"Rory," Heath began as he took Aurora’s hand gently, "about your mother's situation, if you want to investigate, go ahead. If you need any help, just ask Kieran."Aurora turned to Heath, her expression serious, "Madeline dared to drug me for over a decade, turning me into a fool. Is it also possible she drugged my mother, making her lose her sanity?"Heath stroked Aurora's hair, comforting her, "I've already asked Kieran to look into Madeline's past. Don't worry."Aurora sniffed, managing a small smile, "Yeah, it's been over a decade. A few more days won't make a difference. I'm fine, don't worry."Heath smiled back, "Let's eat."Aurora nodded, lowering her head to eat. She even went out of her way to serve Heath a piece of fish, looking at him with a cheerful grin.Heath was moved, pulling Aurora in for a deep kiss before letting her go, teasing, "This tastes even better!"Aurora, feigning anger, wiped her mouth, "Hooligan!"Heath chuckled softly, continuing to eat.Heath couldn't he
Evelyn had harbored thoughts about Heath, but upon learning that Elowen and Heath were childhood sweethearts, and that their families were even considering an engagement, she let the matter drop.Without Heath, there were still other eligible bachelors from the Fairbank family. As long as she stayed close to Elowen, wouldn't she have a chance to climb the Fairbanks ladder?Aurora, caught off guard by these words, paused and asked, "The Fairbank?"Evelyn laughed, "Yes, the Fairbank family from the capital. Surely, Aurora, you must know them? Mr. Heath Fairbank even attended Grandfather's birthday banquet. Weren't you quite attentive to him? It's just that, unexpectedly, Mr. Fairbank has his own beloved!"Aurora couldn't help but snort with laughter, "His beloved? Don't tell me it's Elowen?"Evelyn nodded, "Of course! Elowen will soon marry Mr. Heath Fairbank!"Evelyn was brimming with pride, flaunting like a peacock in full display, eager to let everyone know that Elowen was Heath's ch
Aurora returned to her seat, only for Chery to nudge her and suggest, "Aurora, let's switch places."Aurora blinked in confusion and asked, "Switch what?"Chery stood up, gently pushing Aurora, explaining, "You take the inner seat, and I'll sit by the aisle to get some air."Although Aurora didn't quite grasp why Chery suddenly wanted to switch seats, she cooperated, standing up and moving to the inside.This rearrangement placed Chery by the aisle, with Aurora in the middle, flanked closely by Zane and Soraya on the other side.As soon as Aurora sat down, she noticed Soraya occasionally whispering something to Zane, who listened with a good-natured patience. They seemed to be enjoying their conversation. Glancing at Chery, who sat aside with a less-than-pleased expression, Aurora mused, "Chery's reaction suggests she's not entirely indifferent to Zane!"Elowen returned shortly after, and Evelyn immediately welcomed her with eager hospitality, asking, "Elowen, what took you so long? E
The crowd erupted into cheers again as Chery smiled and gave a slight bow to the host in gratitude for the assist, then turned to stand before the microphone, facing the camera to deliver her acceptance speech."First and foremost, I am profoundly grateful to the judges for their recognition, and to my fans for their tolerance and love. I promise to continue striving for excellence, dedicating my best works to all of you. Most importantly, I must extend my deepest thanks to my boss, Miss Aurora!" Chery bowed slightly towards Aurora, who was seated below the stage, and said, "It was Aurora who believed in me to take the lead, strongly recommending me for the television series. It is also Aurora who has invested her efforts and resources to craft this masterpiece, Dual Facades, for me. Without Aurora, there would be no Chery standing on this path of acting today. This award holds great significance, but half of the credit should go to Aurora!"The applause was thunderous. Aurora, with t
Evelyn sat just behind Aurora, her fingers tightly clutching the hem of her skirt. She had poured her heart and soul into convincing her father to open a studio for her, managing to recruit Yvonne and secure the partnership with Wilde.Despite her meticulous scheming and efforts to overshadow Aurora, it was Aurora who had the last laugh.Sitting on either side of her, Chery and Zane each held a trophy, symbolically slapping Yvonne's face with their achievements.What Evelyn once deemed an insignificant studio, an endeavor by Aurora doomed to fail, and Chery, whom she looked down upon, had all become unshakeable forces in her life!After tonight, it wasn't just the entertainment industry that would witness a shift, but likely the direction of the Pendleton family itself!How could Aurora miss such a golden opportunity? Holding both a Best Actor and a Best Actress in her grasp, their youth did not detract from their talent, matching if not surpassing others in their craft.Now was the p
Zane dragged Chery to stand beside Aurora with a bit of force. Adjusting her skirt, Chery inquired, "Aurora, what's up?"Aurora blinked in confusion, "What do you mean, "what's up'?"Chery, equally puzzled, responded, "Didn't you want to see me?"Aurora glanced at Zane, who was making faces at her. With a resigned look towards Chery, she revealed, "Yes, a CEO expressed interest in having you star in a commercial. What do you think?"Chery smiled, saying, "You make the call. I trust your judgment. If you think it's a good idea, then it's fine by me."After discussing other matters, Chery was whisked away by an assistant, wine glass in hand, to mingle.Aurora shot Zane a glare, questioning, "What's with the craziness now?"Zane, eyes following Chery's departing figure, retorted, "Didn't you say you'd stop bothering with me after the film festival? So, can I make my move now?"Pinching the bridge of her nose, Aurora sighed, "Just one request—can you keep it low-key?"Zane's face lit up w
Evelyn pulled Elowen aside and said, "Elowen! Alaric has always been a good friend of yours, how can you let Aurora take advantage of him? Don't be fooled by her; she's the most beguiling of all!"Elowen looked at Evelyn with innocent eyes and asked, "What should I do then?""Hasn't Alaric always harbored lingering feelings for you? If you were to fall ill now, he would drop everything to see you!" Evelyn encouraged."Me? That doesn't seem quite right..." Elowen hesitated."What's not right about it? You're just trying to save Alaric. Don't be tricked by Aurora, that little vixen!" Evelyn declared.Elowen, still hesitant, nodded and said, "Well... okay then."When Alaric and Aurora arrived at the hospital, Aurora went to the ward while Alaric sought out Lysander. Lysander explained that Vespera's gastritis was due to her irregular eating habits over the past few days, and that she would be fine with an IV drip.As Alaric visited Vespera in her ward, Aurora was sitting beside her, chid
Jasper's intention was to intercept this batch of goods. When it came to matters involving the Whitmore family, Jasper and his associates never showed mercy.Moreover, Dominic and Isabella Whitmore were only engaged, and Dominic was unlikely to lend the Abyss's power to the Whitmore family for their arbitrary use. Therefore, Jasper and his team had a great chance of winning.Jasper's call was to temporarily reassign Jay for a task and to see if Aurora could locate the storage site for this batch of goods. Carly even considered involving Aurora in the mission. After all, Aurora's shooting skills had dazzled everyone during the last conflict.Aurora was, in fact, eager to try. She missed the thrill of being back on the battlefield.It's strange and contradictory how people can be; on one hand, Aurora fought tooth and nail to maintain her current identity and the peaceful life she had, yet on the other, she yearned for the thrill of combat and bloodshed.However, Aurora had repeatedly as
The next morning, Vespera was woken up at dawn, barely getting a few hours of sleep. Known as a dedicated designer, she was usually the first one awake, but today she could barely keep her eyes open. As the stylist worked on her hair and makeup, Vespera sat half-dazed, drifting in and out, completely unaware of the hands tugging her in all directions.Two hours later, with her hair and makeup done, Vespera finally slipped into her wedding dress. The reality hit her, and for the first time, she fully realized she was about to get married.Memories flooded back, particularly that first encounter with Alaric. He’d been sprawled on the steps outside, a bit too tipsy, looking up with half-closed eyes, asking, “What’s wrong with me?” Vespera, surprising even herself, had replied, “Nothing at all.”Back then, he was just a bright, headstrong young man, carrying so many dreams and frustrations. Somewhere along the way, he’d grown into this strong, grounded man. And somehow, after everything,
It wasn’t until a few days after their engagement that it even crossed Vespera’s mind to ask about the villa.Alaric confirmed he’d bought it, explaining that he’d thought she might like it and decided to go for it. As for renovations, he wanted to wait until she officially agreed to everything; after all, they’d eventually need their own place—living with Zane forever wasn’t exactly an option.By now, the news of Alaric and Vespera’s engagement had spread everywhere. Alaric was practically ready to announce it to the world on social media, but thankfully, Aurora stepped in, suggesting he keep things low-key since he was the company CEO. Plus, Vespera wasn’t exactly a fan of the public spotlight.Alaric reluctantly held back but couldn’t resist dropping hints in his friend group chat every other day. Heath and the rest were used to it by now—except Lysander, who constantly complained that he was drowning in a sea of "lovey-dovey vibes," being the lone single guy among them.When Auror
The next morning, Alaric woke up, remembering last night’s events. He pinched himself—no, it wasn’t a dream. Vespera had actually said yes.He jumped out of bed, showered, changed, and even straightened his tie before driving to her studio. There she was, focused on work, wearing a stylish dress and light makeup, looking absolutely radiant.When he walked in, Vespera looked up, surprised. “Finally awake?” she asked with a smirk.Alaric simply nodded, taking her hand without a word and leading her downstairs. She stumbled after him, asking, “Where are we going?”Alaric gently nudged her into his car, driving her toward a villa. Vespera was clueless and a bit shocked, glancing around, unsure of what was happening.They finally arrived at a beautiful villa. Alaric opened the door, and she asked, “Did you just buy this?”&n
The next morning, Alaric was finally over his fever. When Vespera woke up, he was already waiting in the living room. After breakfast, they both headed to their respective offices.Aurora’s team reported they’d successfully returned to the Whitmore family’s estate. For her, that had been a fierce battle. For Vespera, however, the real challenge lay ahead: the design competition.Ever since her last conversation with Yvonne, where Yvonne had hinted that everything she had was due to Aurora and Alaric’s support, Vespera had been determined to prove herself. She wanted to be worthy of Alaric and was pouring all her energy into this competition.After submitting her designs, Vespera anxiously waited at home for results. When the winners were finally announced online, she saw her name in second place. The relief and pride were overwhelming. She had finally achieved something worth sharing with Alaric. Now, with the award ceremony in the UK, she had no choice but to let him know.Expecting
Vespera had reclaimed her brand, and Alaric seemed to be maturing by the day, treating her like she was his entire world. Everything seemed to be falling into place.After that showdown in Alaric’s office with Elowen, she hadn’t shown her face again. Vespera figured it was over, that Elowen had finally given up. Everyone else thought the same.But on the day they took graduation photos, Aurora disappeared. Heath and Alaric eventually tracked her down — Elowen had taken her. Vespera was frantic, blaming herself for not protecting Aurora better.Heath and Alaric couldn’t stop Aurora’s flight at the airport, so they booked tickets to the UK to get her back. Vespera had too much to handle here to join them, so she only saw Alaric off at the airport.He held her close, whispering, “Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon, and Aurora will be safe.”Vespera hugged him back tightly. She trusted him. Alaric and Heath would get this done — Elowen had crossed a line that couldn’t be ignored, and she knew
This past week, Aurora had been tirelessly setting up to counter Evelyn and her allies, Yvonne and Elowen. Meanwhile, Alaric, working alongside Aurora to reclaim Elowen’s brand.A week later, the press conference went ahead as planned. Alaric helped Vespera pick an outfit, stayed until she’d finished her makeup, and then drove her to the venue himself.The conference, led by Evelyn, was a disaster for her team. They failed to take over Aurora’s company, couldn’t drive her out of the Pendleton family, and made no progress in placing Yvonne and Elowen as CEO and head designer. Their plans had backfired entirely.Leaving the venue, Yvonne, clearly shaken, stepped in front of a car without looking and was hit, blood pooling around her. Vespera, stunned and dizzy at the sight, would have collapsed if Alaric hadn’t steadied her.Frantically, Vespera fumbled with her phone to call home, stammering, “It’s Yvonne… she’s bleeding so much…”As someone unaccustomed to such violence, Vespera was t
Alaric looked at Vespera with an innocent expression and said, “It’s not what you think. I’m not a creep.”“Not a creep?” Vespera glared at him. “Then what were you doing in my room?”Alaric almost groaned. “If I told you I was here to give you a massage, would you believe me?”“Total creep!” she shouted. “Sneaking into my bed while I was asleep!”Alaric shot back, “I did not! When I woke up, you were the one curled up on me!”Vespera paused, recalling the moment she woke up. Okay, maybe she had been cozying up to him. Wait a second—was he implying she was the one acting out of line?Seeing her hesitation, Alaric grinned smugly. “See? You were just as comfortable with it!”“Get out!” Vespera yelled.Alaric left the room, trying not to smile too much. Sure, nothing happened, but just getting to hold her felt amazing. Although… his shoulder was sore from her leaning on him all night, so he headed back to his room to grab a few more hours of sleep.Vespera, alone in her room, listened as
Vespera walked ahead, casual and carefree in a T-shirt and shorts, no makeup, and even bare of high heels, while Alaric trailed close behind with a jacket in hand, grinning like a fool. Everyone in the lobby couldn’t help but notice—their usually composed CEO was tagging along, practically beaming.Catching up to her, Alaric draped his jacket over her shoulders. “How could you leave without dressing warmer? You’ll end up with a stomach ache tonight,” he said, his voice soft with affection.Vespera felt a warm flutter in her chest but stayed quiet, letting his jacket settle around her as they walked out. Alaric was thrilled she hadn’t brushed him off; emboldened, he slipped his hand into hers, wrapping her cold fingers in his.For a moment, she stiffened, then relaxed, letting her hand nestle securely in his. Together, they headed to the parking lot, Alaric practically floating with joy. This felt better than winning the lottery!Bringing her home, Alaric felt out of his depth—things h
Alaric stood in his office, with Elowen right in front of him, her hand tugging at his tie, a faint smirk hidden beneath her slightly indignant expression.Seeing the scene, Vespera nearly turned around and left right then and there. But she reminded herself of her purpose for coming today. She was done hiding from Elowen. Even if Alaric wasn’t hers in the end, she’d be damned if he ended up with someone like Elowen.So Vespera strode into the office, fixed her gaze on them, and asked, “What’s going on here?”At the sound of her voice, Alaric spun around, fumbling to free his tie from Elowen’s grip. But Elowen held tight, glancing over at Vespera with a slight smile. “Miss Thornfield? You’re here?”Vespera closed the door behind her, gave a slight nod, and asked again, “What exactly is this about?”Elowen smirked. “Oh, it’s nothing. I just wanted to ask Alaric if I could borrow a few people to help promote my new fashion line. Not sure if he’s on board with it, though.”“Not a chance,