Aurora's family estate, Verdant Manor, was everything Ivy had ever dreamed of and feared. The sprawling gardens, marble staircases, and vaulted ceilings were a testament to wealth and power. But the people inside were far from perfect.
Aurora's mother, Vivienne, was cold and calculating, her words like venom wrapped in silk. Her younger brother, Leo, was charming but troubled, always watching Ivy with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. And then there was Aurora herself, whose unpredictability became both thrilling and terrifying.
One evening, after a few too many glasses of wine, Aurora pulled Ivy into a dimly lit library. "You're the only real thing in my life," she whispered, her lips dangerously close to Ivy's ear.
Ivy's breath hitched. "Aurora, I…"
Before she could finish, Aurora kissed her. It was soft at first, then desperate, as if Aurora were trying to consume her entirely. Ivy melted into her touch, her unspoken dreams finally becoming reality.
But the next morning, Aurora acted as if nothing had happened.