Wren sat poised in her seat while Ivy squealed joyfully in Aura's arms. She wasn't ready to join their celebration just yet.
"Aura, it's time to come clean with me." She firmly shifted the focus toward herself.
"I did see him, and yes, going there was a smart move." Aura began her story, her voice steady.
"I got close to him—by working for him." Ivy finally settled back in her chair.
Wren's eyes sparkled with interest. Now things were getting exciting.
"In fact, I was the only woman he knew besides his mother." Aura hesitated to say Orion's name, but knew it was necessary.
"What!" Wren and Ivy gasped, hands covering their mouths. A guy who shunned the company of women?
"You're the only woman he's known? How is that even possible?" Ivy asked, a grin dancing on her lips as she exchanged glances with Wren.
"I witnessed many things that defy our lives here. Over there, they take a break before noon, and group leaders are running their own initiatives."
"What about this guy?"
"What's his name?" Wren asked, her eagerness palpable. She hoped it wasn't the Orion she knew.
"His name is Orion Wilder."
Wren's mouth hung open in shock.
"What?" Aura heard her friends echo her disbelief.
"Orion Wilder," Wren mused, recalling her long history with him. He had always avoided girls, surrounded instead by male friends.
She had once observed him; he never danced with girls in middle school and chose an all-boys high school.
No wonder Aura was the only woman close to him.
"Do you two know him?" Aura asked, her palms beginning to sweat.
"Is he the one you mentioned who saved you?" Ivy's tone turned serious.
Aura nodded steadily in response.
"Oh no!" Ivy's eyes widened, and she fidgeted in her seat uneasily.
"Guys, what is it? Is there something I should know?" Aura's voice trembled slightly, hinting at her rising anxiety.
Wren and Ivy exchanged glances, unsure of how to break the news.
How could they tell Aura that the man she liked was not interested in women at all?
"Aura... you really need to listen to us," Wren said, her brows furrowing slightly as she nervously played with her necklace.
Aura remained composed, ready to absorb whatever details they had about the enigmatic Orion.
"Actually," Ivy chimed in, brushing a hand through her hair as she gathered her thoughts.
"We've known him since we were kids. Once, Wren and I went to A City with her parents, and that was when we saw him. He seemed so distant and was never interested in our company."
"Wren and I follow him on social media. We're not fans, but we were curious about him and whether he'd ever connect with a girl, apart from his mom—but it's clear he prefers men." Ivy delivered the revelation, holding her breath to see Aura's reaction.
"Ohh 😮. Guys, he doesn't dislike women; he just doesn't like to be around them. He's gay." Aura finally leaned back in her chair, the word 'gay' lingering on her tongue.
Wren and Ivy's eyes widened in disbelief. Was this for real?
Aura appeared unfazed and calm, as if she weren't just moments ago anxious to learn about this man.
"Guys, I need to tell you something," she said, her tone shifting to one of boredom.
"As I mentioned earlier, I got a chance to be with him. I was his secretary for two years. And yes, we got married." She delivered the word 'married' with a casual confidence that surprised her friends.
"What!"
Wren and Ivy shot up from their seats.
"You what?"
"Where's the ring?" Ivy frantically searched for any sign of a wedding band on Aura's fingers.
"That..." Aura recalled how she had snatched it off in anger and thrown it away. She had no interest in it anymore.
"We were married for two months."
Ivy's eyes bulged in shock.
"Two months? How is that even possible?" Wren scooted closer to Aura, perched at the edge of her seat.
"It was all part of his scheme. I was merely a pawn in his game to gain control over his so-called company."
The three friends felt a shared sense of paralysis. It was as if they all wanted to rewind time to warn Aura before this all unfolded.
"Now we're even." Aura worked to convince her friends she was fine. She held up her left hand, showing them she was no longer linked to Orion.
"He filed for divorce, and I agreed to it."
"Guys, I'm no longer interested in him. Now that I'm back, I'm taking over the Zelda Company. I'm stepping into the business world."
Aura's voice was imbued with strength and determination. She was ready to give Orion a taste of his own medicine. This time, she was coming back as Aura Zelda, the heiress of the Zelda company. Anyone who had ever underestimated her would soon regret it.
Only two people had ever truly irritated her in A City: Gemma and Orion. She would make him beg for her return.
"You seem okay with this," Ivy said.
"Absolutely. Now that you're back, we can conquer this challenge."
"What challenge? Aura was taken aback by Wren's words.
"Have you forgotten about the dig-in-dug-out challenge?"Ivy chipped in to remind Aura.
It is a challenge that tests the personalities of friends. Its focus is solely on the true nature of people coming together to make up a friendship.
"Guys, it's been two years since I left. You guys still want to take this challenge?"
Aura smiled, showing her sincerity. She knew her friends would never abandon her.