Joseph nodded. “Alright, I got it.”His eyes shimmered with emotion, as if Judy’s words had truly touched him.Judy, on the other hand, felt nothing but contempt.Why hadn’t she realized before how much easier this man was to manipulate than she thought?She’d barely said a few lines, and he was already moved to the point of tears.How amusing.Judy rubbed her stomach and leaned in with a playful tone. “Joseph, I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.”“No problem.”Joseph stood up immediately, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek before leading her to freshen up.It was the first time he had ever treated her like this, and Judy was slightly taken aback.Back when Aurora was still around, she might’ve acted smug in front of her, but behind closed doors, Joseph had never shown her this kind of tenderness.Now, it almost felt like he was treating her as some sort of comparison to Aurora.And that was exactly why Judy had never believed he truly loved her.To him, she was just a counterpoint to another w
Still, he couldn’t shake that lingering sense of frustration.And with his father’s repeated warnings, Joseph didn’t dare act recklessly.He had this nagging suspicion that someone was backing Aurora from behind the scenes.Otherwise, how could she have risen so far, so fast?After all, the Walton Corporation and Hunt Enterprises were evenly matched in strength. If one had to come out on top, Walton only held an edge in a few specific projects.With that in mind, Joseph honestly didn’t know how to respond to Judy’s question.Judy could see his hesitation, but inwardly, she was still scheming and doing her best to push Joseph into going after Aurora.That way, it would save her a great deal of time.And she could focus her energy on improving herself.No matter what, her feud with Aurora was far from over.Joseph finally opened his mouth after some thought. “You know the state my family’s in right now.“My dad’s keeping a tight watch on me. If anything unusual happens, he’ll find out im
The moment their lips met, he let out a heartfelt sigh.Indeed, what belonged to him felt the best.They kissed with urgency, completely unaware that deep inside, Judy felt nothing but disgust.Joseph hadn’t introduced Judy to his parents, but he had still brought her home discreetly, sneaking her into his room behind their backs.In broad daylight, the two of them reverted to their most primal state.Judy found it ridiculous, but at this point, she had no other choice.And during their earlier conversation, she had already mapped out her next steps.Dealing with Aurora was one part of it, but more importantly, she needed to elevate her own capabilities.And Joseph? He made for a perfect stepping stone.With that in mind, Judy became even more devoted.After it ended, Joseph held her in his arms, thoroughly content, lost in the bliss of the moment.He hadn’t realized until now just how suitable Judy was as a partner—how had he not seen it before?Especially when compared to Aurora, Jud
She wasn’t about to walk away, not until she’d squeezed every ounce of value out of him.Judy wrapped her arms around Joseph and nestled against his chest like a delicate bird.“Alright, Joseph,” she said sweetly. “We’ve been together for years. Don’t you know the kind of woman I am by now?”Joseph looked down at her, heart aching.“That’s exactly why I want to give you a proper title,” he murmured, brushing her hair gently. “Because I know the kind of woman you are.”“Then what am I to you right now?”Judy lifted her gaze, eyes locked on his face with an intensity that left him frozen.And in that split second, another face surfaced in Joseph’s mind—Aurora’s. Stunning. Cold. Untouchable.He cursed himself inwardly.Aurora had sent him to prison. She’d humiliated him, cut him out like he was nothing. And yet here he was, still haunted by her image.Was he really that pathetic? Still obsessing over a woman who destroyed him, when Judy, loyal and patient, was right in front of him?Ju
Leonard sat quietly in the back seat, watching the two figures in front of him. From behind, just the outline of their heads, they looked unexpectedly well-matched.Aurora carried that quiet, refined composure, while Lucas exuded a cold, aloof presence, and somehow, the contrast worked perfectly.Leonard had always assumed their marriage was a convenient arrangement, a matter of necessity rather than affection. But after spending even a short time around them, he began to realize that Aurora didn’t seem indifferent toward Lucas at all.In fact, when something came up, she instinctively glanced toward him, like she was seeking his input or relying on his opinion.It made Leonard question everything.Was there even a place for him anymore?Looking at them now, it hit him that he was the outsider. The third party.Like some rat scurrying in the gutter, peeking into someone else’s well-lit home and calling it hope.His fingers curled into fists as he sat there, silent, reevaluating the pa
Was she just overthinking things or had Lucas never actually put his past to rest?Aurora couldn’t tell.But in front of the two men, she buried those doubts deep down.She drew a steady breath, her expression calm as she turned to Lucas with a gentle smile. “Alright, I hear you. Don’t worry, I’ll keep my emotions in check.”With that, she led them toward her car.Halfway through the drive, Leonard suddenly spoke up. “Wait, can we pull over for a moment?”Aurora shot him a puzzled look. “What’s wrong? Why the sudden stop?”Leonard smiled. “I can’t show up to visit Madam Grace empty-handed. I should at least bring a small gift.”Aurora immediately understood.She hadn’t expected it from him, but it was a thoughtful gesture.Before she could say anything, Lucas cut in. “We’re already halfway there. Where exactly are you planning to shop right now?”Leonard’s tone didn’t waver. “Even so, I can’t go in empty-handed.”Lucas let out a quiet scoff. “You’re not the only one who thought of that