Billionaire’s Regret After Losing Her (Aurelia) novel Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Start with Her

Chloe insisted on taking Aurelia home.

Aurelia was determined to return to Evergreen Residences on Aurora Avenue—the apartment she’d purchased three months ago.

Clearly, she’d been planning her escape from Dominic for quite some time…

“Why don’t you stay at my place? You need someone to look after you right now. When did you even buy this place?” Chloe asked, wrapping a blanket around Aurelia’s shoulders before heading to the kitchen to make her some soup.

Aurelia pulled the blanket closer. “Two months after Adrian died.”

Two months? That was early.

“You were already planning to leave Dominic back then?”

Aurelia nodded, exhaustion weighing heavy as she sank onto the couch.

The month Adrian died, Dominic had practically moved back into the Hawthorne family home, rarely coming back to their place. And when he did, Lauren would call him away with a single text.

Who could put up with that kind of marriage?

Her phone buzzed—Dominic calling. Without hesitation, Aurelia declined and blocked his number.

Immediately after, Chloe’s phone rang. Dominic.

She answered with biting sarcasm. “What, Lauren doesn’t need you right now?”

“Put Aurelia on the phone.”

Dominic’s voice was tight with frustration.

He’d just gotten to the hospital when Mary called to say Aurelia had left. Racing back home, he’d found ashes and a charred ring in the front yard.

Mary said Aurelia had done it.

Her clothes were gone from the closet—along with everything she’d ever bought him. All of it.

She’d burned it all.

What was she trying to prove? Was she really going to keep this up all day?

Chloe let out a harsh laugh. “Lauren just gave birth and she’s recovering. You should be taking care of her right now. Why are you looking for Aurelia? What is she to you, exactly?”

“Chloe!”

Dominic was clearly losing his patience.

Chloe glanced back at Aurelia, who was staring at her phone with a dark expression, seemingly oblivious to the conversation.

Taking her phone into the kitchen, Chloe closed the door. “Dominic, you need to get your head straight.”

“Does Lauren see you as Adrian’s replacement, or does she just want you as her backup plan because you look exactly like him? Do you have any self-awareness at all?

“And you’re making it worse by going along with it! Do you have any idea what people are saying about you two? Are you really that oblivious?”

This was infuriating.

Lauren had no shame, dragging the entire Hawthorne family down with her, and Dominic was happily playing along.

Dominic’s voice was sharp with anger. “I said, put Aurelia on the phone!”

Aurelia was being impossible, and his patience was gone. He had no interest in arguing with Chloe.

“She just lost a baby and can’t handle stress. With that attitude, you shouldn’t be talking to her at all!

“If you can’t be a decent husband, then stop making her life miserable. Lauren needs you so much—go spend the rest of your life with her.”

If Dominic wouldn’t protect Aurelia, Chloe damn well would.

Three years ago, Aurelia had run every detail by her from a tourist’s perspective. Chloe knew every aspect of that design…

Her face darkened as she quickly searched for more articles about Maplecrest’s tourism project, finally clicking on the project details.

The moment she saw “Designer: Lauren Drake,” Chloe nearly threw the phone across the room.

She shoved the screen toward Aurelia.

When Aurelia saw Lauren’s name, she let out a cold laugh. “So that’s how I got ‘rejected.'”

Chloe’s jaw tightened, fury blazing in her eyes.

“I was planning to start with her mother,” Aurelia said quietly. “But now? I’ll start with her.”

Chloe’s heart sank.

“Honey, what are you saying?”

Start with them? She wanted to go after Marilyn and Lauren?

Chloe was just as angry, but seeing the wild, irrational look in Aurelia’s eyes forced her to stay calm.

“Listen, honey—forget about the entire Hawthorne family always taking Lauren’s side. Her billionaire mother alone is untouchable. Don’t do anything you’ll regret, okay?”

Aurelia’s smile turned ice-cold. “Untouchable?”

Of course she remembered how powerful Marilyn Drake was.

But what if she lost everything that gave her that power?

Thinking of Lauren’s years with the Hawthornes, constantly plotting with Eleanor against her, the last traces of humor in Aurelia’s eyes transformed into pure rage and hatred.