Aurora exhaled sharply. She gripped the car door handle, and sighed softly. She felt nervous.
"Seraphina," she tried again, her patience thinning. "We have to go."
Seraphina stood with her arms folded. Her little face scrunched up in a deep frown. "No."
Aurora pinched the bridge of her nose. She checked her wristwatch. "Sweetheart, we're almost late. Mommy has to also come back home and write." She said softly.
Seraphina stared into Aurora's eyes. "It hasn't even been up to a week since we talked about a new school. We came here three days ago." she pouted, and pushed her curly hair strands that framed her face behind her ear.
Aurora opened her mouth to reply, but her words caught up in her throat when she saw a Black SUV ride into her yard.
She rubbed her forehead, and cursed under her breath.
Aurora didn't have to see him to know. She felt it, the shift in the air, the way her skin prickled with familiarity and dread.
Then the door opened, and Tim stepped out.
He was dressed in his usual dark suit, every inch of him was composed and unreadable, yet there was something in his stance. His countenance was well softened.
Aurora's breath caught.
Seraphina, still moody, barely spared him a glance at first. She ignored him for the first three seconds, and when she caught Aurora's shift of attention, she followed her line of sight.
Her head tilted slightly, and her gaze sharpened. Her lashes fluttered rapidly, and she counted her fingers under her breath.
Tim took a slow step forward.
Aurora took quick steps towards him. She stood before him, wishing she could block Seraphina from his view. Forgetting he stood at a solid 6' 4 inches, while she was a 5' 3 inches lady.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
Tim's eyes flickered to her, but he didn't answer immediately. Instead, his gaze shifted back to Seraphina.
Then his gaze rested back on Aurora.
"Good morning," he greeted, his voice lower than intended.
His fingers itched, tempted—no, were desperate—to touch her cheek, to feel if her skin was as soft as he remembered. His eyes roamed over her, and he exhaled slowly, drawing in a breath that did absolutely nothing to steady him.
Because… damn.
Aurora had always been beautiful, but now?
Now, she was devastating.
His disbelief was barely masked as he took her in, his mind scrambling to reconcile the woman before him with the girl he once knew.
She stood there in the early morning light, her dark curls catching the golden hue of the sun, her skin glowing with an undeniable radiance. There was a confidence in the way she held herself now—effortless, lethal. The once-vulnerable girl who used to look at him with wide, green hesitant eyes was gone.
And in her place stood a woman who knew her power.
Tim's mouth went dry.
Aurora arched a brow, catching his stare. "Are you done?"
Tim blinked, realizing too late that he had been caught.
A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Not even close."
Aurora rolled her eyes, but he caught the way her fingers twitched at her sides, as if she was fighting the urge to react to him.
Tim's smirk deepened.
She could roll her eyes all she wanted.
But she wasn't unaffected.
And that? That was enough to keep him standing right where he was.
Seraphina, who was now staring at him intently, arms still folded, eyes narrowed.
"You."
Tim blinked. "Me?" and turned to her
Seraphina's eyes narrowed further, as if trying to solve a puzzle. "I know you."
Aurora's stomach twisted.
Tim's expression barely shifted, but there was something calculating in the way he watched her. "Do you?"
Seraphina nodded, tapping her chin. "Yeah. You were at the airport."
Tim stilled, and something warm spread in his heart. Aurora inhaled sharply, and almost slammed her palm on her forehead.
Seraphina's gaze remained locked on him, unblinking. Then, very matter-of-factly, she added, "You were staring at my Mommy."
Aurora choked on air.
Tim exhaled slowly, finally turning his attention fully to Aurora. His lips twitched, just slightly. "Was I?" He loved this.
He didn't expect a welcoming as warm as this.
Aurora shot him a sharp glare. "Tim."
He lifted his hands slightly in mock surrender before revealing a neatly wrapped box.
"This is for Seraphina," he said.
Aurora's brow furrowed. "What?"
Tim took a deliberate step closer. "For her first day of school."
"She can't take it," Aurora shook her head. "I asked her not to take things from strangers. You're not exempted an_"
"Just let me be a part of this," he cut in, his voice calm and almost pleading. "Just this."
Aurora clenched her jaw, "This isn't even her first day of school. She's been to school before. It's just her first time here."
"It still counts. Please,"
Aurora swallowed, and her eyes widened. She has never heard him say 'please'. Not to her or anyone. It was so surprising, that she felt it wasn't real.
Before she could respond, Seraphina stepped forward, her eyes locked on the box.
"What is it?" she asked, voice still edged with skepticism.
Tim crouched slightly, holding it out to her. "Chocolates."
Seraphina's brows lifted. "The good kind?"
Tim smirked. "The best kind."
She looked at Aurora, who nodded at her reluctantly. Seraphina's eyes returned to Tim, and she eyed him for another second before taking the box. Her fingers brushed against his, but she didn't pull away.
Then, tilting her head, she asked, "What's your name?"
Aurora's heart slammed against her ribs.
Tim inhaled quietly before answering. "Tim."
Seraphina blinked. "Just Tim?"
One corner of Tim's mouth lifted. "Just Tim."
Seraphina hummed, tapping the chocolate box against her palm. "I'm Seraphina."
Tim's entire body tensed.
Aurora saw it. The way something deep and painful flickered in his eyes. Once when they were still together, he told her he loved this name. It was a surprise to him that she felt it worthy enough to call their daughter.
Seraphina, oblivious to the weight in the air, simply studied him again before nodding.
She caught a glance of Aurora's face, and her expression turned serious. She stared at Tim and questioned, "Are you Mommy's enemy?"
Tim squinted. He barely reacted—aside from the slow blink and the twitch of his lips. "What makes you think that?"
Seraphina shrugged. "She looks like she wants to punch you."
Aurora gaped. "Seraphina!"
Tim, meanwhile, let out a low chuckle. "She's not wrong."
Aurora shot him a death glare. "Tim."
Seraphina ignored her, tapping her chin again like she was deep in thought. "Mommy, are you sure I can accept this?" she lifted the chocolate box and looked into Aurora's eyes.
Tim swallowed, as if on trial.
Aurora stated straight into his eyes. "Yes baby, you can. Only if you'll come to school now,"
Seraphina shrugged. "No biggie. Can Tim join us?"