Aurora Walton once made a bet with her mother—if Joseph Hunt ever fell in love with her, her mother would step aside and let them be together. So, upon learning that Joseph preferred gentle and resilient girls, she disguised herself as a struggling college student to get close to him. But in the end, Joseph crushed her illusions, holding his first love in his arms as he looked at Aurora with disdain. "A gold-digging nobody like you? How could you ever compare to Judy?" Humiliated and heartbroken, Aurora walked away, returning home to claim her rightful place as heiress to a billion-dollar empire. Years later, she returned, draped in a custom-made designer gown worth million, exuding elegance and power. Beside her stood a man whispered to be untouchable, feared, and revered. As she crossed paths with Joseph once more, the tables had turned. This time, it was Joseph who was left in regret. He took to social media with a public confession: "I used to think I loved strong, one-of-a-kind women. But Aurora, meeting you made me realize that love isn’t about rules. You are my exception." That very night, the elusive Lucas Carter broke his silence, releasing a long-cherished photograph. In it, a girl smiled brightly, untamed and full of life. With absolute certainty, he took Aurora’s hand and made his declaration for the world to hear. "Mrs. Carter, there are no exceptions. You've always been the one. And I've been waiting for this moment my whole life."
View MoreEarly the next morning, Aurora strode confidently into Walton Corporation's headquarters, refreshed and ready.Today, dressed in a sharp, tailored white suit, she looked stunning and radiated an air of fierce determination. Being forced out meant nothing—Aurora would never suffer humiliation quietly.Her high heels clicked firmly on the marble floor, each step echoing through the lobby, announcing her presence. Without hesitation, she headed straight for Chuck’s office. No one dared block her path, not even the receptionist at the front desk.With a loud bang, Aurora flung the office door open, startling Chuck, who sat casually sipping his coffee with his legs crossed.Seeing Aurora, a brief flicker of shock crossed Chuck’s face before settling into a disdainful smirk.“Oh? If it isn't Walton Corporation’s former employee. What brings you back here?” he sneered mockingly, his eyes filled with contempt.Ignoring his insults, Aurora marched straight to his desk, slamming down a thick
Lucas just smiled without answering, instead placing a tender barbecue rib onto Aurora’s plate.“Try this one. It’s delicious too.”Aurora stared at the food on her plate, her heart filled with mixed emotions.She'd been with Joseph for three years, yet he never even knew what foods she liked.And Lucas, whom she'd married impulsively, was already this attentive to her preferences.The stark contrast stirred a bittersweet feeling in her heart, leaving her both touched and a little sad.She recalled dining out with Joseph in the past. He always chose dishes that suited his own taste, never once asking what she wanted.One time, she'd mustered the courage to say she wanted something spicy, only for Joseph to frown and respond, “Why eat spicy food? It’s bad for your skin.”Thinking back now, Aurora could only scoff inwardly. Bad for her skin?Yet here was Lucas, carefully placing all her favorite dishes in front of her.Being treated this considerately felt unfamiliar yet wonderfully co
Aurora glanced nervously at Lucas, who returned a look as if urging her not to run away, but to confront the situation directly.Gathering her courage, she reluctantly lowered the window and stared at Joseph in confusion. “Joseph, do you need something?”Joseph’s eyes fell upon Lucas in the car, momentarily stunned, then his expression twisted into something even uglier. He scrutinized Lucas up and down, but due to the poor lighting in the parking lot, he could only make out the man’s vague profile.Joseph turned to Aurora, his tone dripping with mockery. “Aurora Walton, you’ve already found yourself a new sugar daddy so soon? No wonder you dared speak to me like that at the banquet. Turns out you’ve latched onto someone wealthy!”Judy quickly echoed, “Aurora, even if you’re a broke student desperate for money, at least find yourself someone decent. This guy doesn’t look like much.”Aurora felt anger surge to her head instantly. She gave Joseph and Judy a freezing glare, her voice ic
Inside the banquet hall, Aurora elegantly raised her champagne glass, chatting amiably with a prominent business tycoon.She appeared utterly unaffected by the earlier incident, still radiant and captivating.“You're remarkably accomplished, Miss Walton—achieving so much at such a young age. Truly impressive,” the tycoon praised sincerely, his gaze filled with admiration.Aurora smiled modestly, raising her glass in acknowledgment. “You flatter me. I’m merely doing what needs to be done.”She took a small sip of champagne, the golden liquid swirling gently within the crystal glass, reflecting the subtle smile at the corners of her eyes. Yet, the warmth in her smile never reached her eyes, only highlighting their profound, midnight depth.Unfortunately, the elusive CEO of Vanguard Group had not made an appearance tonight after all.A scheduling conflict? What a waste of an evening.As the banquet neared its end, the air grew heavy with the mingled sweetness of champagne and perfume.Au
“An ordinary employee?” Aurora laughed lightly, her eyes shimmering with subtle contempt.“Joseph, perhaps you’ve misunderstood what ‘ordinary’ means? Even if I were serving drinks here, I'd still be a hundred times better than some spoiled heir who relies solely on his family’s shadow, only capable of dragging down the family business.”Joseph’s face turned livid. He pointed a trembling finger at Aurora. “You... you... how dare you!” Never in his life had he been humiliated like this.“How dare I?” Aurora didn’t retreat. Instead, she stepped closer, her gaze piercing him like a blade.“Who was it that once vowed to love me forever, only to rush into the arms of his first love the moment he turned around? “Who wrote that laughable breakup list just to get rid of me? Joseph Hunt, tell me, who's really out of line here?”The guests around them began whispering among themselves, their curious eyes drawn to the scene.Joseph’s face burned as if he had been slapped hard several times.
Judy was seething with rage.She originally assumed Aurora would fall into miserable obscurity after leaving Walton Corporation, yet here Aurora was, appearing radiant and dazzling, her every gesture filled with effortless confidence.Judy gripped her wine glass so tightly that her nails almost pierced her palm."Don't tell me she's latched onto some rich guy," Judy remarked sourly, her voice dripping with scorn and jealousy.Joseph gave a dismissive snort. "Her? Other than that pretty face, what else does she have to offer? She's probably nothing more than a high-end social climber who's already been passed around and discarded by those big shots. Anyone with eyes can see right through her.""Exactly," Judy echoed. "Who knows what tricks she pulled to sneak into an event like this."The envy in Judy's eyes was almost tangible.She expected Aurora to be in dire straits after leaving Walton Corporation.Yet here Aurora stood, as elegant and radiant as ever.She had to do something to
Aurora, once plain and uninteresting in Joseph’s eyes, now sparkled like a diamond, so dazzling it nearly blinded him.Even though he despised her, Joseph couldn't deny how stunning she looked tonight. He felt an unexpected itch in his chest—a restless stirring he struggled to suppress.But quickly, that faint attraction turned into annoyance and resentment.She was clearly trying to catch his attention. After all, she'd always been like this.“What is Aurora doing here?” Joseph muttered quietly, his tone laced with disbelief and irritation.Beside him, Judy chimed in with feigned concern, “I wonder whose attention she's trying to catch dressed like that? Honestly…” She let her words trail off, though she couldn't hide the smugness in her expression.The more shameless Aurora appeared, the more Judy’s own image of elegance and gentle dignity stood out in comparison.However, Aurora paid no attention to their whispers. Instead, she confidently mingled with other guests, her every mo
Lucas simply smiled mysteriously without directly answering her question. Instead, he stepped closer, gently wrapping an arm around her waist.“It’s beautiful. It’ll suit you perfectly.”Aurora felt warmth rush to her cheeks from his sudden display of affection, her heartbeat speeding up involuntarily. She looked up, meeting Lucas’ deep gaze.“Oh, right,” Lucas said, as though suddenly remembering something. He reached into his pocket and took out a delicate little box. “This is for you.”Aurora accepted the box, opening it to find a dazzling diamond necklace sparkling brilliantly under the lights.“This is too much…I can’t accept it!” Aurora exclaimed in surprise, never expecting such an extravagant gift from Lucas.But Lucas only smiled, gently pushing the box back into her hands. “It’s just a small gift. There will be many more in the future, Mrs. Carter.”He paused briefly, and a subtle tenderness flashed through his eyes. “Don’t overthink it and just accept it.”Aurora was abou
“Aurora, you look pale. Did you realize something?” Megan immediately noticed the change in her friend’s expression.Aurora took a deep breath, suppressing her suspicions for the moment.“It's only a hunch right now. I don't have any proof.”“So what’s your plan?”“I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. But first, I need to make sure Chuck leaves Walton Corporation.”A cold glint flashed in Aurora's eyes. She was not someone who'd let others walk all over her.Just then, the waiter arrived with their dishes, interrupting their conversation.The table was filled with beautifully plated dishes, the rich aroma drifting into the air, but Aurora had completely lost her appetite.She distractedly moved the food around her bowl, her mind continuously replaying images of Tessa and Chuck.Picking up a piece of pork ribs, she chewed mechanically, barely tasting anything.Seeing Aurora's state, Megan tactfully dropped the topic about the company, shifting the conversation to lighter subjects
When Joseph Hunt brought his first love to the birthday banquet, Aurora Walton knew she had lost.In the corner of the room, she glanced at the messages from her mother, Grace Williamson."Aurora, you lost.”"Three years, and Joseph still doesn’t love you. As agreed, it’s time for you to come back and take responsibility."Out of the corner of her eye, Aurora looked at the girl in Joseph’s arms.This was the first time she had seen Joseph’s first love.She was pure, with a soft and gentle demeanor, quiet and serene. Even in cheap clothing, she stood out effortlessly.So, this was the type Joseph liked.A faint bitterness spread across Aurora’s lips.She suddenly remembered four years ago when a bold socialite flirted with Joseph and confessed her feelings. He lazily flicked his cigarette, his eyes holding a trace of detached amusement as he smirked, "Sorry, lady, I like girls who are quiet and ordinary."At the time, Aurora was secretly in love with Joseph for two years.However, Grac...
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Comments