Lyra’s POV
I froze.
Aurora stepped inside.
Time didn't stop, it warped.
Her eyes lifted and landed on us.
On Mason.
On me.
I felt the heat rise instantly to my cheeks. My chest tightened. My throat went dry.
The air between us thickened, heavily charged.
“Oh,” she said.
Her voice was light, deceptively calm, but the sharpness underneath cuts clear.
“I didn’t know you had company.”
I swallowed hard.
My mouth summoned some courage. “Hi,” I said, voice thinner than I wanted.
Her gaze flicked between us, deliberate and calculating. My stomach churned.
Mason stepped in slightly, hand brushing against my waist, grounding me subtly.
“Hey, Mom,” he said, casual—too casual. “Hi, Mrs. Aurora,” I added quickly, straightening like that might undo what she had already seen.
Her eyes d
