Chapter 22
Terrence recognized the person in the news and used every connection he had to learn her identity. Because the Sainsburys were based abroad and he was still in the country, it took him two weeks to uncover information about Aurora.
He recognized her instantly when he saw her in the homecoming celebration photos from the records. That was Thea. Even under a different name, doubt she was the one he had been searching for.
Terrence then gathered every resource to locate the Sainsburys‘ address. As soon as he confirmed it, he took the earliest available flight to Elseria. On the way, he imagined countless times how meeting Thea might go. He expected that, most likely, she would still be too upset to talk to him.
But that was alright. Simply seeing her would be enough. After experiencing her “death“, he had realized he couldn’t live without her.
there was no
He’d apologize to her sincerely and vow never to be led astray by another woman. Once she forgave him, he would organize an even more extravagant wedding, declaring his love for her to the entire world.
Yet another man stood by her side when he finally saw her a month later. The two spoke, absorbed in each other, for nearly an hour.
Terrence lingered behind the wall like some creep spying on a happy couple. But as he gazed at Thea’s familiar figure, the weight of his longing nearly drowned him.
Just before he could take it no more, he called out the name he’d been dying to say.
Nearly a month had passed when Terrence finally saw Thea again–the woman he had thought was dead. His eyes grew red, his voice unsteady.
“Thea, I’ve found you. You’re alive… You’re really here,” he murmured, barely noticing the man beside her, Christopher.
At the familiar voice, Aurora sighed quietly to herself. She had known the fabricated death wouldn’t deceive Terrence indefinitely, but she hadn’t anticipated him locating her in Elseria so quickly.
After exchanging a look with Christopher, signaling him to leave, she turned to Terrence with an impassive stare. Her words were steel. “Why are you here? Thea Lundy is dead. I’m Aurora Sainsbury now.”
Terrence finally remembered the details he had uncovered over the past fortnight. Thea had never been an orphan. She was Aurora, the Sainsburys‘ missing daughter, their most cherished treasure.
“Thea… No, I mean, Ro. I admit my mistakes. I had dealt with Alyssa and the child. Won’t you forgive me?”
He’d already pieced it together. The replica corpse at their wedding had been a staged death, her way of vanishing when she could no longer stand him. Now that he stood before the woman he had longed for endlessly again, he had to apologize sincerely and plead for her forgiveness.
Aurora gave a scornful laugh. She had witnessed Terrence’s devotion to Alyssa firsthand. Yet now, he spoke of disposing of her and their child so casually. Once, she had believed his love for her had shifted to Alyssa. Now, she saw the truth. He was rotten to the core, incapable of loving anyone but himself. “Terrence, I regret ever loving you.”
