CHAPTER 18

His mother rarely visited the office. Since she was here then it might be something important. He stood up and met his mother as she entered the office. He kissed her on both cheeks and helped her to sit on the couch.
“I wasn't expecting to see you here. Is everything okay?” he asked as soon as they were both seated.
“Everything is fine. I just wanted to see you,” she smiled at her son.
“You aren't diagnosed with some strange disease, are you?” Lucian was a bit worried when he heard this from his mom.
“I'm fit and strong dear. I'm just happy that you are getting married,” she told him tears filling her eyes.
“Mother, please don't do this,” now he was worried.
“I'm sorry; it's just that I never thought I get to see this. I'm just happy and wanted to say thank you,” Joan was feeling emotional and failed to stop herself.
“Mother please, I'm just doing my duty, there is no need for you to cry,” he said softly giving her his handkerchief to wipe away the tears.
His mother wiped away her tears and looked at him with those eyes that spoke so much.
“I need you to promise me one thing,” she said suddenly taking Lucian by surprise.
“Whatever you want I will do it. Just name it,” he vowed holding her hands now.
“Promise me that whatever happens, you will never leave her!” she said seriously and he wondered who she was talking about now.
“Who are you talking about mother? I'm confused,” Lucian asked.
“Aurora, don't leave her. I won't be able to accept it,” she shook her head as she said this.
“You really like her that much?” Lucian was surprised with this.
“I do and I wouldn't want anything to happen to her. Since you decided to marry her then keep your promise,” Joan kept her stance.
“I will not leave her no matter what,” he promised.
“I will leave now. I need to look for a wedding gown now. Aurora knows nothing and left me in charge,” she said while standing up.
“Aurora told me about that. I won't keep you here then. I will see you tomorrow for dinner,” he said and kissed her.
“Sure, take care of yourself.”
Lucian escorted his mother to the elevator and watched her disappear.
When he returned back to the office, he was full of questions. His mother probably knew something about Aurora and she wasn't saying it. What would that be to make his mother make him promise like that?
It's been years since he saw her shedding tears like that. There was more to the story than what his mother was letting on.
***
Joan Ladra walked into the cemetery holding the bouquet of aster flowers. Her younger sister loved them so much and she wanted to see her before doing what she was about to do.
She placed the bouquet on her grave and traced her fingers on the tombstone. Her sister had been dead for about five years now and now her secret was showing up.
On her death bed June confessed to her that nearly two decades ago she had another baby. When Joan heard this, she couldn't believe it since she had never seen her little sister being pregnant again. June told her that she had an affair and her husband didn't know about it.
She didn't want to abort the pregnancy so she made some excuses and went abroad until she gave birth to a baby girl. She couldn't keep the baby so she sent her to an orphanage so that she could be sent to a loving family. She sent the baby with just a hairpin, the hairpins that the two of them shared.
When she heard about Aurora from Jewel, she didn't think much about it until the day she saw her for herself. Aurora had a stricken resemblance to June; Jun did a lot of surgeries which altered her real appearance but she was after all her sister and she could recognize her any time. Aurora was just like June which made her think about what June told her back then.
She did an investigation herself and found some shocking news. Aurora was her niece and she was getting married to her son. She wanted to keep her by her side and at the same time she didn't want to destroy the joy her son had found. She wasn't a fool; she could tell when her son was in love and she wasn't going to cause harm to her son.
“I found her June, she is beautiful. You would have been proud of her,” she said before continuing, “I will look after her and protect her on your behalf.”
Joan left the cemetery and returned back home. Upon reaching home she went to the safe room where valuable items were kept. She found June's wedding dress where she left it. She was going to make Aurora wear her mother's dress. That was the only thing she could do as her aunt.
She took the dress out and called her seamstress.
“I need you to do some touch ups on this dress,” she instructed her.
“It's for the wedding this weekend?”
“Yes, the sizes are exactly like Jewel. You can use those,” Joan said.
“Okay, I will alter it and bring it back before the wedding.”
“Okay, go and sort it now. I don't want any problems.”
“There won't be any, Joan.”
The seamstress left and Joan took a deep breath. There were still a couple of things she had to do. Since Aurora's mother were no longer in the world then she was going to do her part and make sure she wed in a grand manner.
***
Aurora was sitting in the café she used to work at having a cup of hot chocolate when an unexpected guest landed at her table. The woman looked familiar, it was Jewel's mother and she wondered why this woman was there.
“You must be, Aurora,” she said as she sat down.
“And you must be Lucy,” Aurora said in return.