Melissa sniffed, her breath catching between laughter and tears. Her emotions were tangled pain, guilt, nostalgia all rising to the surface like a flood she could no longer hold back.
I turned to Jake.
But he didn't meet my eyes.
He kept his gaze fixed on the floor, like a boy caught between shame and sorrow. I noticed the tears glistening at the corners of his eyes. His jaw clenched, his chest rising and falling heavily. He was hurting maybe just as much as I was. Maybe even more.
I looked back at Melissa, who was still weeping softly, clearly broken by the memory of her mother.It must be unbearable remembering all those moments with someone who's gone. It wasn't just her guilt talking. This pain… it was real. Melissa finally spoke, her voice fragile but sincere.
"I used that promise to my advantage. Sir Jake promised my mother he'd protect me and he's honored it ever since. That was her last wish… and he kept it. I used it selfishly… I twisted his kindness." She wiped her eyes and inhaled deeply.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am. I'll be leaving this house. You can finally be at peace now. I promise I'll never be a burden to you again."
Aurora's throat tightened. Her heart raced. But… where would she go?
"But… but where will you go?" she asked, swallowing the lump in her throat, terrified of what the answer might be.Melissa looked up with a faint smile through her tears. "I'm going to college, Ma'am. I've applied to Juilliard. I'll be staying in the hostel." Aurora released a shaky sigh of relief. That was not what she expected. But it was a good surprise.
Melissa stood slowly.
"Sir Jake… he's a good man. A great man. I should've never tried to come between you two. You deserve each other. You complete each other." Jake walked over and handed her a small envelope. "Ronald is outside. He'll take you to Juilliard personally. Your admission letter, your fees everything's been taken care of." Melissa's eyes widened. "Thank you, Sir. "It's okay," Jake replied gently. "Just… make your mother proud."
"I will. I promise."
With that, Melissa turned and left. The door clicked shut.The room fell silent.An almost painful silence.Jake and Aurora stood there, only a few feet apart… but it felt like miles. Their eyes met and in that moment, it was clear. So much had been said… and yet, so much remained unspoken.
He could see the remorse on her face, so raw and vulnerable. She could see the disappointment in his eyes. And it cut deeper than any insult ever could.The past few hours had been torture emotional warfare between two people who loved each other beyond logic. "…Uh… uh. I'm leaving," Aurora whispered, her voice barely audible. Jake narrowed his eyes. "Why?"
"Because I want to."
His brows furrowed. "Won't you apologize? Say something? Anything? "Why should I?" she snapped, her voice shaking. "I was jealous. I was heartbroken. Just put yourself in my shoes, Jake. Do you know what it felt like to see her in your shirt, embracing it like it belonged to her? Her words, her smirks, her insults… She drove me insane. That girl made me lose my sanity and my dignity as a woman who's always stood on her own."
Jake exhaled slowly, restraining himself. "I understand you. I really do. But Aurora, you could have just trusted me. That's all I've ever wanted from you—your trust. Not your money. Not your status. Just your heart… freely given." He turned away and reached for his phone. "I'll ask Bruce to come over and drive you home," he said, his voice quiet. "You're too weak to drive yourself."
"…Uh…uh…" she hesitated.
"It's okay," he said gently. "If you don't want to apologize, that's your choice. I'll still get your car ready." Aurora's heart shattered. She turned to the side of the room, unable to face him any longer, her shoulders trembling. Silent tears streamed down her face.
Jake walked back over immediately.
Without hesitation, he cupped her face and gently wiped her tears away."You know I can't stand it when you cry," he whispered.Aurora broke. She threw her arms around him and sobbed against his chest.
"I love you, Jake. Please… please don't leave me. I thought you didn't love me anymore. I thought I was just a burden to you. I thought I was losing you." Jake held her tighter, resting his chin atop her head. "Hey… shhh," he whispered. "Please don't say that. You're never a burden. Never." Aurora pulled away slightly, her eyes still swimming in tears. "But… do you still love me?"
Jake gazed into her eyes.A faint smile curved his lips."I don't love you, Aurora."Her heart skipped. Her breath caught.
"What?"
"I don't love you…" he repeated slowly.
Then his expression softened filled with something even deeper."I adore you."
She gasped. "You're my world. My light. My everything. What I feel for you… can't be captured by something as simple as 'love.' Words fall short. You're the woman I want to wake up to every morning and fight beside every day. You are not a chapter in my life, Aurora. You're the entire story."
Aurora burst into tears again but this time, not out of pain… but out of relief. She buried her face in his chest again, holding him like her life depended on it.