Aurora glanced at the message one more time, dragging a breath, she squinted and tapped on the number wondering who this person was. No one knew about her wedding; it was held in secret, and the officiating minister had signed an NDA.
Her phone beeped again, another message from the same number, "It may be the second day, but I don't think it's too late to send you a gift."
Aurora's heart rammed against her chest as various questions sprang to her mind. Who could this person be?
The first person she thought of was Slade, maybe he told someone. She should call him, she had already opened her contact list before realising she didn't have his number. 'How can you not have your husband's number? Nice one, Aurora.' She mentally kicked herself.
She chewed on her bottom lip and then inhaled a scent of breath, "calm down, Aurora, we can figure this out." She said, swivelling her chair from side to side.
She was sure it wasn't Liam; she spoke to him earlier, and he didn't seem like he knew. She had no other friend aside from Jenny, and she didn't think it was Jenny either. She stood up abruptly from her chair, pushing it to her back, there was only one way to be certain it wasn't Jenny.
Before she left her office, she gathered all of Jenny's manuscripts she was working on and sent them to the chief editor with a note requesting that Jenny be assigned to another editor, she recommended Natalie.
Since Natalie wanted to work with her so much, she could have Jenny. She would also be informing Jenny about this change herself.
Aurora grabbed her purse and stepped out of her office. She drove to the hospital where Jenny was. Pulling her car to a stop at the parking lot, she alighted from the car and walked into the hospital.
It wasn't difficult to find Jenny, however, no one informed Jenny that Aurora was here. She was seated on her bed, munching on some chips while watching a show on the TV in front of her.
"So much for being in the ER." Aurora scoffed as she stared at her. The door was left ajar, and Jenny was completely oblivious of Aurora, who was standing by the door.
She pulled out her phone from her purse and took a recording of Jenny, knowing it might become useful someday. Without knocking or announcing her arrival, Aurora pushed open the door and stepped in.
Hearing the door creak, Jenny turned, thinking it was a doctor. She froze when she saw Aurora, a chip in one hand. "Jenny, I see you aren't as hurt as I thought you were. I was worried for nothing." Aurora said stepping forward into the room. Her eyes swept across the room.
The room looked nothing like a room for a sick patient. There were books scattered on the chair, along with some empty packs of chips and some bottles of wine. Two empty glasses were on the table.
Jenny blinked rapidly. She wasn't expecting Aurora. "You didn't tell me you were coming." She said when she finally found her voice. She placed the pack of chips by her side and straightened herself on the bed before throwing the blanket over her legs.
"Did I need to?" Aurora asked, shifting her gaze to Jenny.
"No, that's not what I mean, I left so many messages for you yesterday, you didn't reply to any, so I thought you weren't going to come."
"I first realised it may not be anything serious yesterday, since you were able to send me messages despite being in the ER." Aurora stood in front of her a small smile tugging her lips.
Jenny's eyes moved around its socket. Since when did Aurora question everything she said? She ground her teeth, schooling, a frown settling on her brows.
Aurora watched her closely, not missing a single shift in her emotions. Jenny must not have thought she would be this observant.
Jenny schooled her features and held Aurora's gaze. She came up with an easy lie: "I didn't send the messages myself; a nurse did." Her eyes moved from Aurora's head downward. She raised her brows when she saw how Aurora was dressed.
"You didn't need to put in this much effort just to see me." She said.
"This?" Aurora spread her hand apart. "It's not for you, I've had the clothes in my closet for a long time, so I decided to wear them." She brushed some hair off her face.
Jenny nodded, holding a handful of her blankets and squeezing them. She moved her eyes away from Aurora.
"My head is aching, and I've not been able to work on my book because of my health." She said weakly, "What would I have done without a friend like you? Liam told me you spent the entire day working on my book yesterday, since that was why you didn't come, then, I won't stay angry for long."
Aurora twisted her lips to the side, wondering how shameless Jenny was. How was she always blind to this cunning side of her and mistook it as her being milk?
Aurora walked forward, trailing her fingers through the frame of Jenny's bed. It felt rough under her finger.
"I wasn't," Aurora said in a clear voice. Jenny raised a brow, "You weren't what?"
"Working on your book." This time, her voice was clear, so Jenny didn't miss anything she said. Jenny was about to speak, but Aurora beat her to it. It was time to drop the bomb: "And I will no longer be working as your editor. I've requested that you be assigned to another editor. She is just as good at her job as I am." She enunciated each word.
Aurora straightened, bracing herself for Jenny's outburst which followed immediately.
"What? This is a joke right?" Seeing the seriousness in Aurora's eyes, Jenny knew she wasn't joking. She shook her head, "I will not accept that, it is you I want, we've been working together for a long time. You can't just push me into someone else's hand." She said in a sharp voice.
"I have other writers to focus on, Jenny."
"And you did that without asking me first? I am the writer I get to say who my editor is."
"No, you don't." She pushed her chest out exerting dominance, "I've made my decision and it's final."
"Why will you make such a decision. What did I do wrong? Where am I lacking? I am a top writer for God's sake." Jenny couldn't understand Aurora, and she knew she couldn't let her go. Where else would she see an editor who would be as naive as Aurora?
"I owe you no explanation."
"You do." Jenny screamed, "Let's call Liam and see what he has to say about this. He is, after all, the CEO. You are simply a mere editor."