Chapter 91

A suffocating panic crawled through Aurora's body as she was pushed through the corridors of the mansion, not knowing exactly where she was going; where Genevieve wanted to take her.

"Move faster!" Genevieve ordered, pressing the barrel of the gun against her head.

Aurora swallowed hard and quickened her pace. She was terrified, her chest felt tight, and her mouth bitter, but she tried to think of a way to change things. She wouldn't surrender, let alone die there.

"Here. Go in," Genevieve indicated a door, and even though Aurora was confused, she obeyed. It was Tristan's office.

"Genevieve..." Aurora spoke softly, even though she was in complete agony at the sight of the brunette pointing a gun at her with an empty expression. "Please, think carefully about what you're about to do..."

"I should have done this a long time ago! It's the only way this hell will end," Genevieve replied.

"No, it won't." Aurora shook her head. "Genevieve, killing me won't make Tristan love you..."

"I don't want to kill you, I just want you to disappear from my life and Tristan's life... but don't think that just because I don't want to dirty my hands with blood and carry the guilt of killing an innocent baby means I won't shoot you if you try to escape."

Aurora's forehead furrowed in complete confusion.

"Baby? What are you talking about?"

"Don't come with this act with me. I saw the pregnancy test in your trash can," Genevieve said. Aurora's puzzled frown softened, as if she had just realized. Genevieve must have seen Amelie's test and got confused. "Does Tristan know?"

"No..." It was surprising that there was a hint of compassion in Genevieve's heart thanks to motherhood, and that's the only reason she hadn't killed her yet. If that was the issue, then Aurora would keep lying to survive. "No, I... didn't tell him anything."

Genevieve was pleased with the response, a sick happiness.

"It's better that way. He only needs one heir, and I've already given him that, he doesn't need a little bastard."

"But... Christian is Xavier's son..."

"He's our son!" Genevieve shouted. "He's our boy. I know it..." She sniffed as she blinked several times to suppress her emotions. "If you don't remember, I slept with Tristan that night, in his room, in his bed, and I bet he still remembers."

Aurora felt too tired. Tired of Genevieve never giving up on Tristan when it was evident he didn't want her back. Tired of Genevieve wanting to blame her for years, and she was still the same.

And beyond tired, she was annoyed. Honestly. Couldn't they have a moment of peace?

"Deluded bitch," Aurora muttered under her breath.

"What did you say?"

"If Tristan really remembered that night, he would have put a ring on your finger, not mine."

Genevieve was perplexed and took quick steps toward her.

"Repeat that! Come on! Repeat it, and see if I don't put a bullet in your head!"

Aurora felt the barrel of the gun against her forehead and a lump formed in her throat. She thought it was the end, that Genevieve was going to pull the trigger. She seemed on the verge of turning into a beast, losing all reason, and exterminating what she thought was a threat.

Until Genevieve blinked a few times, as if she was coming to her senses.

"Sit there, now!"

Aurora went against her pride and sat behind the desk. Genevieve never stopped aiming at her for a second and used her other hand to grab a piece of paper and a pen, leaving them both in front of her.

"What's all this for?" Aurora asked.

"You're going to write a suicide note," Genevieve replied.

"What did you say?"

"Tristan would cross the world if he thought you ran away while still alive, but he wouldn't waste so much time looking for a corpse."

"No... He won't believe that..."

"And why not? Everyone you loved is dead. You lost your parents, your only sister, and your friends. Why wouldn't Tristan believe that you simply chose to give up?"

Aurora lowered her head, feeling her eyes welling up, but she wouldn't cry, she wouldn't give Genevieve that satisfaction.

Then she looked at the desk drawers, and Tristan's voice came to mind. "I left three guns hidden around the house, just in case." One of them was right there, in the last drawer. But how could she get it without Genevieve noticing? Genevieve was right next to her. There was no way.

"Hurry up with it!" Genevieve spoke, and Aurora picked up the pen, even though she wasn't sure what to write.

"If you're not going to kill me, what are you going to do?"

"It's not up to me."

"What do you mean by that?"

Genevieve didn't answer, just urged her on. So Aurora reluctantly started writing, but she still had a glimmer of hope; after all, there was another gun in the house. In her room. She remembered that.

"Can I at least get some clothes?"

"Do you think I'm an idiot? Missing clothes would indicate an escape... And shut the fuck up and write!"

Aurora sighed in defeat and then realized there was a framed picture on the table with a photo of her and Tristan on their trip to Paris. They were lying in bed, cuddled together, their faces so close that their noses touched, their eyes both closed, and their lips about to kiss. She remembered that. Tristan took that picture after saying they didn't have a photo together.

She imagined Tristan in his office, working, and every time he looked ahead, he saw that photo, taken at a moment when everything seemed perfect for both of them.

The urge to cry returned. She wished she had more moments like that and more photos like that, with him.

"Get up," Genevieve ordered, pulling the younger woman by the arm when she finished the note, and dragged her out of the office. Aurora walked ahead while Genevieve was behind her, the gun against her back.

Every time Aurora had been called crazy by others, she denied it, but when she entered the living room, she proved them right.

In a sudden move, Aurora turned around and slapped Genevieve's hand, causing her to drop the gun far away. Without waiting for a reaction, Aurora lunged at the brunette, making them both fall to the floor.

"I won't let you ruin my life!" Aurora exclaimed, on top of her, pulling her hair.

But Genevieve became so frustrated that she managed to change positions. Now she was the one on top of Aurora.

"You won't win, not this time!" Genevieve closed her hands around Aurora's neck. Aurora gasped, starting to feel short of breath, but she kept struggling, trying to either push Genevieve's hands away from her neck or hit her face, which looked scary, maniacal, psychotic. The beast had been unleashed, and she was bloodthirsty.

With a sidelong glance, Aurora spotted the small table in the room not too far away, and since she was on the floor, she could see the gun tucked under the surface. She had the idea to use her legs and kneed Genevieve in the stomach, causing her to falter for a moment, but it was enough for Aurora to push her aside and crawl to the table.

Genevieve managed to get to her feet and was about to run to where her gun had been thrown.

"Not one more step!" Aurora shouted, holding Tristan's gun with trembling hands.

"Shoot! Come on! Shoot me!" Genevieve challenged. "I want to see if you have the guts!"

Aurora was breathing erratically thanks to the adrenaline coursing through her veins and the seconds she had spent without air in her lungs. Genevieve was right. She didn't have the courage to kill a person. Even holding a gun was suffocating after everything she had been through.

But nothing stopped her from slapping Genevieve in the face, and that's exactly what she did. The brunette fell to her knees on the floor and started crying uncontrollably.

"It's pointless... none of this will help... he would come after you, as he always has!" Genevieve shouted with all her remaining strength.

Despite having almost choked her to death a minute ago, Genevieve seemed vulnerable there on the floor, clutching her own knees. Tears continued to roll down her cheeks as she huddled tighter into her own embrace, like a mere fragile and frightened being whispering to herself that everything would be fine.

While making the call for help, Aurora felt sorry for Genevieve.

***

There was a great commotion in the corridors of the police station, as on any other day, but it got worse after Tristan's arrival, consumed by strong and nervous emotions, demanding information with a forceful and impatient tone. Xavier was by his side, urging him to remain calm, as it was a terrible idea to confront a police officer inside a police station.

When the chief approached, Tristan got straight to the point.

"Where is she?"

"The young lady was very agitated when we brought her here, so we left her in my office at the end of the corridor."

"But what exactly happened? Was anyone injured?"

"It was an attempted kidnapping. Genevieve was armed, but there were no shots fired. The young lady confronted her even at a disadvantage, and both left with bruises, nothing too serious. It seems there are two other men involved in the case, but none of them were present at the scene at the time..."

"Damn it," Tristan muttered, his thoughts a mess. He had felt so many things in just a few hours. Worry, anguish, fear... He pulled his hand through his hair in agony. If he saw them in front of him, he wouldn't hesitate to start an assault. Just thinking about what they could have done to Aurora...

He needed to see her, right at that moment, he needed to see how she was.

"Xavier, take care of this for me... I want those bastards behind bars!" Xavier quickly agreed. The chief nodded to a police officer in the corner of the room, instructing him to escort Tristan to the victim. The officer led him, opened the door to the office where the girl was sitting on a small couch, looking pensive and still a bit frightened. When she saw him enter, relief washed over her, and she got up.

"Tristan!" Aurora stood up. The businessman walked over to her and held her face to press his lips forcefully against hers, a mixture of fear and relief.

"Are you okay?" The words began pouring out of his mouth rapidly. "Are you hurt? Do you feel any pain?" He looked at every part of her face searching for injuries.

"I'm fine..." Aurora tried to calm him.

"I'll take you to the hospital." He ignored what she had said. "I just need to call Griffin..."

"She can't leave." The police officer at the door interrupted. "She still needs to give her statement."

"Damn it." Tristan muttered, causing the girl to let out a weak laugh.

"I don't need any exams, I'm okay, I swear."

He took a deep breath, feeling so many things in a matter of hours. Concern, anguish, fear... He pulled his hand through his hair in agony. If he saw them in front of him, he wouldn't hesitate to start an assault. Just thinking about what they could have done to Aurora...

***

In a dark room at the police station, Tristan sat at a table facing Genevieve, who was handcuffed. The woman's appearance was deplorable, with disheveled hair, smeared makeup, and red eyes from crying, yet she smiled when she saw him.

"I'm so sorry," he confessed with an extremely frank tone.

"Sorry for what?"

"For you not getting over it," he leaned over the table, placing his clasped hands on it. "Genevieve... you were smart and had so much potential. You could have had a great future."

Her face brightened.

"Do you really think all that of me?" She smiled and also leaned forward. "Tristan, I love you so much... I know I'll be in prison, but not for long. When I get out, we can be a happy family."

Tristan felt a tightness in his chest. Genevieve was very sick, and he tried not to think that it was his fault.

"While I'm in prison, please take care of Christian. Promise me. Say you'll take care of our son."

He nodded to reassure her, at the very least.

"I promise."