It had never truly occurred to Stephen that this day would come. Discovering Aurora's past had struck him like a blow to the chest, leaving him winded and disoriented.
He could still vividly recall the Aurora of old—her cheerful smile, her bold declaration that she'd become a tailor someday.
Though poor and homeless, she had always managed to look polished, her sharp eye for fashion allowing her to "steal" garments that suited her perfectly. Not stating he didn't like Aurora anymore but he knew life had dealt with her, up to the point she had to become a Courtesan to Survive. Stephen hated himself.
When he found Aurora again at the ball party, their conversation had been light and superficial, not because he didn't care, but because he had been waiting—for her to trust him, for the right moment to let her share her truths.
