Aurora Aldrich Celeste NovelThe Last Day I Loved You

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**Aurora Vance pov**
It took me five years of marriage to discover that my husband, Aldrich Thorne, had not only divorced me three years ago, but had also married Celeste Knight, the woman who shattered my right hand all those years ago.
And I knew nothing about it.
An hour earlier, it had rained all night in New York.
When I pushed open the study door, I was just looking for a design contract from three years ago.
It was the last piece of work I drew for him with my ruined hand.
Aldrich's study was strictly off-limits to me, filled with the cold scent of cedar he always used.
I expertly opened the safe hidden behind a large oil painting.
The code was my birthday.
He once kissed my earlobe and told me those numbers were the only light in his murky world.
But inside that safe, I found the secret of his marriage to another woman.
Today was our fifth wedding anniversary. Aldrich had just sent me a text:
[Love!]
I stared at the word, a wave of nausea rising in my throat.
I decided to go see her.
To see how that woman was really living.
But first, I needed to reset everything.
I carefully placed that glaring marriage certificate and my own divorce certificate back into their dark green velvet box.
After closing the lid, I returned the box to its original corner in the safe.
I closed the safe door, listening for the soft click.
Finally, I activated the switch, letting the massive oil painting slowly slide back into place, concealing everything.
As if nothing had ever happened.
The woman on that marriage certificate was Celeste Knight.
Five years ago, it was this woman who, out of jealousy for my design talent, intentionally drove into me, ruining my right hand.
After the accident, Aldrich flew back overnight from overseas. He burst into my hospital room and, seeing my heavily bandaged hand, was furious.
He bankrupted Celeste's family overnight.
He sent Celeste to a secluded estate in the hills, holding me, promising word for word:
"Aurora Vance, I will have her confined to that prison until death, to atone for what she did to you."
He said this while he had already been Celeste Knight's legal husband for two years.
So, the so-called confinement was just a form of protection.
And the supposed atonement was just a show staged for me.
The date on the divorce certificate felt like a cruel joke.
Three years ago, June seventh.
That was our two-year wedding anniversary.
That night, he booked out the entire Disney park, putting on a night of fireworks just for me.
He said:
"Aurora Vance, we'll have a lifetime of anniversaries."
Aldrich Thorne, you are truly heartless.
**Aurora Vance pov**
Thorne Manor.
A high-walled, electrified compound. More of a luxurious prison than a mental health facility.
I didn't enter through the main gate.
Aldrich had brought me here once, pointing at the house and saying this was the consequence of hurting me.
He even showed me a secret passage only he knew.
Looking back, it was all just a convenient way for him to sneak around.
I snuck through the secret passage into the backyard, using the foliage as cover to approach the main house.
The living room's floor-to-ceiling windows weren't fully closed. Voices and some strange sounds drifted out.
I held my breath, pushing aside the branches.
One glance was all it took to stun me.
Inside the living room, Celeste Knight was kneeling prostrate on the carpet, clad in a sheer white silk dress.
And Aldrich Thorne, the man who was normally so aloof, so restrained, almost a clean freak to a fault, was holding a thin leather whip and lashing it across her back.
It wasn't a punishment; it was more like a sick game.
Celeste's sobs mingled with soft moans.
"Darling, I was wrong..."
"Wrong about what?"
Aldrich's voice was low and hoarse.
"I shouldn't... shouldn't have made you wait three years to say 'I do'..."
Aldrich chuckled, then leaned down and pinched her chin.
His voice wasn't loud, but every word carried clearly into my ears.
"Now you realize you were wrong? If you hadn't helped me plan that accident, crippled her hand, and stopped her from going to Milan, why would I have married you as compensation?"
What!
So my proud talent was the very thing he sought to destroy.
He didn't love me.
He wanted to clip my wings, to keep me captive by his side forever.
I heard Celeste's coquettish laugh.
"So, what gift did you get for our three-year anniversary?"
Aldrich took a velvet box from his pocket and opened it.
Inside was a necklace made of countless tiny blue diamonds, sparkling under the lights like a radiant galaxy.
"Fitting for my Celeste."
He fastened it around her neck himself.
Celeste caressed the necklace, then kissed the corner of his lips.
"What about Aurora? Will she find out?"
"She'll never know."
Aldrich's tone was assured and cold.
"That fool. She'll just think I love her to the bone."
My entire body went cold.
I watched the intimate pair inside, feeling utterly suffocated.
I quietly retreated step by step into the darkness, leaving that nauseating place.
I thought, it's time. Time to leave for good.
**Aurora Vance pov**
When I returned to the villa, dawn was breaking.
I hadn't slept all night. The nerves in my ruined right hand began to throb again, like ants gnawing at my bones.
I swallowed two painkillers, opened my laptop, and contacted a special channel on the dark web.
[Requesting identity annulment. Fastest turnaround for a new identity?]
The reply came quickly.
[Expedited track, seven business days.]
I didn't hesitate, paying the exorbitant fee and sending my details, along with a new photo no one had ever seen, via encrypted email.
After all that, I opened another file.
It was the application form for the Milan International Emerging Designer Competition.
Since my right hand was ruined, I'd spent three full years. From barely holding a pen to drawing fluid lines with my left hand.
God knows what I went through.
The tearing agony of my nerves tormented me day and night. Every stroke felt like carving into bone with a knife tip.
Aldrich once held me and said:
"Aurora, stop drawing. Your hand will hurt. I'll take care of you for the rest of your life."
At the time, I thought he was worried about me.
Now I know, he was just afraid I'd get back on my feet, afraid I'd slip from his control.
I gritted my teeth against the pain, filled out the application, and clicked send.
Because I was going to reclaim everything that was mine.
In the evening, the front door opened. Aldrich was back.
The moment he stepped in, he saw the maid kneeling on shards of glass in the living room, her knees a bloody mess. His face instantly darkened.
"Where is she?"
"Sir, Madam hasn't left her room all day, and her phone is unreachable."
The maid trembled with fear.
Aldrich's brows furrowed tighter. Just as he was about to erupt, I walked down the stairs.
He quickly closed the distance, pulling me into his arms, his voice laced with the familiar tension and tenderness.
"Why weren't you answering? You scared me to death."
I looked at his face, my expression calm.
"My phone was on silent. Didn't hear it."
Aldrich didn't seem to suspect anything. He waved the maid away, then led me to the backyard.
In the garden, fireflies had appeared, their countless tiny lights forming a shimmering sea.
In the distant night sky, spectacular fireworks burst repeatedly, spelling out: [Happy Five-Year Anniversary, Aurora].
"Do you like it?"
He hugged me from behind, his chin resting on my shoulder, his hot breath ghosting against my neck.
How comical. He actually thought I'd enjoy this deception.
"Mmm."
Aldrich took a small, elegant box from his pocket. Inside was a pair of obsidian cufflinks, identical to the ones he wore today.
"Your anniversary gift."
He picked up one, personally fastening it to the cuff of my shirt.
Cufflinks again.
Another listening device.
Just how little did he trust me?
Aldrich's phone rang then. He glanced at the caller ID, his brow furrowing.
It was Celeste.
He was rushing to see his legal wife. In his haste, he actually confused the signal receiver, which he intended to keep, with the cufflink containing the listening chip, giving the receiver to me.
"Keep the other one safe."
He kissed my forehead, then turned and quickly left.
"Something urgent came up at the office. I'll be back soon."
I spread open my palm, looking at the cufflink that was actually a receiver.
Aldrich Thorne, even fate was helping me escape you.
**Aurora Vance pov**
After Aldrich left, I went back to my room and slipped the receiver cufflink onto my ear.
After a faint crackle, Celeste's sickeningly sweet voice came through clearly.
"Darling, what took you so long? I've been waiting ages for you."
"Something came up on the way."
Aldrich's voice held a hint of impatience, but it quickly softened.
"Don't be mad. I'm here now, aren't I?"
Then came the suggestive sounds of rustling clothes and kisses.
I heard Aldrich take Celeste to another villa next door.
A villa I had never once entered.
He had carved out his affection so distinctly.
One home, two mistresses.
One, his legal wife, kept in the shadows. The other, his public persona as the devoted husband.
And I was merely a prop for that persona.
My phone vibrated again. Another text from Aldrich.
[Sweetheart, an urgent international meeting came up. Might not be back tonight. Don't wait up, get some sleep.]
How laughable. Anyone who didn't know would think I was the other woman, intruding on their relationship.
I turned off my phone, no longer listening to the filthy sounds in the earpiece.
I spread out my drawing paper, pouring all my energy into the design.
My only comfort and hope at that moment was the pen in my hand.
I don't know how much time passed before voices came through the earpiece again.
It was Celeste, her voice a whine.
"Darling, I don't want to stay in that awful place anymore. When will you give me a legitimate status? Let everyone know I'm the real Mrs. Thorne."
My pen hesitated.
I heard Aldrich ponder for a moment, then promise in an utterly confident tone.
"Soon, Celeste, just a little longer. I promise, I'll give you a grand ceremony that everyone will envy."
I continued to outline the lines on the drawing.
But my left hand trembled slightly from the prolonged effort.
5.
**Aurora Vance pov**
Three days later, under the pretense of a belated anniversary celebration, Aldrich Thorne hosted a grand banquet at one of New York's most exclusive hotels.
I wore the white gown he had personally chosen for me, holding his arm, accepting everyone's blessings.
Halfway through the banquet, Aldrich excused himself to greet an important guest, leaving my side.
I soon spotted a familiar figure among a group of servers.
Celeste Knight.
She was dressed in a server's uniform, her face adorned with light makeup, making her hard to recognize unless one looked closely.
She still came.
I followed her, watching Celeste carry a tray into a private lounge on the second floor.
Moments later, Aldrich followed.
Standing just outside the half-closed door, I clearly saw Aldrich press Celeste against the wall, kissing her fiercely, his hands already exploring beneath her uniform.
"I didn't ask you to come dressed like *that*."
Aldrich's voice was rough with desire.
"But I wanted to surprise you, darling."
Celeste giggled.
"When will you tell her?"
"Not yet."
I turned away, my face impassive, and returned to the ballroom.
Not long after, Aldrich and Celeste emerged, one after the other.
Celeste, carrying a tray of drinks, accidentally stumbled as she passed under the massive crystal chandelier in the center of the ballroom. The wine from her tray splashed all over an electrician who was checking the wiring.
The electrician gasped, his tools clattering onto the control panel.
A loud crackle, and sparks flew!
Immediately after, the multi-ton crystal chandelier above us let out an ear-splitting shriek as the winch holding it gave way, and it began to plummet rapidly!
Chaos erupted in the ballroom, screams tearing through the air.
I was standing directly beneath the chandelier.
The situation was critical.
I instinctively looked up, watching the dark shadow plummet towards me, my mind blank.
In that split second, Aldrich moved.
I even remembered how, three years ago, when they were traveling abroad and encountered an earthquake, he had rushed to me without hesitation.
He shielded me with his body, letting the debris smash against his back.
He said then:
"Aurora, don't be scared. I'm here."
But now.
He barely hesitated, shoving me away with brutal force! The impact sent me sprawling, throwing me completely off balance.
He lunged towards Celeste on the other side, pulling the screaming, trembling woman into a tight embrace, turning his back to the falling death.
I staggered from his push, crashing heavily to the ground.
I looked up, watching in horror as the massive chandelier plummeted.
I couldn't fully get out of the way.
A shower of shattered crystal, propelled by the massive impact, rained down and slashed into me!
A searing pain erupted.
Warm liquid trickled down my forehead, and blood blurred my vision.
Before consciousness faded into darkness, I saw Aldrich holding Celeste, his face etched with fear and tenderness, murmuring soft reassurances.
And I lay amidst the debris, unnoticed, by anyone.
His primal instinct had clearly shifted to another.
**Aurora Vance pov**
The moment I opened my eyes, I saw Aldrich Thorne sitting by my bedside.
He had faint shadows under his eyes, his expression haggard. Seeing me wake up, his eyes lit up with raw relief.
"Aurora, you're finally awake! How do you feel? Is anything uncomfortable?"
He gripped my hand tightly, his voice trembling.
I looked at him, saying nothing.
Aldrich lowered his head, his voice filled with regret and self-reproach.
"I'm so sorry, Aurora. It's all my fault. Things were so chaotic then. It was a primal instinct, a reflex in the heat of the moment. I didn't mean to push you away, please believe me."
A primal instinct?
Yes, the instinct to protect the one he truly loved.
"I just didn't expect," Aldrich continued, "I didn't expect that even after pushing you, you'd still get hurt by the shards. If I had known, I..."
He didn't finish the sentence.
But I understood.
If he had known I'd also get hurt, would he have made a different choice? Or was he just regretting not pushing me further away?
Over the next few days, Aldrich's attentiveness was extreme. He personally fed me, bathed me, and stayed by my side constantly.
As if trying to make up for all his past shortcomings.
But every time he found an excuse to leave the room, his secret meetings with Celeste would come through my earpiece.
"Darling, I was so scared. I thought I was going to die."
"Don't be scared. I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you."
"What about Aurora... she didn't suspect anything, did she?"
"She's fine, just a few scratches. That fool, she believes everything I feed her. Don't worry, I'll get you out of that awful place and move you into *our* home, out in the open."
I listened to it all, my expression calm.
A week later, I was discharged from the hospital.
Aldrich drove to pick me up. In the back seat, there was another person.
Celeste Knight.
She wore a white dress, her face pale, looking utterly vulnerable.
"Aurora," Aldrich said, his voice holding a subtle hint of tension, "Celeste... she's been very traumatized by this accident. Her mental state is quite unstable. The doctor said she needs a familiar environment to recover."
He paused, avoiding my gaze.
"I brought her here to care for you as a private therapist, as a way for her to atone, and help you with some counseling. You... you don't mind, do you?"
He brought his mistress home, cloaking it in such righteous excuses.
Using my home to soothe his mistress's emotions.
Using atonement as a pretense for their secret meetings.
I looked at him, then at Celeste, who flashed a mocking smile from the back seat. Suddenly, it all felt so meaningless.
I pulled open the car door and got in.
"Fine by me."
I accepted it all.
Because I knew, this was just the last darkness before dawn.
And I was about to embrace my new beginning.
I wanted to see what other games this despicable duo would play.