Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

The Petal Fest was approaching, and the entire village was brimming with excitement. Although the festival began as a religious celebration, over tit had transformed into a day of universal joy and revelry.

Much like New Year's, people had long forgotten the original meaning of the festival, immersing themselves instead in the vibrant festivities. The village was adorned with colorful decorations, and whether by coincidence or design, Mrs. Woolf had mentioned it to Justin, prompting him to return early in the morning with a large red lantern.

Aurora, who was never one to sleep in, woke up unusually late that day. By the tshe was dressed and stepped outside, it was already past ten. She noticed several large red lanterns hung up, adding a festive flair to the house. Outside other homes in the village, similar decorations were on display. Young women brought back fresh flowers from the fields, arranging them in baskets.

Aurora felt an atmosphere akin to the New Year, a rare sense of warmth and cheer. Perhaps it was due to her conversation with Justin the previous night, but she woke up in unusually high spirits.

"Good morning, Justin," Aurora greeted warmly.

"Good morning." Justin looked at her, his heart filled with a sense of warmth. To him, Aurora seemed like a little sun, her mere presence brightening everything around her.

"Tomorrow's the Petal Fest. The village is buzzing with anticipation." "Yes," Justin nodded. "Here, Petal Fest is one of our most important celebrations. Tomorrow morning, when you wake up, ask Mrs. Woolf to take you to the fields to pick sflowers. You'll need them for the blessing ceremony at the temple." "Alright," Aurora replied, curious and excited about her first Petal Fest. She made sure to ask about any customs or taboos, and the day passed quickly.

Meanwhile, Justin was quietly making plans. He instructed someone to arrange transportation, a decision that did not escape Mrs. Woolf's notice.

"Are you sure you want to let her go?" she asked.

"It's not that I want to," Justin said, his tone heavy. "It's that I can't keep her here. She's not a bird meant to be caged. She deserves to spread her wings and explore the vast sky.

You've seen it yourself-she's a CEO. If I keep her by my side for too long, what about her family, her company, or... her lover? He's right. If I force her to stay, we'll both grow to resent each other. It's better to let things remain beautiful as they are. After the Petal Fest, I'll take her hmyself." Justin had spent two sleepless nights reaching this conclusion. To keep her here against her will would make him no different from the pirates he despised.

"Ah, child, you're too kindhearted," Mrs. Woolf said with a sigh. "The girl will probably be happy to hear this." "I haven't told her yet." "This outcmight be for the best. But have you thought about Lana? That girl is utterly devoted to you." Mrs. Woolf felt conflicted, both glad and sorrowful for Justin.

Although Aurora insisted that Justin's affection was more like that of a brother, Mrs. Woolf, as an onlooker, could see the way Justin looked at her. That was not the gaze of a brother-it was the gaze of a man in love.

But none of that mattered now. Justin had made up his mind. Life was full of difficult choices, and sthings had to be let go.

"If I loved her, I would have loved her long ago," Justin said softly.

He turned to look out the window. The pitch-black sky was slowly brightening. Dawn was on the horizon. "Look, the sun is rising," Justin said, pointing to the sky.

"Yes," Mrs. Woolf replied. "A new day has begun." Justin dressed carefully that morning. If this was to be their last day together, he wanted to spend it by her side, looking his best.

Aurora, perhaps feeling the excitement of the festival, also woke early. While Mrs. Woolf prepared breakfast in the kitchen and Justin washed up, Aurora stood by the door, breathing in the fresh morning air.

As she gazed into the distance, a figure approached-Alison.

Aurora had been thinking about reaching out to Alison for help, but fate seemed to deliver her right to Aurora's doorstep.

"Aurora... What are you doing here?" Alison was visibly surprised. She had been traveling south, stopping and wandering aimlessly, and had stumbled upon this village by chance. Running into Aurora was the last thing she expected.

Aurora, unaware of Justin's plans to let her go, raised a finger to her lips, signaling for Alison to remain quiet. She quickly pulled her aside.

"Alison, I'm in a bit of trouble. Can you helpwith something?" "What is it?" "Just pretend you never saw me. Take this note and read it somewhere private. No matter what happens, even if you seeagain, act as if you don't know me." "Why?" Alison asked, confused. She hadn't even had the chance to catch up with Aurora, and now she was being handed a cryptic note.

"I've written everything down. Just go, quickly!" Aurora urged, practically pushing her away.

Although Alison didn't understand Aurora's urgency, she trusted her character. If Aurora said she needed help, then something serious must be going on. Taking the note, Alison left without question.

When she reached a quiet place, she unfolded the note. It was a message from Aurora, asking her to contact Julian and inform him of her location. Aurora emphasized that she was safe and not in any immediate danger. Alison couldn't understand the secrecy. If Aurora was safe, why all the mystery? Still, she decided to trust her instincts. If Aurora was in trouble, this could be important.

She dialed the number written on the note. The phone barely rang before it was answered.

"Hello?" A familiar male voice cthrough, tense and urgent.

"Mr. Barnet, this is Alison," she said, her voice a little nervous.

"Alison?" Julian sounded puzzled, trying to place the name.

Afraid he might hang up, Alison quickly got to the point. "I ran into Miss Montgomery. She askedto contact you." "Aurora asked you to contact me? Where is she?" Julian's voice surged with urgency, his blood rushing at the mere mention of her name.

"She gavea note with your number. She seems to be in sm kind of trouble. I'll send you her location right away. Oh, and she wantedto assure you that she's safe." "Send it tonow!" Julian's voice trembled with emotion.

It had been days since he last saw Aurora, and he had been tormented by the thought of her being in danger. Now, hearing news of her, he felt as though his heart might burst.

After hanging up, Alison sent Julian the location along with a photo of the note Aurora had written.

Julian instantly recognized Aurora's handwriting. The note reassured him that she was safe, but even so, he couldn't stand the thought of her facing this alone. Julian immediately called Nick and Vortex. Upon hearing Aurora's name, both men sprang into action, preparing for a full-scale operation.

Vortex even arranged for several helicopters from the local military base, creating the impression that a full-blown war was about to break out. Julian and his team boarded a private jet, heading straight for Aurora's location.

Aurora, however, underestimated Julian's determination. She thought it would take him a day or two to find her in the remote village.

But as she and Mrs. Woolf headed into the fields to gather wildflowers, Julian was already mobilizing his rescue team.

This time, failure was not an option.

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