Chapter 3: He Knows
1580 Words
Aurora's POV
“I will see Ms Blake out.”
Collins told Damian after the meeting, and Damian nodded. The moment I stepped outside the boardroom, I released a breath I didn't know I was holding.
“Can I speak to you?”
I had a confused look on my face.
“Alone,” he continued.
I nodded at Elena. She got the message and walked towards the elevator.
Collins was staring at me oddly.
“Welcome back, Mrs Ashford.”
I stood still, utterly shocked.
“Sorry?”
I asked to be sure my ears weren't playing tricks on me.
“I said Welcome back, Aurora Blake,” he smirked.
“Or should I call you Aurora Hayes?”
My fingers curled up, and I was almost trembling. I quickly masked my surprise with a confused look.
“I don't get what you mean, Mr Ashford.”
“Oh, you definitely do, Aurora.”
He stopped smiling and walked slowly towards me with a raised brow as if daring me to deny.
“Quit the pretense.”
I backed away slowly, not wanting him to come closer.
“We are alone, and I know it is you.”
“You are mistaking me for someone else.”
He chuckled.
“Am I?”
My fingers tightened around the folder in my hand.
“I don't know what you are talking about.”
Collins moved closer.
“I knew it was you the moment I saw you. I've had my guess, and I confirmed it.”
“Five years,” he continued.
I looked at him.
“What about five years?”
His expression changed, he looked around like he was making sure no one was listening in.
“You really want to do this?”
“Do what?”
I stood up straight, refusing to let him see how riled up I was.
“Pretend.”
My heart was beating too fast, i still forced myself to smile.
“I'm not pretending anything.”
He lowered his voice and looked me straight in the eyes.
“You're Aurora Hayes.”
Silence.
“I know what she looks like,” he said.
His eyes never left mine.
“I know her voice. I know the way she looks at people when she's lying.”
My stomach dropped but i refused to look away. Did he stalk me then?
“You should be careful with accusations like that.”
“I am.”
“Then you should know that I'm not her.”
Collins looked at my face with knowing eyes.
“Then why are you shaking?”
I looked down, my hand was trembling, and I curled it into a fist to steady it.
“I've had enough of this.”
I turned to leave.
“Wait.”
I stopped.
Collins' voice softened.
“I didn't come here to expose you.”
I slowly turned around.
“Then why did you say my name?”
“I've been looking into that accident five years ago, and I found something interesting.”
“We should meet up in private.”
He looked around as if to show that people were around.
“Okay.”
He held his phone out to me.
“Your private number?”
I collected it and typed it in.
He smiled. “Thanks.”
I smiled back at me and walked to the elevator even though I still didn't trust him.
He's an Ashford.
“What happened?”
“What did he say?” Elena asked.
“He knows.”
That's all I said, and the car remained silent. She understood what I meant because she didn't ask me what he knew. I rested my head on the seat and closed my eyes.
If Collins knew, why didn't he say it in front of everyone? I thought.
And what did he find out?
“Elena.”
“Yes?”
“Did you notice anything strange about him?”
She thought for a moment.
“Collins?”
“Yes.”
“Except he was staring at you all through the meeting, he didn't seem like he was trying to hurt you.”
I opened my eyes, and stated, “He's Ashford.”
She glanced at me.
“I know. Then don't trust him.”
“I didn't say I trusted him.”
I looked back out of the window, the city passed by in a blur. I had spent five years changing my appearance and building a new name, and I couldn't let it all fall apart.
My phone buzzed, and I looked down to check who it was. I thought it would be Collins, but I was surprised when I looked and saw Elena.
I frowned and looked at her.
She smiled at me like something was funny.
“Sorry, wrong person.”
I shook my head and bit back the response sitting at the tip of my tongue. I'm not in the mood for her annoying ass right now.
“You are ridiculous.”
“I'm trying to make you smile.”
“I don't feel like smiling.” I stared at her until she finally got the hint.
“I noticed.”
Silence settled between us again, but she broke the silence after a minute.
“So... what are you going to do?”
I looked down at my hands that had tightened around the seat belt.
“I'll meet him.”
Her eyes widened. She stared at me as though I had suddenly started speaking another language.
“Alone?”
“Yes.”
“Aurora, I'm not letting you go alone.”
“I need to know what he knows.”
I checked my phone to see if he had messaged. Nothing.
“And if it's a trap?”
I looked out of the window again, and chewed my lower lip.
“Then I'll find out.”
“We will get trapped together then.”
I didn't reply.
****
In a secluded restaurant that Collins chose at the outskirts of the city.
Elena and I had just arrived, and we looked around. The place was quiet, too quiet for my liking.
“Are you sure this is the place?” Elena asked.
“Yes. This is the address he sent.”
My eyes finally caught him sitting alone at a table near the window. A chandelier hung above the table, casting a warm glow over his unreadable expression.
His eyes brightened the moment he saw us.
“Ms Blake”
“You made it.”
Collins stood up to welcome us, and he narrowed his eyes when he saw Elena.
“Yes.”
“I thought we agreed it would be private.”
“She is private.”
I pulled out a chair and sat opposite him, Elena sat beside me.
“Mr Ashford”, she greeted.
“Hello, Ms Brooks”
Silence stretched between us.
“So?”
He didn't answer. Instead, he kept looking at me, and it was starting to irritate me.
“If you're going to stare at me all evening, I can leave.”
He quickly stopped.
“I'm sorry.”
“Then talk.”
He lowered his eyes and started pick
“I didn't know how to begin.”
“You called me here.”
“I know.”
“Then you should have known what you wanted to say.”
His lips curved into a smile.
“You haven't changed.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “You don't know me.”
“I did.”
He said so quietly, it was almost a whisper. I stared at him, and he seemed to realize what he'd said.
“I mean... I knew you.”
“I only remember meeting you once at the family dinner when I was Aurora Hayes.”
“Well, that kind of hurts.” He said while looking down at his hands, he was suddenly unable to meet my eyes.
“You mean?”
“Never mind.”
He dismissed it. I don't care; I just want to hear what he wanted to say.
“Why are we here?”
I went straight to the point while tapping my hand impatiently on the table.
“I have something important to tell you.”
“Go on.”
“And I also need you”
“What?” I blinked, certain I'd heard him wrong.
“I need your help. I know you aren't back with a new name and appearance with no background because you love being mysterious.”
“They have been trying to look into you.”
“I know.”
“Why do you think I will help you? I mean… your family ruined mine.”
“I think you will.”
“Because it's a two-way thing.”
“I don't need your help.” I snapped.
“Oh, you do, Aurora.”
I frowned at him.
“Ms Blake”, he corrected.
“I looked into the accident that happened five years ago.”
“And?” I probed.
I remembered the rain and the drunk driver. The headlights, the collision, the siren.
“I noticed things that didn't make sense.”
I held my breath. Please don't let it be what I think.
“Like what?”
“It was not a random accident.”
“What do you mean?”
I felt my pulse pounding.
“I believe someone caused it.”
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