After the Last Tear: Rising from the Ashes of a Broken Marriage By Cassila K

Chapter 104

After serving five years in San Quentin State prison, the first thing Aurelia Thorne did was arrange for a sky burial

in Tibet.

"Miss Thorne, this is the sky burial service you requested. After your death, your body will be transported to

Celestial Mountain for the ceremony. You'll need to pay a deposit now, with the remaining balance due within two

weeks."

Aurelia nodded, pulling out a plastic bag from her faded jeans. She meticulously counted the bills and coins she

had saved during her tin prison, finally scraping together enough for the deposit.

She had been diagnosed with cancer while incarcerated. Now in the terminal stage, doctors estimated she had

only a month left to live.

Years ago, she and Nolan Creed had made a promise to marry in Tibet, letting the sacred peaks of Celestial

Mountain bear witness to their undying love.

Now that their wedding vows could never be fulfilled, at least she could rest eternally in that sacred land—a

small consolation.

The sky burial wasn't cheap. After leaving the funeral service office, she applied for a waitressing position at

Nightshade Lounge to pay the remaining balance.

With her criminal record, finding legitimate employment was impossible. Nightshade was notorious as the most

extravagant nightclub in North Kingston, but the waitstaff earned decent wages.

After briefing her on the basics, the manager handed her a uniform and told her to start that very evening.

Following a brief training session, she entered one of the VIP rooms carrying bottles of liquor. The room was

dimly lit, filled with wealthy heirs and socialites playing games. She kept her head down, crouching beside the

coffee table to place the bottles down. Just as she was about to leave, that painfully familiar cold voice reached

her from across the room.

Her entire body going rigid!

Sure enough, Nolan sat on the elevated sofa, surrounded by admirers, his sharp features appearing particularly

noble and aloof in the shifting light.

Five years had passed, but his appearance hadn't changed at all, though he now carried an unapproachable

coldness.

She couldn't help stealing another glance, only then noticing he had his arm around a woman-her former best

friend, Evangeline Winters.

They appeared to be discussing wedding plans.

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"We'll have the ceremony just as you like, in the seaside chapel with pink roses spread along the shore."

"If you don't like the wedding dress the designer created last time, I'll have someone make a new one.

Everything will be tailored to your preferences."

Hearing that familiar voice, Aurelia's thoughts drifted involuntarily. Five years ago, she had been so close to

becoming Nolan's bride.

They had grown up together, childhood sweethearts.

After Aurelia's parents died in an accident, it was Nolan who helped her through those unbearable times.

He would take her to school on his bicycle, fight for her when she was period, and even bought her sanitary

products, blushing with embarrassment, the first tshe got her period.

Their love developed naturally, progressing step by step toward marriage-until the eve of their wedding, when

she ran over Nolan's mother with her car!

She would never forget that night, Nolan's eyes bloodshot with fury.

He cornered her against the wall like a madman, demanding to know why she'd done it, if she had shidden

reason.

Aurelia had never felt so desperate. She looked up and smiled "No hidden reason. She caughtin bed with

another man and threatened to tell you. In a fit of rage, | had no choice but to run her over."

She would never forget the look in Nolan's eyes at that moment.A web of anger, hatred, and disappointment so

thick it trapped her completely, suffocating her.

In the end, Nolan personally handed her over to the police.

During those five years in prison, she had often wondered if she had told the truth, would things have turned out

differently for them?

But reason reminded her that she couldn't.

Nolan's mother had suffered from severe depression. On the eve of their wedding, during an episode, she had

mistaken a security guard for Nolan's father and had sex with him.

Aurelia had wanted to discuss wedding details with Nolan when she accidentally witnessed the scene.

When Nolan's mother regained clarity, she was overwhelmed with regret, begging Aurelia not to tell anyone.

Though conflicted, Aurelia ultimately agreed to her plea.

But after Aurelia started her car to leave, Nolan's mother, unable to live with herself, deliberately crashed into

Aurelia's vehicle.

Nolan had been the golden child since birth. If his mother's scandal got out, it

would have devastated both him and the Creed family.

People in their social circle would look at him differently, perhaps even questioning his pare age.

So for Nolan's sake, she swallowed the bitter truth alone, taking all the blame.Now, Aurelia, with a terminal

iliness, there was even less reason to reveal the truth.

Since he hated her, she would let him continue hating. That way, when she departed, she could do so cleanly,

with no lingering attachments.

Trembling, she was about to leave when someone called her nfrom behind. "Aurelia Thorne? You're out of

prison!"

She shuddered, not daring to meet the piercing gaze from the elevated seat. As she tried to leave, someone

tripped her.

Caught off guard, she crashed into the coffee table and fell hard to the floor.

Several bottles shattered, and her hands were sliced open in multiple places, blood flowing freely. The room

erupted in laughter as everyone stood to scrutinize her pitiful state.

"Aurelia, it really is you! Fresh out of prison and already working-how ambitious!" She kept her head down in

silence, pressing her hands against the bleeding wounds.

The person continued. "What are you waiting for? You've spilled alcohol everywhere. Clean it up immediately."

"And remember, clean it on your knees."

More laughter followed. She could only pull out a cloth from her apron and kneel

on the floor, wiping the spilled alcohol over and over.

Though she didn't look up, she could feel Nolan's hateful gaze fixed on her.

Like a dagger suspended above her head, waiting to deliver the fatal blow.

He hated her so much-seeing her humiliated probably gave him more satisfaction than anyone else.

After hastily cleaning up, she tried to rise and leave, but her tormentor wasn't finished with her.

"Leaving already? Those bottles you broke are priceless. How do you plan to pay for them?"

Aurelia clutched her hands helplessly, not daring to raise her head. "I'm sorry, | truly didn't mean to."

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"You think 'sorry' is enough? We all know you can't afford to pay. Tell you what- I'll give you a chance. Crawl!

between my legs, and we'll call it even."

With that, the man smirked and propped one leg on a stool, looking at her with contempt.

The crowd laughed again, chanting in unison "Crawl through! Crawl through!" She bit her lip until it nearly bled,

her face burning with shame. The mocking gazes stabbed her back like knives, there was no escape.

She couldn't afford to pay, and this person was clearly out to punish her on Nolan's behalf. If she refused, they

would find other ways to torment her. During those five years in prison, dignity had becworthless to her.

Her vision blurred. She bit her lip so hard it almost bled. Finally, before everyone, she fell to her knees in front of

the man.

Just as she was about to bend down and crawl under, the table was violently kicked over, and an ice-cold voice

cut through the room.

"Enough!"

Before she could react, a sharp pain shot through her arm as she was dragged out of the room.

In the dim hallway, Nolan pinned her against the wall, his eyes cold with hatred. "Aurelia, is this how you

degrade yourself?"

Her back touched the cold marble, making her shiver. She turned her head away. "You shouldn't have intervened.

How can your mother rest in peace if you do this?"

Her words enraged him. He shoved her away. "Intervene? Don't flatter yourself. | brought you out here to make a

deal!”

"Since you | need money so badly, tonight you'll stand guard outside my room, and

I'll pay you. From now on, you'll stay by my side. | promise the money will be more than you'd earn serving

drinks."

Without waiting for her response, he took out a stack of bills and threw them hard

at her face.

Aurelia's face jerked to the side, her cheek immediately bleeding.

She knew his proposition was merely for revenge.

And he delivered on that promise.

That night, standing guard outside his door, she heard the crazy sex sounds of

him and Evangeline in bed together.