Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

Emily was carefree. Even though she knew Aurora had once been Eric's greatest love, which technically made them rivals, she couldn't bring herself to dislike Aurora.

In fact, Emily was an odd one-she admired Aurora instead. She believed Aurora possessed many qualities worth learning from and thought to herself, "Any woman Eric could love must be a great person." That alone was enough for Emily to see Aurora as her role model rather than her enemy.

"Miss Montgomery, we meet again. You're looking more beautiful every time," Emily said sincerely, her compliment so genuine that it was impossible to feel anything but warmth toward her.

Aurora had encountered plenty of remarkable women, but she truly liked Emily. Despite being from a wealthy family, Emily still retained the innocence and simplicity of a young girl. She wasn't complicated, and Aurora thought she was the perfect match for Eric.

"Thank you, Miss Langdon. You're just as lovely. It's cold outside-why don't you and my cousin head inside?" Aurora replied with a gentle smile.

Eric no longer harbored that intense longing for Aurora he once had. He rarely thought of her these days, and seeing her today reminded him of how long it had been since she last crossed his mind.

His world had shifted-Aurora had faded from his life, and Emily had taken her place. He still felt guilty about what he'd done to Aurora in the past, but seeing that she held no grudge eased his heart. Aurora now had someone by her side, someone who was perfect for her. It was tfor him to let go.

With that thought, Eric took Emily's hand. "Let's go," he said.

Emily blushed at his gesture. She was shy, surprised even. He used to despise her-why was he holding her hand now? She didn't know the reason, but she felt as if pink bubbles were floating all around her.

As they walked away together, Aurora smiled softly. "It's wonderful to see lovers find happiness." "Isn't it? Meanwhile, we've still got a single dog here," Gore quipped, using the opportunity to tease Asher.

Asher, however, was lost in thought as he watched the faint smile on Aurora's lips. That smile had captivated him for a lifetime. Everyone who had once loved Aurora seemed to move on, leaving her world behind. But he stayed. He couldn't bring himself to leave.

Even if he couldn't grow old by her side, simply protecting her from afar was a kind of happiness he could accept.

"Where's Julian? He's taking forever. Maybe we should just go without him-he's got legs; he'll find us eventually," Asher suggested, worried about Aurora catching a cold after her recent illness.

"It's fine," Aurora said with a gentle shake of her head. She wasn't just waiting for Julian-she secretly hoped her mother might show up.

Even if they couldn't reunite, just being able to see her mother from afar would be enough.

"Isn't that your sister? What's she doing here?" Asher asked, noticing a man and a woman walking toward them. It was Kyle and Ivy.

Aurora saw Ivy trailing behind Kyle, keeping close like an obedient servant following her master. Both of them noticed Aurora as well. The moment Kyle saw her, his pace quickened.

Ivy clenched her fists tightly, cursing Aurora a thousand times in her heart.

Aurora remembered what Alison had said before-Ivy had found someone powerful to rely on. So it was Kyle. She hadn't noticed Ivy during her last visit to the villa, but seeing her now, it seemed obvious. Ivy's mother must have been the one Kyle had rescued.

Genevieve had already been punished. As long as they didn't provoke her again, Aurora was willing to let bygones be bygones.

If you're loving the book, nel5sis where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience—all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! Asher and Gore quickly picked up on the fact that Kyle was different from men like Eric or Nick. Those men cared deeply about their female companions. But Kyle? He moved with a steady stride that never changed for the woman following behind him, as if she held no place in his heart whatsoever.

His aura was powerful, and his gaze locked directly onto Aurora. Both men and women have strong instincts, and Kyle's presence triggered theirs immediately.

Sensing the potential threat, Asher and Gore instinctively stepped forward, subtly forming an invisible barrier of protection around Aurora.

Ivy's jealousy flared as she saw the outstanding men standing by Aurora's side. She seethed inwardly, cursing Aurora as a "shameless flirt." One moment it was Julian, and yet there were always more men hovering around her! Any woman would envy Aurora. She had it all: beauty, a perfect figure, a wealthy background, and the ability to earn her own money. She was like a masterpiece crafted by God-flawless in every way.

Ivy's jealousy consumed her, driving her mad.

Kyle stopped three steps away from Aurora. He didn't even glance at Asher or Gore. His eyes were fixed solely on her. "Are you feeling better?" he asked.

"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Raymond. I've been fine for a while now," Aurora replied politely, though her tone remained distant.

Although Kyle hadn't done anything to harm her that day, Julian had been furious because of him. Aurora's instinct was to keep her distance. Even when Kyle later tried to arrange a meeting under the guise of business interests, she had refused.

Running into him today was pure coincidence.

Kyle stared at her intently. He had been thinking about her constantly these past few days. When he m learned about the perfincident, his first instinct had been to help her. But before he could act, Aurora had already resolved the issue herself.

This woman had never been weak. He usually saw her on television or in the news, but meeting her in person reminded him of how much he m longed for her. Yet, standing before her, the only thing he could bring himself to say was to ask about her health. She was the woman he had dreamed of, yet she remained as distant as the moon reflected in water-close enough to see but forever out of reach. Kyle, being a man of few words, withdrew his gaze from Aurora and left without another word, as though she were nothing more than a stranger.

"That guy's weird," Asher muttered. He'd thought Kyle's intense gaze meant he was interested in Aurora, but the man had left without saying much at all.

Despite Kyle's reputation as a dangerous man, he had never done O to harm Aurora. Sometimes, anything to harm good and bad weren't so easily defined. To her, at least, Kyle seemed like a decent person. "Yeah," Aurora murmured, not saying any more.

Suddenly, she felt someone's gaze on her. Sensitive as ever, she turned to look, but the person had already averted their eyes.

As they passed each other, Aurora glimpsed the man's profile. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had seen him somewhere before.

"Who is he?" she asked, her instincts warning her that the man's gaze had not been a friendly one.

"Walsh, the vice president of R Corporation," Asher replied.

"R Corporation?" Aurora felt a chill run down her spine. Her mother hadn't come.

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