CHAPTER 3

He watched as she took out a pack of cigarettes, pulled one from the box, took out her gold lighter and light up her cigarette. She felt as if she was home, he thought. What made such a kid to smoke? Didn't she know that it wasn't healthy at all?

After watching her for like two minutes he walked up to her. He stopped behind her and she turned her head around and smiled at him.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to spoil your garden but I was getting a little bit bored,” she said and turned around to fully face him.

She stomped on the cigarette and threw a sweet in her mouth.

“I'm just wondering why a young girl like you took up smoking.”

“Let's just say life isn't fair and can make you do things you never thought would be possible.”

“So, what did life do to you?” he asked.

“I wish I could answer that but I'm afraid I don't discuss my private life with friend's parents,” she said.

“Is that so? So let me ask you a question Aurora. What are you really doing here?”

“I wish I could tell you the answer to that question but I don't have. I'm asking myself that question too. Why did I agree to come to a sixteen-year-old birthday and let myself drown into boredom? Now I just want to go home.”

“I just hope that you stay away from my daughter. I don't want her to be influenced by someone like you,” he told her.

“I do understand. I wouldn't want my child near me too. Since you told me that I guess I should just take my leave and find something interesting to do. I fulfilled my promise to your daughter and showed up for her birthday. I will send her a text and tell that something came up, so you don't have to worry Mr. Ladra. Take care of yourself, there is so many wolves out there to get you,” she said and walked away.

How could such a young girl have guts to utter so many words like that?

For now, he would just let her be and wait for his P.A to come up with something. After a while he just felt worried about her so he went to his underground parking and took one of his cars.

His underground parking took him directly to one of the roads which made him to avoid disturbing the kids who were having a time of their life. He was driving wondering where that girl went when he saw her walking down the road as if it wasn't dark and at night.

She was walking as if she owns the road and there was no danger at all. He continued to watch her until he couldn't and drove straight to where she was and he stopped his car. He rolled down the window and called her; that's when she stopped and she looked at him.

“What have I done wrong again sir? I have left the party, haven't I?”

“Get in, I will send you back home.”

“Are you worried about me?”

“No, I'm not. I just want to make sure that you won't turn around and come back,” he said.

Aurora opened the door and settled herself in, he could see that silky skin not covered by the mini dress she was wearing and she doesn't seem to care at all.

“Where do you stay?”

Aurora told him where she was staying and he just sighed, his feelings were a bit complicated. He drove her to where she told him and he couldn't believe it. Why would she be staying in such an environment? It wasn't safe at all.

“Thank you for the ride,” she said and got off.

He didn't leave and watched her walk down the road before turning and entering a building. After making sure that she was in, he then drove off and returned back to his mansion.

He parked his car and returned to his office and met his daughter who was looking for him.

“Where were you?” she asked, her voice filled with so much concern for her father.

“I had to do something. Is anything wrong?” he asked in a dotting tone.

“It's Rora, she just texted me and told me that there was an emergency. I didn't get to say goodbye,” she spoke in a disappointed tone.

“By Rora you mean Aurora?” he asked feigning ignorance.

“Yes, her.”

“You will see her again. You already have her number, which is something,” he said trying to comfort her.

“Yes, that's true. She had promised me that she would sleep here, guess she is mad at me,” Jewel said lowering her voice.

“Why would she be mad at you?” now he was curious and eager to know.

“She gave me a present and I reacted badly, only to find out that it belonged to her mother and she is gone too. I didn't know what to do so I made a lame excuse and left her alone. I feel bad and she is gone,” she spoke sadly.

“Can I see the present?” he was curious to know about this heirloom.

“Sure,” she said as she quickly agreed and gave him the present.

He couldn't believe his eyes. He knew that hairpin and now he was curious as to who gave Aurora that hairpin too.

“Do you mind if I keep this with me for a while?” he tried his best to cave in his excitement.

“No, just don't throw it away.”

“I won't, now go and have a nice party and behave.”

“I will daddy, I love you.”

“I love you too.”

His daughter left and he locked himself in the office. He went through his albums and found the one he was looking for; the family album. He went through all pictures and found the one he wanted.

It was a picture of two beautiful women standing next to each other and wearing identical gold butterfly hairpins, the same hairpin as the one he was holding right now. How did Aurora get this when these two hairpins belonged to his mother and her younger sister?

What was the real identity of Aurora and what was her motive for entering his daughter's life?

He was going to strip her naked and turn every stone that would be in his way.