Chapter 255
By the middle of the night, Aurora had finally succumbed to exhaustion. Cormac, ever thoughtful, draped his coat over her and let her sleep against him, even though he remained wide awake.
His eyes lingered on the lights of the entertainment center, lost in thought. The crowd, the noise, the bustle—everything seemed to blur together in his mind until morning eventually came.
“Aurora, let’s go,” Cormac whispered softly, gently nudging her awake. She stirred, her eyes fluttering open. Without hesitation, she got up, and he took her hand, leading her inside.
The venue was packed. Aurora’s eyes widened in awe. “So many people! Our school events never had this many attendees. It’s incredible!”
Cormac, not a fan of large crowds, felt a slight unease, but seeing Aurora’s excitement made it worthwhile. She was always so full of optimism, never complaining about anything. It was her joy that gave him the strength to keep moving forward.
They spent most of the day exploring the entertainment center, and Aurora was having the time of her life. She saw things she’d never experienced before—amusement rides, flashing lights, and an overwhelming sense of wonder. She had never ridden on such big rides, and the thrill made it all worthwhile for Cormac.
“Cormac,” Aurora said excitedly, “I heard there’s a superstar performing at the Arts Park. Can we go see? I’ve never seen a celebrity in person!”
Cormac raised an eyebrow. “Celebrities are just regular people.”
The Nash family, with their own history in the entertainment industry, wasn’t easily impressed by stardom, especially since Orion had once been a superstar himself. But seeing Aurora so eager, Cormac couldn’t say no.
“But seeing someone from TV in real life is still so cool,” Aurora continued. “They look so beautiful on TV. If I could get an autograph, my classmates would be so jealous.”
Cormac smiled, shaking his head. He was here for one reason—to make Aurora happy.
“If you want to go, we’ll go,” he said.
“Thank you, Cormac!”
Worried about the crowd, Cormac held her hand tightly as they made their way to the Arts Park. On the way there, they passed a huge poster of Rowena, but Cormac barely noticed.
The Arts Park was packed from a previous performance, and they couldn’t get in at first. But after some time, when the crowd began to thin, they managed to squeeze through—only to find that the performance had already ended.
“What a pity. We missed the superstar,” Aurora said, her face falling with disappointment.
“It’s okay. They’re just regular people. Don’t be sad, Aurora,” Cormac reassured her, trying to lift her spirits.
Aurora thought for a moment, then brightened up. “Alright, I’ll go to the restroom.”
Cormac agreed to wait outside. A few minutes later, Aurora came running back, practically skipping with excitement.
“Cormac, I just heard in the restroom that the superstar is in the backstage lounge right now! Lots of people are going in to ask for photos and autographs. Can we go? Please, please?”
Although Cormac wasn’t keen on the idea, he didn’t want to let Aurora down. “Alright, let’s go.”
Hand in hand, they headed toward the backstage lounge. As they arrived, they were met with a crowd of people clamoring for photos and autographs, all desperately pushing toward the celebrity.
The scene was overwhelming, and in the chaos, they got separated. Aurora was shoved forward, caught in the push of the crowd.
“Aurora! Aurora!” Cormac shouted, desperately trying to make his way through the sea of people.
The crowd surged, forcing Aurora further toward the front. Cormac felt his heart race, and he struggled to move faster, but it was like swimming against a current.
“Everyone, please be careful! Don’t push!” shouted the celebrity’s bodyguards, but the crowd showed little regard for the warnings. It was getting dangerous.
“Alright, thank you for your enthusiasm, but the autograph session is over now. Please exit in an orderly manner,” the staff called, but it was useless. The crowd wasn’t listening, and they continued to surge forward, unstoppable.
Aurora, pushed too far to the front, lost her footing and fell to the ground. Just as she was about to be trampled by the crowd, a figure in a high-end gown appeared, quickly reaching out to help her up.
“Are you okay?” Rowena’s voice was warm and concerned as she helped the young girl.
The security guards immediately reacted, becoming more urgent in their calls. “A child has been pushed! Everyone, please be careful!” They managed to begin clearing the crowd, trying to control the situation.
Cormac, still struggling through the crowd, finally reached the front. His eyes locked onto Aurora, and without a second thought, he rushed forward and scooped her up into his arms.
“Aurora, are you okay? Did you get hurt?” he asked, his voice filled with panic.
Before she could respond, Rowena spoke up again. “Is this your child?” she asked, concern in her voice. “You need to watch her closely. There are a lot of people today; don’t let her get lost.”
Cormac froze. He hadn’t recognized the voice at first, but as soon as he looked up, everything seemed to click into place. Rowena.
“Cormac?” Rowena’s voice was filled with surprise as her eyes widened.
It was as if a flash of light had gone off in his mind. Ten years ago, Rowena had captivated him with her guitar performance and soulful singing during their school’s spring concert. Now, standing in front of him, Rowena was even more beautiful than he remembered, dressed in an elegant gown with her hair styled to perfection. She was the brightest star in the room—so different from the quiet, self-doubting girl he once knew.
Rowena smiled softly as recognition dawned on her. “Cormac, is that really you?”
He snapped out of his daze. His thoughts were a blur. This wasn’t how he had imagined meeting Rowena again after all these years. He had always thought they’d cross paths someday, but never like this, not in this chaotic moment.
“Yes,” Cormac finally managed to say, his voice awkward and unsure. His mind was still racing, unsure of what to say or do. His eyes shifted nervously. “I see you’ve achieved your dreams. Congratulations.”