What made it worse and truly tormented Desmond was the silence.He knew all too well how sharp Lucas could be, which only fueled his fear.In the past, when he was summoned like this, at least he had some idea of what he’d done wrong.Even if he’d made a mistake, he had a clear grasp of it.But this time? He had no clue.And that uncertainty sent panic spiraling through him.It was human nature to fear the unknown, and Desmond was no exception.He was just an ordinary man—how could he not be terrified in the face of someone like Lucas?Especially when he had no idea what was coming next.What unsettled him even more was Lucas’ silence.That, more than anything, made his anxiety spike.But he didn’t dare speak.He genuinely had no idea what he’d done wrong, or where he had slipped up.“Think hard,” Lucas said suddenly, his voice cold and sharp. “What brilliant move did you pull this time?”Desmond exhaled—finally, some words—but his nerves remained taut.So now he had to guess?He truly
He listened to the shrill ringing, and his heart instinctively tightened.Why would Lucas be calling at this hour?Desmond reached out, ready to pick up the phone.But his hand hovered over it for a long time, hesitating, torn between whether he should answer or not.For some reason, he felt uneasy—something didn’t sit right with him.It was as if he had overlooked something important.His hand remained suspended in the air as his mind raced, trying to figure out what he might have missed.The next moment, the phone stopped ringing.Desmond’s heart clenched, and one thought ran through his mind—he was done for.He hadn’t picked up in time. Lucas was definitely going to come for him now.Sure enough, just as Desmond was wondering what to do, someone knocked on his office door.He nearly jumped out of his chair in fright. Before he could even react, a voice came from outside."Mr. Watson, are you in there?"Desmond took several deep breaths to calm himself before responding, "I’m here.
That much was obvious.Aurora looked at the documents on her desk, a faint curve of excitement forming at the corner of her lips.It had been a long time since she felt this kind of thrill.There had been others who targeted the Walton Corporation before.But for some reason, they all eventually backed off.Back then, she didn’t even need to waste energy worrying about other companies trying to bring Walton Corporation down.Since someone was helping her behind the scenes, why wouldn’t she take advantage of that window to expand and strengthen the company?That was exactly why Aurora had gotten used to playing offense.If other companies didn’t dare touch Walton Corporation, of course she would make full use of that loophole.But then Joseph had the nerve to be so brazen.Aurora really was curious—who gave him that kind of courage?A glint of intrigue flashed in her eyes.Clearly, she was genuinely interested in Joseph’s recent behavior.And that woman—if she got the chance, Aurora wou
After speaking, Aurora stood up without looking directly at Grace."As for everything else, I truly don’t know. Please don’t make things harder for me. You can actually investigate this yourself."With that, Aurora turned to leave.Grace watched Aurora’s back and finally realized that she had truly overlooked her daughter’s feelings.However, she really had no choice.Both were her flesh and blood, and she didn’t know how to let go of either.Even if pressing Aurora like this would hurt her, it was still better than letting Tessa lose her life.And as for the Hayes family, she would never let them off.Grace closed her eyes, and a tear slipped down her cheek.Aurora didn’t see this moment.When she stepped out of Grace’s office, she saw Ian lingering outside.Aurora asked, "Why are you still here?"Seeing her come out, Ian trotted over, throwing a knowing glance toward the office. "Miss Aurora, how did the conversation with Madam Grace go?"Aurora’s expression stiffened, and the lightn
In the end, it was she and Tessa who had wronged Aurora.But now, Grace’s desire to ask about Tessa was an act of helplessness.She couldn’t just stand by and watch her walk into destruction.After all, she had raised her from a child—the feelings built over so many years weren’t something she could just throw away, not even in death.Finally, Grace suppressed all those emotions and spoke. “Aurora, I know your sister did wrong.“But I don’t want to see the two of you like this… I can’t just sit back and watch your sister die either.”Aurora’s expression cooled slightly.Of course, she understood what her mother meant.For so many years, all Grace had ever wanted was for her and Tessa to get along.But had anyone ever asked whether she wanted this outcome?Was it really because she didn’t want peace?This time, it had gone too far—Tessa had crossed every line.Aurora had spent nearly a month bedridden.And the person who was likely happiest about that… was probably Tessa.It gave her th
“Please don’t stay silent,” Aurora choked out. “It was unfilial of me not to come see you the moment I returned.”Grace shook her head, her eyes still wet with tears.“Aurora, I won’t allow you to say that.”She gripped her daughter’s hand tightly. “You’re my precious girl. Whatever decisions you make, I’ll always support you.“You have to understand—you live for yourself in this world. No one has the right to interfere with your choices.”Aurora was deeply moved by her mother’s words.There had been so much left unsaid between them.But now, with both of them face-to-face, everything had finally been brought out into the open.The misunderstanding had lifted.Looking at her mother now, Aurora realized she had misjudged her.And quietly, in her heart, she thanked Ian.If he hadn’t given her that little push, she might not have reconciled so quickly.Aurora led Grace to the sofa, still holding her hand tightly.Grace could feel her daughter’s reliance on her, and for the first time, a