PART 171

After sometime Aurora got out of his embrace and went to her room. She got ready and came down only to find her dad sipping on a cup of tea.

" Good morning dad." Aurora said.

" Good morning birthday girl. Shall we go now?" He asked looking at Aurora.

Aurora smiled.

" Yeah. Let's go. All of them are sleeping. I don't want to disturb them." She said.

" Leon." Aurora called.

" Yes Venom." Leon said coming towards her.

" Andrew should be here by now. Tell him I have asked for him."

" Sure Venom." Leon bowed and went out.

Andrew came inside fastly and bowed.

" Morning Venom." He said.

" Morning. I have asked you to double the security of the mansion today. Have you done it?"

" Yes." Andrew replied shortly.

" Andrew, make sure the heirs and Antonia all are safe and sound. You have to keep us updated." Mr. Mariano said.

" Sure Emperor." 

" A parcel will come for me from the Zaffinos. Receive it and after the security check give it to Charlie." Aurora said.

" Okay Venom." Andrew replied.

Leon was there too. Aurora looked at her and said,  "Inform Antonia that Bianca will not come today. I don't want any outsider when we are not here. Take care of them properly." 

" Sure." Leon replied.

" When will you come back Venom?" Andrew asked.

" By 8 or 9 at night." Mr. Mariano replied.

Aurora nodded too.

" Let's go dad. Or we will be late."

" Won't you two take  breakfast?" Leon asked.

" We will take it outside. Stay safe all of you." Mr. Mariano said.

Leon and Andrew bowed.

Mr. Mariano and Aurora came out of the mansion.

Aurora became confused seeing the group members around her car.

" Do you want to say something?" Aurora asked being confused.

Andrew stand in front of them. Leon joined too.

" We are sorry if we offend you by doing this Venom. We wanted every year but couldn't gather the courage. But today we want to be a little courageous." Andrew said.

Aurora became more confused. Mr. Mariano understood what they were saying but he kept quiet.

" What are you saying?" Aurora asked.

" Happy Birthday Venom. We wish you a happy and long life. Thank you for taking care of us." They said together.

Aurora became speechless. She kept looking at them. They became afraid at her silence. Probably she didn't like it they thought. Mr. Mariano thought the same too. Aurora smiled seeing their reactions.

" Thank you for becoming courageous then. Keep working hard. See you later." Aurora said.

They smiled too. Bowing in front of her they went to do their work. Aurora looked at her dad.

" You were afraid too. Right?" She asked chuckling.

Mr. Mariano chuckled and nodded.

" I'll drive today. Birthday girl shouldn't work."

Mr. Mariano said and hopped on car. Aurora smiled thinking Charlie said the same thing to her last night. Aurora sat on the passenger sit. They drove away from the mansion. After driving for sometime Mr. Mariano stopped the car.

" Why did you stop dad?" 

" Wait a minute angel." Saying that Mr. Mariano got out of the car. Aurora kept looking where he was going and saw him going inside of a flower shop. Soon he came back with four flower bouquets. He kept three bouquets backside of the car and came back with a bouquet full of different roses.

" Why did you buy four dad?" Aurora asked.

" Two for your mother. I'll give one. You will give one and another one for your doggy and this one is for my beautiful daughter. My birthday girl. Happy birthday angel." He said smiling while handing the rose bouquet to Aurora. 

Aurora smiled while tears were visible in her eyes. She took the bouquet. Mr. Mariano came closer and wiped her tears.

" Tears don't suit you. My angel should always be happy." He said patting her hair.

"Thank you dad. I neve knew birthdays can be this much precious until today. I have always wanted to run away from this day thinking I will lose my precious ones. It's my first birthday gift from you. I'll treasure it forever." She said kissing the bouquet. Mr. Mariano smiled.

" She is changing. A good sign indeed." Mr. Mariano thought to himself.

" I can see you have received another gift. Someone has surpassed me I guess." Mr. Mariano said starting the car.

Aurora looked at the pendant Charlie gave her last night.

" How do you know it's a gift?" Aurora asked.

" That whipped boy came to show me after receiving it." Mr. Mariano said chuckling.

" Whipped indeed." Aurora mumbled.

" What are your thoughts about him angel? Is it weird if I ask that?" Mr. Mariano asked still concentrating on the road. Aurora looked at him.

" It's not weird dad. But you know me and my insecurities well. I just don't want to drag him into my dark world and make him suffer." Aurora said sighing.

Mr. Mariano smiled. 

" You have fallen hardly angel. I think you still don't know that." He thought but didn't say anything.

" You are really comfortable around him.You can't say no to him. He can make you do the things you would never do if we ask you to. You understand whenever his mood is off. Don't you think all these things indicate something?"

Aurora sighed.

" What are you afraid of angel?" 

" I don't know either dad. Skip it. I have other things to maintain now. Their safety and our two groups are my main concern now. I'll think about this whole thing after that."

" But be careful before it's too late angel. You can see what happens if you are late from Antonias case." Mr. Mariano said. 

Aurora kept thinking.

" Will it be too late?" She kept thinking. Mr. Mariano looked at her and found her thinking hard. He understood. He didn't said anything more and kept driving towards the graveyard, where his love was lying down peacefully.

The heirs and Antonia were taking breakfast. Andrew and two other men came to charlie with a lot of parcels.

" Sir, Venom has asked to give these to you." Andrew said