The day after, Lysander caught sight of Heath and Aurora snuggled up together on a hospital bed, and couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose, fighting the urge to jab them both with a syringe. He silently told himself, "Don't get mad... don't get mad..." Getting angry with those two would only end up driving him nuts.
These past few days, Heath and Aurora have been recuperating at the KING organization's base under Lysander's care, and they've been healing up pretty fast.
Aurora was dying to see the place where Heath had lived, and finally got the okay from Eamon. With Jay tagging along, they wandered all around the KING base, getting to know every nook and cranny, even where each blade of grass was.
When they were on the verge of getting moldy from all the healing, Lysander finally gave the nod for them to head back.
As long as Lysander said they were okay, it meant they really were alri
Aurora, utterly confused and freaking out, grabbed Cheryl and asked, "What do you mean it's all your fault? Cheryl, make yourself clear! What happened?"Through Cheryl's choppy narration, Aurora finally pieced together the truth.Turns out, Soraya never had a boyfriend from outside their circles. Those news stories were just a smokescreen, meant to throw Aurora and the gang off Soraya’s scent. What Soraya was really obsessed with, crazily so, was Zane.After her grandfather died and Aurora left, Evelyn suddenly took over all the Pendleton resources. Evelyn Media made a comeback, and even without Yvonne, Soraya smartly sided with Evelyn.Cheryl and Zane had a fight, and when she went out to clear her head, Evelyn's people kidnapped her. They sent Zane a video, threatening to scar Cheryl's face unless he admitted to a romance with Soraya.Being an actress, Cheryl’s face was her dream. Zane immediately agreed and openly declared his love for Soraya on social media, thinking they could cl
Sophia's wearing a grey sweater, her hair's turned into big waves, with this heavy makeup on, and strutting in high heels—totally ditching that innocent and cute look for something more mature, even a bit worldly. Aurora had no clue how Sophia's been living these days. Sure, Aurora hadn't been exactly generous with Sophia's allowance, but it was enough to keep her fed and warm.When Aurora walked in, Sophia's eyes filled with anger and hatred. She glared at Aurora and managed to squeeze out a smirk, saying, "My dear sister, what brings you here?"Aurora raised an eyebrow, "I need permission to come home now? I was about to ask you the same thing. Last I checked, grandpa kicked you out!"Hearing this, Sophia turned beet red, glaring at Aurora and spat out, "So what? Grandpa's gone. The Pendletons are under my brother and sister’s control now. I come back whenever I feel like it!"Aurora just smiled and stayed quiet. She couldn't be bothered to argue with Sophia over such things. The pr
“Miss Aurora, stop hitting them, don't accidentally kill someone..." Leen sighed.Aurora helped him up and reassured him, "Don't worry. Jay knows what he's doing."Leen silently bowed his head, not saying a word. Listening to the screams outside, he couldn't help but feel that Jay really didn't have a clue...After checking Leen's head for injuries, Aurora said, "It's just a bruise, no cuts. I'll have Jay apply some ointment later. You're not young anymore. Don't go head-to-head with them; it's no good."Leen, sighing, pointed at the safe, "This was left by your grandpa for you, his last wish. They can take everything else, but I can't let them take this."Aurora knew Leen was fiercely loyal to her grandpa and cared deeply for her. With her grandpa gone, Leen probably felt out of place in the Pendleton family.Finally, the screams outside stopped. Jay walked in, and Leen nervously asked, "Jay, you didn't hurt them too bad, did you?"Jay waved his hand, "No worries. They'll just be be
Aurora raised an eyebrow at Heath and asked, "So, did you already know the Pendletons are a hot mess right now?"Sitting next to Aurora, Heath said, "I found out the day I got back too. Didn’t want to stress you out, so I kept it to myself."Aurora pouted and said, "Fine, forgiven. So, what now? My people, my company, they all belong to Evelyn now."Heath gently tousled her hair and asked, "Asking me? Didn’t you have a plan already?"Pulling out a paternity test, Aurora said with a cold face, "I was willing to let it slide for grandpa’s sake, but now that I’ve been branded the so-called illegitimate child, how can I not kick them out without disrespecting grandpa?"Patting Aurora on the back, Heath reassured, "Don’t worry, I’ve got your back!"Aurora nodded, "Yeah, I’m not scared. Even if I lose everything, I’ll expose their true faces to the world!"Heath handed her another document, suggesting, "Time to sign this, maybe?"Aurora took a closer look and realized it was the contract fo
Heath handed over Aurora's birth certificate to Kieran. With details like the hospital of birth and even the attending doctor, Kieran should be able to quickly dig up what happened back then. At the very least, he could find out what went down with Callista during her labor that left her a bit touched in the head afterward.Over in the States, Heath asked Eamon to check into Ms. Luce's past. Ms. Luce had been way too interested in Aurora, and even though the support she's provided Aurora has been top-notch, Heath couldn't shake off his worry. Why would a total stranger want to make Aurora her goddaughter?Meanwhile, Aurora was out to pull off something big with Jay in tow today!It was a rare day that Zane decided to go hiking with Soraya, and, would you believe it, Aurora just "happened" to be at their destination.Soraya, wanting to be all lovey-dovey with Zane, didn't bring any bodyguards or assistants, which made things much easier for Aurora.Jay neatly knocked Soraya out cold an
Evelyn heaved a sigh of relief and glared at Aurora, "You went through all that trouble just for Cheryl? Don't worry, I've already snagged the resources from Fairview Media and Cheryl, plus the brand from Vespera. I can't even be bothered to look at Cheryl's photos. Who wants to get tangled up in her mess? As for Soraya and Zane, I couldn’t care less. It’s Soraya’s own fault she can’t keep a man."Aurora laughed, "So, this alliance of interests of yours is just falling apart like that?"Evelyn shot Aurora a sarcastic look, "What's wrong with having my own interests? You really think emotions last a lifetime?""So, your elaborate scheme to marry Thane is also about interests?" Aurora asked.Evelyn laughed, "What else? Thane’s got the looks and the family background. I'll soon be the Fairbank family’s granddaughter-in-law. The Fairbanks of the capital, a family you could never dream of marrying into!"Aurora snorted with laughter, "That's true. I could never reach someone like Thane."J
Heath grabbed some papers and headed downstairs, where Thane and Evelyn were chilling with the senior Mr. Fairbank. Seeing Heath, Evelyn shrank a bit, hoping he'd forget that awkward moment earlier.Heath didn't even spare her a glance, which made her sigh in relief. But then, he turned to Mr. Fairbank and was like, "Can we get someone to clean out my study? Like, everything, door frames included."Evelyn's face went pale. She looked at Heath, who didn’t even look back at her, then he turned to Thane and said, "Keep your women in line, will you? They’re all the same!"Thane was fuming, glanced at Evelyn, who looked back at him all innocent, trying to say it wasn't her fault. Heath didn’t stick around to deal with them, just left.Driving back to his place, a sweet smell hit him the moment he walked in, and there was Aurora, all clingy, asking, "You went to the Fairbanks'? Saw Evelyn?""Yeah, saw her," Heath muttered, looking a bit off as he changed his shoes."Something wrong? Grandpa
Aurora has been causing a ruckus in the Pendleton family for ages, turning the place upside down, even threatening to kick them all out. And what’s the result? Still ends up with nothing.So what if Aurora has her photos? As long as Evelyn doesn’t mess with Cheryl, Aurora won't come at her. All she wants now is to buy out Aurora's company, kick her out of the Pendleton family in broad daylight, and smoothly marry into the Fairbank family. That's all she needs.Evelyn loudly told the reporters, “In addition, I’m announcing that the once-popular Aurora&Vespera brand is officially joining the Pendleton lineup, with the retired Yvonne as CEO, and Elowen as the chief designer!”Introducing Yvonne and Elowen beside her, the trio looked stunning together, creating a beautiful scene.The audience clapped non-stop, and the live chat was flooded with messages and gifts from fans of Yvonne and Elowen, cheering on their idols.After the photo session, it was time for questions. Reporters stood up
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,