Chapter 3 Fractured truths

Aurora stared at the silent phone in her hand, her sister's warning echoing in her mind. "Not everyone is who they seem." What could that mean? Who was hiding the truth from her?

Aiden stood by the window, watching the rain streak down the glass. "I've been trying to protect you," he said quietly. "But now, it's time you know everything."

She looked at him, searching his eyes for honesty. "Then start talking."

He took a deep breath. "Before your accident, you were investigating something dangerous. You didn't tell me much-maybe because you didn't fully understand it yourself. But you were digging into a secret that certain people wanted to keep buried."

Aurora shook her head, trying to grasp the weight of his words. "Why would I do that? What secret?"

"Your fiancé... Liam Hart. He's not who he appears to be."

Her heart skipped a beat. "Liam? No. He was my childhood love. We had plans, dreams..."

Aiden's voice was gentle but firm. "He's involved with people who could hurt you. And the accident-"

"Was an attempt to stop you," Aurora finished, her voice barely a whisper.

Tears blurred her vision. "How can I trust you?"

He reached out again, holding her hand steady. "Because I'm the only one who's been by your side through this. And I won't let anyone hurt you again."

Aurora wanted to believe him, but her mind was a whirlwind of doubt and fear. The past she thought she knew was cracking apart, and her future was a mystery written in shadows.