LOGINHer heart ached all the same. After all, Grace was the woman who had given birth to her and raised her.And now they were parting ways, with the likelihood that they would see each other far less in the future.They were supposed to be the closest people in the world—how had things ended up like this?Lucas hadn’t started the car yet. The moment he settled into the driver’s seat, he noticed Aurora’s distracted expression.He couldn’t help asking, “If there’s something on your mind, just tell me. It’s okay.”“It’s nothing,” Aurora said softly. “I just feel inexplicably unsettled.”Lucas was momentarily taken aback when Aurora opened up so suddenly.In the past, she rarely spoke honestly about her feelings.She always kept her thoughts buried deep, believing she could process everything on her own.She never wanted to burden him with her worries.But now, she had shared them without hesitation and that realization filled Lucas with quiet joy.It felt like he had taken another step closer
Because Lucas knew Aurora still cared about Grace, he wanted to help her preserve that bond. He didn’t want Aurora to look back one day and regret letting it fall apart.Sure enough, when Aurora heard what Lucas said, something in her softened.She knew he understood her.Otherwise, he wouldn’t have said it.It was precisely because Lucas knew she hadn’t truly let go of Grace that his words rang so true.Sometimes, Aurora couldn’t help but wonder how he understood her so well.They had never rehearsed these moments, yet with Lucas, it felt as if he had walked this path with her for a long time already.Every time that thought crossed her mind, she found it strangely unsettling.Had they known each other long before this?Otherwise, how could he see her so clearly?She tucked the question away, keeping it to herself.After they left, Grace stood where she was, watching their backs disappear, a hollow ache settling in her chest.Arnold watched her quietly, his heart heavy.She had once b
Aurora stared at Grace, utterly confused about what she was trying to do.Their car was parked right outside.Where exactly was she planning to walk them to?In the end, Aurora let out a quiet sigh and gently declined.“Forget it. You don’t need to walk us out. Lucas and I will manage. Besides, your health isn’t in a state where you should be moving around like this.”The moment she said that, Grace’s eyes lit up.She knew Aurora still cared, deep down. She wouldn’t be that heartless.Tears welled up instantly in Grace’s eyes.A biological daughter truly was different.Aurora was her own flesh and blood, not someone else’s child who only cared about inheritance and money.In the end, it was her own fault for being foolish. Why hadn’t she realized this sooner?If she had understood back then, perhaps none of this would have happened.Life was shaped choice by choice, after all. What it became depended entirely on the path taken.The thought filled Grace with regret.If only she hadn’t b
And she knew that for the rest of her life, she would remain bound to Grace.Even if she did not want to admit that this was her mother, what choice did she really have?Once tied together, it was for a lifetime.Children could not choose their parents.But they could choose how to walk the road ahead.With that thought, Aurora let out a quiet sigh and turned to Lucas.“Are you full?”The sudden question caught Lucas off guard.He did not understand why the topic had shifted so abruptly.Still, he nodded and followed her lead.“Yes, I’m full. Why?”“Then let’s go.”Aurora said it without hesitation.She knew there was no point in staying any longer.Instead of lingering here, she would rather think about the road ahead.There was still so much she needed to do.She could not afford to pour all her time into Grace alone.There was the upcoming second season of the show to prepare for.She had already spoken with the director a few days earlier.Her company was just getting off the groun
As she spoke, Grace’s voice caught with emotion.Even Arnold felt his chest tighten. He knew she was speaking from the heart this time.No matter what, this was her own daughter standing in front of her.Sometimes, Arnold thought, people made emotions far more complicated than they needed to be.If one could truly see things clearly, many problems would unravel on their own.After all, between a mother and her daughter, how could there be grudges that truly lasted overnight?Lucas, standing to the side, was just as surprised when he heard those words.He had always believed his mother-in-law held back because pride kept her from expressing her feelings.Only now did he hear it plainly, spoken without disguise.The realization caught him off guard.He had always thought Grace was someone who never spoke unless forced to, someone who guarded her emotions fiercely.Yet here she was, laying everything bare.The thought made him lift his gaze, seeing her with new respect.This was something
To be honest, Aurora was undeniably a devoted daughter.Otherwise, she would never have shown up today to help Grace.Thinking of that, Arnold let out a quiet sigh.Sometimes, all he could do was marvel at how fate toyed with people.If both mother and daughter had been willing to speak openly from the start, so much pain might have been avoided.Yet now, both of them were stubborn in their own way.Neither was willing to step back, and if each had yielded just a little, things would never have come to this.The thought left Arnold conflicted, though he knew his place.As that man had said before, nothing he said now would change anything.He might as well spend the effort figuring out what Aurora actually liked to eat.Lucas sat beside Aurora in silence the entire time.He knew this was something only Aurora could face on her own.No one else could make this decision for her.This was her biological mother—what right did anyone else have to intervene?Matters between mother and daught







