Claimed By the Billionaire Ex

Chapter 2

Aurora's POV

"Mrs. Carter?"

I spun around, heart leaping to my throat. My gaze landed on George, the last person I expected to see, though the familiar voice should have warned me. And then again, I was in Jace's company. I should have known he would be around.

Not much had changed, he was still broad-shouldered, with a boyish grin that was all sincerity and none of the corporate polish you'd expect from Jace's right hand.

"George?" I called out, the shock evident in my voice.

He closed the distance in three long strides, his face torn between a smile and a frown.

"Holy hell, it's really you. Where have you been?" His voice was a flood, questions spilling out before I could respond. "Are you okay? What are you doing here? How are you? What are you doing now? Oh, Mr. Carter is going to lose it when he sees you. He's been searching for you all this while."

There was so much warmth and confusion in that greeting that I almost laughed, my shoulders loosening for the first time since I touched down in New York. But there was no way Jace had been searching for me. He didn't care. He never did and I was very certain he wasn't going to care that I had shown up.

George was practically vibrating with excitement. I could understand because we had been a bit friendly while I was with Jace. He was one of the people I had hated living behind.

When I found out Jace's assistant was a young man fresh out of university, I was shocked but as time went on, I understood why Jace had chosen him. He did his work well and effectively.

"You look...wow, you look good." He fixed me with a serious look, softer around the edges. "I always hoped you'd come back. Me. Carter never really got over..."

He trailed off, shaking his head at his own candor. "Come on, you have to see him. He's upstairs, I swear, he'll be fucking ecstatic to see you, Mrs. Carter."

I doubted that, but the lump in my throat wouldn't let me say it out loud.

George didn't give me more time to stall. He must have sensed my nerves, because as we walked together through the maze of Carter Holdings, past the sleek conference rooms and the smell of expensive cologne, he kept talking, peppering me with questions about my life, telling me I hadn't aged a day and making jokes just to lighten the walk. Each step, my mind spun faster. How do I tell Jace about Alex? Would he even listen? How would be react?

I was so lost in thought I had no idea when

we stopped in front of Jace's office. It looked like something out of an architectural magazine with floor-to-ceiling windows, a wall of thick glass,with the city skyline stretching behind him. George's grin was back in full force. "Wait here."

He slipped inside, closing the door behind him. I stared at the plaque with Jace's name, heart hammering so hard I thought it might shatter. My palms were sweating, knees shaky. I pressed a trembling hand to my chest, willing myself to be the version of Aurora who could slay a boardroom. The stakes had never been higher.

A few seconds passed, then the door swung open.

Jace stood there.

He was taller than I remembered if that was even possible which I know it wasnt. For a second he simply stared, mouth parted, his hazel eyes staring back at me, eyes that reminded me of Alex and why I was here even with his delicious my ex husband looked right now. Then all of a sudden, as if something broke, he crossed the room in two quick steps.

He pulled me into his arms.

I froze, caught in the familiarity of his embrace and the shock of it. I never planned for this, never planned for the way my body still remembered the shape of him, or how his warmth seeped into the cold places I pretended no longer existed.

Jace held onto me as if afraid to let go. My arms just hung there, too stunned to lift. When he finally loosened his hold, he cupped my face, and I saw a flurry of things cross his eyes, hope, anger, relief, and the ache of too many unspoken words.

He spoke softly. "Where have you been, Aurora? What happened? Are you alright? Do you need anything?"

I ignored his question going straight for a private moment. "Can we talk somewhere private?"

His gaze softened even more, and he nodded. "Of course. Come in."

He held the door wider as I stepped past him into the office. The lights were dimmed low, city light filtering through the windows. The place smelled comfortingly of coffee, rich, dark, exactly how I used to like it. Jace noticed my glance and, with that uncanny precision he used to wield so ruthlessly in the business world, placed a cup before me.

I stared. It looked perfect, just the way I always took it extra hot, one sugar, dash of oat milk. A shiver ran over my skin. Had he always noticed these things and simply never shown it?

He took the seat opposite, his expression openand soft. It was so unfamiliar and fucking weird that I almost forgot why I was there.

"I'm glad you're here, Aurora." His voice was gentle, as if one wrong word might fracture the space between us. "You look... you look good."

I pushed the coffee aside with a subtle hand, clearing my throat. I wasn't here because of Jace. I was here because of my son

"We need to talk," I said, my voice coming out steadier than I even expected. "It's... it's about something urgent."

Jace nodded. "I suspected. But whatever it is you need help with I'll help you. You just need to tell me."

For a moment, I just stared at him. This tenderness, this willingness to help, where had it been before? Why now, after all these years? Why was he behaving so different?

But there was no time for old wounds. I took out my phone, found the photo I'd saved hours before, and slid it across the desk.

His frown deepened as he picked it up the temperature in the room dropping to the chill I always felt whenever I was with Jace.

"What the fuck is this?" He growled out, he face contorted in anger.