Bullet in the Heart

Candlelight cast a gentle glow over the dining table, evoking the kind of coziness Aurora Kensington had always connected to romantic movie evenings. Even though the silverware was already immaculate, her well-groomed hands shook a little as she made one more adjustment. Sharing a part of her heart that she could no longer keep to herself was the main goal of tonight, not perfection.

Her exquisite heels clicked on the Carrington penthouse's marble floors as she took a step back. The expansive space had a classic charm. Walls covered in elegant taupe and ivory, high ceilings with elaborate chandeliers, and panoramic windows provide an unparalleled perspective of the neon-lit Las Vegas skyline. Like a bird taking flight, Zane had adapted to her world of luxury and power with ease.

The emerald-green silk dress fit Aurora's hourglass body as she ran her fingertips over it. Her face was beautifully framed by her chestnut hair, which cascaded in gentle waves about her shoulders. She wanted everything to be flawless tonight. She wanted to respect what they had created together, not because Zane asked for it, he never did. Or what she believed they had constructed, anyway.

She looked at the sonogram folded neatly inside the little velvet box on the table. A small smile appeared on her lips when her fingertips touched the package. She pictured his response: astonishment, happiness, maybe even the unique tenderness he let her see. She couldn't always explain the silent voids between their lives, but this youngster would fill in the holes she occasionally felt.

With her voice hardly audible in the vast auditorium, she mumbled to herself, "A new beginning."

She looked at the wall-mounted clock. With his schedule growing more demanding as his company weathered rumors of corporate disloyalty, Zane had been locked up in his office longer than normal. She was impressed by his determination and unwavering focus. No one in Las Vegas dared to challenge Zane Carrington's authority because he not only managed a business but also an empire.

However, this evening was not about power struggles or boardrooms. It was all about them tonight.

With the fresh night breeze caressing her skin, Aurora strolled toward the French doors that led to the patio. Below, the city glistened, each glimmer bearing witness to the aspirations and perseverance of its builders. It made her think of Zane. He was brilliant, ambitious, and, when needed, merciless, the epitome of this city.

The penthouse resonated softly with the sound of the office door opening. Aurora felt a flutter in her heart as she waited. Smoothing her clothing one more time, she went back inside.

"Zane?" Her voice was soft and sweet as she called out, and the sound reverberated throughout the room.

No answer.

With her high heels muffled against the Persian rug, she walked into the hallway. A slight muttering became increasingly audible as she approached the office. Zane had a phone call.

She stumbled a little. She had the amusing idea to cut him off, to yank him away from whatever bargain or plan he was focused on at the moment. His comments, however, stopped her in her tracks as her hand raised toward the doorknob.

With a chilly and unidentifiable tone, Zane stated, "I married her because it was necessary."

As her breath caught, Aurora's hand lingered over the doorknob.

With a venomous name, he went on, "She's a Kensington." If her father hadn't done what he did, do you think I would have done this? Love isn't what this is, Vivienne. This is a tactic. Everything that is coming to the Kensingtons is something they deserve.

Aurora took a step back, pressing her trembling hand to her chest. She was positive he could hear her heart beating through the door because it was so loud.

On the other end of the line, a woman's voice murmured, "Zane, don't tell me you're growing a conscience." Lux Vivienne. She was a pretty redhead with a reputation for ambition and slyness, but Aurora only heard whispers about her at social gatherings.

Aurora had never heard Zane make a chuckle that was so devoid of humor. "Conscience? Avoid being absurd. Aurora served as a tool. I'm leveling the playing field now that her family wrecked mine.

Her surroundings appeared to be tilting. The air in the penthouse was now too thick to breathe, and the temperature was oppressive. Aurora steadied herself by pressing a palm against the wall. Her thoughts were consumed by the ultrasound in the velvet box, its meaning now cruelly perverted.

"You've done well, Zane," Vivienne stated in a smooth, arrogant voice. She doesn't even realize it. Don't let her figure it out too quickly, though. You still have tasks to complete.

"I understand," Zane said calmly as if he were talking about a business transaction rather than the life they had created together.

Aurora's heel caught on the rug's edge as she stumbled backward. Her mind whirling, she suppressed a gasp. All of it might have been a lie. It couldn't be the intimate moments, the hushed vows, the way he'd held her after a hard night.

Her balance failed her, and the sound of her shoe hitting the shiny floor reverberated more loudly than she had anticipated as she took a tentative step away from the entrance.

Before she could move, the door opened.

With a spotless tailored suit and an enigmatic gaze, Zane stood in the doorway. For an instant, time seemed to pause as his sharp blue eyes met hers.

His voice was as sweet as ever when he said, "Aurora."

She forced a tiny smile as she tried to gather her thoughts. Her voice trailed off a little as she replied, "I was just coming to find you."

There was silence between them, but his eyes remained fixed. "I'll be leaving shortly. In the dining room, wait for me.

Aurora gave a nod, pulling away before he could notice the tears in her eyes. Her mind was racing with questions as she made her way back to the table, but one idea stood out above the others: everything she had ever believed about her husband was false.

Aurora stayed motionless, her fingers grazing Zane's office door's cool wood. The quiet, venomous tones of his voice reverberated in her ears like the detonation of a bomb.

You can utilize her, Vivienne. She's only here for that," Zane added in a tone of venom she had never heard before. Aurora Kensington serves only as a tool. For what they did to mine, her family must pay. I make it happen this way.

Her breath caught. She braced herself against the wall, her body shaking as her thoughts struggled to make sense of the difference between the Zane she knew, the one who held her close on chilly evenings and kissed her forehead every morning, and the one who was saying those cold, callous words.

Through the speakerphone came Vivienne's sharp, pleased laugh. "You are so honorable, Zane. I believed you could be showing leniency toward the girl.

With a tone that dropped to an icy finality, Zane answered, "I don't go soft." Not for her. Not for everyone.

Aurora's world tilted into confusion as her legs swayed as if the ground beneath her had changed. Now, every minute they had spent together, their wedding day, the silent vows, felt like glass fragments piercing her heart. Her nails dug into the wood as she struggled to control the nausea that was rising inside of her and grabbed to the wall for support.

Her mind struggled to make sense of the increasing fog of incredulity. There must have been a miscommunication. Indeed, Zane was a man of passion in addition to ambition. He couldn't have lied when he touched her or when he thought she wasn't looking because of the way his gaze lingered on her. Were they able to?

The cold of betrayal seemed to smother the warmth of the apartment, making the room around her appear colder. With her eyes full of unshed tears, she dared to peek through the broken door. With his tailored suit immaculate and one hand resting on his desk, Zane stood facing away from her. He was a man who controlled every room he walked into, even now.

With a clipped tone, Zane responded, "I'll take care of it, Vivienne." "And the Kensington name will mean nothing after this is over."

The thunderous booming in Aurora's ears overpowered Vivienne's response. Her heel caught on the rug's edge as she took a step back. Her heart raced and her veins filled with panic at the little stumble.

She willed herself to be silent as she bit her lip, the searing sensation grounding her. It was the guy she had trusted the most who was tearing apart her world, thread by thread.

When the door behind Aurora creaked open, her retreating steps faltered. The gentle click of the latch was so loud in the oppressive quiet that she froze in mid-step.

"Aurora."

He said her name in a way that wasn't a query. Furthermore, that wasn't a greeting. It was a directive, tinged with the same icy authority she had just heard in his voice.

Her heart fell, and she briefly thought of running away, hurrying back to the dining room, where she could pretend she hadn't heard anything. But Zane was already there when she turned, the warm light flowing from his office casting a silhouette across his massive form.

Sharp and impenetrable, his blue eyes met hers. The tenderness she had held to during their time together was gone from that glance. Rather, it seemed as if he were evaluating her, looking for something hidden.

"I, Her voice faltered on the verge of being heard. Clearing her throat, she wished for her poise to return. "I was just trying to find you."

Although Zane's brow raised, his face was still unintelligible. Her breath caught when he took a step forward and closed the gap between them. He moved with purpose and calculation, like a predator encroaching on its victim.

His tone was steady as he replied, "You ought to be in the dining room." "I assumed you had a special event planned."

He couldn't have predicted the depth of the words' impact. Gripping the hems of her gown, her knuckles white, she compelled herself to look into his eyes. She responded, "I was," in a firmer tone. "Yes, I am. But you appeared to be occupied.

His mask of control fell back into place after a fleeting flash of something she couldn't identify appeared in his expression. "Business," he stated plainly, brushing the subject aside as though it were nothing.

Questions raged in Aurora's head. Really, who was he? The icy, cunning stranger she'd overheard, or the man she loved? Her stomach roiled as she struggled to keep her cool, aware that any weakness in her façade may reveal who she was.

"Should we?" With a silky but cold voice, Zane pointed to the dining room.

With her throat too constricted to speak, Aurora nodded. She felt his heavy, questioning gaze linger on her as she turned to leave, as if he were looking for proof that she knew.

Her body moved automatically as her mind stayed stuck in the maelstrom of his treachery, but she arrived in the dining room with a practiced grace. Her hands trembled as she rearranged the cutlery on the table, the meticulously prepared scenario suddenly seeming like a cruel farce.

Shortly after, Zane came in, looking as calm as ever. His presence was powerful and unavoidable as he entered the room with the ease of a man who has mastered every circumstance.

They looked at each other across the table for a time. His eyes were heavy on Aurora, probing her as if he could see through the barriers she had hurriedly put up. She tried to smile, but it was like glass shards piercing her cheeks.

His voice was calm and impenetrable as he said, "Everything looks perfect."

Although the comments were intended to reassure Aurora, they sounded insincere. She tightened her hold on the chair's edge as she nodded.

Aurora also discovered that the man opposite her wasn't the husband she believed she knew when they sat down to eat, the air between them weighted with unspoken facts. She had just entered his web, and he was a stranger.