Claimed by My Bully Alpha Chapter 368

Aurora’s P.O.V

I stared at him, feeling like the world had tilted under my feet. “Forty percent?” My voice cracked. “Caleb, I—this doesn’t make sense. Why would you—” 

“Because you built this place just as much as Jeremy did,” Caleb cut in, his eyes holding mine.

“You poured your heart into it. And I know, deep down, this place is still a part of you.” 

Jeremy nodded. “You saved it once, Aurora. Now it’s yours to help save again.” 

My fingers trembled as I reached for the counter, needing something solid to hold onto. The emotions crashed over me—gratitude, shock, something dangerously close to hope. I looked between Caleb and Jeremy, my heart hammering, my breath shaky. I hadn’t planned on coming back like this. Hell, I hadn’t planned on coming back at all. But now… 

Now I had a choice to make.

I stared at Jeremy, my mind still struggling to process his words. “Are you sure that’s okay?” My voice wavered slightly, the weight of it all pressing against my chest.

It felt surreal, standing here in my café—our café—completely transformed, reborn from the ashes of everything I had lost. I had spent so long believing I didn’t belong here anymore, than I was the reason Jeremy was suffering from so much misfortune. And yet, Jeremy was looking at me with nothing but warmth and certainty, as if there had never been a doubt in his mind. 

“More than okay,” he assured me, his gruff voice carrying that same unwavering steadiness it always had. “Aurora, you’re my lucky charm. I’m just glad to have you back.” His eyes softened, and there was something so genuinely heartfelt in the way he said it that my throat tightened.

I had spent years feeling like I was running—running from my past, from my failures, from the people I had left behind. And yet, here he was, offering me not just forgiveness, but a place to belong. 

“But I’m the boss now,” I said, half in disbelief, half in jest, still testing the reality of it. “I don’t have to work here, but I get a say in every major decision?” A small, incredulous laugh escaped me. 

Jeremy chuckled, nodding. “That’s right. It’s still your dream, Aurora. Always has been. You just don’t have to carry it alone anymore.” 

Something inside me cracked open, and before I could stop myself, I threw my arms around him. The scent of coffee and cinnamon clung to his shirt, and I closed my eyes, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Jeremy… I don’t think you understand how much this means to me,” I murmured.

“You’ve been more of a father to me than anyone ever has.” The words slipped out before I could second-guess them, but they were the truest thing I had ever said. 

For a moment, he was silent, but then his arms wrapped around me just as tightly. “You’ve always been like a daughter to me,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “And I couldn’t be prouder of the woman you’ve become.” 

I squeezed my eyes shut, taking in the comfort, the acceptance, the love I had been so afraid I had lost. But I hadn’t. It had been here all along, waiting for me to come home. 

As we pulled apart, the café around us buzzed with life. Laughter and chatter filled the space, friends and customers old and new celebrating the grand reopening. The place was stunning—freshly painted walls, warm golden lights casting a soft glow, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and pastries swirling in the air. It was everything I had ever dreamed of, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I truly belonged. 

Jeremy clapped a hand on my shoulder, his familiar grin back in place. “Now, enough with the tears. We’ve got a café to celebrate.” 

I laughed, wiping at my eyes, and nodded. “Yeah. Let’s do this.” 

And just like that, surrounded by the people who had never stopped believing in me, I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be.