Santiago was dazed and left speechless. He remained calm, not saying a word and not in a hurry to push his friend off.
“Adrian, this has got nothing to do with me,” he confessed. Honestly, he owned all the explanation and apologises to Aurora, not him.
“I know this has got nothing to do with you. But I need to face her, I need to talk to her and you can help me make it possible. I need to talk to her and my daughter.
I want to apologise to her and tell her how I feel about her. I swear Santiago I love her now…” Adrian pleaded.
Santiago gently moved him away and stared at his face, his eyes were red and he saw remorse in them. He really loves Aurora now?
“Alright, I’ll do that” Santiago assured.
In the Lester family, everyone was seated for breakfast except Santiago. Charlotte gave an excuse that he went to the gym so early.
Midway through the meal, Jimmy said “Someone is head over heels for you, Aurora. Ray Grimard wants to start a relationship with you” he teased.
Everyone stopped eating and placed their cutleries down. Aurora paused but didn’t raise her head to glance at Jimmy or anyone else.
She’s talking about ending that miserable marriage with Adrian and Jimmy’s talking about being entangled again in bondage? What is wrong with her family lately?
“It is obvious that you were not at the launching that took place yesterday, right?” Simon Blake asked, turning and shifting his gaze on his younger son.
“Yes dad, I wasn’t. I was at the base” he responded, wondering why the atmosphere suddenly felt condensed and everyone stopped eating. Did he say something wrong?
“That must be it” Simon Blake stuttered. He wasn’t there, otherwise, he wouldn’t have blurred those words out. He has always thought about Ray Grimard for Aurora but knowing about her past with the Lester boy, he doesn’t want that to happen again.
“Can someone tell me what’s happening?” He demanded, his curiosity getting the better part of him. There’s something he’s not knowing yet, something that probably took place while he wasn’t home.
“Tell that Ray Grimard friend of yours, to stay away from me. If I see him around me, trying to dominate over my freedom and creating a pseudo impression about us both, I will smoke his ass, get it?” Aurora thundered and get off the breakfast table.
Everyone exchanges glances. What is wrong with Aurora? Is she still offended over what her father said the previous evening?
“Excuse me” Nancy Blake said and stood up going after her daughter. How can she feel comfortable seeing her daughter demoralised? How can she?
Jimmy glared at his dad and asked “what happened, did anyone hurt her?” He asked. This is unlike Aurora. Her temper had never grown to this height before.
“She was married in New Jersey and her husband came to the launch yesterday. They met and her hatred glowed, fueled by the pain and hurt she experienced in that marriage” Simon Blake explained briefly.
“There’s no big deal about it. She should turn her back on him and move on with her life. The more reason she should get involved with another man to proof that she’d moved on with her life” Jimmy stuttered.
“Not so easy. They’re still legally married and he’s the father of Elsie. Things seemed to appear more complicated as her identity changed and her husband thought she’d really died back then.
But meeting her here with a different identity, he would not let it go. So I advised her to get a divorce already and end the damn marriage” Simon explained.
“What about Elsie?” Jimmy asked. That child already linked them both together. He would always come after her in the name of Elsie. This is complicated and he will never agree to giving his niece to someone else for custody.
“They would talk about her custody. But I’m sure Aurora won’t give her up to him and he in turn, would always want to spend time with his daughter especially after being separated from her for a few years already” Simon Blake added.
Nancy pushed the door open and saw Aurora leaning against the wall with tear filled eyes. She was sobbing. She sniffled and her nose had already gone sour.
“Aurora, I’m here for you. I’ll be holding your hand through this period until this phase is over” Nancy said, cleaning her tears.
If Mrs Clara and Luna hadn’t taken an early hour flight back to New Jersey, she would have asked them to stay with her together. The three of them would have supported her at this time.
“Adrian hated me back then. If I present the divorce, he might be reluctant to sign it and he would contend with me over the custody of my daughter” Aurora stuttered. Why does she have to go to him to get him sign a divorce with her?
They weren’t a real couple from the beginning. So in their hearts, they’ve long been divorced and aren’t married anymore.
But Adrian doesn’t know a thing about Elsie. He didn’t know about that night which invariably meant that he doesn’t know he has a daughter with her.
“What your father said was for your good and happiness,” Nancy explained. Once they are officially and legally separated, she would be free like a bird to live her life to the fullest, Strictly on her own terms.
When Adrian returned to his hotel, Patrick called him. He just stared at the phone, not interested in talking to his friend. He just wants to meet up with Ava and get things straightened out between them before confronting Patrick.
After a few times of calling Adrian and the latter was not answering, Patrick called Aurora. “Let’s meet up and talk” he requested.
“I was going to call you too. Please I need to see you as soon as possible” Aurora responded. She folded the divorce paper neatly in a file. It’s time she meets with Adrian.
Adrian received a call from an unknown ID and the fellow introduced himself as Aurora’s assistant. Her boss wants to meet with him. He was happy, eventually they’ll meet.
When Adrian arrived at the address, Aurora gave him, he stepped in and saw her, standing with her back to him, her arms folded across her chest. Her hair is long to half of her back, dark, shiny and stretched.
She was dressed in a blue short fitted gown and wore a pair of heels. Her skin white and glittering and her curvy hips were alluring, fully outlined in her attire.
Adrian stood and admire her. He’d thought this body was consumed by flames already. He had felt bad that she couldn’t rest in peace with an intact body. But seeing her now, a feeling of peace flooded his heart.
His eyes ran all over her back view quickly. Was he stupid not to notice this pretty body back then? She’d always been beautiful but he’d never envisaged her as astounding and classical like she is now.
He was still admiring her when the latter turned herself carefully to face him. Her eyes red, full of hatred and a killing intent. Her gaze emitting resentment and bitterness.
“Hello Ava” Adrian said, looking down on his fingers like a teenager briefly and raising his head to glance at her again. But Ava didn’t say a word in response.
“I’m glad I met you again. I’m happy that life is giving me a second chance to right my wrongs to you…” Adrian was saying when Aurora interrupted him.
“There’s no shying away anymore. I used to be Ava Leon but no more. I want to end my life as Ava with you” she said and swiftly pulled out a folder and slammed it on the desk between them.
“I need your signature on this” she declared authoritatively.