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Chapter_264
The moment Aurora made the connection, it was as if the air had been sucked out of the room. She stood frozen for a moment, her eyes wide with shock, as she processed the information. The realization hit her like a tidal wave, and she instinctively took a step back, her hand clutching at Clifford’s sleeve for support.
“You’re… dating her?” Aurora asked, her voice an octave higher than usual, a mix of disbelief and surprise flooding her tone. She had clearly been under the impression that Yvette and Jeremiah were unrelated to one another in any personal capacity.
Yvette, for her part, didn’t flinch. Instead, she gave a subtle, almost imperceptible smile, her cool demeanor never wavering. Her eyes—always so controlled—betrayed the slightest amusement. She seemed to be enjoying the absurdity of the situation in a detached sort of way, as if she had been expecting this confusion all along. The fact that Aurora had mistaken the situation wasn’t a shock; what was surprising was how quickly the situation had escalated.
Jeremiah, who had been standing silently by, clearly unfazed by the turn of events, let out a frustrated sigh. He leaned against the table, arms crossed, eyes narrowing in a way that suggested he was less surprised by the confusion and more annoyed by it. His face was taut with tension, but there was a hint of exasperation in his expression as if this sort of misunderstanding wasn’t unusual for him, especially not when Aurora was involved.
Clifford, who had been holding his arm where Aurora had pinched him a moment ago, barely suppressed a smirk. It was clear he found the situation amusing, even if he didn’t fully approve of Aurora’s dramatic flair. He cleared his throat, trying to get a handle on the situation before it went completely off the rails. “Yes, dear,” he said, his voice tinged with an edge of sarcasm, “I’ve been dating her—for some time now, as a matter of fact. Quite the coincidence, don’t you think?”
Aurora blinked rapidly, still trying to comprehend the enormity of the mistake she had made. “Wait—so your girlfriend is Yvette?” she asked, her tone more incredulous than before. Her mind was racing to make sense of the jumble of relationships, names, and misunderstandings that had spiraled out of control in mere minutes. It was hard to tell who was more surprised—Aurora, who had been left in the dark, or Yvette, who remained a serene island in the chaos.
Clifford, shaking his head with a wry smile, rubbed his temples. “Yes, Aurora, my girlfriend is Yvette,” he said with exaggerated patience, as though explaining the most obvious of facts. “But don’t worry, I’m sure you’ve already guessed that.”
Jeremiah stepped forward at this point, his sharp eyes flickering between Clifford and Aurora. His voice was low, almost a growl as he tried to take control of the situation. “Can we at least stop with the dramatics now? It’s really not that complicated.”
Aurora, still recovering from the shock of the mix-up, turned her attention back to Yvette. She managed a nervous smile, but there was a hint of guilt behind it. “Oh, Yvette… well, that’s an interesting twist! Who would’ve thought?”
Yvette, sensing that the awkwardness of the moment was fading, decided to step in and cool things down with her calm, collected nature. She smiled gently, her eyes sparkling with an unreadable emotion. “It’s alright, Aurora,” she said smoothly. “Sometimes things get a little… tangled. No harm done.”
For a brief moment, it seemed like the tension in the room had dissipated. But as Aurora took a step closer to Yvette, her excitement over their newfound ‘sisterhood’ was palpable. “So… now that we’re basically family,” Aurora said, a mischievous glint in her eye, “how about we make it official? I feel like fate brought us together. Let’s be sworn sisters. You can be my little sister!” She grinned widely, her eyes sparkling with the playful energy that was all too familiar to those who knew her well.
Yvette, though surprised, didn’t hesitate. Her gaze flickered briefly over to Jeremiah, then back at Aurora. She couldn’t help but smile softly at the sheer enthusiasm in Aurora’s voice. “Okay,” she agreed with a small nod, “I’m in.”
Jeremiah, clearly not too thrilled about the sudden bonding session unfolding before his eyes, crossed his arms again. His mouth twitched as if he were trying to suppress the irritation that was building up inside him. “Hold on. Can I just say something?” His voice was even, but his eyes were sharp with annoyance.
Yvette, Clifford, and Aurora all turned their heads toward him, clearly not expecting this interruption. There was a brief, almost comical pause before Jeremiah continued, his gaze settling on Yvette with a kind of wounded expression. “Since I’ve been here, you’ve barely looked at me. In fact, I think you’ve only looked at me five times.”
Yvette raised an eyebrow, and a sly smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She didn’t bother to hide the amusement in her eyes. “Really? Is that so? That’s unfortunate.” Her voice was casual, almost teasing, as she shifted her attention back to Aurora, ignoring Jeremiah’s faint scowl.
Jeremiah, sensing he wasn’t getting the reaction he had hoped for, let out a frustrated sigh. He shifted his focus from Yvette to Aurora, trying to change the subject. “And let’s not forget that my mother held your hand for what? Three minutes earlier? She even had the audacity to rub your palm.” His tone was a little dry, but the annoyance was clear.
Aurora, however, was already completely absorbed in her own thoughts. She caught sight of Jeremiah’s sulking expression and leaned in to give Yvette a playful nudge. “Oh, don’t mind him,” she said with a wink. “He’s just got a bit of a temper. But trust me, you’ll get used to it. And don’t worry, I’ll have him move out when you come over, so he won’t bother you too much.” She gave Yvette an apologetic look, her voice softening. “I know he’s not the most easygoing person, but he’s harmless.”
Jeremiah’s eyebrows shot up at this. His patience was wearing thin, and he spoke through gritted teeth, his eyes narrowing. “Just so you know, I’m here to find my girlfriend. And her name… is Yvette.” He emphasized the name, making it clear that this was the truth, no matter what anyone else thought.
Aurora, still processing the information, blinked in confusion. “Wait… you’re telling me your girlfriend’s name is Yvette?” she repeated, still stunned by the coincidence. “How strange is that? I guess we’re really all connected, huh?”
Clifford, who had been observing the conversation with a growing sense of amusement, finally let out a quiet laugh. “Silly, they’re the same person,” he said with a soft chuckle. He could tell that Aurora was still trying to make sense of everything.
Aurora’s face lit up in realization, and she let out a loud, startled scream. She stumbled back, hiding behind Clifford as if he could protect her from the embarrassment. “Oh my God! This is too much,” she whispered to herself, her hands over her face. The chaos had finally caught up with her, and she needed a moment to process the mess she had made.
The others in the room watched the scene unfold with varying levels of amusement and disbelief. It was clear that, for better or worse, this new twist in their relationships was only the beginning of a much more complicated, yet strangely endearing, family dynamic.
