A devastating car crash ripped Ashton’s world apart, turning a brilliant future into a broken present.
He tried everything – jumping, cutting, a desperate, endless search for oblivion, determined to turn himself from a broken man into nothing at all.
It wasn’t until I came into his life that Ashton found a reason to live again.
He threw himself into grueling physical therapy, even undergoing procedures to minimize the jagged scars on his wrists.
He diligently relearned the ropes of corporate management, all because I’d once whispered,
“I just want you to live, Ashton. Really live.”
Everyone said I’d pulled Ashton back from the brink of death, that I *was* his life.
But in the four years we’d been together, while Ashton showered me with countless treasures, he never once publicly acknowledged our relationship.
Then, on our four-year anniversary, I suddenly received a call from Ashton’s friend, Liam.
“Aurora, Ashton’s gone insane! He’s risking his life for a stupid badge, insisting on trying that extreme alpine skiing challenge!”
My hand trembled, clutching the phone. I knew exactly what that challenge was.
Rushing down an impossibly high snowy mountain – one wrong move and he could die on the spot.
“Put Ashton on the phone!”
But Ashton never came to the phone.
The call abruptly disconnected, leaving me with a gut-wrenching sense of dread. Ignoring everything, I sped towards the ski resort.
But the moment I arrived, the scene before me made my mind go completely blank.
“Ashton, are you really going to get that badge for me? Won’t it be too dangerous?”
A girl who looked eerily like me, a solid six or seven out of ten resemblance, stood beside Ashton.
Though her words feigned concern, her clear, bright eyes betrayed her, fixated on that badge with an undeniable longing.
“Wait for me.”
Ashton looked at the girl, the raw affection in his eyes was so thick, so palpable, it felt like it could never melt away.
That intense emotion, witnessed by me, was incredibly piercing.
He was risking his life for a badge that *this* girl wanted!
I rushed forward, blocking Ashton’s path.
“Ashton! Your legs just barely recovered! You can’t afford another accident, don’t go!”
Ashton’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly when he saw me, but in the end, he still raised a hand and pushed me away.
“Don’t get in my way.”
Amidst the gasps of the crowd, Ashton stepped onto the ski platform.
I watched Ashton, so stubbornly set on his path, and my heart went cold, dropping like a stone.
Since Ashton confessed his feelings to me four years ago, he had never dismissed my existence so completely, nor had he treated his life so recklessly.
My eyes were locked on Ashton, terrified to even blink.
I was so afraid something terrible would happen to him.
Thankfully, Ashton had a smooth run, with only the final stretch of the cliff remaining.
That’s when everything changed.
Ashton’s right leg suddenly buckled. I instantly realized it was his old injury flaring up.
Before anyone could even process what was happening, I broke through the safety barriers at the finish line, pounced forward, positioning myself to break Ashton’s fall.
“Ugh!”
I managed to break Ashton’s fall, but the combined weight of him and his equipment, along with the impact of the fall, slammed into me.
A choked gasp escaped my lips, and I uncontrollably coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Ashton had just started to check on me when someone hugged him from behind.
“Oh, Ashton! Ashton, you were incredible!”
The girl stood on her tiptoes and kissed Ashton’s cheek. I watched Ashton’s retreating figure, never coming closer to me, and then I completely passed out.
In and out of consciousness, I heard voices.
“Liam, you protected Seraphina in that car accident, but she abandoned you and went abroad. Now that she’s back, you’re risking your life for her again.”
“You even hurt Aurora. She broke five ribs protecting you. Are you really going to abandon her and go back to Seraphina?”
A heavy silence stretched between them before I heard Ashton’s voice.
“My heart has always belonged to Seraphina.”
“As for Aurora, she filled a void these past few years, a stand-in for Seraphina. I’ll make sure she’s compensated.”
2.
“Seraphina twisted her ankle on the way here. I’m going to check on her first. As for Aurora, you guys make sure the doctors take good care of her.”
When my consciousness fully returned, there was only one man visiting me in the hospital room.
“Mr. Julian.”
“You’re awake?”
Julian handed me a glass of warm water and pressed the call button by the bed.
I didn’t take the water. Every breath I took felt like steel needles piercing my lungs.
I remembered the conversation I’d overheard while unconscious.
Suddenly, everything clicked into place.
Why, out of all the students the Pei family had sponsored, Julian had specifically picked me to get close to Ashton.
I was just a substitute for Seraphina.
And now, the real one was back.
“Mr. Julian, Ashton doesn’t need me anymore. The person he truly loves is back.”
“Our contract is up in seven days. Please arrange for me to leave then.”
Julian seemed surprised by my decision to leave, but after Ashton’s callous actions, he didn’t object.
“In seven days, I’ll have everything arranged for you.”
I stared at the stark white ceiling, lost in thought again.
Four years ago, I graduated with Julian’s sponsorship, the CEO of the Pei Group.
After graduation, Julian only made one request of me.
“Spend four years by my nephew’s side, help him overcome the trauma of his car accident. If you succeed, I’ll give you fifty million.”
I’d heard about the accident.
Months earlier, the news had reported that Ashton Pei, the young heir of the Pei family, had been in a severe car crash.
He had virtually no sensation in his legs, and the doctors offered little hope for recovery.
Julian had been kind to me, and fifty million was a massive reward. I had no reason to refuse.
Under Julian’s arrangement, I became a nurse at the hospital where Ashton was recovering.
The first time we met, a flicker of light returned to Ashton’s eyes.
From that day on, Ashton began to pursue me.
Whatever I desired, fame or fortune, Ashton was ready to lay it all at my feet.
But whether it was jewelry worth millions, or public displays like a sea of roses that had the whole city talking, nothing moved me.
It wasn’t until my fingers brushed against the jagged scars on Ashton’s wrist that I finally spoke my first wish.
“Ashton, I just want you to live well.”
Ashton froze for a long moment, then responded with his actions.
Even when physical therapy left him sweating profusely from the pain, Ashton never gave up, because I was there by his side.
In just six months, Ashton’s legs had fully recovered—it was nothing short of a medical miracle.
That same day, I moved into Ashton’s mansion, and we officially became a couple.
From then on, I became the key to Ashton’s compliance, his every action hinged on my word.
Ashton was completely obedient and gentle with me.
I believed we would be like this forever.
Now, it seemed all that special treatment was only because I was Seraphina’s stand-in.
Everything I received was merely a proxy for her.
After Julian left, I couldn’t hold back my tears any longer.
I’d fallen for my target, and that was my biggest mistake.
Ashton no longer needed me, and I wouldn’t cling to him.
Leaving was the best choice.
I recuperated in the hospital for half a month.
The day I was preparing for discharge, Ashton, who hadn’t contacted me at all, suddenly sent a message.
“Come to the Cloud Terrace Hotel immediately.”
Before I could even reply, a group of burly bodyguards burst into my hospital room.
“Ms. Aurora, Mr. Ashton sent us to escort you.”
Though they said “escort,” their actions were anything but gentle.
The IV needle was violently ripped from my arm, tearing my skin and leaving a trail of blood.
They forcibly dragged me into a car.
3.
When we arrived at the Cloud Terrace Hotel, I realized Ashton was hosting a welcome party for Seraphina there today.
Ashton saw me, still in my hospital gown, and his brow furrowed slightly.
“What happened to you?”
Ashton’s tone was sharp, but not directed at me.
He simply saw my pale, sickly face and the bloodstains on my hand, and an inexplicable anger flared within him.
The bodyguards exchanged glances, unsure how to reply, when Seraphina, who had been the center of attention, walked over.
She casually linked her arm through Ashton’s.
“Ashton, didn’t you say you invited Ms. Aurora here to make an announcement?”
I, who had been silent, looked up at Ashton.
He had ignored my physical condition, forcibly bringing me to Seraphina’s welcome party.
What exactly did he want to announce?
More and more guests gathered, and seeing me, who bore a striking resemblance to Seraphina, they couldn’t help but whisper.
Hearing their chatter, Ashton suppressed the confusing swirl of emotions in his chest and walked over to me with Seraphina.
“There have been some baseless rumors circulating about me, and I need to set the record straight.”
“Aurora was merely the nurse who cared for me during my recovery. There has never been anything more than a friendship between us.”
“Seraphina and I have known each other since we were kids, and our families have always intended for us to be together.
You could say we’ve been unofficially engaged since childhood.”
“All these years, Seraphina has been the only one I’ve been waiting for.”
“Now that my fiancée is back, I don’t want her to be upset by any false rumors.”
Ashton’s last sentence held a veiled threat, but I couldn’t respond.
The word “friendship” completely erased any blurred lines between Ashton and me.
So, all these years without a title, it was just Ashton clearing the path to openly give that title to another woman.
Even calling me here today was just to “clarify” our relationship and prevent Seraphina from being upset.
But in those four years, when had Ashton and I ever kept to the boundaries of “friends”?
His words were like a blunt knife, slowly, agonizingly carving into my heart, leaving me raw and bleeding.
My fractured ribs flared with pain again, and my face grew even paler.
But no one cared about my feelings. The guests applauded enthusiastically.
Amidst the applause, Seraphina, feigning emotion, flung herself into Ashton’s arms.
“Ashton, thank you for waiting for me all this time.”
Ashton gently wiped away Seraphina’s tears, his charming eyes gazing at her with profound affection.
“My heart has always belonged to you.”
I stood there, stunned, watching Ashton and Seraphina’s interaction. At some point, tears blurred my vision.
The two in front of me looked so perfect together.
And I was merely a witness to their happiness.
Though my four years with Ashton had begun as a transaction, through our daily interactions, I had long since given him my heart.
I couldn’t bear to watch another second. I turned to leave, but several strangers blocked my way.
“You, a mere stand-in, occupied Seraphina’s place for so long. Letting you just walk away is too easy.”
Sensing their malice, I turned to run, but they caught me anyway.
They dragged me towards a less crowded area.
I screamed for help, but the guests who saw me were unwilling to offend these people for my sake.
Ashton, the only one who might have saved me, was engrossed in kissing Seraphina and didn’t notice the commotion.
“What do you want?”
“Just to teach you a little lesson, so you’ll know to stay away from Ashton.”
As soon as she spoke, I was roughly shoved into a nearby pond.
I struggled to surface, but they fiercely held my head down, forcing me deeper underwater.
The intense pain of suffocation gradually stole my ability to fight.
More and more water flooded my already injured lungs and chest.
Before I completely lost consciousness, I dimly saw a figure plunge into the water, rushing desperately toward me.
4.
“Cough, cough…”
I awoke with a violent cough. Staring at the stark white ceiling, the antiseptic smell reminded me that I had been saved.
The doctor stood nearby, a hint of pity in his eyes.
“Ms. Aurora, fractured ribs, lung infection. Another incident like this, and we might not be able to save you.”
I heard his words but couldn’t make a single expression.
The doctor shook his head and left. Only then did I feel like I’d found my breath again.
I gasped for breath, looking at the empty room, and realized I was still that unwanted orphan, utterly alone.
“Did you jump in on purpose?”
Ashton’s voice came from the doorway. He leaned against the doorframe, his gaze icy as it fell on me.
“What?”
Ashton saw my pale face and somewhat bewildered expression, and his face actually darkened further.
“You knew that party was for Seraphina. After I confessed my feelings to her, you chose to ruin the party in *this* way.”
Hearing Ashton’s words, I felt an incredulous surge of disbelief.
I had been pushed into the water, even held down, almost drowned in that pond!
And now Ashton was here accusing me of malice!
“I didn’t!”
“I was pushed into the water! If you don’t believe me, check the surveillance footage!”
Ashton’s gaze grew even colder, laced with impatience and even more disappointment.
“The surveillance around the pool conveniently broke down two days ago. I asked everyone there, and they all saw you jump into the pool willingly. What else do you have to say for yourself?”
I felt like my breath was completely choked off.
My face grew even paler.
My fingers dug so hard into my palms, leaving deep crescents, I could almost feel the skin break.
My aching lungs and fractured ribs still throbbed with relentless pain.
I’d thought after four years, Ashton would trust me, even just a little. Just a little.
But without evidence, Ashton still chose to believe strangers over me.
Ashton’s eyes filled with increasing disappointment, already convinced my reaction was the silence of someone caught red-handed.
“You ruined the party. You need to apologize to Seraphina.”
I stared at Ashton, aghast.
Seraphina’s friends pushed me into the water, I almost lost my life, and now I had to apologize to *Seraphina*?
But in Ashton’s eyes, this was me being unrepentant.
“I originally wanted to spare you some dignity. Now, it seems completely unnecessary.”
Ashton let out a cold laugh.
Bodyguards streamed in, and despite my struggles, they forcibly dragged me out of the hospital room.
Ashton had intended to take me to Seraphina’s family to apologize, but just outside the room, he saw Seraphina in the hospital corridor.
“Seraphina, why are you here?”
“I had the housekeeper make some soup. I wanted to come see Ms. Aurora.”
“Perfect. I was just about to bring her to you to apologize.”
At Ashton’s signal, the bodyguards forced me to my knees before Seraphina.
Many passing doctors, nurses, and patients in the hospital corridor stopped to watch the spectacle.
My dignity was trampled into the ground.
“Apologize.”
As Ashton’s words fell, my forehead was pressed down hard against the floor.
Pain and shame intertwined, and my tears flowed uncontrollably.
The crisp thud of my forehead hitting the tiled floor echoed through the hospital corridor.
Seraphina watched for a moment before finally speaking up to stop it.
“Alright, alright, I don’t blame Ms. Aurora. I think what happened last night was just an accident.”
Seraphina walked closer to me. The bodyguards released their hold.
“Ms. Aurora, please get up.”
As Seraphina moved to help me up from the floor, her heel landed squarely on the wound on my hand.
5.
I cried out in agony, instinctively trying to pull my hand away.
Seraphina, however, lost her balance, spilling the entire contents of her thermos of hot soup all over me.
“Seraphina! Are you okay?”
Ashton steadied the falling Seraphina.
Seeing a splash of hot soup had reddened her hand, his eyes filled with distress.
“I’m fine, it’s just Ms. Aurora…”
Prompted by Seraphina, Ashton finally saw my wretched state.
The skin on my neck and shoulder was scalded red, covered in large blisters.
It was just a fraction of an inch away from scalding my entire face.
Ashton’s breath hitched, a wave of concern churning in his chest, but he forcibly suppressed it.
“I saw everything. If she hadn’t tried to push you away, the soup wouldn’t have accidentally spilled.”
“She deserved it.”
My tears and blood mingled, dripping onto the floor.
Listening to their conversation, my heart shattered completely.
I leaned against the wall, enduring the pain, and left without a word of protest.
Ashton’s heart had always, from the very beginning, belonged to Seraphina.
He would believe anything she said.
All I could do was wait until the contract ended and leave for good.
After having my burns treated at the hospital, I went to the house Ashton and I used to share.
I packed up all my belongings.
There were matching toothbrushes, identical towels – all couple’s items Ashton had insisted we use together.
Thinking of that phrase, “she deserved it,” I expressionlessly threw them all into the trash.
I opened the closet, looking at the array of gentle, feminine dresses.
I suddenly felt a pang of disorientation.
This wasn’t my usual style of clothing, but Ashton had always insisted on buying these kinds of dresses for me.
I’d once asked him why, and Ashton had replied that these dresses suited me.
Then I remembered that Seraphina always wore similar styles when she appeared.
So, when Ashton bought me these clothes, did he truly think they suited me, or was he just trying to see more of Seraphina’s reflection in me?
The thought flashed through my mind for a brief second, but I didn’t dwell on it. Ashton and I had no connection anymore.
I also gathered every piece of jewelry Ashton had given me, from million-dollar gemstone necklaces to hundred-thousand-dollar earrings.
Ashton had said these things, once given, were mine.
I planned to sell them all and donate the money to orphans who, like me, had a tragic past.
As I was organizing, I heard Julian’s assistant’s voice from the doorway.
He hadn’t found me at the hospital, so he’d tracked me down here.
“Ms. Aurora, these are the things you’ll need.”
Because of Julian’s instructions, the assistant was extremely polite to me.
I looked at the plane tickets and visa in his hand, a little surprised.
I thought Julian would wait until the very last day to send these.
“Thank you.”
“Please don’t mention it. Mr. Julian instructed me that if you need anything else, just ask. This is the Pei family’s way of making amends.”
“I don’t need anything else. This is enough.”
I clutched the plane tickets and visa tightly.
“Alright.”
After clarifying the departure time and arrangements, the assistant left.
I looked at the plane tickets and visa in my hand; they represented my future.
The items felt heavy in my grasp, but my heart felt lighter than ever before.
I finished packing and was about to leave the mansion when Ashton returned.
Seeing the luggage I’d packed, his face didn’t look too good.
“What are you doing?”
6.
I looked at him, subtly hiding the plane ticket in my hand.
“My belongings.”
“After all, Seraphina is back. She wouldn’t be happy if I continued to live here, would she?”
Ashton looked at my face, nodding slightly.
“Hmm, you’re right.”
“Seraphina is back. It’s truly not appropriate for you to stay here.”
“I can find you another place.”
Ashton didn’t hear my reply, finding my silence unusual.
He was about to say something else when he caught sight of the plane ticket in my hand.
Ashton grabbed my hand and snatched the ticket away.
The ticket clearly showed the destination: France.
“You’re going abroad?!”
“Why are you going to France? I don’t recall you having any reason to leave the country.”
I didn’t understand Ashton’s meaning.
Seraphina was back, and I was leaving according to his wishes. Shouldn’t he be happy?
Ashton waved the ticket, staring intently at me, almost as if he wanted to drill a hole through me with his gaze.
“Ashton, Seraphina is back. Don’t you want me to leave?”
My words struck a chord with Ashton, stirring up emotions he couldn’t quite sort out himself. He looked at me, then tore the ticket to shreds.
“Are you doing this on purpose? Are you trying to get my attention this way?”
“Aurora, I’ve already announced that Seraphina is my fiancée.”
“Don’t cross that line.”
I stared at the shredded ticket, my lips pressed together, unable to speak.
I was truly leaving; I wasn’t playing games.
“Just be good. Don’t do anything else unnecessary.”
“I…”
At that moment, a phone call interrupted my impending goodbye.
Ashton answered the phone. After he hung up, his face darkened considerably as he looked at me.
“Aurora, I warned you not to do anything else unnecessary. Why are you making things difficult for Seraphina?”
I didn’t understand why Ashton’s topic had shifted so abruptly. When had I ever made things difficult for Seraphina?
“What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything to her.”
Ashton looked at me, his eyes full of disappointment.
“Seraphina is missing right now! Seraphina’s friend said she went to meet you before she disappeared!”
My heart seized in my chest as I met Ashton’s disappointed gaze.
I’d been by Ashton’s side for four years; I thought he knew me, that I would never do such things.
But Ashton would never believe me, just as we had never truly understood each other in those four years.
“I didn’t.”
“You can check the surveillance. I only came here after leaving the hospital; I haven’t seen Seraphina.”
Ashton clenched my hand tightly, his eyes bloodshot.
“Aurora, I’m giving you one last chance.”
“Where did you take Seraphina?”
I swallowed the bitterness in my heart and spoke each word clearly: “I don’t know.”
“I told you, I haven’t seen her!”
“You’re clearly not interested in dignity.”
I was dragged to the mansion’s basement.
It was dank and gloomy, filled with an array of chilling torture devices.
“Ashton, what are you going to do?!”
My voice was hoarse and trembling as I looked at the instruments.
But Ashton merely stood coldly by the doorway, watching me.
“Tell me when you’ll talk, and I’ll let you go.”
The bodyguards grabbed my hair and dragged me to the center of the basement, fastening a finger vice onto my hand.
“Let me go!”
I struggled, and my defiance only made the bodyguards more aggressive.
They yanked hard, and the vice tightened. I could feel my fingers being squeezed inch by agonizing inch.
The pain was excruciating, shooting straight from my fingers to my heart.
A guttural scream tore from my throat.
“Ah—”
“No, please, I really don’t know! I didn’t kidnap Seraphina…”
7.
Wave after wave of agonized screams echoed from the basement, chilling anyone who heard them to the bone.
I couldn’t understand why Ashton could treat me like this.
Even without love, could he be so heartless?
Ashton, meanwhile, had left the mansion as soon as he locked me in the basement, determined to find Seraphina himself.
An hour later, Seraphina suddenly appeared in his office.
“Ashton, look! I specially bought you a gift!”
Ashton was momentarily stunned to see her. Hadn’t I kidnapped her?
“Seraphina, where were you?”
“Why couldn’t I reach you?”
“Didn’t your friend say you were going to meet Aurora?”
Ashton clutched Seraphina’s shoulders, staring at her.
Seraphina seemed startled by his intensity, her eyes welling with tears, looking somewhat wronged.
“I was going to meet Ms. Aurora, to ask if your preferences had changed over the years.”
“But I didn’t see her at the hospital…”
“Ashton, you’re hurting me.”
As Seraphina spoke, a single tear fell perfectly.
Ashton, seeing her tears, panicked and quickly tried to comfort her, afraid she would be upset.
“I was too anxious.”
“You suddenly disappeared and I couldn’t reach you. I thought you…”
As he spoke, Ashton suddenly remembered me, still locked away.
Ashton’s face changed slightly. He quickly called someone to release me.
But the news he received was that I had been tortured unconscious in the basement.
When I vaguely awoke, I was back in my room.
My mind was still sluggish, unsure what had happened.
I tried to raise my hand to turn on the bedside lamp, but my fingers throbbed with excruciating pain.
“Ugh…”
A moan of pain escaped my lips.
I looked at my bandaged hand, wrapped like a mummy, and then recalled everything I had endured in the basement.
In that dark, gloomy basement, I had been tormented by those bodyguards.
No matter how much I cried for help, no one came to my rescue.
The agony of having my fingers slowly crushed was unforgettable.
I had never wished so desperately to leave that place.
I couldn’t understand why Ashton could be so cruel to me.
Even if it was for Seraphina, how could he inflict such torture on me without even bothering to check for evidence?
My tears silently soaked into the pillow, leaving a large damp patch.
I lay on my side, my back to the door. At some point, Ashton had appeared in the doorway.
“Aurora.”
Hearing Ashton call my name, I instinctively flinched.
At some point, I had developed a physiological fear of Ashton.
“This time, it’s my fault. I misunderstood you.”
“There’s an auction tomorrow. I’ll send someone to pick you up.”
“You’ve suffered. I’ll compensate you.”
I remained with my back to him, not turning around.
Ashton stood in the doorway for a long time.
Seeing my unwillingness to acknowledge him, he didn’t say much more.
He simply closed the door, leaving me to my space.
I curled up on the bed. Ashton’s starkly contrasting attitudes confused me.
He had been so cruel to me, and now suddenly he had changed.
I didn’t need compensation. I just wanted my life to return to peace.
The next day, Ashton still arrived on time to take me to the auction.
After Ashton forcibly led me into the car, I realized it was just the two of us.
I was a little dazed.
Was Ashton taking me to an auction behind Seraphina’s back?
“At the auction, you can have anything you want. Consider it my compensation.”
Ashton glanced at my bandaged hand, a flicker of irritation in his eyes.
I keenly caught the change in his expression and instinctively shrank my fingers.
I lowered my head, no longer looking at Ashton. I didn’t want to see emotions I disliked in his eyes again.
8.
When the car stopped, I keenly picked up the sound of high heels outside.
“Ashton!”
Seraphina rushed into Ashton’s arms. She leaned over, smiled, and greeted me.
“Ms. Aurora, you’re here. Ashton accidentally hurt you because of me, so I specifically asked him to invite you.”
“It’s all his fault. Go ahead and bid on whatever you want later. Spend his money lavishly!”
So, this was all Seraphina’s doing.
A hint of bitter smile touched my lips. I nodded and softly hummed in agreement.
I had no choice but to agree.
At the auction, there were countless precious jewels, paintings, and calligraphy, but I didn’t want any of them.
I wasn’t after Ashton’s money; these things were useless to me.
I spent the entire time absentmindedly, completely unaware of Ashton’s frequent glances my way.
“Next is the final item of this auction.”
“It’s said that those who acquire this pair of rings will be happily married until old age with their beloved.”
“Starting bid, fifty million.”
Hearing those words, Ashton immediately raised his paddle.
“No matter the price, I’m in.”
The auction ended before it even began, with Ashton’s declaration.
I recognized those rings.
They belonged to an elderly couple.
Ashton and I had met them two years into our relationship, during a trip to the seaside.
That couple had started from nothing and built their way up to become the wealthiest in the city, enduring over sixty years of ups and downs.
They had never once quarreled and were deeply devoted to each other.
“Aurora, I hope we can love each other until old age, just like them.”
I still remembered Ashton’s sweet words to me then.
At that moment, looking into Ashton’s sincere eyes, all I could hear was my own heartbeat.
After the couple passed away, these rings were donated to be auctioned for charity.
To me, these rings represented Ashton’s promise to me.
A promise of forever.
But now, I could only sit by, watching Ashton place the female ring on Seraphina’s finger.
Under the gaze of everyone at the auction, he expressed his love for Seraphina.
“Seraphina, the true value of this ring lies in its symbolism.”
“Seraphina, I love you.”
The entire room erupted in applause, celebrating Ashton’s declaration of love.
My mind was filled with a ceaseless buzzing.
The Ashton who had confessed his love to me under the sunset was completely gone. The man standing before me now was Ashton, deeply in love with Seraphina.
The day after the auction was the last day of our contract, and my day to leave.
I took nothing with me, only the new plane ticket Julian had arranged, and headed to the airport.
“Aurora, where are you right now? Ashton’s going to challenge giant wave surfing! We can’t talk him out of it, come quickly!”
I received a call from Ashton’s friend on my way to the airport.
The other end of the line was chaotic and unclear.
Before I could say another word, the call was disconnected.
I couldn’t just leave Ashton to his own devices.
Today was the last day, and I couldn’t breach my contract with Julian.
I sent a message to Julian.
“Ashton is surfing at the beach. I might arrive at the airport a little late.”
After sending the message, I told the driver to change course and head to the beach.
“Ashton!”
As soon as I got out of the car, I saw Ashton, about to set off.
The weather was bad today; the waves were churning, and the deep sea exuded a dangerous aura.
I rushed to Ashton, gritting my teeth against the pain, and grabbed his arm with my injured hand.
Ashton looked at me, frowning slightly. Before he could speak, I cut him off.
“I know this time, you’re doing it for Seraphina again.”
“But this challenge is too dangerous. I’ll go instead.”
9.
Ashton’s face changed slightly, but I didn’t give him time to hesitate. I pushed him off the surfboard.
I quickly and efficiently had the staff prepare safety measures for me.
Ashton had never seen me so decisive.
I had always been gentle and warm in front of him.
This was the first time he’d seen such determination and unquestioning resolve in me.
Ashton was somewhat stunned.
This version of me felt strangely unfamiliar to him.
Before Ashton could even react, I had already stepped onto the surfboard and was riding the waves.
Ashton remembered I was still injured, and his face instantly paled. He was about to tell someone to pull me back.
But Seraphina rushed from behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her head in his back, whining playfully.
“Ashton, you’re so good to me!”
Seraphina’s words made Ashton pause.
He instinctively placed his hand on Seraphina’s arms around his waist.
When he looked up again, I was already far out.
It was too late to call me back.
The waves out at sea were considerable. Even though I was giving it my full attention, it was still exhausting.
A sharp, piercing pain in my chest – my old injury had flared up again.
My head spun. By the time the pain subsided, a ten-meter-high giant wave was towering before me.
There was no escaping it.
I was swept under by the oncoming wave, swallowed by the seawater.
Salty seawater continuously poured into my mouth.
I struggled desperately but was carried further and further away by the waves.
I screamed for help towards the shore, but no one seemed to notice I had been swept away by the sea.
Ashton stood with his back to me, tightly embracing Seraphina.
Seraphina was on her tiptoes, her head tilted up, and they looked like they were passionately kissing.
Watching this scene, I realized I was on my own.
I struggled to swim towards the shore.
But just as I managed to fight my way to the surface,
Another colossal wave crashed over my head, submerging me completely in the seawater.
Ashton seemed to suddenly realize something.
His heart clenched, and he abruptly turned to look at the sea. The surface was empty.
There was no sign of me anywhere.
Only a lone surfboard was washed back to shore by the waves.
I was gone.
🌟 Continue the story here
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