Marry Ex's Billionaire Uncle After Divorce (Aurora and Jasper) novel Chapter 18

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Chapter 18: Heart Racing

(Aurora’s POV)

I didn’t want to play along, but I had absolutely no choice.

A few yards away, around the blind corner of the terrace, the wet, sloppy sounds of kissing and heavy, desperate breathing echoed through the night air.

It was excruciating.

My ears burned. The auditory intrusion was so clear, so intimate, that I felt a wave of intense cringe mixed with sharp irritation. I was trapped in the dark with a stranger, listening to his brother cheat on his wife.

I tried to lift my head, pushing my hands slightly against the solid wall of muscle in front of me. We were too close. Far beyond the boundaries of social safety. Our bodies were pressed together, chest to chest, thigh to thigh.

Just as I shifted, a large, warm hand clamped onto the back of my head.

Phineas was dominant. He forced my face back against his broad, hard chest.

The scent of cold cedarwood filled my nose, mixed with the faint, lingering smell of tobacco that hadn’t quite faded in the night breeze.

I usually detested men who smoked. Even a whiff of cigarettes on Jasper used to make me feel like I was choking. But this was different. Strange. The mix of tobacco and his natural, masculine scent wasn’t repulsive. It was dangerous. It was intoxicating.

We were flush against each other. His hot breath dusted the sensitive skin behind my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

My heart went rogue. It slammed against my ribs with terrifying force, completely out of control. My knees felt like water, threatening to buckle.

“Mr. Everett,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the wind. “Could you please step back?”

“Shh.”

He made a soft sound in the dark, the vibration rumbling through his chest against my cheek. He signaled for silence.

The forbidden atmosphere–hiding in the shadows like we were the ones having the illicit

Chapter 18: Heart Racing

affair–only made my pulse race faster.

(Aurora’s POV)

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Finally, the footsteps faded. Arthur and his mistress had decided to take their activities to the VIP lounge upstairs.

The moment the coast was clear, I shoved Phineas away with every ounce of strength I had left.

He stumbled back slightly, his back hitting the stone railing of the terrace. He didn’t look angry. Instead, a low, dark chuckle escaped his throat.

“Careful,” he teased, his voice deep and amused. “You’ll draw a new audience if you make that much noise.”

Heat flooded my cheeks. I felt like I was burning up.

“I was only helping you cover your tracks,” I argued, trying to keep my voice steady. “I would have left five minutes ago otherwise.”

I felt a surge of adrenaline. I had just snapped at the supreme head of the Everett Group. My courage was apparently boundless tonight.

I didn’t wait for a response. To hide my panic, I turned and bolted through the glass doors, leaving the dangerous man alone in the shadows.

(Author’s POV)

Inside the glittering ballroom, Serena was leading her best friend Sienna and her cousin Jasper through the crowd to greet the host.

They approached Lord Sterling and Serena’s father, Arthur Everett. Arthur had just returned from “some fresh air,” looking flushed but pleased. He greeted Sienna warmly, asking about

her well–being with genuine concern.

But when his eyes shifted to Jasper, his smile vanished. The temperature dropped visibly.

Before Jasper could speak, the click–clack of sharp heels approached like a drumbeat of war.

Olivia Redmond marched up, a glass of champagne in hand and a fire in her eyes. As Aurora’s best friend, she made no secret of her disdain for Sienna. To Olivia, Sienna was a textbook

social climber and a homewrecker playing the innocent victim.

Olivia stopped right in front of them, blocking their path. She raised her voice just enough to turn heads in the immediate vicinity.

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Chapter 18 Heart Racing

“Oh, Jasper. How interesting.”

Her tone dripped with sarcasm.

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“Why are you parading around with your dead brother’s widow, Sienna, instead of your legal wife, Aurora?”

(Author’s POV)

Sienna’s smile froze on her face. Jasper stiffened like a board.

“The invitations were extremely exclusive,” Sienna said, her voice tight as she tried to maintain her elegant facade. “Tickets were limited.”

Olivia let out a harsh, mocking laugh.

“Cut the crap, Sienna. I personally asked the organizers for an extra VIP invitation and handed it to Aurora myself.”

Jasper’s head snapped up. Genuine shock flashed across his face.

“You say Aurora is here?”

Olivia looked at him like he was an idiot.

“What? You know your sister–in–law’s itinerary better than your own wife’s whereabouts?”

The implication hung heavy in the air. Guests nearby stopped their conversations, their eyes darting between the trio with amused curiosity.

Sienna’s face turned a mottled red. She saw the disapproval forming on the elders‘ faces. She immediately played the victim card.

Her eyes filled with instant tears. Her lower lip trembled perfectly.

“My husband has only been gone a month,” she whispered, her voice shaking. “How can you be so cruel? I’m just trying to survive.”

Jasper’s face darkened. He stepped forward, shielding Sienna.

“That’s enough, Olivia. Stop spreading malicious rumors.”

Lord Sterling and Arthur exchanged a nervous glance. They sensed a scene brewing.

“How is Patriarch William doing these days?” Lord Sterling asked loudly, forcing a clumsy subject change to save the mood.

(Author’s POV)

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Chapter 18: Heart Racing

Lord Sterling scanned the room, looking relieved that the argument had paused.

“Where is Phineas? I thought he was attending.”

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“He should be here,” Arthur muttered, frowning. He thought he had seen a silhouette on the terrace earlier, but he wasn’t about to admit he had been out there.

Suddenly, a hush fell over the entrance.

The crowd parted like the Red Sea.

Phineas Everett walked in.

He wore a bespoke charcoal three–piece suit that fit his tall frame perfectly. He radiated a cold, oppressive authority. A faint, unreadable smile played on his lips, but his eyes were like steel, warning everyone not to get too close.

He was the Titan. The true power of the Everett family and the ruler of the LA business world.

Sienna and Jasper froze. Their pupils constricted.

They recognized him instantly. It was the man from the boutique. The stranger they had

dismissed.

(Author’s POV)

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