Chapter 403 Realizing What's At Stake

• Aurora’s P.O.V
• The door shut behind Jade with a low thud that seemed to echo longer than necessary, and then… silence. Ashton stood with his jaw clenched and hands slightly trembling at his sides, a mixture of guilt and anger in his eyes. I could see it — the way he wrestled with the weight of things he couldn’t control. I let the silence sit for a few seconds longer, because even though I wanted to break it, I also didn’t want to rush into the moment and startle him.
• “I don’t blame you,” I finally said, my voice low, careful. “What happened… it’s not your fault.”