Aurora’s life was a lonely struggle trapped in a marriage that felt like a prison. For three long years, her husband Lucien vanished without a word, leaving her heartbroken and abandoned. When he suddenly returns, she hopes for love and a fresh start—but the cruel truth shatters her world: he’s back with her closest friend, Carla, who is pregnant with his child. Betrayed and devastated, Aurora must find the strength to break free from the pain and rebuild her life from the ruins.
As Aurora begins to heal, she discovers new hope and unexpected love with Daniel, a kind man who stands by her through every step. Slowly, she learns to trust again, chasing her dreams and reclaiming her happiness. But with shadows from the past still looming, will Aurora be able to fully let go and embrace the future she deserves? The road ahead is uncertain, but one thing is clear—this is only the beginning of her journey.
Chapter 1
My phone lit up suddenly in the dark, breaking the stillness of the early morning. I blinked against the harsh light and slowly reached for it, groggy and half-asleep. A short message appeared on the screen.
[6 AM. Pick me up at the airport.]
I sat up straight in bed, staring at those words. My heart pounded loudly in my chest, and my hands began to tremble. That number—it was him. Lucien. My husband.
After three years of silence, no calls, no texts, no trace of him… suddenly, this.
I switched on the bedside lamp, the soft yellow glow barely cutting through the thick fog of shock inside me. I reread the message over and over, not trusting my own eyes. It had to be him. Only Lucien could be so commanding, so casual—even in the middle of the night. Just like always, he expected me to obey without question.
A second message arrived.
[Answer me, Aurora.]
My throat tightened. I could almost hear his voice in my head, the cold, calm way he always spoke. It dragged me back into memories I’d tried so hard to bury. Three years ago, he left me right after our wedding—left me to face marriage alone. No explanation, no goodbye. He vanished like smoke, and I was left waiting. Hoping.
Everyone told me to move on, but how could I? I loved him too deeply, too completely. I kept believing he would return. That one day, he’d come back and say he missed me too.
And now he had. After all this time, one short message shattered the walls I’d built around my heart.
Tears filled my eyes. I wanted to hate him—I should have. But instead, my fingers moved on their own.
[Okay. Welcome home.]
I had no idea why I said that. Maybe because a small part of me still loved him. Maybe because I’d never stopped waiting.
Our families had known each other for generations. His grandfather and mine were best friends. From childhood, everyone said Lucien and I were meant to be together. We grew up side by side—family vacations, birthdays, school events. He always looked out for me. In high school, he’d glare at any boy who came near me and say, “She’s mine.”
I thought it was cute.
After graduation, he asked me to be his girlfriend, and I said yes without a second thought. I had loved him forever. Our parents were thrilled. A Sullivan marrying a Diaz would be great for business. But for us, it was about love. At least… at the start.
Then Carla came into the picture.
I met her in my second year of college. She was shy at first, quiet, but once we became friends, we were inseparable. I trusted her more than anyone. She came from a difficult background, so I tried to help her whenever I could—not because I pitied her, but because I truly cared for her.
I didn’t know that behind my back, she was sending seductive messages to Lucien. She even sent him videos. I saw them by accident on her phone one day, and I felt like my whole world collapsed.
When I confronted Lucien, he didn’t even deny it. He just said he didn’t love me anymore. That he wanted out.
I begged him to stay. I wasn’t ready to let go. In a moment of desperation, I threatened to end my life if our families didn’t make him marry me. Our families were shocked, furious at Lucien for trying to leave. They pressured him. Forced him to go through with the wedding.
I thought, once we were married, maybe he’d fall in love with me again.
But on our wedding night, he looked me in the eye and said, “I’m transferring abroad. I’ll finish my studies there. Maybe when I come back, we can be a real couple.”
And just like that, he was gone.
Three years passed. I waited. I cried. I hoped. I told myself he just needed time. That one day, he’d come home, and everything would be okay.
And now… he was coming.
I couldn’t sleep the rest of the night. My heart wouldn’t stop racing. By 3 a.m., I was already getting dressed, trying to look perfect for him. By 5 a.m., I was on my way to the airport, nervous and excited.
Lucien was finally coming back to me. Maybe this time, things would be different.
I waited near the terminal, standing on tiptoe every time someone walked out.
And then I saw him.
Tall, confident, pushing a suitcase in one hand.
And beside him—Carla.
My heart dropped.
She walked next to him like she belonged there. Her hand rested gently on her belly. A small bump. A very clear message.
She was pregnant.
I froze. The air disappeared from my lungs.
Carla. My best friend. The same one who destroyed everything before. And now she was carrying his child.
They walked up to me like nothing was wrong. Lucien looked straight at me and said calmly, “Carla and I are together.”
His words hit harder than a car crash.
And just like that, the love I held onto for so long shattered into a thousand sharp, painful pieces.