CHAPTER 323: CHAPTER 323: THUGS

Far from the tense atmosphere of the restroom, Aurora was in her room, lying on her bed with her phone in hand. She had a silly smile on her face as she chatted with Spencer.

They had agreed to go on a date the next day, and she could not help but giggle at the thought.

Her smile, however, froze when her eyes drifted to the date displayed at the top of her screen.

Only a little over a week remained before Spencer would have to leave.

Her chest tightened. For a moment, she wished time could simply stop.

Realizing what she was feeling, she clenched her fists under the blanket. Somehow, without her even noticing, Spencer had become the only person she could truly picture in her future. She wanted to marry him, to keep him by her side forever.

But she did not act on these feelings. Liking someone was one thing. Being with them was another. She knew her reality... she was a villain in this story, and if she did not change her destiny, she would never be able to claim him fully.

Taking a deep breath, she decided to treat their dates as precious memories, nothing more.

After a few more messages, she closed her phone and went to sleep.

The next morning, Aurora opened her eyes slowly. Her head felt heavy, and her throat was dry and sore. She sniffled and groaned quietly, realizing right away that she had caught a cold.

Her body felt weak, and even sitting up felt like too much effort. She looked at the small clock on her nightstand and frowned.

It always seemed like whenever she had something important to look forward to, she would get sick. She hated that it happened again, especially for something she had been waiting for with so much happiness.

Aurora closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and then reached for her phone.

Her hands felt a little shaky, but she slowly typed a message to Spencer.

"I am not feeling well today. I think I have a cold. I cannot come to our date location. I am really sorry."

She stared at the message for a few seconds before pressing send. Her chest felt tight, not just from the cold but from disappointment.

She wanted to see him, but she did not want him to catch her sickness. Also, she did not want him to see her looking pale and weak.

On the other side of the city, Spencer had just finished his morning workout when his phone buzzed. He picked it up, expecting maybe a cheerful good morning from Aurora. Instead, he saw her message.

At first, his eyes widened in surprise. Then his brows pulled together in worry.

Without wasting another second, he put down his water bottle and quickly went to change his clothes. In his mind, there was no way he was just going to let her stay sick alone.

She might think it was fine, but to him, she was his girlfriend, and he could not sit still knowing she was unwell.

By the time he grabbed his jacket and car keys, his mind was already full of plans. He would go to her house, check on her, and bring her something warm to eat.

He knew where she lived, so there was no need to ask.

Back in Aurora’s bedroom, she put her phone aside after sending the message and lay back against her pillows. She pulled the blanket up to her chin and tried to relax, but she kept coughing softly.

The sound of rain hitting the window made her feel even sleepier.

She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking about how disappointed she was. She really had wanted to see Spencer. Even though she told herself not to be too attached, she could not help but feel a little sad that they would miss their date.

About half an hour later, there was a knock at her door. Aurora frowned, confused. She was not expecting anyone. Slowly, she got up from bed and dragged herself to the door.

She was wearing a soft oversized sweater and loose pajama pants. Her hair was messy, and her cheeks were a little red from the fever.

When she opened the door, she froze.

Spencer was standing there, holding a paper bag in one hand and a small bouquet of flowers in the other. He was dressed casually but neatly, and his expression was full of worry.

"Aurora," he said softly, looking her over from head to toe. "You look pale. Why did you not tell me earlier that you were feeling this bad?"

Aurora’s eyes widened a little. She was too surprised to speak for a second. "Spencer... what are you doing here?" she finally asked, her voice still a little hoarse.

"I came to see you, of course," he said simply, stepping inside before she could protest. "You think I am just going to let you be sick alone? No way."

Aurora’s heart skipped a beat. She wanted to tell him she was fine, but the truth was, she was not. And seeing him there made her chest feel warm despite her fever.

Spencer set the paper bag on the table and took out a thermos. "I brought chicken soup. My nanny always said it is the best for a cold," he explained.

He also placed the flowers in a glass of water, putting them on her bedside table. "And these are just to make your room a little brighter."

Aurora sat on the edge of her bed, watching him move around her room like he had done it many times before. She could not help but smile a little, even though she tried to hide it.

"You did not have to come," she said quietly, but her voice was softer now.

"Yes, I did," Spencer replied without hesitation. "You are important to me, Aurora. If you are sick, I want to be the one taking care of you."

Those words made her cheeks grow even warmer, and this time it was not because of the fever. She lowered her gaze so he would not see the sudden shine in her eyes.

Spencer poured some of the soup into a bowl and handed it to her. "Here, eat this while it is still hot."

Aurora took the bowl carefully and sipped the warm broth. It tasted simple but comforting, and it made her throat feel a little better.

She could feel his eyes on her the whole time, watching to make sure she was okay.

When she finished, he took the bowl and set it aside, then gently touched her forehead with his hand. "Still warm," he murmured. "You should rest."

While Aurora and Spencer were busy in her warm, quiet bedroom, the city outside was living a very different kind of morning.

Mary, who usually started her mornings early, had left her small apartment with a scarf wrapped around her neck. She was on her way to the library where she worked.

She was walking along the main road when she felt... strange.

At first, she thought she was imagining it. The feeling of someone watching her was faint, like a shadow just out of sight.

But when she glanced over her shoulder, she noticed a group of men not too far behind her.

They were dressed in rough clothes, hoodies, worn jackets, caps pulled low. Their eyes were fixed on her, and their steps seemed to match hers.

Mary’s heart began to beat faster. ’Maybe they’re just going the same way,’ she told herself, trying not to panic. She tightened her grip on her bag and quickened her pace.

The men did the same.

By now, the unease inside her was too strong to ignore. She turned onto a smaller street that would lead her faster to the library. Her shoes tapped quickly against the wet pavement.

Then she made a mistake.

She had to pass an alley to get to the library’s back entrance. As she stepped past it, one of the men suddenly grabbed her arm.

"Come with us, lady," he said with a smirk. His breath smelled of cigarettes.

Mary’s eyes widened. "Let go!" she cried, trying to pull away.

Another man stepped forward, blocking her path. The rest closed in. One of them pushed her toward the alley.

Fear shot through her. She opened her mouth to scream, but before the sound could leave her throat, something unexpected happened.

From the shadows of the alley, several tall men in black tuxedos appeared. They moved so quickly that Mary barely saw them until they were right in front of her.

Without a word, the men in tuxedos struck. Their movements were fast, sharp, and professional.

One twisted the thug’s wrist until he dropped his grip on Mary. Another delivered a powerful kick to the stomach of the man blocking her way.

The thugs groaned, stumbled, and fell to the wet ground.