Chapter 323: Aurora

Evander sighed, rising to his feet. “I know I did wrong,” he muttered, walking away slowly, his shoulders heavy with guilt.

“No,” Dane said firmly, his voice sharp as he stepped forward. “Admitting your mistake doesn’t fix anything. You need to apologize to Piper. You need to own up to what you did, admit you were wrong, and ask for her forgiveness.”

Evander clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as he stormed into the house without a word. I couldn’t help but wonder what was running through his mind.

“Don’t worry about him,” Dane said, turning to me. “I trust he’ll clean up his mess. But right now…” He paused, his eyes softening as he met mine. “I need to clean up mine.”

I squinted at him, curiosity prickling. “Your mess?”

“Come with me,” he said, taking my hand and pulling me along.

We walked in silence until we reached the lake. Dane led me to a bench beneath a large tree, where he sat down and gently pulled me onto the seat beside him.

Wrapping his arm around my waist, he tugged me closer, and I rested my head on his shoulder as we gazed at the serene water. The soft ripples on the lake’s surface danced in the sunlight, their gentle movements calming my restless thoughts.

“Peace,” I whispered, letting out a contented sigh.

“Yes,” Dane agreed, his voice low and warm. He took my hand and kissed the back of it, his lips lingering for a moment. “About this morning…” he began, his tone growing serious.

I turned to him, raising a brow. “What about this morning?”

“I was wrong,” he admitted, his gaze locked on mine. “I judged you unfairly as a mother. I forgot that you’re the best there is—better than I could ever ask for.”

His words left me momentarily speechless. I blinked, feeling warmth rise in my chest. “Thank you…” I began, but he placed a finger to my lips.

“Shh… let me finish.”

I nodded, sinking closer into his embrace.

“I shouldn’t have acted the way I did,” he continued. “I’m sorry, Aurora. Truly.”

I nodded, my voice soft. “I knew you were just being a worried father. Even though my feelings were hurt, I understood.”

“That’s why you’re the best, Aurora,” he said, his voice filled with admiration. “You always see past my flaws. You care for me, understand me, and never hold grudges.”

My cheeks flushed, and I smiled. “You’re making me blush, Dane. Stop with all these flattering words.”

He clicked his tongue, smirking. “I wish they were just flattery. If they were, maybe I wouldn’t be so completely obsessed with you.”

I chuckled softly.

My stomach growled, breaking the moment, and Dane grinned. “My babe’s hungry, huh?”

I nodded. “Yes. Can we head back and grab something to eat?”

“There’s no need for that,” he said, whistling loudly.

I raised a brow in confusion, but then three maids emerged from behind the trees, carrying a table and a beautifully arranged breakfast.

As they set everything up in front of us, I couldn’t stop the smile spreading across my face. Once they finished and left, I turned to Dane. “Thank you, babe.”

He kissed my forehead tenderly. “You deserve the world, my queen.”

I watched as he served me a plate, his movements gentle and deliberate. I couldn’t help but smile as he caught me staring and winked.

Dane had always been sweet, but his pride and ego often got in the way of showing it. Apologies didn’t come easily to him, yet here he was—apologizing, treating me to a romantic breakfast, and showing me the kind of love that made my heart swell.

“What’s with this sudden sweetness?” I asked, my curiosity finally spilling over.

Dane chuckled as he poured wine into two glasses. “Let’s just say I had a little heart-to-heart with a smart girl who takes after her mother.” He winked, handing me a glass.

“Seraphina?” I guessed, my smile widening.

He nodded, smirking. “She’s a clever one, just like you.”

Raising his glass, he said, “A toast—to peace, love, and family.”

I felt joy bubbling inside me as I lifted my glass. “To peace, love, and family,” I echoed.

We clinked glasses and, in a playful gesture, crossed arms to sip from our respective glasses. Dane leaned in to kiss me softly, the warmth of his lips making me forget everything else.

He pulled back, his eyes glinting with mischief. “We’d better eat now. If we keep kissing, I’ll lose my appetite for breakfast and start craving something else entirely.”

Blushing furiously, I turned away, tucking my hair behind my ear. His gaze lingered on me, and I felt heat rise to my cheeks.

“Let’s eat,” I said quickly, trying to suppress the giddiness in my chest.

After breakfast, we returned to the house. I freshened up and headed to my office, leaving Dane with Tristan, who was napping under Sera’s watchful eye.

Dane was recovering well from the poison, but he still needed rest. For now, I’d taken over most of his duties alongside mine.

As I walked down the hallway, I noticed Evander’s door was ajar.

Evander…

Concern pricked at me, and I stepped inside. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, holding a photograph in his hand, completely still.

“Evander?” I called softly.

He didn’t respond, his gaze fixed on the photo. Slowly, he brought it to his lips and kissed it tenderly before lowering it back.