Unpredictable Betrayal : A Sweet of Revenge

Alden remained motionless. His gaze didn’t waver even slightly from the woman smiling at him, who now sat while looking in his direction.

Alden was sure he wasn’t mistaken. Even pinching his cheek, he felt pain. That meant Alden wasn’t dreaming at the moment.

“Aurora?”

Indeed, the figure sitting in front of Alden was Aurora. After disappearing for two months as if swallowed by the earth, without permission or any news, the woman suddenly returned and was now sitting elegantly on the sofa in Alden’s room. As if waiting deliberately. Or perhaps wanting to surprise Alden.

“Yes, it’s me. Aurora Harperwood. Not a hallucination or a ghost.”

While Alden remained still. Not giving any response because he might still be engulfed in his astonishment. Even though Alden had already reached a stage of acceptance. He hadn’t been as frantic as a madman when he first found out Aurora had disappeared.

“Don’t you like seeing me come back? You said you missed me?”

Alden took a breath. Stepping closer, he instead gave a pinch to the woman’s arm in front of him.

“Alden!”

Aurora exclaimed then winced in pain. Of course, she protested why she wasn’t hugged but instead pinched hard. Even though she had hoped the man in front of her would now express his longing.

Imagine, two months they were apart. Aurora was sure Alden must miss her as much as she missed him.

“Why the pinch? It hurts.”

“Let it be!” Alden didn’t care. At the moment, what he felt was happiness, sadness, anger, everything mixed into one. Alden seemed unable to believe that Aurora was truly back and present before him.

“Besides, you’re so mean. How could you leave me for months!”

Aurora laughed. While rubbing the marks of the pinch on her arm, she also found Alden’s expression adorable. Seen from Alden’s eyes, it seemed to tell her that the man had long been harboring a tremendous amount of longing.

“I’m not mean, Al. I just followed your mom’s request to stay away for a while.”

“But not for two months! And you couldn’t be contacted at all. Don’t you know that? I was so confused trying to find you everywhere. Calls couldn’t get through. Messages couldn’t be delivered. My God, I was almost stressed out losing you.” Alden protested openly. He grumbled, pouring out all the feelings he had kept to himself for the past few months.

Almost every day Alden felt lost. Trying constantly to find her but with no results. He had been stressed and heartbroken, until eventually, he had to reluctantly let go.

“I was even planning to stay for a year. Besides, I’ve gotten used to the new place. I even thought about trying to find a new partner.”

Alden scoffed then pursed his lips. Irritated to the core hearing Aurora deliberately teasing him.

“Well, if that’s what you want. Then why come back now? Just go marry the new guy. So that the old events can happen again.”

“Gosh…” Aurora’s eyes widened. “Why are you wishing for bad things?”

“Not wishing,” Alden quickly corrected. “I’m cursing. Besides, it’s a hobby of yours to leave people. Don’t you feel sorry? I’ve waited for you twice now.”

Aurora chuckled. It was amusing to see Alden getting angry with her.

“You’re so fierce!” teased Aurora then laughed. “I was just joking, darling.”

Hearing himself suddenly being called ‘darling’ made Alden’s heart skip a beat. Previously, when they were still in an intense relationship, she almost never, or perhaps out of embarrassment, replied when he called her darling.

And now, out of nowhere, the sacred word came out of Aurora’s lips. Well, of course, Alden was more than happy.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“What was that? Can you say it again?”

“Sweetheart,” Aurora repeated happily. It was rare for her to comply when Alden asked her to repeat. “Are you really not happy to see me back?”

Alden sighed. Sitting down on the sofa, he locked eyes with Aurora to prevent her from turning away.

“No need to ask. I’m definitely happy. Very happy that you’re finally back. There are no plans to disappear again, right?”

Aurora smiled. She shook her head. She felt it was enough to be alone. Upon reflection, it felt better to be with people she cared about. Including friends, colleagues, family, and also her lover.

“No. Don’t worry. I won’t disappear again.”

“Promise?”

Aurora nodded repeatedly. She had also promised herself to put an end to the solitude she had been experiencing for the past two months.

“Promise. Besides, I can’t stand being separated from you for too long. Holding back this longing is tough. Especially when the longing is for a handsome, kind, attentive, and funny guy like you.”

“Oh God, you’re exaggerating!”

Aurora chuckled. She should be the one saying that.

They both laughed. So happy that they could finally meet again.

As it was lunchtime and remembering he had brought food, Alden invited Aurora to eat together.

“So, if I may ask, where have you been hiding for the past two months? Seriously, I’m curious. I’ve asked Asher, but he’s so stingy he won’t tell me.”

While feeding Aurora, Alden interrogated her. He was just curious about where Aurora had been hiding all this time.

“For the past two months, I’ve been staying in Dubai.”

Alden was stunned by Aurora’s answer. He hadn’t thought that she had gone so far abroad. He thought his girlfriend had just gone for healing in Bali or maybe Labuan Bajo. Basically, somewhere around Indonesia.

“Dubai is so far away. You must have been really comfortable there that you didn’t want to come back.”

Aurora laughed again. Especially when Alden spoke as if he were being sarcastic.

“From the start, I chose Dubai. Besides the place being nice, it coincided with Abi’s company there, which had just been inaugurated. So, I decided to help out for a while.”

“Are you sure that’s the only reason?”

Aurora tried to convince him.

“Yes. Besides, if I chose a place or city nearby, you’d easily find out where I was.”

“You’re so sneaky!”

“Not sneaky. Look, I’m back now, right?”

Alden nodded. Regardless of all the reasons that made Aurora leave, now was the time to be grateful. If necessary, he would celebrate Aurora’s return. And after this, he wouldn’t let his lover leave again.

“Since you’re back now and sitting in front of me, can I confirm something?”

“What do you want to confirm?” Aurora asked curiously.

Alden’s face looked serious. He gazed at Aurora intently, then asked carefully.

“So, when can I propose to you and marry you?”