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 time in 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.

"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.

an accident, it was Nolan who helped her through those

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

naturally, progressing step by step toward marriage-until the eve of

would never forget that night, Nolan's

the wall like a madman, demanding to know why she'd done

with another man and threatened to tell you. In a

Nolan's eyes at that moment.A web of anger, hatred, and disappointment so thick it

personally handed her over to the

those five years in prison, she had often wondered if she

her that

the eve of their wedding, during an episode, she had mistaken a security guard for Nolan's father and

discuss wedding details with Nolan

overwhelmed with regret, begging Aurelia not to

ultimately

Nolan's mother, unable to live with herself, deliberately crashed into

child since birth. If his mother's scandal got

both him

circle would look at him differently, perhaps even questioning

taking all the blame.Now, Aurelia, with a terminal illness, there was

she would let him continue hating. That way, when she departed, she

her name from behind. "Aurelia Thorne?

piercing gaze from the elevated seat. As she tried to leave, someone tripped

coffee table and

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

Fresh out of prison and already working-how ambitious!" She kept her

waiting for? You've spilled alcohol

clean it

She could only pull out a cloth

the spilled alcohol over and

look up, she could feel Nolan's hateful gaze fixed

dagger suspended above her head, waiting to deliver

her humiliated probably

up, she tried to rise and leave,

broke are priceless. How do you plan to pay for