smiling.
On the back of the photograph, written in her father’s unmistakable handwriting, were five chilling words.
“Protect my daughter at all costs.”
Aurora’s knees nearly gave way.
“What… is going on?”
The old man looked at her with sorrow in his eyes.
“It’s time you learned who your father really was.”
End of chapter 3
- Writer
