"This is the best thing that's ever happened to me," Angel said, her eyes sparkling with joy.
"I'm so happy for you, bestie," Aurora smiled sincerely.Angel leaned closer, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Aurora, would you like to be a bride someday?"
"Of course!" Aurora replied without hesitation."And… with whom, if I may ask?" Angel asked, raising a curious brow."Him, of course…" Aurora answered, blushing slightly.
Angel squinted. "Who is 'him'? Doesn't this mysterious him have a name? "Hey, answer me! Are you shy?" Angel teased."No! Why would I be?" Aurora scoffed, her cheeks turning even redder. "It's Jake. I want to get married to Jake."
"Awwww, this is so cute!" Angel squealed, clapping her hands like an overexcited child.
"But Aurora," Angel asked playfully, "haven't you ever imagined getting married to someone… hotter than Jake?"Aurora gasped. "No, I haven't! And I never would. Why would you even ask that?
"So who do you suggest, then?" Aurora tilted her head curiously. "You know the person has to be from my kind of world."
"Of course, bestie," Angel nodded. "Hmm… what about Mark Wilson?"Aurora blinked. "And who's that?" Angel gasped theatrically. "Oh Aurora! You're dating a businessman and you know nothing about Mark Wilson?"
"Why should I?" Aurora shrugged. "Besides, you know I don't care about the business world. Being a surgeon is all I know."
"Wait a minute," Aurora continued, "have you met him before?"
"Of course I have," Angel replied, sitting upright. "At a business party. Maxwell invited me and I couldn't turn him down."So if Maxwell knows him… that means Jake does too?" Aurora asked."Yup. The three of them know each other. And let me tell you something they are not on good terms."Angel paused. "I like Mark. He seems sincere. But I love Maxwell too much to disobey him. He asked me to stay away from Mark… and that's exactly what I did."
"What was his surname again?" Aurora asked, eyes narrowing in thought."Wilson," Angel replied.Aurora's eyes widened. "Wait—no way. He's the same guy Jake is competing with in business! "You don't say!" Angel exclaimed. "Now that makes sense! No wonder there was tension between the three of them. But Maxwell never told me anything about this rivalry."
"I don't care about Mark," Aurora dismissed. "And Angel… how would Maxwell feel if he heard you talking about another man?"
"He won't be jealous. Same goes for me," Angel shrugged. "He knows very well how much I adore him. I'm just complimenting another creature of the Almighty."Aurora laughed. "If only all men thought like your Maxwell."
"Hey, give Jake time," Angel said, nudging her. "He'll change too."You know what?" Angel continued, her mood lifting, "Let's do something fun. How about we bake something?"Lead the way, chef Angel!" Aurora grinned. The two best friends spent the entire afternoon in the kitchen, baking cakes and pastries. They messed up the whole place, dusting each other with flour as they danced wildly to the rhythm of loud pop music.
Laughter filled the house—the kind of laughter that had been missing for far too long.Angel was overjoyed. The past few days had been pure torment for Aurora. Seeing her best friend dancing, smiling, and acting like her old self again warmed her heart."Bestie, please ask one of the maids to serve my supper in my room tonight," Aurora said after they settled on the couch.
"Hey, no. Why?" Angel frowned. "If this is about Jake, don't worry I think he's gone. I haven't seen him around at all today."
"Are you sure?" Aurora asked, uncertain.
"Of course I am," Angel reassured her. "Come on, let's have supper together. Just like old times."
The two best friends continued chatting and laughing as they made their way to the dining room, not even noticing when Jake and Maxwell entered from the opposite end. Aurora froze the moment she saw Jake. Her smile vanished.Her face dropped instantly, and her joy dissolved like sugar in hot water. The air between them grew thick with unspoken tension.
Jake stood a few feet away, equally frozen, regret carved into every line of his face. But Aurora's expression made it crystal clear:She wasn't ready. Not yet.