Aurora sat on the edge of her bed, her mind replaying the past five years like a nightmare she couldn't wake from.
The coldness of Daemon, the cruelty of his family, the loneliness that gnawed at her every day.
She hadn't even realized how much she missed having someone to talk to until Emily came back into her life.
Emily—her best friend before everything went dark.
They had reconnected just a few weeks ago, by chance, at a café downtown trying to escape Daemon's family and their hatred.
Aurora had been out for coffee when she spotted a familiar face across the room.
Emily looked almost exactly the same—wild brown hair, warm brown eyes, and that contagious energy Aurora remembered from before.
"Aurora? Is that you?" Emily's voice had been a mixture of surprise and joy as she crossed the café.
Aurora had been stunned. She hadn't spoken to Emily since before her marriage to Daemon.
She thought she'd lost her forever, along with the rest of her old life. But there she was, smiling as if no time had passed at all.
"Emily?" Aurora had stood up slowly, unsure of what to say. "It's... it's been so long."
They hugged tightly, and Aurora could feel a flood of emotions washing over her.
She hadn't realized how much she needed this—a reminder of the person she used to be, the life she used to have before Daemon and his family destroyed it.
They spent hours catching up that day, talking about everything and nothing.
Emily had just gotten back from traveling abroad, and Aurora couldn't believe how much time had passed since they last spoke.
Eventually, though, Aurora couldn't hold it in any longer.
The years of pain, the betrayal, the loss—it all came tumbling out as she told Emily everything that had happened.
She spoke of her marriage to Daemon, the abuse from his family, the moment she found out she was pregnant, and the horrible night when Daemon forced himself on her.
Emily listened in shock, her eyes wide and full of concern as Aurora recounted the awful details.
"Wait, so you're telling me he *raped* you? Aurora, that's—" Emily was shaking her head, anger flashing in her eyes. "That's not okay. And then you were pregnant, and he—what?—ran off with some other woman? What a piece of—"
Aurora wiped her tears, feeling like a weight had lifted off her chest. "Yeah, and that's not even the worst part. After I found out, I ran. I couldn't handle it anymore. But I didn't get far... I was hit by a truck and drowned in a river."
Emily gasped. "You... you drowned?"
Aurora nodded. "Well, I guess so, but something strange happened. I woke up again—pregnant, just like before, but this time I knew what was coming. So, I ran before they could trap me again. I ran as far as I could, changed everything about myself, and started over. I even have triplets now."
Emily blinked in disbelief. "Triplets? You're raising triplets by yourself?"
Aurora smiled, thinking of her three little ones. "Yeah. And I've made a life for myself. But now... Daemon found me. He wants me back. He doesn't know I've changed."
Emily was silent for a moment, then she let out a deep breath. "Aurora, you've been through hell. I can't even imagine it. But... you're here now. You've got a second chance, and you've got a plan, right? So, what are you going to do?"
Aurora took a long pause, then finally, she told Emily the whole plan.
She explained how she needed to get close to Daemon again, make him think she was still the weak, scared girl he used to manipulate.
If she could lower his guard, she could strike when the time was right.
She could get her revenge on Daemon and his family for everything they did to her.
Emily had been quiet for a while, then she shook her head. "You're serious about this, huh?"
Aurora nodded. "It's the only way. I can't fight him head-on. He's too powerful, too smart. But if he thinks I'm weak, like before, he won't see it coming."
Emily frowned. "I don't like the idea of you pretending to be the old Aurora. You've changed so much. It feels like going backward."
"I know, but it's just an act. I'm not that person anymore. This is the only way I can take him down."
That's how it all started. From that moment, Emily had been her confidant again, helping her figure out the details of the plan.