AURORA'S POV
As the lady walked into my office, I felt a shiver run down my spine. Her piercing green eyes seemed to bore into my soul, and I couldn't help but wonder what this mysterious woman wanted. "Belle, can you give us a minute?" I asked my sister, who was still standing in front of my desk. Annabelle's eyes narrowed, sensing the tension in the room. "Are you sure, Rara?" she asked, her voice low.
I nodded. "Yes, I'm sure. Please, just give us a minute." Annabelle hesitated for a moment before nodding and heading towards the door. "I'll be right outside if you need me," she said, casting a suspicious glance at the woman standing before me.
As the door closed behind Annabelle, I turned my attention to the stranger in front of me. "How can I help you?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. Her smile was intriguing, and she took a step closer to my desk. "My name is Jenny," she said. "And I think we need to talk about your upcoming marriage to Liam."
"Who are you and how do you know about my upcoming marriage to Liam?" I asked, my voice neutral.
Her smile faltered for a moment before she regained her composure. "Let's just say Liam and I have a…complicated history.
My mind racing as I processed what she was insinuating . "What do you want?" I asked firmly.
Jenny's eyes locked onto mine, and I felt a sense of unease. But I was determined to keep my cool. "I've known Liam for a long time," she said. "And I think you should know the truth about him before you marry him."
I leaned back in my chair, my mind racing with questions. I was taken aback by her directness. "What truth?" I asked, my voice steady.
"Liam is not who you think he is," she said. "He has secrets, and I think you deserve to know them. Liam will ruin you, aurora," she said her voice barely a whisper. "Just like he ruined me."
I studied her face, trying to read her intentions. Was she telling the truth, or was she just trying to manipulate me? "Why are you telling me this?" I asked,skeptically.
Jenny's eyes flashed with emotion, and for a moment, I saw a glimmer of pain. "Because I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did," she spoke in an hushed tone.
I leaned forward, my curiosity piqued. "What mistakes?" I asked, my voice softer now.
Her gaze drifted away from mine, and she seemed to collect her thoughts before speaking. "Let's just say that Liam has a way of getting what he wants, no matter the cost," she said, her voice dripping with subtle malice. "And I think you're about to find out just how far he'll go."
I felt a chill run down my spine, but I refused to back down. "I can take care of myself," I said with a resolute tone.
Jenny's smile returned, and she leaned forward, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh, I'm counting on it," she said. "But do you really know what you're getting yourself into?"
I narrowed my eyes, sensing the underlying tension in her words. What did she want from me, and what did she know about Liam? "What do you mean?" I asked cautiously.
Her smile grew wider, and she leaned back, her eyes never leaving mine. "You'll find out soon enough," she said. "But for now, let's just say that I'm looking out for you, Aurora. You seem like a smart woman. I hope you can see the signs before it's too late."
I felt a surge of frustration at her vague words. What signs was she talking about? And what did she know about Liam that I didn't? "What signs?" I asked with a decisive tone.
Jenny's laughter was low and husky, and it sent a shiver down my spine. "You'll know them when you see them," she said. "But by then, it might be too late. Let's just say that Liam has a way of changing people. And not always for the better."
I studied her face, trying to read her intentions. Was she genuinely trying to warn me, or was she just trying to manipulate me? I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but something about her gave me the chills.
As I sat there, locked in a silent battle of wills with Jenny, I couldn't help but wonder what secrets she knew about Liam. And what she wanted from me. Was she a friend, or a foe?.
I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice when Jenny left. Immediately she left, Annabelle came back into the office. It appears that she had been waiting outside.
"Rara, what's going on?" Annabelle asked, concern etched on her face. "Who was that woman?" I took a deep breath, trying to process the conversation. "Her name is Jenny. She claims to know Liam and wants to warn me about him."
Annabelle's eyes widened. "Warn you? What did she say?"
I hesitated, unsure how much to share. "She said Liam isn't who I think he is and that he has secrets." Annabelle's expression turned skeptical. "And you believe her?"
I shrugged. "I'm not sure. There's something about her that gives me chills, but at the same time...I don't know, maybe she's telling the truth."
Annabelle sat down beside me. "We'll look into it, Rara. We'll find out what we can about Jenny and her claims."
I nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude toward my sister. "Thanks, Belle."
"What exactly did she say?" Annabelle pressed, her brow furrowed.
I thought back to the conversation. "She said Liam has a way of getting what he wants, no matter the cost. And that he's changed people...not always for the better."
Annabelle's eyes narrowed. "That sounds like a serious accusation. Do you think she's trying to manipulate you?"
I considered it. "Maybe. But what if she's telling the truth? What if Liam really is hiding something?"
Annabelle's expression turned thoughtful. "And what if he has an hidden agenda about the marriage contract? We know he didn't disclose the reason why he wants to marry you."
My eyes widened. "Exactly! I've been wondering about that too. Is it just a business arrangement, or is there something more to it?"
Annabelle's voice dropped to a whisper. "We need to find out, Rara. Before it's too late."
LIAM'S POV
APEXION DIGITAL MEDIA
(The day after the dinner with his father and aurora)
I sat in my office with discussing with Ethan, "I need to know more about aurora's background,what have you found out so far?"
I narrowed my eyes.
Ethan pulled out a folder from his bag. "Well, Aurora Willows comes from a close knit family.she has a younger sister name Annabelle willows."
"A sister? I didn't know that."
"And there's something else….." Ethan said.
I raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
Ethan's expression turned somber. "Turns out their mother is in the hospital, undergoing chemotherapy. It looks like she's been battling cancer for a while now."
My expression softened. I hadn't known about Aurora's mother illness. This changed things. I felt a pang of empathy for Aurora,imagining what she must be going through.
"Do you think this has anything to do with why she agreed to the marriage arrangement?" Ethan asked.
I narrowed my eyes "it's possible. Maybe she's looking for financial security or stability for her family."
Ethan nodded. "That could be it, but we still don't know much about her past or what she's capable of."
Our conversation shifted back to the marriage arrangement
"Everything seems to be in order", Ethan said, reviewing the documents. I nodded, feeling a sense of relief. "Good, let's finalize the arrangements. I want everything to go smoothly."
Just then, my assistant knocked on the door.
"Sir, you have a package."
I furrowed my brow as I accepted the package.
"What's this?" The package was small, wrapped in plain brown paper, with no return address indication of who could have sent it.
Ethan raised an eyebrow "open it and see."
I carefully unwrapped the package, revealing a blurred out photo and a note attached to it.
The message on the note was brief:"Don't marry her".
My eyes widened as I stared at the photo. It was Aurora, but from a time way before I met her. How did someone get this photo? And why were they sending it to me?
"Who could have sent this", I asked, my voice low.
Ethan's expression turned serious. "Do you think it's related to the mysterious text you told me about?"
My grip on the note tightened. "I don't know,but I intend to find out."
Ethan leaned forward. "What does the photo mean? Is there something about Aurora's past that we should know about?"
I narrowed my eyes. "I don't know,but I'll find out." The photo seemed to be from Aurora's teenage years. I couldn't make out the details but something about it made me feel uneasy.
"What do you think this person wants?" Ethan asked.
My jaw clenched. "I think they want to warn me away from Aurora. But why?"
I looked at Ethan. "Let's investigate aurora's past. I want to know if there's something she's hiding."
Ethan nodded. "I'll start digging. But what about the sender?"
"We'll get to that," I said. "First, let's focus on aurora."
My gaze drifted back to the photo and note. I was determined to uncover the truth about Aurora's past and the mysterious warning.
But a part of me couldn't shake off the feeling that I was getting in over my head.