Chapter b57 /b

Aurora’s ROV

can feel my pulse drumming against my ears as Mia and Shane lead me down the long hallway, my feet barely keeping up with their determined tides There’s a knot twisting in my stomach, a creeping sense of dread that coils tighter with each step. My fingers twitch against the stiff fabric of the ridicatons bdress /bthey had shoved me into, the weight of it unfamiliar and suffocating. I don’t know where they’re taking bme/b, but the ominous feeling settling over bme /bbis /benough to make me want to turn and run in the opposite direction.

Just as we round a corner, my breath catches in my throat. Among thevish decorations adorning the walls–golden streamers, extravagant floral arrangements, and glittering chandeliers–1 spot a massive sign hanging proudly above a grand set of double doors. ‘Happy Birthday Caleb, it reads in bold, golden letters.

My heart sinks into the pit of my stomach as realization crashes into me like a tidal wave. This isn’t just somevish party. This isn’t some casual evente I’ve just been dragged straight into Caleb’s birthday party, dressed like some ridiculous hooker in a maid uniform that Mia and Shane had clitsen for me.

“Oh no,” I breathe, barely able to get the words out. My hands instinctively move to the fabric of the dress, gripping at the soft material as though I could somehow shrink into it and disappear. The idea of walking into that room–of being seen like this, of facing Caleb and his undoubtedly smug expression- enough to make me want to sink into the floor. “No…please! Not there! There is no way I’m going in there.”

Mia turns to me with an innocent smile, though the mischief dancing in her eyes betrays her. “Oh,e on, Aurora. You look adorable,” she coos, her voiceced with amusement. “I’m sure everyone will love you.”

Everyone? Oh…god! How many people were in there?

I feel like my entire sense of dignity is dangling by a thread, and they’re both holding the scissors. bI /bshake my head, already taking a step back, my body screaming at me to retreat.

“No please, I can’t do-”

Before I can finish my sentence, Shane grabs my wrist with a firm grip, yanking me away from the direction of the grand double doors. For a moment, confusion eclipses my humiliation. He’s not dragging me toward the party. Instead, he’s pulling me in the opposite direction, down another hallway where the muffled sounds ofughter and clinking sses grow fainter with each step.

“Wait–where are we going?” I ask, my voice wavering between suspicion and relief.

Neither of them answers meb, /band this only increases the sense of dread in my stomach.

I don’t like this. bI /bdon’t like this one bit. And yet, despite the prickle of anxiety crawling up my spine, bI /blet them drag me forward, because as much as I hate surprises, I hate the thought of stepping into that grand ballroom eyen more.

I struggled against Shane’s grip, but his fingers dug painfully into my arm as he dragged me forward. My heels scraped against the cold marble floor, bmy /bbreathing in ragged bursts.

“Wait…what are you doing, Shane?” Mia’s bvoice /brang out, sharp and suspicious. “Where are you taking her?”

I turned my head slightly, catching the flicker of hesitation in her eyes. For a moment, I thought she might actually care, might actually intervene, but then she crossed her arms and tilted her chin up, waiting for Shane’s response like she wasn’tplicit in this.

Shane chuckled darkly, his grip on me tightening. “Caleb’s getting soft for this whore,” he sneered, giving me a harsh shake. “Letting her serve drinks on his birthday? That’s no punishment.”

Mia’s brows knitted together. “Then what are you nning?” There bwas /bsomething guarded in her tone, something cautious, like even she bwasn’t /bsure she wanted to know the answer.

Shane didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he continued hauling me down the hallway, his heavy boots thudding against the floor, his free hand bflexing /bas if he was barely restraining himself from doing something worse. My heart pounded violently in my chest. I had no idea what he was thinking, but bwhatever /bit was, it wouldn’t be good.

Mia followed a few steps behind, her heels clicking against the floor. “Shane,” she snapped, a little more forcefully this time. “bI /basked you a question.”

Shane let out an amused breath, turning his head slightly but never slowing his pace. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

bChapter /bb57 /b

bDread /bcurled around my ribs, squeezing so tight I could barely breathe, Whatever Shane had bin /bstore for bme/bb, /bit had to be worse bthan /bserving drinkta Caleb’s birthday in this hooker outfit. And considering how cruel Caleb could be when he wanted bto/bb, /bthat realization sent a fresh wave of panie surging through me.

Shane yanked me down the staircase, my legs barely keeping up as I stumbled. The grandness of the mansion loomed around me–ornate chandeliers conting dim light over thevishly decorated halls, the muffled sounds ofughter and clinking sses from Caleb’s party echoing faintly bin /bbthe /bdistance. Ant Shame wasn’t taking me toward the party.

He was taking me somewhere else entirely.

bMy /bstomach twisted as I noticed the difference in this hallway. No guards. No surveince. Just endless walls leading to an unknown destination.

Mia hesitated at the top of the stairs before following, her,

an unspoken warning that even she wasn’t sure what was about to happen next.

I swallowed hard, my voice barely above a whisper. “Where are we

going?

Shane’s lips curled into a sinister smirk. “You’ll see soon enough, princessb./bb” /b

b“/bWhere are you taking me?” My voice was steady, but the tightness in my throat betrayed me. “What do you want from me?”

This time, he nced at me, his dark beyes /bsharp enough to bslice /bthrough myposure. “What do I want?” he repeated, tilting his head slightly before scoffing under his breath. He shook his head like he couldn’t believe bI /bhad the audacity to askb. /bb“/bAurora, you don’t bget /bto ask thatb. /bNot after what you did to

me.”

The words sent a shiver down my spine. I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing bcame /bout. This bwas /ball because of that one pb? /bBut had he forgotten what he did to me before that? But no matter what bI /bsaid, it wouldn’t matter to Shane because he had already set his mind to this…

*Shane-

‘Save it,” he cut me off sharply, eyes shing. “You’ll understand soon enough.”

He pulled me toward arge door at the end of the hallway, its iron door and peeling paint making my stomach twist in fear. It looked like a bce /bbwhere /bscreams would go unheard.

He pushed the heavy door open, the rusty hinges groaning in protest. The inside was dark, the air thick and stale, the only lighting from the dim, flickering lights in the hallwayb. /bI barely had a second to process my surroundings before Shane’s hand was on my back, shoving me forward. I stumbled, barely catching myself before I hit the floor.

And then, before I could turn around, the door mmed shut.

The sound echoed through the emptiness, sealing me inside.

bChapter /bbComments /b