Divorced and Chased by My Alpha Billionaire Ex-Husband
Chapter 117: Faint Disappointment

Chapter 117: Faint Disappointment

The hall broke into applause—an applause that seemed to come from some of the very people Hades had once considered supporters.

His face darkened as he scanned the crowd, watching his allies clap with barely concealed approval.

As the applause continued, Hades’s face twisted with fury.

With one last glare at the hall, he spun on his heel and stormed out, his footsteps echoing through the silence that followed his departure.

Then, people began trickling out, murmurs floating through the air, but Aurora lingered, lost in thought as she processed everything that had unfolded.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw her mother, Victoria, walking toward the exit alongside Elizabeth.

With a determined breath, Aurora hurried after them, her heels clicking softly as she made her way through the dispersing crowd.

She finally caught up just as they reached the grand doors.

"Mom," Aurora called out, her voice carrying a hesitant warmth.

Victoria stopped, her posture stiffening before she turned.

Her eyes met Aurora’s, and her lips pursed into a tight, disapproving line.

Aurora’s steps faltered slightly, but she steadied herself and closed the remaining distance.

"I... I tried to reach you," she began, her voice filled with hope and uncertainty. "I’ve been trying to reach you for so long."

But Victoria’s expression didn’t soften. Her gaze was cold, her voice sharper than Aurora remembered.

"I didn’t want you to reach me," she said flatly, the words landing like a blow.

Aurora blinked, taken aback.

Why would her mother, who had once held her so close, say something so harsh?

She searched Victoria’s face, hoping for some hint of warmth, a glimmer of the mother she used to know. But there was nothing—just a wall of disapproval and contempt.

Victoria’s eyes narrowed as she took in Aurora’s surprised expression, and a sneer curled her lips.

"Oh, don’t look so shocked," she spat. "I know everything you did to your father. Shameless, that’s what you are."

Aurora’s heart stung, her pulse quickening. "Mom, what are you talking about?" she whispered, struggling to keep her voice steady. But Victoria only shook her head, her sneer deepening.

"You heard me," Victoria continued, each word laced with disdain. "Hurting him, imprisoning him for ten years, stripping him of his position as Alpha King... Tell me, Aurora, aren’t you ashamed of yourself?"

Aurora opened her mouth to explain, to remind her mother of the truth, that her father’s actions had left her no choice. But as she tried to speak, Victoria’s hand shot up, silencing her.

"Don’t bother with your excuses," Victoria hissed. "And then to be here among the nominees? Do you really have the audacity to watch Lucas stand alongside them?" Her voice lowered, dripping with bitterness. "You know how much this position means to the Grey family, and yet here you are, meddling."

Aurora’s throat tightened, her mind racing with hurt and confusion. "Mom... it’s not like that. I was just here to support Lucas," she managed, feeling her voice waver.

Victoria let out a bitter laugh.

"Support? Is that what you’re calling it?" She shook her head, her eyes narrowing. "What were you planning to do, hmm? Become the next Alpha King’s wife?" Her tone was filled with mockery, a twisted smile playing on her lips.

The accusation stung more deeply than Aurora had anticipated.

"Mom, how can you even think that?" she asked, her heart pounding with frustration and sadness.

She looked to Elizabeth for some kind of support, but Elizabeth averted her gaze, her lips pressed into a tight line.

Victoria crossed her arms, her expression hard. "Why wouldn’t I think that, Aurora? You’ve proven that you’re willing to go to any length to tear this family apart."

Aurora felt a surge of anger rise within her, but she forced herself to stay calm, taking a deep breath. "I haven’t torn anything apart. I did what I had to do to protect my family, to protect the people in the pack."

Victoria’s eyes flashed, her sneer returning.

"Protect?" she scoffed. "Is that what you call stripping your father of his legacy? Is that what you call leaving him to rot in that cell?"

Aurora’s hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms. "Mom, you know what he did. You know he was a danger to my son. I didn’t want to make that decision, but I had no choice."

Victoria shook her head, her gaze icy. "There’s always a choice, Aurora. You just chose the one that would hurt us the most." Her voice lowered, filled with bitterness. "And now, to stand here and act innocent? It’s pathetic."

The words cut deeper than Aurora wanted to admit, and she fought to keep her composure.

Just as she was about to speak, she felt a gentle tug on her wrist.

Turning, she saw Lucas, his eyes warm with understanding, his presence steadying her like an anchor.

"You don’t have to explain yourself to anyone who can’t see the truth," he murmured softly, his gaze on her mother.

Victoria’s eyes shifted to Lucas, her mouth opening as if to say something scathing.

However, he met her gaze with quiet strength, unflinching, and a flicker of hesitation crossed her face.

"I did everything for the good of the pack," Aurora said quietly, turning back to her mother. "And if you can’t understand that, then maybe you don’t understand me at all."

Victoria’s face hardened, but she said nothing.

With one last, scornful look, she turned on her heel and walked away, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor as she disappeared down the hall.

Elizabeth hesitated, casting Aurora a cold glance, before hurrying after her.

Aurora stood there in silence, a part of her heart aching as she watched them go.

Lucas’s fingers gently wrapped around her wrist, and she felt the warmth of his presence soothe the sting of her mother’s words.

"You did the right thing," he said quietly, his voice steady. "I know that, and so do you."

She nodded, letting out a shaky breath. "It just hurts... knowing that she’ll never see it that way."

Lucas’s thumb brushed her hand in a gentle, comforting motion. "Sometimes people only see what they want to see. But that doesn’t change the truth."

Aurora managed a faint smile, grateful for his calm support.

"Thank you," she whispered, her heart swelling with gratitude.

For a moment, they stood in a soft silence, the echoes of the hall gradually fading around them.

Then, Aurora’s gaze lowered, and a small frown tugged at her lips as she remembered the results.

"And I’m sorry about what happened earlier," she said, her voice soft with regret. "You were just a few votes away from ranking at the top of the nominees. You deserved it, Lucas. I know how much this meant to you."

Lucas’s expression softened, his hand returning to the wheelchair armrest.

"Don’t apologize, Aurora," he replied gently. "We both knew this was a possibility."

His gaze flickered down, and though he tried to keep his expression neutral, Aurora could sense the faint disappointment lingering in his eyes.

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