Beyond Silent Rivers Where Forgotten Dreams Awaken by Evan Royce Hale 1 Summary
In the first chapter of “Beyond Silent Rivers Where Forgotten Dreams Awaken,” Aurora Howe grapples with the emotional turmoil of living in her sister Carolyn’s shadow for five years. She has been involved in a secret relationship with Nathaniel Branson, the man Carolyn was supposed to marry. As she reflects on her choices, Aurora feels a mix of absurdity and regret for allowing herself to be swept into such a complicated and painful situation.
During an intimate moment in a Maybach, Aurora’s passion is interrupted by a phone call from Jonah Ashton, who reveals shocking news about Carolyn’s recent divorce and her return home. This revelation sends Aurora into a whirlwind of confusion and heartache, as she realizes Nathaniel’s commitment to Carolyn despite their affair. The conversation between Nathaniel and Jonah exposes the complexities of their relationships, highlighting Nathaniel’s dismissive attitude toward Aurora’s feelings and the reality of their situation.
As Nathaniel attempts to rekindle their passion, Aurora is overwhelmed with tears, feeling a bittersweet release of pent-up emotions. The contrast between their intimate moments and the stark reality of her situation becomes painfully evident when Nathaniel receives another urgent work call, leaving her alone in silence. This moment forces Aurora to confront the sacrifices she has made for Nathaniel, including her own hearing loss, which she endured to protect him in a past accident.
Aurora’s memories of her long-standing feelings for Nathaniel and the sacrifices she made to support him flood her mind, amplifying her sense of betrayal. After years of fighting for their love and hoping for a future together, she is devastated to realize that Nathaniel’s return to her is merely a consequence of his divorce from Carolyn. In a moment of clarity, Aurora recognizes the gravity of her situation and decides to take control of her life by reaching out to her father, expressing her willingness to marry the man he had chosen for her, signaling a pivotal shift in her journey.
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**Beyond Silent Rivers Where Forgotten Dreams Awaken by Evan Royce Hale**
**Chapter 1**
For five long years, Aurora Howe had been living a lie, stepping into the shoes of her sister, Carolyn, and entwining herself in a clandestine affair with Nathaniel Branson, the very man Carolyn was supposed to marry. As she reflected on those years, a wave of absurdity washed over her. How had she let herself be swept into such madness?
In the plush confines of a Maybach, the world outside faded into oblivion as she lay there, utterly exposed, while Nathaniel, impeccably dressed as always, gripped her hips and thrust into her with fervor. The heat of passion enveloped them, and Aurora felt the overwhelming urge to stifle her sounds, biting down on her lip to suppress the pleasure that threatened to spill forth.
Nathaniel, ever perceptive, noticed her struggle. He paused, his voice a low murmur, “Don’t hold back. I like your moans.”
A flush of heat crept up Aurora’s cheeks, a mix of embarrassment and exhilaration. Her body softened under his touch, and she clung to him tighter, letting out soft gasps as he moved with increasing intensity. Their breaths intertwined, quickening, becoming a frantic rhythm that echoed the tempest of emotions swirling within her. Just as she teetered on the precipice of release, a sharp, jarring ringtone sliced through the intimate atmosphere, shattering the moment like fragile glass.
Nathaniel’s expression soured as he halted, irritation flickering across his features. He glanced at the caller ID, and with a resigned sigh, he turned away to answer the call.
Aurora, bewildered, blinked up at him, confusion clouding her thoughts.
“Nathan, are you out of your mind? Is Aura with you?” The voice on the other end was frantic, laced with disbelief.
Nathaniel’s brow furrowed slightly, yet he maintained his composure. “Say what you need to say. She can’t hear you.”
Jonah Ashton’s voice erupted like a storm. “Really? Carolyn just finalized her divorce and flew home, and you couldn’t wait to marry her? Did you forget she abandoned you at your lowest and ran off to marry someone else? She humiliated you, and you still married her?”
Aurora’s heart raced, her mind grappling with the unfolding revelations. The remnants of her hearing, only recently returned after a long struggle, allowed her to catch snippets of the conversation, but the words felt like a distant echo, muddled and surreal.
As Nathaniel faced away from her, oblivious to her turmoil, he replied coolly, “This is between me and Carol. She has depression. I won’t stand by while people drag her name through the mud or turn her into a joke.”
“You don’t think your marrying her makes you the joke? And if you’re so devoted to Carolyn, why the hell are you entangling Aurora? She’s Carolyn’s sister. Even if she loves you and is willing to stay by your side, that doesn’t make it okay. She’s immature, but you’re not.”
“All these years, Aurora has been the one by your side. If she hadn’t given you all her family’s shares when your company collapsed, you’d have been on the streets! And now that you’re married to Carolyn, what about Aura?”
Nathaniel remained unnervingly calm, almost detached. “I know what I’m doing. Aura’s sensible. She stays home most days, and with her hearing loss, she won’t know.”
“Even if Carol moves in with us, Aura won’t mind. And we’ll keep taking good care of Aura.”
With that, he ended the call, turning back to Aurora, intent on rekindling the fire they had just extinguished.
As she finally succumbed beneath him, tears streamed down her cheeks, a bittersweet release of pent-up emotion. Nathaniel brushed his lips against the corner of her eye, a fleeting moment of tenderness, before he whisked her back to the villa.
Just as he prepared for another round of passion, his phone lit up with a new message. The change in his demeanor was palpable; tension radiated from him as he signed quickly, “Work emergency. Wait for me at home.”
Aurora bit her lip, a mix of disappointment and understanding flooding her. She nodded, watching him slip through the doorway, leaving her in a heavy silence.
A chill swept through the room, a stark contrast to the warmth they had just shared. The weight of her reality crashed down upon her, a sharp stab to her chest. For five years, she had fought tooth and nail—every treatment, every hope—yearning to reclaim her hearing so she could build a life with Nathaniel.
And now, when sound finally returned, these were the first words she heard.
Her hearing loss had come as a result of a car accident, a moment of reckless love where she had thrown herself in front of Nathaniel to save him. Not for a second had she ever regretted that decision.
She had harbored feelings for him since she was just a girl of fourteen. That summer, while recuperating in the countryside, a playful misstep had left her with a twisted ankle. Nathaniel had come to her rescue, biking her home under the blazing sun, his white shirt brushing against her face, igniting something deep within her heart.
But after that fateful accident, Nathaniel had disappeared from her life for three agonizing years. When she finally laid eyes on him again, he was with Carolyn, her sister, and they were blissfully in love, engaged within a heartbeat.
Nathaniel had been so devoted to Carolyn that he had offered her all the shares in his family business, a gesture of love that now felt like a cruel twist of fate.
Then, five years ago, the Branson family had faced bankruptcy. Just before their wedding, Carolyn had backed out, fleeing abroad to marry another man, leaving Nathaniel shattered.
In an instant, he had fallen from grace. Debtors had driven him to the brink, pushing him to a rooftop ledge.
It was Aurora who had saved him. Using every share her parents had entrusted to her, she had paid off his debts, helping him claw his way back to power.
In a desperate bid to stay close to him, she had offered to be her sister’s stand-in, a role she never imagined would lead her down this tumultuous path.
She had fought by his side, pouring her love into him in every conceivable way, believing that time would eventually turn his heart toward her.
But now, after everything—after all those years—she was left reeling at the realization that one divorce from Carolyn was all it took for Nathaniel to rush back to her, without a second thought.
As Aurora’s tears soaked the pillow, the pain crashed over her like a tidal wave, sharp and overwhelming. In that moment of clarity, she understood she had made a grave mistake.
Wiping her face in a frenzy, she reached for her phone, her heart racing as she dialed an overseas number. “Dad, I can hear again. I’m ready to marry the man you picked for me.”
Conclusion
In the quiet aftermath of her revelation, Aurora felt the weight of her choices settle heavily upon her shoulders. The years spent in the shadow of her sister’s life, entwined in a web of deceit and longing, had led her to this poignant moment of self-realization. With each tear that fell, she understood that love, while powerful, could not be built on the fragile foundation of betrayal and unreciprocated feelings. Nathaniel’s fleeting affections, once a beacon of hope, now felt like chains binding her to a past that was no longer hers to claim. The clarity of her situation washed over her, and with it came a fierce determination to reclaim her own narrative, one that had long been overshadowed by the tumultuous love she had fought so hard to sustain.
As she dialed her father’s number, a sense of liberation began to unfurl within her—a promise to herself to seek a path defined by her own desires rather than the remnants of someone else’s life. The man her father had chosen for her represented a fresh start, a chance to build a future free from the echoes of Nathaniel’s past and the pain of her own sacrifices. Aurora’s heart, once a battlefield of conflicting emotions, now pulsed with the courage to step into her own light. This was not merely a goodbye to Nathaniel, but a heartfelt embrace of her own identity, a declaration that she was ready to awaken the dreams that had long lain dormant. Beyond the silent rivers of her past, Aurora was finally ready to forge a new destiny, one where forgotten dreams could rise anew.
What to Expect in Next Chapter?
**What to Expect in Next Chapter?**
In the upcoming chapter, Aurora’s tumultuous journey takes a decisive turn as she grapples with the weight of her choices and the reality of her situation. With her newfound ability to hear, a world of possibilities opens up, but so does the daunting realization of her entangled relationship with Nathaniel. As she reaches out to her father, the stakes escalate, and readers will witness the clash between her heart’s desires and familial expectations. Will Aurora find the strength to break free from the shadows of her sister’s life and carve her own path, or will she remain ensnared in a web of love and betrayal?
Moreover, the tension between Nathaniel and Carolyn promises to unravel further, revealing the complexities of their past and the implications of their present. Aurora’s decision to embrace her father’s choice for a husband could ignite a fierce battle for Nathaniel’s affections, leading to unexpected confrontations and heart-wrenching dilemmas. As secrets come to light and loyalties are tested, the chapter will explore themes of love, sacrifice, and the quest for self-identity. Prepare for a whirlwind of emotions as Aurora stands at a crossroads, and the choices she makes will resonate far beyond her own heart, impacting everyone involved in this tangled love story.
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.
