Chapter 25: Return to Serendipity Restaurant and Meet Renata

’Did they read the news about my accident?’ Aurora wondered.

She recalled two articles that had appeared online about her incident. However, the coverage didn’t attract much attention and was soon buried under celebrity gossip and other business news.

Although Aurora didn’t care much about the articles, she was concerned that someone needed to inform her friends if they hadn’t seen the news. Otherwise, they might be confused about her sudden absence from their lives.

Aurora sighed softly, feeling the weight of her thoughts as she remembered her best friend.

Lost in deep thought about her friends, Aurora was startled when David’s voice echoed, breaking the silence.

"Aurora, can I ask you something?" he asked, keeping his gaze fixed on the road ahead.

She turned to look at him. "Yes, of course..."

David glanced briefly at her, trying to read her emotions, but what he saw remained unchanged. She appeared calm and confident, just as when confronting Max in the cafeteria.

"Are you... seriously, no longer interested in Max?"

Aurora suppressed a smile as she noticed the doubts lingering in David’s eyes. She understood that her earlier actions must have shocked him.

In the cafeteria, she had considered telling Max and the others that she no longer liked him because she couldn’t continue pretending.

The truth was, the person who liked him was not her but Aurora Spencer.

She knew she needed to end it and start focusing on what really mattered: becoming Alex’s wife.

Just thinking about Alex and her new role already twisted her stomach with anxiety.

"I give up on him. It’s pointless to waste my time pursuing someone who doesn’t return my feelings," she expressed honestly.

David’s upper lip curled slightly, forming a delighted smile as he heard Aurora’s words. He had been waiting to listen to this since he discovered she had a crush on Max.

A flicker of hope began to blossom in his mind: perhaps Aurora was finally ready to give him a chance. However, he wanted to hear her reason.

"Why did you suddenly change your mind? I remember that you were still throwing a birthday party for him just a few weeks ago. You even spent a considerable amount of money to set it up."

"My biggest reason is my father," Aurora began, gazing at the street ahead. She felt guilty about lying to him.

After a brief pause, she continued, "Losing my father made me realize that I need to focus more on myself and my future instead of chasing after someone. That’s why I gave up on Max."

David’s hands tightened around the steering wheel as he listened to her. He empathizes with her sorrow for the sudden loss of both her father and mother. Now, she was all alone.

"I’m sorry for your loss, Aurora," David expressed his condolences once more. "And I’m glad you finally let him go."

She chuckled softly before replying, "Thank you, David. I’ve already moved on and decided to end things with Max. I don’t have time to pursue romance right now; I must focus solely on planning my future career."

David slowly swallowed, realizing his intention to express his feelings for Aurora had been thwarted. This girl was focused not on romance but on her career.

’You need to be patient, man. There’s no need to rush; she won’t be going anywhere,’ David tried to reassure himself as he shifted his focus back to driving his car.

***

Business District.

As Aurora returned to the business district, which was filled with modern skyscrapers owned by the country’s leading companies and brands, she felt a wave of nervousness wash over her.

A surge of emotion filled her heart as she gazed at Stardust Tower, the tallest building in the area, a place she had visited almost daily. She asked David to stop near the Prescott Building, where Serendipity Restaurant was.

Aurora walked quickly and anxiously toward the restaurant, feeling her heart tighten with every step. She was unsure what she would do when she arrived at Serendipity Restaurant.

However, one thing she certainly wanted. And that was to catch a glimpse of her best friend, even only from a distance.

When she finally reached the restaurant, she was stunned to discover it was closed.

"Why is it closed? It’s still afternoon," Aurora muttered in confusion.

She had never heard of the restaurant closing since it opened, not even when Renata had family matters to attend to.

Curious, Aurora tried to peek inside the restaurant, but she realized it was empty after a few moments.

"Should I wait a bit longer or come back another time?"

She glanced at her watch and noted that she wouldn’t have much time to shop if she stayed here too long waiting for the restaurant to open.

Just as she was about to leave, a familiar female voice called behind her, "Excuse me, young lady, but we’re closed for the entire week..."

A chill ran down Aurora’s spine as she turned to find Renata standing just two steps away.

Aurora could not move for a few seconds; she simply absorbed Renata’s anguished expression, which was so different from the cheerful demeanor she remembered. She wore no makeup, and her usually beautifully arranged black hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

In Aurora’s mind, this woman before her starkly contrasted Renata’s glamorous appearance.

"Are you okay, young lady?" Renata’s voice snapped Aurora out of shock, bringing her back to reality.

She longed to rush forward and embrace Renata but held back, fearing that such a sudden movement might startle her best friend.

Aurora could only smile in response and weakly say, "I’m fine..."

"Are you sure? You look pale..." Renata said, staring at her closely.

However, a moment later, panic surged through her as she saw the girl lose her balance and grasp the wall for support before collapsing onto the concrete.

"Hey, watch out! Are you okay? Let’s go inside. You need to rest."

Renata quickly grabbed Aurora’s hand to prevent her from falling.