Aurora's heart pounded as the timbre of the voice resonated with memories she had tried so hard to bury, and for a brief moment, her body reacted alternately.
Slowly turning around, as if to confirm if her ears were misleading her, she inadvertently locked eyes with a feverishly blue one. Her heart stopped beating for some seconds as if she caught her breath in her throat as she stared at the man who had made her flee five years ago.
And then, they sped when the imposing figure began to approach her.
"This time, I won't let you go," he enunciated, placing both hands into his trouser pockets, and taking slow steps forward.
Aurora blinked.
Everything still felt like a blur—a dream her inner self wanted to wake up from. She had hoped to come for the burial and leave quietly but it turned out life had other plans.
Straightening her back, Aurora regained composure while wearing a small smile on her lips. "Let who go?"
At that moment the only thing her brain could cook up was this lousy excuse to escape seeing him.
Sadly, he ignored her comment.
Standing at 6'5, with his blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, Axel looked more mesmerizing than she remembered him to be. When he came to stand two feet away from her, she realized that the towering figure of the man she had once loved still had the power to make her pulse quicken.
He exuded a certain charm that left her heart beating fast. Even after five years, the allure he pulled did not reduce, giving her goosebumps like a teenage girl who was swept off her feet.
Aurora shook her head, giving a mental slap to herself, trying to stay focused.
"Aurora," Axel said softly, though it came off with a chilly vibe, the young woman sensed the mixture of longing that was veiled within its depth, hinting at what she presumed to be that he had missed her presence. Or was it just wishful thinking?
"It's been too long," he added and took one more step towards the flustered woman, his gaze boring into hers, "we need to talk."
Considering her earlier attempt failed, she decided to change tactics. "Good to see you too, Axel." Aurora forced a polite smile despite her wishes, and she replied calmly, avoiding direct contact with his eyes.
"Do not be offended by what I have to say but showing up unannounced at my father's property is quite unlike a man of your calibre. Please avoid such behaviour, and be sure to leave an early message before arriving at the family's door—"
"I didn't know I had to book an early appointment to see my wife," Axel interjected, emphasizing his last word as though reminding her who she belonged to.
His lips stretched to the side, but Aurora couldn't bring herself to see it as a neutral smile.
"Wife?" she scoffed loudly. "I do not recall getting legal or putting on a wedding ring with you."
"We can arrange for that," he mused, watching her frustration eat her up.
She rolled her eyes at him.
"Is that why you disappeared all these years?" Axel instantly added. "How long has it been already? Umm…five? And then you show up and assume I don't need an explanation as to why you left?"
"I…" Aurora hesitated at the look of seriousness in his eyes, and her mind raced at the thought of her children, knowing she couldn't let him meet them even if it was by chance. "I came to see Father, not to rehash on the past so if you'll excuse me—"
"How long do you intend to run away from this conversation, Aurora?" Axel cut in, "from me?"
A hint of desperation crept into his voice, his eyes shimmering with the emotions he had bottled in all the years he tried to find her.
However, she wasn't having it. Attempting to walk away, Aurora turned when his hand swiftly shot out, grabbing her wrist before she could find the time to avoid it.
A quick gasp left her lips when he pulled her close, their proximity reigniting an intimacy that still lingered beneath the surface. The temperature in the lobby increased, and the tension in the air was intense for the couple whose eyes were locked on one another.
Attempting to maintain her control, Aurora voiced firmly, "I am not running away," she sneered, "I'm merely moving on, and can you kindly let go of my wrist? Your actions can be deemed inappropriate, Mr. Axel."
She tried to pull away, drawing a line of formality between them, but his grip on her arm tightened.
Her words had only triggered him to do the complete opposite of what she wanted him to do, and he pulled her close enough till there was not a single space left between them, and their faces, only inches away from being sealed with a kiss.
Axel deliberately leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, "You can't deny what he had, what we shared."
His voice sent shivers down her spine. "It's been five good years, my dear wife, and you can't pretend these feelings aren't still there. The sound of your heartbeat, and its ambience when we made love holds no differentiation."
Aurora's breath caught in her throat, and her cheeks involuntarily flushed, betraying all her attempts to suppress the memories that flooded her head.
The warmth of his body stirred up memories of those nights that had been a result of the twins she bore, and Aurora struggled to mask up her bubbling emotions, determined to protect herself from the heartache that lingered in the past.
"Let me go."
"You and I know that isn't the case." His piercing blue eyes met hers with an intensity she wasn't used to seeing, but she knew the bitter truth.
"Tell that to the woman whose name lingered on your lips while we made love," she spat bitterly.
Shock registered in Axel's eyes. Never in a million did he imagine she'd utter those words but as quickly as it came, his lips pulled back, revealing a knowing smirk.
"Is my baby, jealous?"
Aurora arched her brow. Jealous? He must have been mistaken if he thought that was what this was.
'It's better to ignore him for now. That way he could leave quicker.' She sighed inwardly and tried to break free from his arms but his hold tightened still.
She was glad her children hadn't followed her to see their grandfather. Else, she had no idea what she would do but before she could gather her sanity, her ears perked up in alarm at the tiny voices behind her.
"Mum!"
"Mummy!"
'Shit!' she cursed inwardly.