Chapter 85
Aurora woke up in the middle of the night, drenched in cold sweat, her eyes fixed, haunted by the same dream that had been haunting her for years. In it, she was on the ground, facing Magnus, who was pointing a gun at her head. It took a moment for her to regain her composure and realize that she was in her own room.
"Another nightmare?" Tristan's voice came through her phone, which was next to her on the mattress, its screen glowing with his call. She rubbed her eyes as she realized she had fallen asleep while talking to him.
And he had been there all along, listening to her breathing and the subtle creaks of the mattress as she moved.
"How long have you been here?" she asked, curious.
"About twenty minutes," came the response. She pictured him lying in his own bed, possibly with a laptop on his lap. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Aurora shook her head, even though he couldn't see her. "There's nothing to talk about. It's always the same, the same dream, the same ending."
Although the repetition was unsettling, and she knew it wouldn't end with a bullet in her head, the fear remained and, in fact, seemed to grow with each new occurrence.
"Aurora? Are you still listening to me?" Tristan's voice resurfaced, breaking the silence.
"Hm? Sorry. I was distracted."
"Are you taking your medication?"
"Yes," she replied, recalling the two weeks since he had convinced her to start treatment and see a psychologist regularly. "I need to take another dose in half an hour."
"Try to go back to sleep. You look exhausted."
"Wait," she interrupted, hesitating. Sleep wouldn't find her easily, and the idea of getting lost in another nightmare was terrifying. "Could you stay a little longer?"
"Of course."
Aurora settled on her side and closed her eyes, imagining that Tristan was beside her.
"Tell me something," she requested.
"I don't have interesting stories like you."
"It doesn't have to be a story. Anything will do. Please."
The sound of typing abruptly ceased. Tristan contemplated what to say, aware that she already knew a lot about his life, especially the most important parts, many of which were marked by adversity. He wished he had a childhood story to share, something that would make her smile, but his memories lacked that kind of memory. He then reflected on the last three years, realizing how monotonous they had been, except for one particular day.
"I started talking to my father again," he revealed, closing the notebook, setting aside his responsibilities. "I thought about it a lot. It seems like we were both looking for someone to blame. He blamed me just for being born, and I felt like pointing my finger at him and telling him that the blame for being who I was, as problematic as he labeled me, was all his. I blamed my mother for not giving up the pregnancy. I even blamed my brother for being so perfect, but deep down, I was just envious of him," he confessed. "Are you still there?"
"Yes, I'm listening," came the gentle and warm response.
"I thought it would be easier if I could just blame someone, anyone, even a stranger on the street... it's childish, I know. But now I don't feel that anymore, I don't feel the need to find someone to blame, I don't feel angry anymore when I remember the past. It seems pointless to hold onto that resentment. It would be foolish."
"That's healing," Aurora declared softly. "I'm proud of you... I'd be even prouder if you were a little less grumpy."
"That's not up for discussion."
A laugh escaped from Aurora's lips.
"Thank you for talking with me," she expressed her gratitude.
"Friends are for that," Tristan replied, and something inside her stirred at his words. "I hope to see you tomorrow."
"Me too," she agreed, looking forward to the meeting.
However, despite the anticipation, facing the Callahan company's anniversary party the next day was a challenging task. The idea of the crowd, the noise, and the limited space discouraged her with every thought. In fact, her enthusiasm seemed to wane, not only for the party but also for work and even for socializing with friends.
When the time finally came, she took her medication and fell asleep shortly after. Tristan noticed this when he tried to call her and received no response. He stayed on the line, worried she might have another nightmare, considering staying up all night to ensure she slept well, but he knew that was impractical.
"Goodnight," he wished, even though she couldn't hear him, and ended the call.
***
Mr. Callahan's hosting duties were executed with finesse as he approached each guest at the party, a tiring task that kept him busy for hours. Finally, managing to get away from a chatty lady, he approached his youngest son. It was clear that Tristan was restless, his eyes scanning the crowd for someone.
"Who are you looking for?" his father asked.
"No one," came the reply.
"I believe you know I'm not blind, my son."
"I also believe you understand that I don't want to talk about it."
A sly smile lit up his father's face. What once irritated him about his son's sharp tongue now amused him, reminding him of his late wife.
"I spent the last hour greeting all these guests. Mrs. Accola won't stop talking. She started with the weather and ended with how one of her daughters is a perfect match for you."
"I'm not interested," Tristan replied indifferently, though both knew it wasn't the true cause of his agitation.
"But you are distressed," his father observed, discerning the truth. "And I imagine it's because of Aurora."
Tristan shrugged, trying to downplay the importance, but he knew his father was right.
"Anyway, she's not here."
"Yet she is."
His father's statement caught Tristan's attention.
"She is?"
"As I said, I greeted everyone at the party, including some more guests arriving," his father concluded, giving his son a pat on the shoulder before moving away. "I must return to my duties."
Aurora entered the party, her trembling hands betraying the nervousness that had taken hold of her. Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it wanted to escape her chest, almost preventing her from crossing the threshold. A wave of nausea washed over her, almost causing her to step back. She almost regretted convincing Violet that she would be fine on her own, but she knew it was the right thing to do. Violet had her duties, and Aurora didn't want to be a burden.
Taking a deep breath, she counted to three, trying to calm her nerves. All she needed to do was find a friendly face, someone who would make her feel less lost in the midst of the crowd.
Mr. Callahan greeted her briefly, but before she could inquire about Tristan, a woman approached, interrupting any attempt at conversation. Luck was on her side when Amelie, Christian's nanny, appeared, rescuing her from the uncomfortable situation. They had gotten along well at Klaus's wedding, and Aurora was grateful for that.
"Thank you," Aurora expressed, relieved to escape the unwanted conversation.
Amelie responded with good humor, "You're welcome. Mrs. Chatterbox has the gift of gab."
Aurora took the opportunity to inquire about Christian, "And where is Christian?"
Amelie promptly replied, "He's at his aunt's house, asleep."
This answer caused a look of doubt to cross Aurora's face. Amelie was Christian's nanny, so she should always be attentive to him during her working hours. If Christian wasn't with Amelie but with Seraphina, that meant Amelie was there for other reasons.
Aurora tried to be subtle in her questioning, "Shouldn't he be with you?"
Amelie replied, "No. Xavier thinks this party isn't appropriate for children, even though Christian has a better vocabulary than mine." She paused, thoughtful. "But, well, he's still just a child."
Aurora recognized Christian's early intelligence, but that wasn't the issue she wanted to address. She tried to clarify, "He's smart, but that's not what I was thinking."
Amelie's response was revealing, "Ah, I see. But today, I'm not here as a nanny." She leaned in closer to Aurora to continue in a lower tone, "Today, I'm Xavier's date!"
Aurora understood the implied meaning of those words, "Things are getting serious, then?"
Amelie explained, "It's not official yet." She winked with a mischievous smile, which suddenly faded. "Oops... changing the subject, the witch just grabbed her broom to fly."
Genevieve, dressed in a long, sensual gown with a small slit revealing her leg, walked by them, smiling with a wave. Both women returned the gesture, but Amelie's smile was subtly more wry.
Amelie suggested, "Let's head to the other side before she turns us into frogs."
Pulling Aurora by the hand, Amelie led her away. On the way, Tristan was cornered into forced conversation with Mrs. Accola. When he saw the two women passing by, he couldn't help but follow Aurora with his gaze until she was out of sight. He would have followed her, but Mrs. Accola's never-ending conversation kept him captive.
And so it went on for hours. Tristan being dragged into circles of conversation about work, and Aurora being guided by Amelie from one place to another. Eventually, Xavier appeared, freeing Amelie from a group of accountant friends, demanding her attention.
Once again, Aurora found herself alone, wandering through the hall. However, now she didn't feel as nervous as when she arrived. She noticed that Tristan glanced at her from time to time, which reassured her. He was there, watching over her, and she knew he would protect her from any adversity.
Eventually, Mr. Callahan pulled Tristan aside with exciting news, "Your brother has just arrived."
Surprised, Tristan questioned, "How? He said he was coming next week."
Mr. Callahan explained, "It was a surprise to me too. He said he arrived from his trip this morning."
The encounter with Griffin revealed her undeniable joy, her face lit up with genuine smiles throughout the night. However, he wasn't alone on that occasion. Rose was by his side, sharing the moment with him.
"Your son is an amazing doctor," Rose praised.
Griffin tried to interrupt her, visibly embarrassed.
Nevertheless, she continued to speak with enthusiasm, "But it's the absolute truth. During our time in Ethiopia, he saved so many lives."
"Ethiopia?" someone inquired, showing interest. "I heard that nutritional health faces significant challenges there."
Rose confirmed, "Yes, especially among children." A sad smile appeared on her lips. "Witnessing all that up close was painful."
Griffin pointed out the positive side, "Despite that, Rose has managed to help many children overcome malnutrition over the past two years." He looked at the young woman, trying to bring comfort to her memories.
Another interlocutor acknowledged, "An admirable attitude."
Rose thanked them, and her expression shone with gratitude.
Shortly after completing her internship, Rose joined a humanitarian organization that provided medical assistance and humanitarian aid to people facing alarming situations such as hunger, epidemics, and social exclusion. Griffin accompanied her, stepping away from his routine and using his expertise to provide concrete help. This decision was beneficial for him.
Tristan acknowledged internally the nobility of his brother's attitude.
His father commented, "She's a lovely young lady."
Griffin quickly clarified, "Rose is just a friend, Dad."
His father cast a discerning glance. "Usually, it all starts that way."
He put a hand on Griffin's shoulder and another on Tristan's. "Come on, boys. It's time for the Callahans to socialize with the guests."
They headed to the center of the hall, where Mr. Callahan drew everyone's attention and gave a speech about the importance of the gathering, reminding them of the reason for the celebration: the family company's anniversary.
While the audience was engrossed in the speech, Aurora remained motionless, her eyes fixed on Griffin. It was the first time she had seen him in three years, dressed in an elegant suit, at the center of attention with a captivating smile. The image strangely resembled that of her nightmare. Aurora felt transported back in time, to the ballroom where Griffin's suit would be stained with blood, and a bullet would hit his abdomen. She couldn't move, unable to prevent the event she had already witnessed.
A voice whispered in her mind: "You're next." Magnus seemed to speak directly into her ear. She blinked, returning to reality. It was as if Magnus was there, hidden in the crowd.
Despair washed over her, her breathing accelerating. Her eyes darted frantically, searching for signs of danger. The certainty that Magnus was present grew in her mind, his words echoing.
Without hesitation, she began to run through the guests, ignoring anyone she bumped into. A man finally managed to stop her, holding her shoulders.
Aurora fought against him, shouting, "No! Let go of me! I need to get out of here!" Her hands pounded and pushed, desperate to escape.
"Calm down, calm down, it's me," Tristan said. He held her face with both hands, forcing her to look at him. But what he saw struck him deep in the heart. Her eyes were filled with terror, widely opened.
"He's here," Aurora whispered.
"Who?" Tristan questioned.
"H-he's armed... he wants to kill me, Tristan. He wants to kill us all!" Aurora screamed, drawing the attention of nearby people.
Tristan wrapped his arm around her shoulder and led her down the corridor to an empty, dark room. He sat on the bed and pulled her close into his arms again. With her face buried in his chest, she cried without restraint.
"It's terrible, Tristan," she began, her voice hoarse. "I keep going back to the same place. It feels like I'm trapped, doomed to relive it all over again."
"It's okay now," he whispered gently, massaging her temple. He felt the throbbing of her headache beneath his fingers.
Aurora's tears gradually subsided, the tremors lessened, but she still couldn't pull away from his embrace. In that moment, Tristan was her only certainty of protection.
"It's all my fault..." she murmured.
Tristan lamented, "Oh, Aurora..." He gently scolded her, "Don't say that. Look at me." He held her face delicately. "The only one to blame in this story is Magnus, and he's locked up now. You've suffered so much, I know, but you won't lose me. If you try to push me away or run again, I'll come after you. Do you understand?" He emphasized the last words and waited until she nodded. "Come here." He leaned back against the headboard of the bed, stretching his legs on the mattress, inviting her to lie down with him. Aurora soon settled between his arms, her back resting against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, closing his eyes. In that moment, he allowed himself to appreciate her presence and set aside the traumas of the past that they both shared. The difference lay in how they dealt with these traumas. Tristan confronted his shadows after a decade of resentment and hatred, and now he wished to help Aurora achieve her own victory over the demons of the past. "I'm here for you," he said. Aurora turned her head, her lips and nose lightly touching his cheek. "I've conquered my own demons. I want you to conquer yours too."












