Tessa was never one to wallow in self-pity. Julian’s heart skipped a beat. Up until now, he had been quite satisfied with Tessa. Her family elders adored her, always speaking highly of her. Though she wasn’t as stunning as Aurora, she was still a well-bred socialite of Ravenshore, and being engaged to her elevated his own status significantly. Giving her up wasn’t something he was willing to do. With that in mind, Julian pulled Tessa into his arms, his voice dripping with tenderness. “Tessa, it was Aurora who seduced me. You’re the only one I love.“Don’t say such things. We’re already engaged. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. My heart belongs to you, and only you.” Julian had always been handsome, but it was his eyes that were his greatest weapon—no matter who he looked at, there was always an illusion of deep affection in them. Under his gentle coaxing, Tessa let herself believe him. She took a deep breath. “Fine, I’ll give you a chance. But what abo
“You’re overthinking it. I’ve just been busy with work these past few days.”Aurora averted her gaze, not wanting to look at Lucas’s face. “Now let go of me—I’m going to take a shower.”But Lucas didn’t loosen his grip.He studied her carefully, sensing that she was hiding something.But if she didn’t want to talk, there wasn’t much he could do.He raised an eyebrow, debating whether to press further. He didn’t want things to be so tense between them.It had been fine before—comfortable, even. But now? She had clearly misunderstood something.“Rora, I don’t want any misunderstandings between us.”His deep voice carried a trace of warmth as he nuzzled into the curve of her neck.“If something’s on your mind, just tell me.”His tone was rich and low, like the deep notes of a cello, each word tugging at her heartstrings.Aurora’s pulse skipped.But then she remembered the way he had walked away that night.What was the point of clarifying anything?This was a marriage of convenience—noth
Faced with that expression, Aurora couldn’t bring herself to refuse.“Alright, I got it.”Lucas’s lips curved into a smile, even his eyes carrying a trace of warmth.“Mrs. Carter, I’ll be waiting for your message.”Aurora gave a simple hum in response before turning and heading toward the office.Lucas remained in place, watching her until she completely disappeared from sight. Only then did he finally drive away.The moment Aurora stepped into the company, she was a different person.She wore a tailored, light-colored business suit that accentuated her sharp, professional demeanor.Her hair was pulled into a sleek updo, exposing her smooth, elegant forehead.With a light touch of makeup, her features appeared even more refined—polished with a distinct air of competence.As she walked past her colleagues, she returned their greetings with polite nods and faint smiles.No one could help but admire her striking presence.Taking her seat, Aurora immediately got to work.She pulled up the
At first, everyone assumed that the second daughter of the Walton family’s matriarch was just here for show, playing at starting from the bottom.After all, heirs born into wealth rarely took their jobs seriously. With family money as a safety net, most of them treated work as a mere pastime.But Aurora was nothing like the people the project manager had seen before.In fact, she completely overturned his expectations.It was rare to see someone as dedicated as her.With her background, she could have coasted through her position at Walton Corporation, doing the bare minimum.Yet he saw her seriousness and diligence firsthand.Not only that, but she was genuine. She treated people with warmth and respect.The project manager found himself looking at her with newfound admiration.Aurora, however, didn’t care how others viewed her.To her, work was about responsibility—doing what needed to be done.She carried herself with unwavering poise, like a steadfast pine tree standing tall agains
Right. She was here to deliver the documents.Vanguard’s project was the priority—everything else was secondary.She needed to stay focused.Besides, it had only been a fleeting glimpse.Maybe she had seen wrong.But then again… could she really mistake a face like Lucas’?A sudden thought struck her.Vanguard’s chairman also had the last name Carter.The same one as Lucas.Aurora’s eyes narrowed slightly.The coincidences were piling up.She recalled the extravagant gesture Lucas had made at her mother’s birthday banquet—the genuine antique bottle he had gifted.Even Julian, who had spent a fortune, had ended up with a fake.Yet Lucas had easily produced the real deal.She always knew the Carter family was well-off, but this level of extravagance wasn’t common.Her thoughts swirled as she arrived at the 15th-floor conference room.Maybe she really did see wrong…But the moment the elevator doors slid open, her breath caught.Standing in the center of the crowd outside was a familiar f
Aurora didn’t say anything else.With so many people watching, there was no need to continue the conversation.“Alright, get back to work. I have things to do as well.”She lifted the documents in her hand as a gesture, reminding him of her purpose for being here.Lucas studied her, taking in the sharpness of her gaze—different from her usual carefree demeanor. There was a seriousness to her now.“Alright. Good luck.” Then, as if casually, he added, “With how dedicated you are, Rora, you’ll succeed in anything you do.”Aurora met his deep gaze, sensing something layered beneath his words. But she couldn’t quite place it.Her mind briefly flickered back to the Lucas surname.Her lashes lowered slightly, masking her thoughts.Forget it.Even if Lucas’s family was well-off, at most, he was probably just part of a distant branch.That legendary, top-tier Carter family—the one that controlled Vanguard Group—was far beyond the reach of someone like her.With that thought, the tension in her
Aurora’s words landed well, putting everyone at ease.Many looked at her with newfound respect.It seemed Walton Corporation had a strong chance this time.The representative they had sent wasn’t just capable, she also knew how to carry herself with restraint and professionalism.Aurora noticed the shift in their gazes but responded only with a polite nod.She knew all too well how ruthless the business world could be.People loved tearing others down when they were vulnerable.Maintaining surface-level relationships was enough—cordial but distant.There were no unnecessary enemies and no unnecessary entanglements.Stepping out of the meeting room, Aurora immediately spotted Lucas waiting for her.“You’re done?”“Yes, everything’s settled.”Lucas took her bag from her naturally, as if it were second nature.Aurora paused for a brief second but said nothing.Well, if he offered to carry her bag for free, why should she refuse?However, as she glanced around, something struck her as odd.
At first, Aurora didn’t think much of it.After all, Lucas had a habit of keeping his distance from others, and there was plenty of space around him.But the moment those words left his mouth, she suddenly felt countless eyes on them.It was as if the entire room had been watching this whole time.“Anything’s fine. Stop asking me,” she muttered, wanting nothing more than to escape.Meanwhile, whispers spread among Desmond and the other employees nearby.“Holy—so this is Mrs. Carter?!”“It has to be! The boss is asking her what she wants for dinner.”“Wait… The boss cooks?”“No way. I thought he was the kind of untouchable figure who never stepped off his pedestal. Turns out he didn’t step down, he just found someone just as high up.”“I just want to know what flaw God gave our boss, because I don’t see a single one.”Though everyone pretended to focus on their work, they were all eavesdropping—eyes and ears tuned in, fully invested in the scene playing out before them.Aurora felt incr
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
Aurora nodded as Grace spoke. "Alright, Mom. I understand." But Grace could tell she hadn’t really taken her words to heart. She couldn’t help but add, "This was your choice, Aurora. No one can walk it for you. "If it’s the path you chose, then you have to stick with it. What truly matters is the two of you are doing well." Aurora lowered her gaze. She understood exactly what her mother was getting at. It was just like the past when she chose to be with Joseph. "I get it, Mom. You should get some rest. I’m an adult now." She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and looked at her mother, speaking clearly and steadily. "Don’t worry. I can handle a lot more than you think." Grace felt a flicker of comfort in her heart. "That’s good. Our little Rora really has grown up." Aurora froze for a moment when she heard that. It had been a long time since her mother had called her by her nickname, and she wasn’t quite used to it.Grace noticed the way her daughter paus
Aurora shut the door behind her, completely unaware of Tessa’s furious muttering downstairs. Not that it would’ve mattered—she couldn’t care less. Tessa was only acting this arrogant because their mother wasn’t home. Without anyone to answer her, Tessa sat fuming alone in the living room, her cheeks flushed with anger. She raised her hand, ready to sweep everything off the coffee table in a fit of rage when Grace walked through the front door. "What’s wrong, Tessa? Your face is all red. Are you feeling unwell?" No matter what her daughter had done at those business events, Grace couldn’t bring herself to stay mad. Tessa was still her child, the one she’d doted on since she was little. Even if she was upset, she couldn’t truly be angry with her. Tessa was briefly caught off guard.She quickly pulled herself together and responded to her mother’s concern. "I’m fine, Mom, really. Aurora just got back, and I was a little worried something might’ve happened to her out th
"This ungrateful brat!" The assistant beside him spoke up timidly, "Mr. Hunt, should we find a way to get the Mr. Joseph out?" "Of course!" Melvin looked furious, burning with shame. "At a time like this, what else can we do but get him out?" No matter how disgraceful his son was, once the news got out, it would be the Hunt family’s reputation on the line. What would happen to Hunt Enterprises’ stocks then? He couldn’t afford to take that risk. Seeing Melvin’s expression ease a little, the assistant finally breathed a sigh of relief and went off to find someone to figure out how to get Joseph out. Joseph was already in jail but still hadn’t fully processed what had happened. Aurora had really thrown him straight into jail like that? "Hey! Let go of me!" Joseph yelled at the officers. "Do you even know who I am? How dare you treat me like this!" One of the officers rolled his eyes. "I don’t care who you are. If you’ve broken the law, you’re not getting away with it.
All it did was make Aurora feel like her past self had been unbelievably naive.But Joseph kept going, oblivious to her discomfort. "Those were our best memories. I still remember the first time you blushed, the way you looked in that white dress—so sweet and shy. “You were always so gentle and soft when you were with me… it was such a beautiful time."As he spoke, he watched her face closely, searching for some flicker of emotion.But to Aurora, hearing those words from him made her skin crawl.The more he went on, the more irritated she became. Her expression turned colder by the second.She reached for her phone, ready to call a ride. Staying here any longer felt like a direct assault on her intelligence.Joseph noticed the gesture. That was when it hit him—she hadn’t been listening to a single word he said.And in that moment, he felt like a complete fool.He had poured out his heart, and yet this woman—this ungrateful bitch—could still be so heartless.His eyes darkened. He
Aurora’s anger ignited the second those words left his mouth.Without hesitation, she slapped Joseph hard across the face, her voice sharp and cold. "What the hell is wrong with you?"This is still Walton Corporation, and you think you can throw a fit right here? Whether I talk or not is none of your damn business. Try worrying about yourself."The slap caught Joseph completely off guard. Before he could react, Aurora had already snatched her phone back.He clutched his cheek, momentarily stunned, not even sure where to look.Rage overtook him. "You bitch! You actually hit me!"Aurora raised her chin defiantly. "So, what if I did? You brought it on yourself."Joseph couldn’t stand the smugness in her expression. Grinding his teeth, he snapped, "You think you can just cut me off like that? It’s not gonna be that easy!"Aurora, we were together for three years. Don’t forget, I’ve seen everything. You're not afraid I’ll send it all out?"His threat made Aurora pause, eyes narrowing as s
After all, this was a choice, and a gamble, Aurora had made for herself.Even if she lost the bet, she knew she'd have to deal with the consequences on her own.She pulled out her phone, opened the ride-hailing app, and was just about to book a car when a voice laced with fury and bitterness cut through the air."Aurora Walton, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?"The sudden sound startled her. She hadn’t even noticed someone standing nearby.Steadying herself, Aurora looked up, only to be met with Joseph’s face, dark and twisted with resentment."Well, look who’s changed careers," she said dryly, unable to resist the jab.Joseph blinked, caught off guard. "What’s that supposed to mean?""Nothing much. Just surprised to find a clown performing right outside my office," Aurora said casually. "Now move. Stop blocking my way."At that, Joseph’s expression twisted. The fresh style he’d worked so hard on couldn’t hide the rage contorting his face. "What the hell does that mean? I ca