The Reunion

Aurora suddenly felt like an outsider. She wasn't meant to be here, not in this version of Bellmare. It was a place she had outgrown, a little.

"How's… how's everything?" she asked, breaking the silence.

His eyes softened, though he still seemed distant. "Good. Everything's… good." He cleared his throat, glancing at the church in the distance. "I—well, Eleanor and I have been planning this for a while. It's been a long time coming.

Aurora nodded, unable to stop the painful twinge in her chest at the mention of Eleanor's name. She hadn't seen Cassian with anyone else during those years, at least not that she knew of. The thought of him with someone else, someone who wasn't her, felt like a betrayal in a way she hadn't

Aurora shook her hand, though she couldn't help but notice the tightness in Eleanor's smile, the flicker of something guarded in her eyes. "It's good to see you again, Eleanor."

Eleanor's smile didn't waver, but there was something forced about it, something that made Aurora's stomach twist. She couldn't quite place it, but she knew there was more going on beneath the surface.

"I'm glad you're here," Eleanor continued, her voice calm but with a hint of tension in it. "It wouldn't have felt right without you."

Aurora nodded, unsure how to respond. The tension between the three of them was palpable, and it felt like the cracks of the past were threatening to break wide open at any moment.

Cassian looked between them, his jaw tightening slightly as though he were struggling with something unspoken. "Well, I'll let you two catch up," he said, taking a step back. "I have to check in with the rest of the team for the wedding details."

As Cassian walked away, the air between Aurora and Eleanor became heavier, like a delicate dance they were both trying to navigate without stepping on each other's toes.

Eleanor turned to her, her smile faltering just for a second. "I know it's probably awkward seeing us like this," she said, almost as if trying to reassure herself. "But I want you to know, Cassian and I…" She hesitated, her eyes flicking nervously toward where he had gone. "We're happy."

Aurora felt a pang of something sharp, something she didn't want to feel. She forced a smile. "I'm happy for you both."

But inside, the words felt like they were coated in glass—fragile, hollow, and dangerously close to shattering.

There was so much that didn't make sense, so much that had been left unsaid.

Eleanor smiled, "why don't we join others in the dinning hall?"

"Sure"

Aurora had expected discomfort. She had braced herself for awkward stares, whispered conversations, and maybe even a few forced smiles. What she hadn't prepared for was this—standing in the middle of Cassian's engagement dinner, trapped in a carefully woven web of old wounds and unspoken words.

The grand dining hall of Bellmare's oldest estate was lit by chandeliers, their golden glow casting soft light over the long mahogany table. The room buzzed with chatter—guests in expensive suits and glittering dresses, wine glasses clinking, laughter spilling between bites of gourmet dishes.

And there, at the head of the table, sat Cassian and Eleanor.

Perfect. Elegant. A picture of love and stability.

Aurora took a slow sip of her wine, trying to ignore the way Cassian's eyes kept flickering toward her.

"Aurora?"

She turned to find Julian, an old friend from their childhood, sliding into the seat beside her. He grinned, easygoing as ever, though his sharp green eyes held a knowing gleam.

"You look like you'd rather be anywhere else," he murmured, swirling the whiskey in his glass.

Aurora let out a soft laugh. "Is it that obvious?"

"Only to those who know you." He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "What are you really doing here, Aurora?"

The question sent a jolt through her.

She opened her mouth to answer—to offer some rehearsed excuse about closure, about moving on—but before she could, a voice cut through the air.

"Aurora."

Her breath caught. She turned to see Cassian standing beside their table, his jaw tight, his expression unreadable.

Julian raised an amused eyebrow. "Well, this should be interesting."

Cassian ignored him, his focus entirely on her. "Can we talk?"

Aurora's grip tightened around her wine glass. Every instinct told her to say no—to walk away, to stop reopening doors she had spent years trying to close.

But instead, she heard herself say, "Fine."

The moment they stepped onto the balcony, the air between them shifted. The sound of the party faded, replaced by the distant crash of waves against the cliffs. The night breeze was cool against Aurora's skin, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside her.

Cassian turned to face her, his hands slipping into his pockets. For a long moment, he just looked at her—really looked at her, like he was trying to memorize every detail.

Then, finally, he spoke.

"Why did you come?"

Aurora let out a breathy laugh. "You invited me."

"You could have ignored it."

She crossed her arms, tilting her head. "And yet, here I am."

Cassian exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Aurora…"

There it was. The weight of everything they had never said.

She shook her head. "No. You don't get to do that. You don't get to say my name like it means something after all this time."

His jaw tightened. "It does mean something."

A bitter smile touched her lips. "Funny. Because last time I checked, you're the one getting married."

Cassian closed his eyes briefly, as if bracing himself. "It's complicated."

Aurora laughed—actually laughed, the sound sharp and disbelieving. "Right. Because that's exactly what a bride wants to hear."

Cassian stepped closer, and she hated the way her heart reacted—hated the way it still recognized him after all these years.

"I never wanted to hurt you," he said, his voice lower now. "You have to know that."

Aurora swallowed hard. "Then why did you?"

Silence.

Cassian held her gaze, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. "I—"

The sound of footsteps interrupted them.

Aurora turned just as Eleanor appeared in the doorway.

"There you are," she said, her voice light but her eyes sharp. "I was wondering where you'd disappeared to."

Cassian stepped back immediately, his expression closing off.

Aurora forced a smile. "Just catching up."

Eleanor's gaze flickered between them. Then, after a moment, she smiled. "Good. We should all be getting back."

As Aurora followed them inside, she couldn't shake the feeling that this conversation was far from over.

And worse—she wasn't sure she wanted it to be.