Chapter 3
Two months had been enough to bring Northvale's blazing summer to a close, but they did nothing to calm the restlessness gnawing at Finnian.
The airport lobby buzzed with constant foot traffic.
Despite wearing a tailor-made designer suit that made him look as sharp and cold as ever, the weariness shadowing his eyes betrayed how he'd been holding up lately.
Fresh off an intense overseas acquisition meeting, the first words out of his mouth the moment he landed were the same ones he hadn't stopped asking.
"Still nothing?" His voice was raspier than it had been two months ago, low and a bit strained, carrying a sliver of hope he couldn't quite kill.
Lucas walked beside him, guilt written all over his face as he lowered his head. "Mr. Dawson, our team's still working on it, but... it's like she just vanished."
There were no leads. Not here, not abroad. It was as if Aurelia had just disappeared into thin air.
Finnian's jaw clenched hard. A surge of anger and panic hit him like a punch to the chest.
He came to an abrupt halt, and the tension in the air seemed to thicken around him.
"Vanished? How does a person just disappear into nothing?"
He wasn't shouting, but the weight in his tone could crush.
"Keep looking. I don't care if you have to tear the world apart. Find her."
He refused to believe she was gone. Deep down, he was convinced she was somewhere watching, silently laughing at how desperately he searched.
He had to see her, drag her out, and demand to know what game she was playing.
And right then, his gaze swept past the crowd toward the International Arrivals gate - and he froze.
Among the sea of bodies, one woman stood out in a sharp white suit.
She was tall, effortless. Warm brown curls cascaded over her shoulders, dark sunglasses covering most of her face, bold red lips standing out beneath. Her vibe was sharp, distant, and she carried herself like she ruled the room.
She turned slightly, listening to her no-nonsense assistant speak beside her. A faint, indifferent smirk played at her lips.
Was that... Aurelia?
Finnian's heartbeat stalled, seized tight like someone had grabbed it in their fist. Then came the rush - relief, disbelief, and a biting rage all rolled into one.
So she really was still in Northvale - dressed up, put-together, like she'd never left, like none of it had happened.
Cancer? Leaving with nothing? All lies. Just a performance to mess with his head.
"Aurelia!" he growled under his breath and bolted forward, pushing through the crowd without a second thought, completely forgetting about dignity or control.
But just as he was about to reach her, a massive tour group flooded his path. In seconds, the woman in white was swallowed up by the tide of people.
"Move!" he barked, shoving his way through the bodies. But once he got past them, she was gone - completely wiped from the frame.
He frantically scanned every figure nearby, darting glances at similar silhouettes. None of them were her.
The airport hall kept buzzing as life moved on around him. She was nowhere in sight.
"Mr. Dawson? Are you okay?" Lucas rushed over, out of breath, confused by how shaken his boss looked.
Finnian just stood there, chest heaving, sweat beading at his temples.
His eyes stayed fixed on the now-empty arrival gate, and then he let out a strained, bitter smile.
"Forget it." His voice was drained and bleak. "Guess I saw wrong."
All trace of emotion drained from him as he straightened, the composed CEO mask falling back into place.
Without another word, he turned and walked away - heading in the exact opposite direction from where the woman in white had stood. That silhouette, bathed in the stark airport lighting, somehow carried a trace of quiet sorrow.
Meanwhile, over at the international arrivals exit -
Aurelia, escorted by Zara Mitchell, headed straight toward a young man holding a "Welcome Starborne" sign.
The young man, barely in his twenties, wore black-rimmed glasses and had the look of a college student - this was Jasper Thompson, the set assistant sent by the film crew. He was craning his neck, scanning the crowd pouring out of customs.
"Hi, did Edward Tate send you?" A calm, pleasant female voice chimed beside him.
Startled, Jasper turned - and was met with the sight of an astoundingly beautiful woman. He blinked in confusion. "Ah, yeah, I'm waiting for someone. Miss, you are...?"
Aurelia's lips curled into a subtle smile. She lightly tapped the sign he was holding and said, "I'm the one you're waiting for - Starborne."
Jasper's eyes went wide, his jaw practically hitting the floor. The sign trembled in his hand. "You - you're Starborne? The Starborne who wrote Stellar Drift and swept every global sci-fi award? No way! How is that even..."
How could someone this young and gorgeous possibly be a sci-fi author?
Under the airport's four-point lighting, Aurelia's white tailored suit stood out with understated elegance. The cut hugged her in all the right places, emphasizing curves and a waist that looked impossibly narrow. The knee-length skirt revealed just a hint of pale, perfectly shaped legs.
It was the exact opposite of what Jasper imagined a sci-fi author would look like.
But Aurelia had seen reactions like his a hundred times. With practiced ease, she slipped off her sunglasses, revealing striking eyes that instantly lit up her refined features.
"Need to check my business card, or are we good?" she said with a trace of teasing in her tone.
Zara, quick on the uptake, pulled a sleek business card from her holder and handed it over.
Jasper, hands still shaking, took the card. There it was, plain as day: "Starborne," "Bestselling Author," "Stellar Drift Series Creator," complete with the seal of an international writers' guild.
"Oh my god! You really are Starborne!" Jasper, face flushed and all nerves, was practically rambling.
"It's such an honor, ma'am! I'm Jasper Thompson, I work set logistics for the crew! I'm a huge fan! I've read Stellar Drift at least ten times! I never thought you'd be so young and classy and beautiful in real life - you're literally the perfect blend of talent and looks!"
Aurelia simply smiled, unfazed by the over-the-top gushing, and put her sunglasses back on.
"Thanks. Let's get going," she said.
She strode forward with unhurried confidence, and Zara followed, murmuring the details of their next appointments.
Jasper was still consumed by sheer celebrity shock and absolute fanboy joy as he trailed eagerly behind, babbling: "It's really amazing that you agreed to work with us. Edward and the whole crew are seriously excited about your advice..."
Aurelia listened quietly as his animated voice buzzed around her, her gaze drifting past the high glass windows, up toward the familiar Northvale sky.
Northvale. I'm back.
All her life, before meeting Finnian, she'd been the star child, the pride of her family.
But for those few years she gave her heart to him, she'd clipped her own wings, shrunk herself to nearly nothing, and nearly forgot what it meant to stand tall.
Now, shed of the label 'Mrs. Dawson,' her brilliance returned in full force.
Once, she saw love as everything. Looking back, it turned out love might just be the most pointless thing in the world.
Luckily, she woke up before it was too late.
