Lucas brought over a steaming bowl of oatmeal. The rich aroma alone made Aurora’s stomach tighten with hunger. She took the bowl eagerly and scooped up a spoonful. The taste was even better than it smelled. The oatmeal was smooth and creamy, each spoonful rich and comforting, with tender shredded chicken and a hint of fresh herbs blending seamlessly into the warm, hearty texture.As the warmth spread through her stomach, her entire body relaxed. Before she knew it, the bowl was empty. Only then did she look up, suddenly aware that Lucas was still sitting beside her. Her cheeks heated. "Did you eat yet? You should go have dinner—I can handle the rest myself." Lucas took the empty bowl from her hands. "Want more?" Aurora hesitated for a second before nodding, a little embarrassed. A small chuckle rumbled from his chest as he stood up and went to get her another serving. This time, he returned with half a bowl, along with a cup of warm water and some medicine. "Fin
Chuck immediately laughed. "You mean..."Joseph lifted his chin at him, narrowing his eyes like a cold, venomous snake. "You don’t need me to teach you what to do, do you?""Got it." Chuck nodded.After finalizing their plan, Joseph sent Chuck away. Right now, his top priority was securing the Vanguard Group project. Even if he didn’t want to admit it, he had to face reality. His biggest competitor now was Walton Corporation. He needed to find out what proposal Walton Corporation had prepared. Ring, ring, ring! Joseph picked up his phone. A friend was calling, offering to introduce him to the second daughter of the Walton family’s matriarch. "Aren’t you trying to win the Vanguard Group project? I heard she’s involved. She’s a hopeless romantic, and you’re a master at the game. Getting her to fall for you should be easy, right?" "Alright, I won’t forget your share once it’s done." "But you better prepare a gift women like, Joseph." "Heh, of course." Joseph glanced
Joseph’s gaze dropped lower, his eyes gleaming with sleazy intent as he continued, “But… if you play your cards right, I might just keep you on the side as my mistress. You’d make more with me than clinging to that useless pretty boy.”Aurora stared straight into his eyes, watching as his expression twisted into something grotesque. Disgust churned in her stomach.He was after the Walton younger heiress?Her brows furrowed.Didn’t Megan say this was just a casual gathering?Was this some kind of setup to introduce her to Joseph?Funny how she, the so-called heiress, was the last to know."The Walton younger heiress?" Aurora let out a cold laugh."That’s right—the younger Walton heiress!" Joseph smirked triumphantly. "Looking at you, all rough around the edges, I doubt you’ve ever had the chance to be in her league. She’s a true socialite. Our circle isn’t the kind of place some gold-digging nobody like you can just waltz into."Seeing the change in her expression, Joseph chuckled. "W
For a moment, all eyes in the room were on Aurora. The crowd, made up mostly of trust-fund kids and socialites, wore amused expressions, as if waiting for a spectacle. “She wouldn’t actually be begging for a second chance in a place like this, would she?” someone mocked. Aurora frowned. She wasn’t surprised that these spoiled elites didn’t recognize her as a Walton, considering she rarely showed up at these events. But twisting the situation into her chasing after Joseph? That was crossing the line. A sharp-eyed socialite with cat-like eyes covered her mouth and giggled. “Exactly! I don’t even know how someone like her managed to squeeze into our circle. Joseph, don’t tell me you still have feelings for her?” Joseph scoffed. “She’s just some countryside bumpkin. I was simply generous enough to look after her back then.” “Bumpkin is right! Look at that outfit—so plain, so clueless. She’s clearly never seen real money before. Joseph, what were you even thinking?” someone el
Lucas let out a slow, mocking chuckle, his smirk deepening at the mention of Walton’s heiress.His gaze shifted to Aurora, who instinctively shrank back.“I don’t care who you are,” he said leisurely, his voice calm but laced with menace. “Say one more word about my wife, and I’ll make sure there’s nowhere left for you to run.”He paused before adding, “And from what I know, you were the one my wife dumped. Makes me wonder—are you this bitter because you couldn’t have her, so now you’re desperate to ruin her?”“You...!”The cold glint in Lucas’s sharp eyes was laced with unmistakable fury, as if dipped in ice. The moment Joseph met his gaze, his body locked up, his throat going dry.He couldn’t even find the words to argue back.How the hell does a pretty boy have this kind of presence?Everything about him—his composed demeanor, the refined air around him—was completely out of place for someone who should’ve been nothing more than a kept man.Was he really just some nobody?Aurora su
Out of the corner of her eye, Aurora caught a glimpse of a familiar fabric.It was Joseph.He still hadn’t left?The moment he realized she had spotted him, the hatred in his eyes deepened. Without hesitation, he stormed out from the shadows, planting himself in front of them.Aurora's lips curled into a smirk. “Well, well, if it isn’t Joseph, the same guy who slunk away in shame just moments ago.”“You bitch, don’t get cocky!” Joseph snarled, his gaze flashing with fury before flicking to Lucas.Standing face-to-face with him again, he could still feel the suffocating pressure radiating from the man.Joseph clenched his jaw, forcing himself to suppress the unease creeping in. He gritted his teeth and sneered, “So what? You found yourself a kept pretty boy, and now you actually think you can go up against the Hunt family?”His expression twisted with malicious delight. “As long as you’re in Ravenshore, you’d better be prepared. We’ll see who gets the last laugh.”Aurora’s gaze turned
Lucas’ touch was gentle, his fingers carefully running the towel through Aurora’s soft hair as if he were handling something rare and precious. His deep voice murmured beside her, pulling her from her thoughts. When she opened her eyes, she found herself staring straight into his dark, gentle gaze. They were so close. Her heart skipped a beat. For a brief moment, her defenses lowered, and the words she had been holding back finally reached the tip of her tongue. She was just about to ask about the woman who had always lingered in the shadows between them. But before she could speak, the sharp ring of a phone shattered the delicate atmosphere. Lucas’ lips pressed into a thin line, irritation flickering in his gaze at the unwelcome interruption. Aurora sat up, pulling the towel from his hands and rubbing at her damp hair absentmindedly. Her tone was neutral. “You should answer that.” Lucas exhaled silently, clearly reluctant, but when he glanced at the screen and saw
Aurora, still lost in thought, headed to the bathroom to freshen up. As she turned around, she suddenly found herself staring into a pair of warm, gentle eyes.It was Lucas.Her heart skipped a beat.Noticing the bit of foam still clinging to the corner of her lips, his gaze softened with quiet amusement. He stepped toward her, closing the distance between them.Aurora blinked in confusion, feeling a slow heat creep up her ears. “What is it?”Lucas didn’t answer. Instead, he simply reached out and wiped the foam off her lips with a feather-light touch. “You missed a spot.”She exhaled, finally realizing what he was doing.“Oh god,” she scolded herself internally, get a grip."Come eat when you're ready. I made breakfast."His deep voice carried a casual warmth, but the sight of him in an apron…Aurora quickly turned back to the sink, twisting the faucet handle and splashing cold water onto her face.She had to get it together.Lucas, watching her reaction, smirked slightly, finding
Wendy avoided her gaze, pretending not to understand what Aurora was saying."What are you talking about, Aurora? I don’t get what you mean."Aurora let out a cold scoff, saying nothing, just watching this woman put on her little act.Her performance was so clumsy that anyone with half a brain wouldn’t fall for it.But of course, someone actually did.Rachel jumped in without a second thought, standing protectively in front of Wendy. She snapped at Aurora, "Don’t make things hard for Wendy. She can say whatever she wants. It’s none of your business."You’re nothing more than Wendy’s shadow anyway."That line struck a nerve. Aurora’s fingers curled into a tight fist.Even Leonard couldn’t help but glance at her.Her face turned grim, eyes locked coldly on Wendy.So, this was what Wendy had been spreading behind her back. And now, with Lucas nowhere around, she didn’t even bother keeping up the act.This was the good little childhood friend Lucas always talked about?Wendy tugged at Ra
Leonard spoke up at just the right moment. "That’s how she shows affection—by staring at someone she likes without blinking."Aurora’s smile widened. With a casual wave, she ordered a few more desserts that kids usually loved.Watching the two of them together, Leonard felt a warmth bloom in his chest, so full it nearly overflowed.That afternoon, the three of them arrived at the biggest mall in the city—Grand Zen Mall.They had a clear goal and headed straight for the clothing section on the third floor.Faced with rows of colorful children’s clothes, Aurora felt a bit overwhelmed by all the choices.Leonard, carrying little Nora in his arms, followed closely beside her."Aurora, should we head straight to the kids’ section?""Yeah, just through the women’s section. The children’s clothes are right past it."The moment Leonard heard the words women’s section, his eyes lit up and he quickly suggested, "Well, since we’re not in a rush this afternoon, do you want to take a look at some
"Balancing adults and children—that’s what real living is about. Just getting back to the essence of life."Aurora's eyes lit up. "You’re absolutely right!"Leonard didn’t say much in response. He knew exactly what kind of design Aurora liked.This concept was grounded in everyday life—something close, something real.That was why he was confident. He knew Aurora would love this design."Alright, I’ll show this to the chairman."Her gaze toward Leonard was filled with appreciation.This was real talent, and someone the Walton Corporation couldn’t afford to lose.Her mother was right. They couldn’t let him go work elsewhere.The two of them went on to discuss more ideas around the project. The deeper the conversation went, the more Aurora admired Leonard.And Leonard felt the same—refreshed, even exhilarated.It had been a long time since he’d met someone who clicked with him so well.Not to mention, people who could keep up with his thought process were rare to begin with.But Aurora
Tolerating her once or twice was fine, but it just became annoying after having to do it too many times.He had his own life too. There was no reason to waste all his time on her. No need at all.After breakfast, Aurora headed to work at Walton Corporation.This time, she drove herself.As usual, the receptionist greeted her politely."By the way, Miss Walton, I saw Mr. Knight waiting in the reception room."Aurora nodded. "Got it."She was a little surprised. The design draft was supposed to take three days—it had only been two. Leonard was already here?That thought stirred a bit of excitement in her.When she entered the lounge, sure enough, Leonard and Nora were already there.Hearing the sound of heels, Nora tensed at first. But once she saw Aurora, her expression clearly relaxed.Leonard’s smile widened slowly as he looked at Aurora."Sorry for bothering you so early."Aurora smiled and countered, "You’re being too polite. Besides, this is my working hour anyway."Leonard cons
But the next morning, when Wendy saw the two of them walk out of the room together, the smile on her face instantly froze.Aurora found her stunned expression amusing.In fact, she even greeted her cheerfully. "Morning. Why’s your mouth hanging open like that?"At that, Wendy quickly tried to manage her expression.She shot a panicked glance at Lucas, only to see him eyeing her with quiet scrutiny.Awkwardly, Wendy explained, "It’s nothing. I just haven’t seen you for a couple of days. I was surprised. I thought you were mad and decided not to come back..."The moment those words landed, the look in Lucas' eyes turned icy cold.He’d just managed to coax Aurora back—what was Wendy trying to do?Sure enough, when Wendy glanced at him again, she got a glare in return.But she didn’t care. With her childhood bond with Lucas, the one who’d end up pushed aside would be Aurora—the outsider who came in later.She was hoping Aurora would lose her temper and go file for divorce right away.Even
Aurora turned her gaze away. "Don’t you know exactly what I mean? You’re even living with her now, and you still say you don’t know?"Men really were all the same, no matter who they were. Even at a time like this, he was still pretending not to get it.Lucas finally realized that Aurora was talking about Wendy.So that was what had been bothering her all along. No wonder she kept picking fights with him. It turned out that his Rora was jealous.The moment he figured it out, a surge of energy coursed through him. He no longer felt weak and powerless—the fire in his eyes was striking."You really don’t know who my true love is?"Aurora looked at him in shock, only to meet his eyes that seemed to hold a teasing glint.There was a sparkle in his gaze, filled with emotions she couldn’t quite decipher.Aurora parted her lips slightly and asked uncertainly, "Am I supposed to know?"Looking at her adorable expression, Lucas pulled her into his arms even tighter, resting his forehead ag
Aurora stood in front of the wardrobe, feeling a little awkward.Looking at Lucas like this, she wasn’t sure what she felt.Usually, he was cold and aloof, like someone untouchable.The only times his emotions ever surfaced around her were in bed.Other than that, he always appeared gentle, calm, and composed.This was the first time she’d ever seen Lucas so helpless.Aurora couldn’t help but lower her voice. "Lucas, let go of me first.""No..."His head felt increasingly foggy, but he was still fully aware of what he was doing.With that thought, he tightened his arms around her.Only then did Aurora realize something wasn’t right.She pushed aside the confusing mess of emotions in her chest, turned around, and pressed her palm to his forehead. She gasped, "You're burning up! Are you running a fever? Did you take any medicine?"Lucas stubbornly clung to his need for an answer. "Don’t be mad at me, okay? Rora, I just want an answer. Nothing else matters.""How can it not matter!" Auro
The manager looked a little puzzled. "Sort of. We do have quite a few conflicting projects with Walton Corporation, but don’t worry, Miss Shaws, we and Walton…"Before he could finish, Wendy cut him off. "I already know the rest. Just assign me to the projects that go head-to-head with Walton Corporation."The manager was stunned.To be honest, Walton Corporation was indeed a formidable competitor. On top of that, they’d recently aligned themselves with Vanguard Group. Their standing in Ravenshore had surged dramatically."Miss Shaws, you haven’t been in the country much, so you might not be too familiar with Walton Corporation. They’re actually quite capable."Wendy replied with obvious displeasure, "So what? If they weren’t, I’d find it boring. I want this project. You don’t need to worry about the rest."Here, Wendy was putting on her full heiress airs.The manager clenched his fists, recalling what the higher-ups had said. In the end, he nodded without realizing it. "Right, got
Now that she’d come to terms with it, Tessa knew she couldn’t let things keep going smoothly for Aurora. She needed to start planning for her own future. Sitting nearby with a soft, pleasant smile, Tessa appeared to everyone else like the embodiment of warmth and grace.But to Aurora, it felt unsettling. That smile of Tessa’s reeked of falsehood—she was definitely up to something. Aurora’s eyes flickered with a trace of coldness, but she pushed down the feeling and stayed quiet. After breakfast, Grace and Aurora shared a car to the office. The ride was surprisingly pleasant, as if last night’s tension had completely evaporated. Aurora liked this kind of peaceful interaction, and she didn’t have the heart to ruin the rare calm. Unfortunately, the moment didn’t last long, before she knew it, they had arrived. Each went to her own office and got to work. Aurora was already well-versed in most of the company’s operations. The only thing left on her plate was evaluating