This was the kind of situation Mrs. Woolf feared most, yet it had come to pass. Aurora’s face was cold and resolute.
“Is love about restraining someone’s freedom, tearing her apart from the person she loves, and forcing her to stay by your side? That’s not love. That’s possession,” Aurora said angrily.
“Whatever it is, don’t get upset. You’re pregnant now, and you can’t risk harming the baby.”
Mrs. Woolf’s voice softened. “Don’t be fooled by how rough Justin might seem-he’s actually very attentive. Even though you’re carrying another man’s child, he takes such careful care of you every day. Don’t you feel it at all?”
“I… I never thought of it that way. I’m a pregnant, engaged woman. How could I have known he had feelings for me?”
Aurora’s voice trembled as she continued, “Mrs. Woolf, I know you don’t mean any harm. You’ve been good to me, and I’ll repay you for that. But please, let me go. I have a fiance and a family. Especially my grandfather-he’s so old, he wouldn’t be able to bear this kind of blow.”
“That…” Mrs. Woolf hesitated, her expression troubled. “I’m afraid that’s not possible. Justin won’t let you leave. He’s stubborn like that-once he sets his mind on something, he won’t back down.”
“Mrs. Woolf, if you won’t let me leave, at least let me make a phone call to let my family know I’m alive. They think I drowned at sea. Imagine how worried they must be!”
Aurora’s tone turned pleading. “My grandfather’s health isn’t good. I’m begging you-let me make just one call to let them know I survived.”
“Girl, it’s not that I’m heartless,” Mrs. Woolf sighed, “but Justin knows how close you are to your fiance. He believes that only if he thinks you’re dead will he give up on you. So don’t overthink it.”
Feeling helpless, Mrs. Woolf bent down to clean up the shattered pieces of a bowl on the floor. “Stop being so upset. It’s not good for you or the baby.”
Aurora’s eyes flickered at the mention of the baby. “Mrs. Woolf, why are you doing this to me?”
“Girl, I’m sorry,” Mrs. Woolf said with a sigh of resignation.
Aurora suddenly dropped to her knees, startling Mrs. Woolf.
“What are you doing? Get up, quickly!” Mrs. Woolf exclaimed, rushing to help her.
“I’m not asking you to let me go. I’m only asking for one chance to make a phone call. There’s finally a signal here. Once the ship leaves, there won’t be any signal again. Please, I’m begging you. You have family and friends-surely you understand how this feels.”
“Why put yourself through this?” Mrs. Woolf’s expression softened. “Fine, I’ll call Justin and see what he says.”
Unable to refuse Aurora’s desperate plea, Mrs. Woolf dialed Justin and explained the situation. Aurora remained kneeling on the floor, refusing to rise.
Justin’s voice came through the line, tense with concern. “The floor’s cold-tell her to stand up! What is she doing, especially while pregnant?”
“She says she won’t get up unless she can call her family. What should I do?” Mrs. Woolf asked. Her heart ached for Aurora, but her loyalty to Justin tugged at her, leaving her caught in the middle.
“Fine. Let her make the call,” Justin relented after a pause. “But she can’t reveal any information, or the call will be cut immediately.”
“Understood,” Mrs. Woolf replied. She turned to Aurora. “He agreed. But you must promise me-no mention of the ship or anything that could expose us.”
“I promise,” Aurora said, her voice filled with resolve. All she wanted was to reassure Julian.
Mrs. Woolf swapped in a disposable SIM card-precaution was second nature to their pirate ways. If the authorities tracked them down, it would mean the end.
“Here, make your call,” Mrs. Woolf said.
“Thank you, Mrs. Woolf,” Aurora said sincerely. She knew that without Mrs. Woolf’s help, she wouldn’t even have this opportunity.
“Keep it brief,” Mrs. Woolf reminded her.
Aurora nodded and quickly dialed the number she had long since memorized. The phone rang only once before it was picked up.
Julian had been on edge for days. Every time his phone rang-day or night-he answered immediately, afraid to miss a potential call from Aurora.
When he saw the unfamiliar international number, his heart surged with both hope and dread. His mind flashed to the time Ivy had used a similar number to call Genevieve.
“Hello?” Julian’s familiar voice came through, steady but laced with tension.
Hearing him, Aurora couldn’t hold back her tears any longer. They fell silently as she struggled to speak, her sobs choking her words.
Julian’s heart clenched at the sound of her crying. “Little Bunny, is that you? What’s wrong? Are you okay? Are you hurt? Where are you?”
He fired off question after question, even as he grabbed a second phone to contact Vortex, instructing him to trace the call immediately.
In the days since Aurora’s disappearance, Julian had prepared for this moment. He needed to know where she was the instant she reached out.
But hearing her cry made his heart ache. The woman he cherished, the woman he had always protected, was now in pain. He felt helpless not being able to see her.
“Julian…” Aurora’s voice trembled. “We have a baby.”
Her words stunned him. Mrs. Woolf, standing nearby, sighed softly. She could have stopped Aurora from mentioning the baby, but she pitied her. Who wouldn’t feel devastated after being forcibly confined on a ship? Mrs. Woolf chose not to interfere.
Julian’s mind went blank. He had expected her to tell him she was suffering or in danger, but instead, she had delivered this news.
For as long as he could remember, he had dreamed of having a child with Aurora-a sweet, adorable baby. But Robert had warned him the chances were slim. Aurora had been taking herbal remedies for months. Could they have worked after all?
“Little Bunny, tell me-are you okay? Has anyone hurt you?” Julian asked, his voice filled with concern. In another situation, the news of a baby would have made him ecstatic. But now, all he cared about was Aurora’s well-being.
“Julian, after I fell into the water, someone rescued me. The people on the ship have been good to me and the baby. The baby is healthy,” Aurora said, her voice trembling. Despite everything, this was the truth-Justin had treated her well.
Julian finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had been so tense, fearing the worst. “Where are you? I’ll come get you right now. I need to thank the people who saved you.”
“I… Something’s come up here, and I can’t leave. Julian, I called just to tell you that I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. Please tell Grandpa and the others not to worry either,” Aurora said.
She glanced at her unfamiliar surroundings. Even if she wanted to tell him where she was, she had no idea how to begin.