Until The Vows Break

Aurora’s POV

It has been eight months since my father died. Eight months of silence pressing against my chest, eight months of learning how loud a house can be when it is empty. I never thought grief could be this heavy—like trying to breathe through water, like waking up every day with a stone lodged in my ribs.

I lost my mother the day I was born, but my father never let me feel that absence. He was mother and father, protector and confidant, all in one. He filled my life so completely that sometimes I forgot other people grew up with two parents. He was my anchor, the reason I felt safe in the world.

And now, when I need him the most, he is gone.

Today is Arianna’s birthday. My stepsister. The girl I always longed to call my sister in truth. I wanted her to be my family, my friend, my ally. But Arianna never let me in. She was a glittering star while I remained earthbound, watching her shine from a distance. She has always been dazzling, untouchable—the kind of woman people are drawn to instantly. She doesn’t even need to try. People love her.

And me? I am the one trying too hard, loving her openly, desperately, only to be met with her polite indifference.

Still, I planned the grandest party in town for her. Since Father’s death, the house has been too quiet, the estate too somber. Adrian—my boyfriend—pushed me to do this. He said Arianna deserved a celebration, that throwing her a party would bring the family closer again. He also knew how much I wanted Arianna to accept me.

So I told myself maybe tonight would be the night she finally saw me as her sister. Maybe tonight we could close the distance between us.

I stood in front of the mirror in my bedroom, my fingers brushing the mole on my cheekbone. My own private beauty mark. My scarlet silk gown clung to my body with a mermaid silhouette, the fabric shimmering like fire when I moved. Around my neck, a gold necklace with a delicate pendant gleamed, paired with earrings that caught the light every time I turned my head.

For the first time in weeks, I almost felt beautiful again. Almost.

“You look beautiful.”

The whisper came from behind me, low and warm, sending a shiver down my spine.

Adrian.

I turned, catching his reflection in the mirror before I faced him fully. He was dressed in a sharp black suit, his hair perfectly styled, his lips curved in that way that always made me want to lean closer. The rich blend of leather and tobacco filled the air—the scent of the cologne I had given him for his birthday. A gift from me, now permanently his signature.

His arms slid around my waist, pulling me against him. His warmth seeped into me, and for a moment, I let myself relax. Adrian had been my lifeline in these dark