Chapter 43:

Back in the high tower, Sterling stared at his reflection in the window again. He convinced himself the condensation on the glass was the same as the tears she must be shedding. He had no idea he was already a ghost in her life.

The sky over New York City broke open at 7:00 PM. It wasn’t just rain; it was a deluge, a curtain of gray water that turned the streets into rivers and blurred the neon lights into smears of color.

Sterling Thorne exited the lobby of the Thorne Industries Headquarters. Two security guards flanked him, holding massive black umbrellas, but the wind whipped the rain sideways, dampening the hem of his trousers. His black SUV pulled up to the curb, the tires splashing through a puddle.

Sterling reached for the door handle, but his hand stopped. Through the rain-streaked glass of the revolving doors, he saw a figure. She was standing near the entrance, hugging a beige trench coat tight around her body. She was slender, her hair dark and wet, plastered to her skull. She was shivering, looking toward the building with wide, desperate eyes.

Sterling’s heart skipped a beat. It was an involuntary physical reaction, a thud against his ribs that annoyed him.

Aurora.

“She came back,” he thought. A surge of triumph rushed through his veins, hot and intoxicating. “She realized the blocking game went too far. She’s here to beg.”

He deliberately slowed his steps. He buttoned his suit jacket with his good hand, smoothing the lapel. He wanted to look impeccable. He wanted to be the god she prayed to. He waited for her to run to him. He waited for the dramatic scene where she grabbed his arm and apologized for the finger, for the divorce, for everything.

The woman turned. The light from the lobby hit her face.

It wasn’t Aurora. It was a random administrative assistant, probably twenty-two, waiting for an Uber. She had a similar build, a similar coat, but her eyes were wrong. They were brown, not the piercing, intelligent hazel of his ex-wife.

Lɑτєѕτ cнαρτєrs 𝑖n g𝓪l𝗇ovєl𝑠.𝓬o𝓶

Sterling froze. The triumph turned to ash in his mouth instantly. The disappointment was so sharp it felt like a physical blow to the stomach.

The assistant saw him staring. Her eyes widened in fear. She recognized the CEO. She clutched her purse and scuttled away into the rain, preferring to get soaked than to be under his intense, unhinged gaze.

Sterling stood there for a second longer, rain dripping onto his expensive shoes. He felt humiliated by his own hope. He got into the car and slammed the door. The sound was like a gunshot in the enclosed space.

“Driver, go,” he snapped. “And call the PR department.”

He pulled out his phone. His fingers were shaking with rage. If she wasn’t going to come crawling back, he would force a reaction. He would hurt her. He dialed Isabella’s number.

“Hello, baby?” Isabella’s voice was sugary sweet.

“Let’s release the engagement announcement,” Sterling said. He was staring out the window at the gray, miserable city. “Tonight.”

“Tonight?” Isabella gasped, feigning surprise. “Are you sure, darling? Isn’t it a bit… sudden?”

“Yes. It’s time to move forward,” Sterling said. He wasn’t talking to Isabella. He was aiming the words at the ghost of Aurora that haunted his ego. “Post the photo of the ring. Tag every media outlet.”

Scene Shift: Pulse Interactive HQ.

.

.

.