Page 84 of Stuck with my Mechanic Daddies

She was sitting on the floor, papers scattered around her. She looked overwhelmed.

“Aurora,” I said again, stepping closer.

She blinked, startled, then wiped her eyes quickly. “Hey, Owen.”

“Everything okay?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

She nodded, but it wasn’t convincing. “Just trying to sort this out.”

I glanced at the papers.

Clippings. Old ones.

I crouched beside her, grabbing the first one I saw. The headline caught my eye.

Grady. Bennett.It was all over the page.

I handed it back to her. “What is this?”

She didn’t meet my eyes. “I don’t know. My uncle had these. I found them in his things. You know, I said there was paperwork? Well, I guess there’s this, too.”

I scanned it again. “This is about your family and mine.”

Her fingers tightened around the paper. “I know. I didn’t think it meant anything until now.”

I frowned. “What does it mean?”

“I’m not sure yet,” she said. “But it looks like… that deal. The big one. Between our families.”

“Shit,” I muttered. “The one Ethan mentioned?”

“I think so,” she said, voice shaky. “There’s more. Another family is mentioned here. But no names. Just ‘the third party.’”

I leaned in, my gut tight. “A third party? What does that mean?Whodoes that mean?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered, staring at the papers. “It’s like this was all covered up.”

I looked at her, really looked at her. Her eyes were wide, distant.

She was trying to hold it together, but she was falling apart.

“I’m here,” I said, locking eyes with her. “Whatever this is, I’m with you.”

She didn’t respond, just nodded, her lips trembling.

I stayed quiet for a moment, watching her, wondering how I could help. It was frustrating, not knowing enough about this.

I opened my mouth to say something, but the ringing of Aurora’s phone cut me off.

She looked at the screen, her face paling. After hesitating for a moment, she answered, her voice tight.

“Hello?” she said, almost breathless.

I watched her face shift, the color draining from it as she listened.

My gut clenched. Something was wrong.

“Aurora.” The voice on the other end was crisp, formal. At least what I could hear of it. “This is Thomas Calloway. I’m calling to inform you that a claim has officially been filed against your ownership of Page Turners.”

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