By the time they arrived at the school, the tension in Aurora's shoulders was unbearable. She shouldn't have let Tim come. She should have said no. And Aurora… couldn't take that from her.
A part of her hated that. Hated that he still had the power to affect her, to make her second-guess herself.
The moment they stepped into the school, the principal, a middle-aged woman with round glasses and a warm but professional smile, greeted them.
"Good morning! You must be Seraphina."
Seraphina, now back to mild irritation about school, only nodded once.
The principal smiled, then her gaze flickered between Aurora and Tim. "And you must be her parents."
Aurora stiffened, her jaw tightening. "I'm her mother," she corrected. "Only her mother." She whispered.
Tim said nothing.
The principal blinked, glancing at Tim. "Oh, I just assumed—"
"He's not her father," Aurora cut in quickly, her voice sharp, final.
A flicker of something crossed Tim's face, but he remained silent. He simply slipped his hands into his pockets and let her have her distance.
If he truly wanted her back, he had to be patient.
The principal nodded, a little awkwardly, before shifting back to Seraphina. "Well, let's get you settled in, then."
Seraphina hesitated, looking up at Aurora. "You'll come pick me up, right?"
Aurora softened. "Of course, baby."
Seraphina's gaze flickered to Tim. Then, surprisingly, she whispered, "Can Just-Tim come too?"
Aurora opened her mouth, but Tim, catching the warning look in her eyes, held up a hand before she could say anything.
"That's up to your mom," he said lightly.
Seraphina frowned at Aurora. Aurora sighed. "We'll see."
Tim smirked. A small win was still a win.
Seraphina finally nodded, reluctantly allowing the principal to lead her away.
The moment she was out of sight, Aurora turned to Tim, her voice low and sharp. "Don't think this means anything."
Tim's smirk barely wavered. "Of course not."
Aurora scowled, hating how unbothered he seemed. "Good." she paused. "How about Anne?"
Tim's jaw clenched. "Aurora, that night was a misunderstanding. I won't force you to listen. Anytime you're ready to listen, I'll explain it to you."
Aurora shook her head, and without another word, she turned on her heel and walked away.
Tim watched her go, his smirk fading into something more serious.
Tim watched her walk away, her back stiff with tension, her steps quick like she was trying to outrun something—maybe him, maybe herself.
He let out a slow breath, rolling his shoulders. She wasn't ready. That much was obvious. But the fact that she even asked about Anne meant something, didn't it?
She still cared.
And that was all he needed.
Tim exhaled softly, slipping his hands deeper into his pockets. If she needed space, he'd give it to her. But space didn't mean absence. He wasn't going anywhere.
Not this time.
…..
Aurora, on the other hand, felt like she was unraveling.
The moment she stepped outside the school, she sucked in a sharp breath, trying to steady herself. Her hands were trembling. Not from fear—no, she had faced worse.
But from him.
From the way he had let her push him away without fighting. From the way he had stood there, watching her, as if he already knew she was lying—to him, to herself.
It was unlike him not to give orders and commands, but watch her have her way. It was unlike him to speak softly, and have a conversation with her without walking away after dropping his order.
The way Seraphina had curled into his chest like she belonged there also terrified her. Did Tim say something to her daughter? Why do she suddenly feel so comfortable with him?
Aurora clenched her jaw, closing her eyes briefly before shaking the thought away.
No.
She had spent five years building a life without him. A life where she was strong, independent. Where she didn't have to question her choices or wonder if she would ever be enough for someone like Timothy Carter.
She refused to let him make her forget that.
With a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders and walked toward her car.
However, the moment she reached for her door handle, a presence loomed behind her.
"Running away again?"
Tim's voice was calm, but there was something else in it. Something that sent a shiver down her spine.
Aurora gritted her teeth, not turning around. "Go home, Tim."
A long silence stretched between them before he finally spoke.
"I was home, Aurora," he said quietly. "Until you left."
Her breath caught.
For a moment, just a moment, she almost turned around. Almost let herself believe in the quiet plea woven into his words. Almost turn to hug him and confess how much she have missed him.
But then she forced herself to remember.
The heartbreak. The betrayal. The years of silence.
Aurora inhaled sharply, steeling herself. "That's not my problem anymore."
Aurora inhaled sharply, her grip tightening on the steering wheel. But instead of leaving, she slowly turned her head to look at him, her expression unreadable.
"You don't get to say things like that," she said, voice low but steady. "Not after everything."
Tim didn't flinch. He simply held her gaze, waiting.
Aurora exhaled, shaking her head. "You think just because you showed up today, because you stood there and kept quiet while I shut you out, it means something?" She let out a bitter laugh. "Do you even realize what you did by coming here?"
Tim's jaw twitched. "I wanted to see her off on her first day."
Aurora's eyes flashed. "And why do you think you have that right?"
Silence stretched between them. Then, Aurora whispered, "She has a name, Tim."
His brows furrowed.
"She's not just a kid anymore. Not just 'her' or 'the child.'" Her throat tightened. "Her name is Seraphina. Say it."
She wanted to hear him call the name. To make him understand that even while he treated her in unspeakable ways, she loved him.