Chapter 18: In Which He Grew Impatient

What’s the meaning of this? Aurora read the text again, her anger rising rapidly, filling her eyes with the familiar overwhelming hotness.

That sick b*stard thought she could get the money from Theo. Sicko! She can't possibly ask Theo for money. If she did, she would be exactly as Audrey had described her - a gold digger.

“Babe?”

Theo was already reaching the club car when he felt no one behind him. He turned back and saw Aurora dead in her tracks, staring at her phone in anguish. He called out to her and when she saw him, she immediately turned away.

His expression switched into a grim one as he strode back to her. She is not letting him out on this one, he thought angrily.

In three long strides, he was behind her. He called her a few times but she didn’t move, so he grabbed her trembling shoulders and turned her around.

She looked like she was about to cry. Her eyes were red and moistened.

He called her name again and asked her what's wrong. She took one look at him and stepped into his embrace.

Immediately, his arms went around her.

She's frustrated, Theo thought as he tightened his hold. Her small frame molded perfectly against him; his large physique completely enveloped her.

"What's wrong?"

"Don't ask, Theo, please," she replied into his shirt.

"I'm not letting this go. Tell me."

Her head shot up and she stared back with wet eyes and scalded cheeks. "You're not my boyfriend."

"Tell me."

He wasn't planning to let her off easily this time. Aurora stretched her already strained mind to come up with a plausible story.

"Trish…," Aurora sniffled. "She was being harassed." Sorry Trish, Aurora apologized silently.

Theo furrowed his brows. "That's all?" Without releasing her, he reached up to wipe the damp corner of her eyes. "All this for Trish? It must have been really bad or she must really mean a lot to you."

"Well, she's my best friend," Aurora sniffed.

Theo pushed her head back against his chest and hugged her again. "D*mn, another one that I should be jealous of. How many others do you have? Just list them all."

Aurora chuckled into his shirt.

"I like the sound of your laughter," he sighed over her head.

When Aurora felt calmer, she unwound herself from Theo and moved away. But he held onto her arm.

"What happened to Trish? Anything I can do to help?"

He looked genuinely concerned. Feeling guilty for lying to him again, Aurora focused on his shoulder instead.

"It was a stalker. He's been sending her threatening messages. She's filing a report on this, so it's all good."

"Then, why are you crying?"

"I'm just… relieved, that's all. These are tears of relief."

"I see."

He didn't look convinced so Aurora added, "I imagined what the stalker could do to her and got carried away."

Looking at her fleeting eyes, Theo knew she was still hiding something. She still doesn't trust him, Theo thought and felt his frustration growing. Chill, big guy, he calmed himself. She just needs more time.

But Theo's running out of patience.

"It's getting late. Let's go." He took her hand and led her back to the car.


******


He wasn't talking to her.

Throughout dinner, Theo ate quietly, giving occasional nods and smiles to the people at their table.

His silence was unusual, so it irked her. What was bothering him - she wanted to know. She didn’t like it when he wasn’t responding in his usual cheer.

You keep pushing a man away and he’ll get pissed at some point - you should know that, Aurora. Yes, she does. But even so, she didn’t want him to be like this - cold and impassive. She wanted the old Theo back.

So she tried all sorts of excuses to get him to talk.

“This steak is really good! Isn’t it, Theo?”

Theo nodded at his plate with a tiny smile.

“I heard the prawns are delicious too - shall I get some for you?”

“Theo doesn’t like prawns,” Audrey answered from across them.

Aurora froze in her smile. She didn’t know that. In fact, she knew nothing about Theo.

Audrey lifted her gaze and smirked in triumph. “Why didn’t you know, Aurora? Aren’t you his girlfriend? Perhaps we can have a little chat, so you can take some notes. We don’t want Theo to lose his appetite, do we?”

Aurora’s mind went blank for a moment. She turned to Theo and he was focused on his steak, completely ignoring her. A familiar sensation grew at the back of her eyes.

Don’t cry, she warned herself silently. You are no longer that sheltered, young and innocent Aurora. You are much stronger now. At the thought, Aurora turned to Audrey with the sweetest smile she could conjure up.

“Sure! I thought you would mind. It was quite nasty when you both broke up, but I was wrong about you, Audrey! You’re actually a kind and generous person.”

Audrey instantly steamed up and her ears crimsoned into bright red. She looked like a tomato who just emerged from a steam bath.

"Aurora, I know it's rude to ask, but Sophia's been telling me a lot about her fortune-telling session with you, and I'm very curious. Do you mind giving me a little reading?" Kate asked with a lovely, embarrassed smile.

"You'll love it, Kate!" Sophia shrieked. "She's really good."

"Sure," Aurora mustered a polite smile and glanced at Theo.

He was reading something off his phone and he didn't look pleased.

A dreaded chill crawled up her neck. Did that sicko send something to Theo? Since he was able to take the photo, he must be here. But there are all billionaires here!

Kate stretched out her palm and Aurora was jarred back to the present. She blinked and studied the palm.

At this point, Theo stood, excused himself briskly and left.

"Tell her what you want to know, Kate," Sophia advised from her experience.

"Oh! Alright. I want to know when I'll have a baby." Kate blushed and peeked at her husband who had been following the conversation and grinned back.

Aurora couldn't take her mind off Theo and had to blink twice to register Kate's words. Focus, Aurora! She mentally scolded herself, then smiled warmly at the princess.

"Let's see." She traced the lines on Kate's palms and observed her face. With a broad grin, she whispered, "Nature has the best bloom."

Kate widened her eyes in a slow realization and clasped Aurora's hands together. "Thank you, Aurora! I will not fret too much about it. How did you know I was worried?"

"It's a secret, Kate," Gill chuckled lightly and hugged his wife. "A fortune-teller only tells - right, Aurora?"

Aurora nodded as Sophia responded, "Yeah!"

"Audrey! It was as you said. Every--." Kate looked across the table at Audrey but her seat was empty.

"Oh dear, I was so absorbed I didn't see her leave." Kate creased her brows sheepishly. "I'll fill her in when she's back."

Gill casually spoke up as he placed the bite-sized steak onto Kate's plate, "She left after Theo did, so she probably missed the whole thing. Tell her everything when she's back."

A dense feeling swirled in Aurora's stomach. Audrey left after Theo? Are they meeting somewhere in private?