From the start of Graceâs birthday celebration, Julian had already sensed that Auroraâs sister was no easy woman to deal with. And now, hearing her speak like this in front of so many people only confirmed what he had suspected all along. But Aurora didnât seem the least bit rattled. She smiled easily. "Youâre giving me too much credit, sister." "I donât think heâs chasing after me. After all, I saw him bothering you just now as well. Heâs always been a flirt. Thatâs just who he is." Tessaâs expression faltered, her calm gaze flashing briefly with panic. "Heâs your ex, not mine. What does that have to do with me? You mustâve been mistaken. Iâve never even met him before." "You better hope I was mistaken," Aurora said quietly as she stepped closer, leaning in to whisper at her ear. "You really think I donât know what youâve been up to? I know every filthy little thing youâve done. If you donât want me dragging it all to Mother, I suggest you start behaving." Aurora smiled
Aurora's eyes widened slightly. Now she understood why Tessa had insisted they all take a glass of wine. This wasnât about making peaceâit was just the opening move. The entire front of Lucasâ chest was soaked. With a loud clatter, the tray hit the floor. "I'm so sorry, sir! I didnât mean toâĶ Iâm really sorry, are you alright?" the server stammered. The commotion instantly drew everyone's attention, heads turning toward them. Before Aurora could say a word, Tessa stepped forward and began scolding the server. "How are you even working here? You canât hold a tray of drinks properly? You still want your bonus this month? Whoâs in charge of you?" Aurora frowned at her sisterâs performance, something about it feeling deeply off. "Thatâs enough, Tessa. Whatâs the point of yelling at him? Whatâs done is done." Tessa slapped her forehead, as if only now realizing that. "Youâre right, Iâll take Lucas to change clothes right away. âGood thing Julian brought a spare suit. If y
"Sister, everyoneâs watching right now," Aurora said calmly, her tone even but edged with warning. "So let me say this one last time, stop testing my limits. Like earlier... you must know why the seam on my gown was coming loose, right? Iâm sure you have a pretty good idea." She looked at Tessa with deliberate ease, waiting to see how sheâd respond. "I..." Tessaâs gaze wavered. She couldnât meet Auroraâs eyes. Sheâd assumed Aurora hadnât noticed the little trick she pulled earlierâthat was why sheâd acted so brazenly. But clearly, Aurora had just been saving it for the right moment. Julian, meanwhile, also recognized the server whoâd caused the spill. Wasnât that the same man Tessa had whispered to earlier? His eyes narrowed slightly. So, his fiancÃĐe wasnât quite the gentle, graceful woman people claimed she was. How interesting. Tessaâs evasive eyes didnât go unnoticed. Her guilt was written all over her face. No one here was stupid.After seeing this, how coul
The moment those words left Graceâs mouth, it hit Tessa like a bolt of lightning. How could she not understand what her mother truly meant? It was obvious now that Grace had started to doubt her. She must have believed at least some of what had been said. Otherwise, she wouldnât have handled her this way. "No... no, please, Mom. I donât want to rest... I just want to stay by your side," Tessa pleaded, voice trembling, eyes filled with tears. But Grace turned away, refusing to even look at her tear-streaked face. Aurora stood to the side, a faint, cold smile tugging at her lips as she watched the drama unfold. On the surface, it looked like their mother had taken a stand and punished Tessa. But Aurora saw through it. This wasnât justiceâthis was protection, plain and simple. If Grace truly wanted the truth, there wouldâve been a proper investigation, not this quiet dismissal. Auroraâs heart sank. Even now, even after everything, Grace was still shielding Tessa.
After finishing a glass of wine, Lucas noticed the intense look in Auroraâs eyes. And somehow, he instantly understood what that look meant. He reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close. Their bodies pressed together, breaths minglingâeach exhaling into the otherâs space. Aurora stared at his handsome face and instinctively swallowed. The desire surging in her.She must have been drunk. That had to be the reason she was craving this man so strongly. "Rora, youâĶ" Before he could finish, Aurora quickly turned her head away. "Iâm fine. Iâm just a little drunk. Everythingâs a bit fuzzy right now." She hadnât forgotten that they were still out in public. Lucas could tell she was feeling shy. That faint blush at the base of her ears wasnât from drinking. She might not even realize it, but whenever she got shy, her ears were always the first to turn red. Lucas had noticed that habit not long after they started seeing each other. "Why donât we he
Lucas stared at the delicate curve of the earlobe in front of him, unable to suppress the desire rising inside him any longer.He lowered his head and took it between his lips, trailing kisses along itâĶHis hand slid along Auroraâs back as his tall frame leaned in and engulfed her completely.Her soft moans spilled out uncontrollably, only to be swallowed entirely by Lucas as the passion between them deepened, tangled, and intensifiedâĶBetween a man and a woman, intimacy was the most intoxicating thing of all.And that night, their desire unfolded naturally, without restraint.âĶThe next morning.Auroraâs body ached all over, especially her lower back, which throbbed with soreness.She glanced to the side, but Lucas was already gone.She muttered under her breath, "What a beast."He had his fun, pulled up his pants, and disappeared without a word. He didnât even leave a single messageâwho knew what urgent matter had come up.Aurora climbed out of bed to look for something to wear.The
Leonard noticed something off about Aurora and followed her line of sight.A delicate, lively young woman fluttered like a butterfly into the arms of a tall man."Lukey, I knew youâd come!" she exclaimed, dashing toward Lucas with uncontainable joy in her eyes.Amidst the crowd, the two embraced as if no one else existed around them.It was like a scene straight out of a filmâbeautiful, moving, and unreal.Auroraâs hands slowly clenched at her sides, her red lips pressing into a thin line.The pair embracing before her were her husband and a woman she didnât even know.Watching them, she couldnât quite describe what she was feeling.So that was Lucasâ true love?She really lived up to her expectation. She was pure, radiant, and looked like a princess untouched by the world.The tenderness in Lucasâ gaze was something Aurora rarely saw.He usually gave off a distant, cold auraâmost who met him would describe him as aloof.But with the girl in his arms, Aurora could clearly see a softnes
His right hand kept checking his phone from time to time, hoping to see a reply from Aurora. Behind him, Wendy complained, "Lukey, why are you walking so fast? I canât keep up!" Lucas glanced at the unread message on his screen, irritation bubbling under the surface. But when he turned around to face Wendy, his expression remained calm and polite. "Alright, Iâll wait for you." Even after they got into the car, Aurora still hadnât replied. Sitting in the driverâs seat, Lucas felt uneasy. Had Aurora seen what happened earlier and misunderstood? On Auroraâs side, she was having lunch with Leonard, but her mind was clearly elsewhere. Her thoughts were still spinning with the image of Lucas and his so-called true love. When lunchtime came, the two only shared a simple meal. Then Leonard seemed to remember something and casually asked, "Miss Walton, do you know that person at the airport earlier?" With a loud clatter, Auroraâs spoon fell into her bowl. Her eyes widened s
Watching the scene unfold, Lucas felt a flicker of dissatisfaction. He was beginning to think it might be time to have a serious conversation with Kenneth about his sisterâs entitled behavior. But before he could dwell on it, Wendy switched gears with surprising ease. She held up a shirt with a bright smile. âLukey, look at this one! I think itâs perfect for you!â She grabbed a matching tie and pair of pants. âAnd this tie and these trousersânow itâs a full set!â Lucas gave them a once-over, his eyes narrowing slightly. They were exactly his styleâsimple, sharp, and the kind of clothes he usually wore. Just as he was about to pay, Wendy beat him to it. âIâve got it. Lukey, this is my gift to you.â For some reason, that warmed him more than he expected. After all, even Aurora had never really bought him anything like this. "Alright," he said, a rare trace of softness in his tone. "Looks like youâve grown up." Wendy grinned and leaned in playfully. âOf course I have
After the server brought over the extra pudding, she bent down with a patient smile and started chatting with Nora. She gently reminded her not to eat too much at once, saying she could finish this one and come back next time for more. If she liked it, theyâd be happy to have her again. In the warm sunlight, the delicate lines of Auroraâs profile seemed to glow, especially when she spoke to Noraâher whole face lit up with a soft, heartfelt smile. Leonard found himself staring, momentarily dazed. His heart skipped a beat without warning. Inside the restaurant, everything else faded into the background. In his eyes, there was only Aurora and his little sister. The warmth in Auroraâs voice, the kindness in her expressionâit all made the corners of Leonardâs mouth lift, almost involuntarily. Maybe it was time for Nora to have a little more contact with the outside world. âĶâLukey, youâre always working,â Wendy pouted, her full lips forming a perfect little frown, the innoce
No matter what Aurora said, Nora remained quiet and unresponsive, her expression blank. She clutched a bunny plush in her arms and kept herself hidden behind Leonard, entirely in her own world. Even so, Aurora showed no sign of frustration. If anything, her eyes softened with even more sympathy. Leonard couldn't help but speak up. "Aurora, itâs alright. You should go ahead and eat. Donât worry about my sister. Iâll take care of her. If she wants to eat, sheâll eat." Seeing how patient Aurora was made Leonard feel a little embarrassed. Part of him was surprised. But he couldnât help but wonderâwas Aurora really this kind and compassionate, or was it just a front because of their business partnership? With that thought lingering, he gave her a more thoughtful look. Aurora returned to her seat, a little reluctantly. At first, sheâd wanted to get close to Leonard for work reasons, to build a stronger partnership. But now, after seeing what Nora had been through at such a
Aurora thought for a moment and said seriously, "He's quite nice, very warm and friendly. But I think he has a younger sister, and her situation is a little... unique." She chose her words carefully and eventually settled on âunique.â She didnât know the specifics yet, and she hadn't met Leonardâs sister in person. Grace mulled it over. "Alright. Try to learn more about his situation. Leonard is a promising business partner, so keep an eye on that." "Got it." With that, Aurora left the chairmanâs office. As soon as she returned to her own office, a message came in from Leonard: "I took my sister to the place you recommended. Itâs the first time Iâve seen her eat so much." A faint smile appeared in Auroraâs eyes as she read the message. She replied, "Iâm glad she liked it. I know a lot of places that are fun for kids too. We can check some out when there's time." "That sounds perfect. Iâm free this afternoon. Are you, Miss Walton?" Leonard replied quickly. Aurora c
When Lucas returned to the bedroom, he finally noticed Aurora was nowhere in sight.He searched the entire place before finding her in the guest room.Aurora had clearly made up her mind.She wasnât going to sleep in the same bed as him tonight.Now that his true love was back, it only made sense to draw the line in their marriage.The image from earlier that day still lingered in her mind, and every time she looked at Lucas, a wave of discomfort rose in her chest, especially knowing those hands had just touched another woman.Lucas stood at the door, his lips parting slightly, as if wanting to say something. But in the end, he said nothing at all.His fists clenched, a wave of helplessness washing over him.Just last night, they had been wrapped up in each other.Tonight, a wall divided them, and so did the silence.The next morning, Aurora got up early.After washing up, she left for the office without even acknowledging Lucas.Normally, she would have breakfast, prepared by him, but
Aurora saw Lucasâ message. She just didnât know how to respond. What did he and his so-called true love have to do with her? The more she thought about it, the more pointless the message seemed. Lucas didnât owe her any explanations. Their relationship was just for appearances anyway. Why take it so seriously? When Lucas returned home, Aurora happened to be in the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of water. The moment she heard the door, her gaze flickered slightly. She knew exactly who it was. She downed the water in one go and turned to head out, planning to wash up. But as she moved, she found herself blocked in the kitchen. Lucas stood in the doorway, tall and broad, completely sealing off her exit. Unless he moved, she wasnât going anywhere. Left with no choice, Aurora stopped and asked, a little wearily, "Move. I need to wash up." Lucas looked at her, seeing through her calm exterior as if it were glass. He knew it hadnât been a mistake earlier at the airp
His right hand kept checking his phone from time to time, hoping to see a reply from Aurora. Behind him, Wendy complained, "Lukey, why are you walking so fast? I canât keep up!" Lucas glanced at the unread message on his screen, irritation bubbling under the surface. But when he turned around to face Wendy, his expression remained calm and polite. "Alright, Iâll wait for you." Even after they got into the car, Aurora still hadnât replied. Sitting in the driverâs seat, Lucas felt uneasy. Had Aurora seen what happened earlier and misunderstood? On Auroraâs side, she was having lunch with Leonard, but her mind was clearly elsewhere. Her thoughts were still spinning with the image of Lucas and his so-called true love. When lunchtime came, the two only shared a simple meal. Then Leonard seemed to remember something and casually asked, "Miss Walton, do you know that person at the airport earlier?" With a loud clatter, Auroraâs spoon fell into her bowl. Her eyes widened s
Leonard noticed something off about Aurora and followed her line of sight.A delicate, lively young woman fluttered like a butterfly into the arms of a tall man."Lukey, I knew youâd come!" she exclaimed, dashing toward Lucas with uncontainable joy in her eyes.Amidst the crowd, the two embraced as if no one else existed around them.It was like a scene straight out of a filmâbeautiful, moving, and unreal.Auroraâs hands slowly clenched at her sides, her red lips pressing into a thin line.The pair embracing before her were her husband and a woman she didnât even know.Watching them, she couldnât quite describe what she was feeling.So that was Lucasâ true love?She really lived up to her expectation. She was pure, radiant, and looked like a princess untouched by the world.The tenderness in Lucasâ gaze was something Aurora rarely saw.He usually gave off a distant, cold auraâmost who met him would describe him as aloof.But with the girl in his arms, Aurora could clearly see a softnes
Lucas stared at the delicate curve of the earlobe in front of him, unable to suppress the desire rising inside him any longer.He lowered his head and took it between his lips, trailing kisses along itâĶHis hand slid along Auroraâs back as his tall frame leaned in and engulfed her completely.Her soft moans spilled out uncontrollably, only to be swallowed entirely by Lucas as the passion between them deepened, tangled, and intensifiedâĶBetween a man and a woman, intimacy was the most intoxicating thing of all.And that night, their desire unfolded naturally, without restraint.âĶThe next morning.Auroraâs body ached all over, especially her lower back, which throbbed with soreness.She glanced to the side, but Lucas was already gone.She muttered under her breath, "What a beast."He had his fun, pulled up his pants, and disappeared without a word. He didnât even leave a single messageâwho knew what urgent matter had come up.Aurora climbed out of bed to look for something to wear.The