Marry Ex's Billionaire Uncle After Divorce (Aurora and Jasper) novel Chapter 171

Chapter 136: Aurora Can’t Possibly Be Married!

(Aurora’s POV)

I exhaled and turned back to the curtains.

I went through the rest of the store at my own pace. Bedding – a white duvet set, high thread count,

something that felt like it would actually wash well. A set of plates and bowls in a simple cream glaze.

Two mugs, plain, no patterns. A wool rug for the living room in a warm grey. A few throw pillows, because

the couch had none and it looked like no one had ever sat on it for pleasure.

I arranged delivery for everything and was heading toward the curtain samples when I nearly walked

directly into someone coming around the corner of a display shelf.

It took me a second. Then I recognized her.

Joyce Langford.

I never expected to see her again. To this day, I still don’t quite understand why she tried to obstruct Leo’s admission. I simply cannot fathom her reasons, nor do I know how deeply she was involved.

Maybe it was a coincidence. Maybe I was wrong about the connection entirely.

But I didn’t think I was. I have no intention of getting involved with this elderly lady any further.

She recognized me at the same moment, and something moved across her face – not quite guilt, not quite relief. Something that had been sitting with her for a while.

“Aurora.” She stepped forward. “I was hoping I might run into you someday.”

“Mrs. Langford.” I kept my voice even.

She seemed to be working up to something. I waited.

“I want you to know,” she began, “that I’ve thought about you. About everything. I hope I hope things have

been all right.”

The words were careful. Considerate, even. But they didn’t reach anything in me. Whatever warmth I might have felt toward her after that afternoon on the roadside had been quietly replaced by something more cautious. She had helped shape a situation that had hurt Leo, whether directly or not. The fact that she’d once taken my hand and thanked me for staying didn’t change that. If anything, it made it harder to make

sense of.

“I’m fine,” I said. “Thank you.”

“Wait.” She reached out, not touching me, just a gesture. “Please. I want to make it up to you. I heard you’ve been going through a lot – the divorce, everything. I have an old friend whose son just came back from Europe. Good family, no children from his previous marriage, very accomplished. I thought perhaps-”

“Mrs. Langford.”

A: Andra Can’t Possibly Be Married

She stopped.

“You’ve been looking into my private life,” I said. My voice stayed polite. The warmth left it. “That’s not

appropriate.”

“I only meant to help-”

I reached into my bag. My fingers found the edge of the certificate folder. I pulled it out, and held it toward

her for a clear, unhurried moment.

“I’m already married,” I said. “As of today. Please pass along my regrets to your friend’s son.”

I closed the folder, put it back in my bag, and walked away.

I didn’t look back.

(Author’s POV)

Joyce stood between two display shelves and didn’t move for a long moment.

She’d come to the store to pick up a replacement lamp for the sitting room. She’d run into Aurora by

accident. She’d thought she didn’t know what she’d thought. That she could say sorry and it would mean

–

something. That she could offer something useful and it would help.

She let out a slow breath. A short, quiet sound, not quite a laugh.

*Married.* Today. The certificate had been crisp, the ink still fresh–looking. Joyce had only glimpsed it for

a second, but she’d seen enough.

She thought of what Sienna had told her – that Aurora and Jasper’s divorce had only just been finalized, that Aurora was alone, that she was struggling. Sienna had made it sound like a settled fact.

Joyce looked toward the far end of the store, where Aurora had already disappeared around a corner.

She didn’t know the man’s name. She hadn’t seen his face. She’d only seen Aurora’s hand on that open certificate, steady and unhurried, and the quiet certainty in her voice.

*I’m already married. As of today.*

Joyce turned and walked slowly toward the lamp section. She vaguely sensed that behind this matter lay far greater complexity than she was aware of.

Phineas walked through the front door of the estate and stopped.

Jasper was standing near the fireplace, a coffee cup in hand, talking quietly with Arthur. He looked up when Phineas entered. Something shifted in Phineas’s expression – not surprise, just a cold settling, like a temperature drop. A short, quiet sound came from the back of his throat. Not quite a laugh.

Jasper gave a polite nod. He was aware that Phineas had never particularly liked him. But he’d always assumed that was circumstantial – no direct conflict of interest, no real reason for hostility. These things

softened over time. He was optimistic about it.

Wy Aurora Cart Possibly Be Mared

If Phineas had known that, he would have found it almost funny.

William was already seated at the head of the sitting room, and he didn’t stand when Phineas came in. He watched his son cross the room and let out a slow, deliberate sound of displeasure.

“Sit down,” William said. “I want an explanation.”

Phineas sat. He didn’t look rushed about it.

“You got married,” William said, “and you didn’t say a word to this family. Not one word. No call, no

warning, nothing.”

“That’s correct,” Phineas said.

“That’s all you have to say?”

“You asked for an explanation. That is the explanation.”

William’s jaw tightened. “Who is she?”

“A woman I married today.”

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