The warmth of living skin, the familiar scent of soap and fabric, grounded her trembling heart.
Olivia was taken aback.
Aurora was not someone who showed affection so openly.
Whenever she did, it was rare enough that Olivia always felt a strange mix of surprise and indulgent happiness.
She hesitated only for a second before lifting her hand and gently patting Aurora's head, her fingers threading through slightly damp hair.
"What happened?" Olivia asked again, her tone careful. "Was it really that bad?"
Aurora loosened her grip but did not pull away. She stared at the blanket for a long moment, her thoughts swirling chaotically. 'Bad?' The word felt laughably insufficient.
For her, it truly had been a terrible day.
In her entire life, there was nothing she wished for more than for her family to reach a good ending. She had wealth, power, and foresight, yet the thing she feared most was painfully simple.
'Losing them.'
