I didn’t give her a chance to reply when I hung up.

I was the reason Allison made it on time to any event; left to her own devices, she wouldn’t be early anywhere.

Fiona followed me into the elevator when I headed down. I pretended to be on my phone to avoid any conversation with her because I was sure I would say more than was necessary.

Liam was already parked in front of the building when we came out. She said hello to Liam like she always does but stood back.

“You’re not coming with me?” I asked.

“No, sir, I have something to attend to.”

I nodded once, but only because the smile on her face didn’t sit well with me, and the alternative was asking. I bid her farewell and got into the car. Liam drove away, and I tried to not turn around and watch her disappear the further we got.

I tried to not imagine what my life would be like if I could not convince my parents of my unwillingness to marry Aurora.

Liam stopped in front of the hotel where Allison was staying. She said she moved to a hotel out of boredom while waiting for Fiona to come home from work. Instead of discussing how she occupied her time, she primarily focuses on recounting her encounter with a guy she met at the hotel.

I didn’t get the chance to place a call to inform Allison that we’d arrived because she came bouncing out of the hotel with a big smile on her face. She was dressed in a chic pink gown and black heels. Her hair cascaded down her back.

“Big baby,” she said as soon as she got into the car, accepting the hug I offered her.

“How are you?”

“I’m good. After all these years, I am just not mentally prepared to meet Mom and Dad.”

I nodded in understanding. Our parents could be very hard to deal with, but they were wonderful guardians.

“I’m sure they’ve missed you too much to go overboard,” I said, and was pleased when it startled a laugh out of her. Allison rested her head on my shoulder and didn’t say much after that.

Liam pulled into the house not a while longer, and I let him know he could go ahead and rest. Our parents were standing in front of the house with Aurora’s parents, a very grand welcome.

“Here we go,” Allison said as we made our way to them.

“Allison, baby,” our Mom said, and hugged Allison.

“Christian,” my dad said as we shook hands and hugged briefly. Allison and I switched places. I hugged Mom as Allison greeted Dad with a hug, too. Then, we turned our attention to Aurora’s parents.

I didn’t say hello to Aurora, unwilling to give her the idea that I’d forgiven her for pulling this stunt. I felt like an outsider in my parent’s house. She stared at me, but I didn’t give her the time of the day as we followed after our parents.

The dining table was already set, and I sat with Allison on my right and Aurora on my left. We made small talk, skating around the reason we were all there.

“How is work these days?” Quinn asked with a smile on her face.

“Oh, it’s really nice.”

“Susan?”

“She’s coming along really nicely. We’ve noticed some really good developments, and luckily, we’ve found a hospital willing to let us test the program. The Germans are really interested in being our choice.”

“That’s really incredible,” Allison said and patted my thigh. “You worked really hard on this.”

I opened my mouth to reply, but Aurora’s father decided that was enough chit chat.

“What are your intentions toward our daughter? Do you still love her?”

The spit I swallowed went down the wrong pipe, and I coughed violently, aware that someone was patting my back lightly. Love is a strong word.

“Christian is very shy,” Allison said quickly, “He doesn’t like to talk about things like this.”

She was always quick to save me from trouble, even if it was with Mom.

“Excuse me for a minute,” I said, and made my way from the table and to the balcony to collect my thoughts. It won’t help me to say something rude now.

Allison found me a few minutes later.

I ran my hands through my hair. “I cannot do this! I cannot pretend to be something I am not. I do not want to be with Aurora and never want to see her again.”

“Then tell everyone!” Allison said.

I nodded once, and then again. What was I so scared of? I allowed Allison to lead me back to the table, where I took my seat. I ran the outcome of my words through my head several times more.

“Christian, you need to answer the question my father asked,” Aurora said to me, and I couldn’t tell if she was smiling or smirking. Either way, I wanted to wipe the look off her face.

I wondered if I was the only one who was in our relationship. How could she not see that we were not fit for each other? But then again, Aurora only ever cared about how she felt, and nothing else.

Allison looked at me and offered me a smile. It was up to me now to make my stance; Aurora thought she could pull this dinner on me and force me to admit something I wasn’t feeling.

“What was the question again?”

“He asked if you are still in love with me,” Aurora said.

I thought of Fiona, not just from this evening, but what it has been like to reconnect with her. I thought of the peace and the feeling of not being trapped anymore.

“Not anymore,” I said, and nodded in agreement. I saw Allison smirk, but she brought a glass of wine to her mouth to hide it.

“What?” Aurora’s voice was a screech, and she got to her feet, the chair falling backward. Fiona wouldn’t behave like that.

“What are you talking about, young man?” Aurora’s father asked; there was no humor in his voice. Beside him, her mother’s mouth was slightly agape.

Now that I have started, I had no idea why I didn’t say it all the while ago. It was easier for the words to start flowing now.

“Sir, I’m sure that your daughter is a good woman,” I said, and Allison scoffed, but everyone was so focused on me that they didn’t catch it, “but I’d be doing us both an injustice if I were to pretend to feel something I don’t. I don’t love Aurora, and I was certain she knew that. In fact, I have made it clear to her on more than one occasion. I wish I could say I saw a future with her, but I can’t. We’d both be miserable if we were to pretend to feel something that we don’t.”

“You can’t be serious,” Aurora said. Her eyes were blazing, and I could tell she was holding herself back from slapping me across the face.

“Aurora, I’ve been honest with you. I don’t know what you hoped to gain from all of this, but I won’t help you sell a lie. You’re a great woman, and I’m certain the right man is out there waiting for you to walk by so he can fall in love with you. That man is, unfortunately, not me.”

“You love me,” Aurora countered. “Where is this nonsense coming from?”