EPISODE 3

Aurora’s POV 

My mom and sister were busy talking about today's event on our way home.  Even mother was getting ecstatic about the wedding except my father and I.

Excuse me, Mrs Laura Augustus, the world doesn’t revolve that way. I said in my head.

I wish I could say that out. My sister has always told me about how much I love to talk to myself too much in my head. And how she wishes I could talk as much as that to people. 

The ride home was boring for me yet exciting for others, for example, my mom. She wouldn’t stop talking about how she'd love to call the cake shop, the wedding dress shop, the this and the that. 

We finally got home, and I couldn’t be more thankful for such a breakthrough and freedom. The mansion was inherited by my father from his mother. Mum never bought the idea of staying in the house until she saw it and fell in love with it. 

“Aurora, what do you think about this?” My father suddenly asked once we entered the house. I removed my sandals and picked up a banana from the table. 

“""nothing” I simply replied and removed the peels of the banana before munching on it. 

“Nothing! I thought you'd be happy for your sister. Are you not happy about this, Aurora?” My mother asked, and even though I wanted to scream at her to stop, but I didn't.

“Well, I’m happy that my father is finally exchanging my sister for a potential business partner. I guess….. I’m happy” I said shrugging and didn’t wait to see my father’s fury or my mother’s anger and just went up the stairs to my room. 

I dropped dead on the bed, exhausted about everything so far, mentally and emotionally. I still can’t believe I saw Eric, or should I call him Sebastian in California of all places. This is miles away from where I met him, and he looked as handsome as ever. I wanted to touch him and feel his skin, but he was near yet untouchable.

He didn’t even look at me, and I don’t think he actually recognized me. I’m so ashamed of myself right now. 

“Aurora, what’s going on with you?” My sister suddenly said barging into my room.

“Close my door, please” I stood up from the bed, picked up my sandals that I dropped on the floor earlier to place it in its right place among other various sandals in the shoe rack. My sister is more of a plump and heels shoes while I’m more of sandals and sneakers. I go with anything that I’m comfortable with. 

“When did you change the interior of your room?” She asked still standing by the door. 

“Last week”, I replied as I looked at the interior of my room.

I love arts, and I love playing with it. Most of the times, when I’m not painting, I try changing my room to suit my taste. I’ve painted a lot of drawing this past year. It majorly focuses on my fears, my cancer scars and Him. My parents are largely in support of my art work, and they allow me to exhibit them anonymously. I’ve sold quite a number of arts since I turned 18. 

“How come I never notice?” she inaudibly asked herself. She has never noticed anything, and I’m surprised about how she ended up graduating from college. 

“Whatever” After graduating college, we both started working in dad’s company. I was given the personal assistant position to my father, so I’ll be able to have enough time for my art work and my health. Few months later, I persuaded them into getting a job at a different firm that was into what I loved; interior decorations.

No matter the number of times I have screamed the word to them that I was fine, they never believed me and insisted I should be grateful for life and treat me like a baby or the most delicate thing on earth. 

It’s frustrating sometimes. I want to go out, be with friends and have a nice time, but they never agreed. 

She closed the door and sat on my bed. Aurora, come on, sit with me, talk to me. I know something is wrong with you. I ignored her and walked towards the wardrobe to pick out a bump short and a crop top, something I always wore to sleep when I don’t want to sleep naked. 

Pearl suddenly pulled me by the arm and forced me to sit on the bed while standing in front of me with her arms folded against her chest. 

“You suddenly went pale once you saw Sebastian, and you looked confused immediately. His grandfather introduced him, and Excuse me, sis, you’re not even comfortable with this whole wedding thing” She complained.

“Wedding? You people are trying to move faster than your shadows. You just met someone today, and you’re already talking about weddings” I grumbled.

“You see what I’m talking about, you sound jealous and stop grumbling always, you sound like a pig when you do that". She sat down beside me and touched me slightly on the shoulder. 

“I’m not okay with the way you are, Aurora. Talk to me. What’s going on with you?” 

She asked again. 

“You remember what I told you a year ago. About a guy I met back in the Maldives” I asked her, and after a while, she replied. My sister is slightly dumb when she wants to be, and most of the times, she’s the smartest of us. 

“The psychopath” She suddenly replied. 

“He’s not a psychopath. He’s just hard on the surface and rough at the edges, I told you”. I said for the upteenth time since I got back from the trip.

“Well, from the story you told me, he’s totally a psychopath. Trust me. What’s with him? Why do you suddenly mention him?”

“I saw him today” I declared.

“No way, where and how did you see him? When? Why didn’t you tell me? She asked excitedly. I would love to see the beautiful psychopath my sister wouldn’t stop talking about”. She kept ranting on and on. 

“Can you slow down a little bit, Pearl? Don’t get too excited. It’s actually bad news” I confessed. I can’t even imagine what will happen if my sister finally get to know what is going on exactly. 

“Why will it be bad news?” She asked still smiling

“It’s bad news because you actually saw him today” 

“Where?” she asked again

“He’s Sebastian Drew, Pearl. The grandson and your intended husband” I saw the smile wipe from my sister’s face, and it was replaced with anger. 

Ooh No! Ooh No!