Divorced at Dawn, Desired by Dusk

Chapter 4

Aurora hardly slept a wink. The mysterious text messages haunted her as she walked back to the bedroom from the balcony. Who sent them? How did they know about her secret identity? What did they mean by saying the game has finally begun? By morning, Aurora had reached one conclusion: someone wanted her attention. But why?

The room was silent except for the gentle knock on the door. "Come in," Aurora said. The door creaked open, revealing her sister, Sophia Sinclair, balancing a tray of coffee and pastries in her hands. "Good morning, celebrity," Sophia teased. Aurora groaned in response. "Please, not this again." "It's too late for that," Sophia replied, plopping down on the couch. "The internet is eating you up." Aurora took a sip of her coffee. "Wonderful." "I'm serious," Sophia said, her lips twitching into a grin. "You're trending." "That's even worse." Aurora's younger sister laughed. For years, Aurora had done everything she could to avoid the media's prying eyes. Now, it seemed every business magazine, financial journal, and entertainment tabloid was talking about her return to Blackstone City. Her secret identity had become the talk of the town. Unfortunately, that meant unwanted attention from certain individuals as well. As if summoned by her thoughts, Aurora's phone began to buzz. A new notification appeared on the screen. Sophia leaned over her shoulder to see who it was. "Who is it?" she asked. Aurora's eyes narrowed as she read the message. Her heart pounded in her chest. Sophia's eyes almost popped out of her head. "No way." The message was from Damian Blackwood. The room fell silent as Aurora stared at the text. After a moment, she opened it. Congratulations on your appointment. That was all it said. No remorse. No explanation. No mention of their divorce. Just a simple congratulations. Sophia was the first to speak. "That's it?" Aurora tossed the phone onto the couch. "Apparently." "He has some nerve," her sister muttered. Aurora took a sip of her coffee, her gaze fixed on the balcony doors. Surprisingly, she felt almost nothing. Yesterday, she would have been devastated to see his name on her phone. Today, however, the news hardly phased her. Maybe her grandfather was right. Perhaps she was finally moving on. --- Damian Blackwood stared at his phone in disbelief. No response. Not after five minutes. Not after ten. Not even after thirty. A strange feeling of irritation rose in his throat. Aurora always responded. Always. No matter how hectic her schedule was or how short his texts were, she would reply. But not this time. For some reason, that bothered him. A knock sounded at the door. "Come in," he said. His assistant stepped inside. "Sir, the guest list for tonight's charity gala has been finalized." Damian gave a curt nod. He was about to ask about the event when it occurred to him to ask the question. "What gala?" His assistant blinked a few times. "The Blackstone Foundation Gala." Of course. One of the biggest social events of the year. The place would be crawling with business executives, celebrities, and politicians. Everyone who mattered in Blackstone City would be there. Damian's assistant hesitated before speaking again. "There is something else." "What?" Damian asked. "Aurora Sinclair is attending." His heartbeat quickened at the sound of her name. His assistant cleared her throat. "She is listed as the representative for Sinclair Group." The room grew silent. For a moment, Damian said nothing. He was about to ask another question when he realized what his assistant said. Tonight would be the first time he saw Aurora since their divorce. The thought sent an unfamiliar sensation coursing through his veins. --- That evening, the Grand Imperial Hotel sparkled under the glow of a thousand lights. Limousines and blacked-out cars lined the street as reporters swarmed the entrance. Inside the ballroom, the place looked like something out of a fairy tale. Crystal chandeliers draped from the vaulted ceiling, and a string quartet played softly in the corner. Waiters wove through the crowd, serving champagne and canapés. The elite of Blackstone City had arrived. Near the entrance, guests exchanged pleasantries and business cards. Conversations flowed like water until a hush fell over the room. Everyone turned as the ballroom doors opened. Aurora Sinclair walked in. The guests fell silent as she glided past them. She looked breathtaking in a silver gown that shimmered like moonlight. Diamonds adorned her neck, and her long, dark hair cascaded over her shoulder. For a moment, no one said anything. Then the murmuring began. "There's Aurora Sinclair." "The Sinclair heiress." "A.S. Holdings founder." "I heard she's worth billions." "She looks amazing." Aurora paid them no mind. Years of attending these kinds of events had taught her a valuable lesson. She gave a polite smile as she walked by. At her side, Victor Sinclair beamed with pride. "Enjoying yourself?" Aurora asked her grandfather. Victor chuckled. "A little." "A little?" Aurora teased. "I've been waiting three years for people to realize how spectacular my granddaughter is." Aurora laughed. Before she could respond, another voice chimed in. "Miss Sinclair." She turned to see a tall man approaching her. He was good-looking, impeccably dressed, and had the air of confidence that only came with old money. Aurora's lips parted in surprise. "Elias Sterling," she said. The heir to Sterling Capital was one of the youngest billionaires in the country. He was also one of Blackstone City's most eligible bachelors. "You've become very difficult to reach," Elias said with a charming smile. "I've been busy," Aurora replied. "So I've noticed," he said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Congratulations." "Thank you," Aurora said. Victor narrowed his eyes at the young man. Then he smiled—a very suspicious smile, if Aurora was any judge. Aurora was suddenly very glad to see her grandfather. That smile usually meant he was up to something. Elias gave a courteous bow. "Would you honor me with a dance later?" Before Aurora could respond, Victor said, "Of course." Aurora turned to her grandfather in shock. "Grandfather." "What?" "You're not helping." Elias laughed, a deep, rich sound. He was a far cry from the insincere men in their social circle. In fact, he reminded Aurora of someone else. Unfortunately, their little conversation had attracted unwanted attention. Across the ballroom, Damian Blackwood had just arrived. The first thing he saw was Aurora smiling at another man. His jaw tightened. A strange feeling of resentment rose in his chest. He should have been used to it by now. After all, she was no longer his wife. The divorce was his idea, for heaven's sake. And yet, seeing her laugh at Elias Sterling's side was like a knife in his ribs. Several guests nearby took notice of Damian's expression. The chatter began almost immediately. "There's the ex-husband." "This should be interesting." "Do you think he'll confront her?" "I would." "After divorcing her? Good luck." The gossip spread like wildfire. Aurora could feel the tension in the air. Then she saw him. Across the ballroom, Damian Blackwood was watching her. Their eyes locked. The world seemed to stop. For three long years, he had been the center of her universe. Now, he felt like something from the past. Damian began walking towards her. The guests parted as he made his way through the crowd. Everyone wanted to see the confrontation. Aurora stood her ground. Victor looked delighted. Elias was clearly surprised. When Damian finally reached her, the whole ballroom fell silent. He gave a polite nod. "Miss Sinclair." The formality of it all was amusing. Aurora gave him the same courtesy. "Mr. Blackwood." The words felt strange coming from her lips. Damian studied her carefully. She looked amazing. In fact, she looked better than ever. The realization sent a jolt of pain through him. "You look well," he said. "I am," Aurora replied. The words stung more than they should have. For the first time in a long while, Damian Blackwood felt something he couldn't explain. She was doing well without him. And somehow, that hurt more than it should have. Just then, a waiter approached, balancing a silver tray. On it was a black envelope with no name or address. "Miss Sinclair," the waiter said nervously. "This was delivered for you." Aurora frowned as she took the envelope from him. A strange feeling of uneasiness settled in her stomach. Slowly, she opened the envelope. Inside was a photograph. The moment she saw it, her blood ran cold. Damian's eyes narrowed as he saw her face. So did Victor. Aurora's fingers trembled as she stared at the picture. It was a photograph of them. A photograph of the night of their divorce. But it couldn't be. It was taken fifteen years ago. A memory that was supposed to stay buried. And on the back of the photo, in elegant script, were six words that sent chills down her spine: I know what happened that night.