Aurora walked down the stairs slowly, her mind still reeling from the conversation she had with Damian earlier. She wasn’t sure why she agreed to go shopping with him. Maybe it was the curiosity, maybe it was the strange shift in his behavior. Whatever the reason, she had said yes.
Damian was already waiting for her in the foyer, dressed in a dark suit that made him look even more handsome than usual. His eyes met hers as she approached, and for a moment, there was silence between them.
“You ready?” he asked, his tone casual, though there was something in his eyes that felt different today. Something… softer, almost kind.
Aurora nodded, trying to push away the feelings of confusion that had been swirling in her since their conversation. “Yeah, I’m ready.”
Damian offered her his arm, and despite herself, Aurora took it. She still wasn’t sure why he was being so nice to her, but for now, she decided to push all the questions aside and just go along with it.
The drive to the luxury shopping district was quiet. Damian didn’t say much, and Aurora wasn’t in the mood for conversation either. She looked out the window, watching the city pass by in a blur of bright lights and busy streets.
As they arrived at the shopping district, Aurora felt the weight of the place settle around her. The stores were all high-end, with big names and glittering windows full of expensive items. It was the kind of place where people came to spend money without thinking twice. Aurora felt a little out of place, but she pushed the feeling aside.
Damian led her into the grandest boutique in the area, the doors opening for them as they stepped inside. The smell of fresh flowers and designer perfume hit her immediately, and she couldn’t help but feel a little overwhelmed. She had never been in a store like this before.
“Pick anything you like,” Damian said, his voice low but warm. “Today’s about you.”
Aurora hesitated. She didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t used to this people spending money on her, people doing things for her without expecting anything in return. It was strange.
“I don’t really need anything,” she said, looking around nervously. “I’m fine with what I have.”
Damian raised an eyebrow. “You’re here now. Let’s make the most of it. Go on, try something.”
Aurora looked at him, then back at the racks of clothes. She wasn’t sure what to pick, so she just grabbed a few dresses and headed to the changing room. As she stepped inside and closed the door, she sighed, trying to calm herself. She wasn’t sure what this was about, but for now, she would just go with it.
After trying on a few dresses, she decided on a simple, elegant one that fit her perfectly. It was black, nothing too flashy, but it felt different from anything she had ever worn before. She stepped out of the changing room, and Damian looked at her with approval.
“You look stunning,” he said, his voice soft.
Aurora blushed and looked away, uncomfortable with the attention. “Thanks.”
Damian nodded, his eyes still on her. “I’ll have the dress sent to your room.”
Aurora didn’t know what to say. She felt like she was in a dream, and not the good kind. But before she could respond, she noticed something that made her freeze.
Across the room, sitting at one of the tables by the window, was her mother.
Aurora’s heart dropped. Her mother was dressed in a lavish gown, talking to a man Aurora didn’t recognize. The man was well-dressed, his posture confident, and the way he smiled at her mother made Aurora feel sick. It was clear that they were more than just acquaintances.
Aurora’s first instinct was to turn and walk away, to pretend she hadn’t seen her mother. She didn’t want to deal with her right now, not when she was so comfortable pretending that her mother didn’t exist.
Damian, noticing her reaction, followed her gaze. His voice was soft when he spoke. “Do you want to talk to her?”
Aurora stiffened. She shook her head quickly. “No. I don’t care to.”
Damian didn’t press her further. Instead, he watched her for a moment, his eyes searching her face. “You’re sure? You don’t have to avoid her if you don’t want to.”
Aurora’s fists clenched at her sides. She didn’t want to talk about her mother, not now, not ever. “I’m sure,” she said firmly. “I don’t want anything to do with her.”
Damian didn’t argue, but he did look at her mom and the man she was sitting with for a little longer. Aurora didn’t want to look again, but she couldn’t stop herself. Her mother was laughing now, and the man was leaning in close to her, his hand resting on her arm. It was clear that they were getting along very well.
It made Aurora sick. Her mother had never been there for her. She had always chosen other things, other people, over her own daughter. The thought of her sitting there with some stranger, acting like everything was fine, was enough to make Aurora’s blood boil.
“She doesn’t care about me,” Aurora muttered under her breath, more to herself than to Damian.
Damian heard her, though, and he tilted his head slightly. “What do you mean?”
Aurora’s heart raced as she turned away from her mother. “She never did. She always left me behind, for other people, for… for men like that.” She gestured toward the man who was now holding her mother’s hand.
Damian stayed quiet for a moment, and when he spoke, his voice was surprisingly soft. “It must have been hard.”
Aurora’s throat tightened, and she didn’t know how to respond. She had never talked about her mother like this, never admitted how much it hurt.
“I don’t care,” she said quickly, wiping her eyes. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”
Damian nodded, but he didn’t say anything else. He just watched her, as if waiting for something. When Aurora finally looked at him, his expression was unreadable.
“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to,” Damian said after a long pause. “If you want to leave, we can.”
Aurora looked around the boutique, at all the luxury, at all the things she didn’t belong to. She couldn’t stay here. Not with her mother in the same room. Not when everything about this felt wrong.
“I want to go,” she said softly.
Damian nodded and stood up. “Let’s go then.”
They left the boutique, and the fresh air outside was a relief to Aurora. As they walked back to the car, she felt the weight of the past lifting off her shoulders, even if just for a little while.
“I’m sorry about your mom,” Damian said as he opened the car door for her.
Aurora didn’t answer at first, but after a moment, she spoke quietly. “It’s not your fault.”
Damian nodded, his eyes softening. “You don’t have to carry that burden alone, Aurora. But I understand if you don’t want to talk about it right now.”
She smiled faintly, the first real smile she’d given all day. “Thanks, Damian.”
As the car drove away from the shopping district, Aurora couldn’t help but feel a little lighter. Maybe, just maybe, things were starting to change. But deep down, she knew that the scars her mother had left on her would never go away.
And that was something she’d have to carry, no matter what.