Chapter 256
During their time together, Rowena had always loved singing and composing her own songs. She had a natural talent for music, and it was no surprise when she eventually made it big and became a popular star. It was a huge accomplishment—and Cormac couldn’t help but feel proud of her.
“Sort of,” Rowena smiled, an awkward yet polite expression. “How have you been all these years?”
“Good. Really good,” Cormac replied, relieved that she didn’t know about the Nash family’s situation. He forced a smile, trying to hide his emotions. “That’s good,” Rowena nodded, then looked over at Aurora and asked with a soft smile, “And who is this young lady?”
Aurora, looking around fourteen or fifteen, definitely didn’t seem like she could be Cormac’s daughter. So who was she?
“Oh, she’s my wife’s sister,” Cormac blurted out without thinking.
Aurora froze, clearly startled. She hadn’t expected Cormac to know Rowena, but quickly nodded, adding, “Yes.” Cormac was thankful for her quick thinking in the awkward moment.
Rowena seemed surprised, but then her smile returned. “I see. We’re not so young anymore. It’s time to settle down.”
“Yes,” Cormac replied, feeling even more uncomfortable. He avoided her gaze, his emotions a tangled mess.
Rowena, too, felt the awkwardness of the situation. She hadn’t expected to run into Cormac. Wasn’t he a friend of Alaric’s? Given his status, he should’ve been at the grand opening yesterday. Why would he bring Aurora here today, on a crowded, free admission day?
Before Cormac could speak, a man’s voice interrupted the silence.
“Rowena,” the voice called. A tall, handsome man in a high-end suit entered the room. “You just finished performing, signing autographs, and taking photos. It must be exhausting.”
He walked over and casually put his arm around Rowena’s shoulder, as if marking his territory.
Cormac immediately looked away, a wave of discomfort washing over him. His chest tightened at the sight of the man.
“Rowena needs to rest,” the young man continued, his tone dismissive of everyone else. “Autographs and photos can wait.”
“They’re not here for autographs,” Rowena started to explain, but then hesitated, unsure of how to continue.
“Oh, so you know him?” the young man asked, raising an eyebrow. “Are you friends?”
“We went to the same school,” Cormac replied, guessing their relationship. Saying that he was Rowena’s ex would have made things even more awkward. “I was two years ahead of her.”
“Alright. It must be fate for us to meet here,” the young man said, offering a charming smile. “I’m Richard Walker, Rowena’s boyfriend.”
Though Cormac had already suspected it, hearing it confirmed still stung.
“Richard, you two make a great couple,” Cormac forced a smile. “You must be busy. I’ll take my leave.”
Without another word, Cormac grabbed Aurora’s hand and left quickly, his heart heavy in his chest.
After they left, Rowena stood still for a moment, her gaze following Cormac’s retreating figure. Richard, sensing her shift in mood, spoke up again.
“Rowena, the manager just told me we have dinner with Alaric and his wife from Nexus Innovations tonight. Mr. Knight personally chose you as the ambassador for this entertainment complex. Nexus Innovations is our major sponsor now, so we should thank Mr. Knight properly tonight.”
“Okay,” Rowena responded absentmindedly, still lost in thought.
“You must be tired. Go rest at the hotel, and the driver will pick you up in the afternoon,” Richard said.
“Aren’t you coming back with me?” Rowena asked, her tone questioning.
“I’ll stay a bit longer,” Richard replied, his voice tinged with annoyance. “A lot of female fans showed up today. You know how they reacted after we announced our relationship. I’ll take this chance to calm them down.”
“Okay,” Rowena replied quietly, and was escorted by her manager and assistant to a car. But even as she settled in, her mind kept drifting back to Cormac.
Cormac, too, was lost in thought after leaving Rowena’s dressing room. He felt disoriented, almost as if the ground beneath him had shifted.
“Aurora?” he mumbled, his mind reeling. He barely registered the worried expression on Aurora’s face as she quickly helped him sit on a bench.
“Are you okay? Do you feel unwell? Is it heatstroke?” she asked, concern written all over her face. The hot weather and the crowd had clearly taken their toll.
“No,” Cormac shook his head. “I’m fine.”
Though physically fine, the unease he felt was purely emotional—and it made him feel terrible.
Aurora, sensing his mood, sat with him in silence, not prying but offering a comforting presence.
“Aurora, I’m sorry for making you lie earlier,” Cormac finally said, his voice low.
Aurora smiled kindly. “It’s okay. I know you had a reason.”
Cormac gave a bitter smile in return, but didn’t say more. His thoughts were a whirlwind. He hadn’t expected to run into Rowena again, especially not like this. It was fortunate she didn’t know about the Nash family’s situation, but it still felt like the past had come rushing back. Rowena was a star now, and she had clearly moved on. That was a reality Cormac would have to accept.
“Let’s go, Aurora. There are still a few areas we haven’t seen. I’ll go with you,” Cormac said, trying to shake off the weight of the encounter.
“No need. If you’re not feeling well, we should go home,” Aurora quickly suggested, noticing how off Cormac seemed.
“I’m okay,” he insisted. “It’s rare to get free admission to everything. Why not take advantage of it? After today, we won’t have another chance.”
Aurora hesitated, but eventually agreed. They continued their tour, and by the time they finished, it was already dark.
They walked out of the entertainment center, heading toward the bus stop. As they waited, Richard, surrounded by bodyguards, emerged from the building and got into a car. His eyes caught sight of Cormac and Aurora getting on a bus across the street. His gaze narrowed, and he felt an inexplicable sense of irritation.
“That guy who just got on the bus,” Richard said, pointing at Cormac, “said he and Rowena went to the same school. He’s not even a classmate, yet he acts like he’s close to her.”
“People like him, who aren’t doing well, always try to latch onto those who are,” the manager said with disdain. “Rowena has been the ambassador for this entertainment center for days. Everyone knew she would be here today. He probably found out and staged an accidental encounter.”
A staged coincidence?
That idea didn’t sit well with Richard. “If that’s the case, it’s concerning,” he said, his voice cool. “His name is Cormac Nash. Look into him. We can’t let him latch onto Rowena. We’ve worked hard to build our popularity after years abroad. Since announcing our relationship, I’ve already lost a lot of fans. We can’t afford any more issues. People like him will do anything for money.”
“Understood,” the manager replied. “I’ll get someone to look into his background. For now, just concentrate on tonight’s dinner. Alaric is doing really well in his career right now. Getting on his good side will probably open a lot of doors for you.”
“Got it,” Richard said, a determined glint in his eyes.