Chapter 146
Chapter 146:
She rubbed her temples. The pain faded as quickly as it had come, leaving a dull throb.
She unconsciously touched the birthmark on her arm—the crescent moon shape hidden under her sleeve. It felt warm. It felt like a signal.
“Weird,” she whispered.
“Maybe it’s the air pressure,” Harper suggested. “Or maybe it’s your brain expanding from being too smart p>
Aurora forced a smile. But deep down, she felt a chill. Something had shifted. The air felt charged, like the moment before a lightning strike.
The train sped on, carrying her toward the ocean, and toward a collision she couldn’t see coming.
The train station in the Hamptons was quaint and smelled of sea salt and hydrangeas.
Aurora and Harper stepped onto the platform. The sun was shining, the air was fresh. It felt a world away from the grime of the city.
They took a cab to the rental cottage. It was small, weathered, and charming.
“Freedom!” Harper yelled, throwing her bag on the bed.
They changed into sundresses—Harper in yellow, Aurora in a simple white linen dress that caught the breeze.
“Coffee,” Harper declared. “Then wine. Then beach p>
They walked into the town center. The streets were lined with boutiques that sold four-hundred-dollar linen shirts and bakeries that sold ten-dollar croissants.
A red convertible sped down Main Street. It screeched to a halt right next to them.
Heather Stone jumped out. She was wearing a bikini top and denim shorts.
“You!” Heather shrieked. “You followed me here? Are you stalking me p>
Aurora sighed. “The Hamptons is a public place, Heather. We’re on vacation p>
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“You don’t belong here,” Heather spat. “This is for members only. Go back to the city, you scholarship case p>
She was causing a scene. People were stopping to stare.
The door to a bakery opened. A man stepped out. He was older, distinguished, with silver hair and a kind face. He wore a linen suit.
It was Sebastian Thorne. Elias’s uncle, a man who had distanced himself from the cutthroat business of the city.
He saw the commotion. He frowned.
“Is there a problem, ladies?” Sebastian asked, his voice deep and authoritative.
Heather’s face transformed instantly. She flashed a dazzling, fake smile.
“Mr. Thorne! No problem. Just… dealing with some riff-raff p>
Sebastian ignored Heather. He looked at Aurora.
He froze.
The box of pastries in his hand tilted dangerously.
He stared at her eyes. Those green, intelligent, piercing eyes. He had seen those eyes before. Decades ago. In a photo on his mantle. In the mirror of his own memories.
“Do I know you?” Sebastian asked. His voice trembled. He took a step closer, drawn by a magnetic pull he couldn’t explain.