Upon hearing Evelyn's tone, Aurora understood that Evelyn still cared deeply for Maxwell. Deciding not to intervene further, she ended the call and requested Jay to drive her to Lysander's hospital.Rushing to the hospital in urgency, she found her grandpa in the emergency room, with Leen and Little Fish anxiously waiting outside. Aurora approached them, asking, "What happened? How did he faint all of a sudden?"Leen, head hung low in guilt, replied, "He was just taking a stroll. He asked me to fetch him some coffee, and by the time I returned, he had already collapsed. It's my fault. If I had stayed by his side without leaving, this wouldn't have happened..." Having served the old man for most of his life, Leen was overwhelmed with self-blame.Aurora comforted him, "Don't blame yourself. Grandpa will be alright."After a tense two-hour wait outside the emergency room, the lights finally turned off, and Lysander emerged, removing his mask. Meeting Aurora's gaze, he sighed, "Come to my
Aurora found the situation utterly bewildering, yet couldn't help but burst into laughter.Her ridiculous father had abandoned his wife and daughter, only to find that two of the three children he'd painstakingly raised weren't even his own.Aurora couldn't contain her laughter, but Heath wrapped her in his arms and said, "Rory, you're crying."After a few seconds of silence, Aurora burst into tears. Kieran and Jay tactfully made their exit, leaving Aurora to sob uncontrollably in Heath's embrace.Her foolish mother, what kind of man had she married?A man of hypocrisy, selfishness, and failure, while her mother, who appeared as graceful as a princess, had wasted her entire life on him.Had anyone ever questioned Madeline's past or the parentage of the three children, perhaps her mother wouldn't have ended her days in depression.Heath held her, gently patting her back, and said, "Rory, it's all in the past now."Sniffling, Aurora replied, "Yes, it's in the past.""What do you plan to
Grandpa looked at Heath with increasing satisfaction, put down his chess piece, and said, "Heath, what are your intentions towards my granddaughter now?"Heath smiled slightly, "As long as she is willing to marry, I am ready to marry her at any time."Grandpa was stunned, not expecting Heath to speak so directly, the powerful head of the Fairbank family! His wife could be a princess, yet he was fond of Aurora.Aurora must be very lucky to be with such a man!"Heath, Aurora is young and somewhat naive, but she is inherently good. She has suffered a lot in her childhood. Please be understanding towards her. I am getting old and cannot always be there for her..." sighed Grandpa."Sir, you are still young. You need to take good care of your health and witness our grand wedding!" said Heath.Grandpa waved his hand and laughed, "You are a wise man. You don't need to flatter me like the others. I know my own body, and I don't know how much longer it will last!"Heath held a chess piece in hi
Aurora tightened her embrace around Heath's waist and whispered, "Heath, I'm really scared.""What's frightening you?" Heath inquired gently."It's Grandpa... He's always talking about his will and though he does it quietly with Leen, I know. He thinks he hasn't got much time left. He can't even sleep peacefully. I... I just wish he could see me get married, have children. It feels like only with his blessing, my life would be complete," Aurora confided, nestled in Heath's embrace.Heath wrapped his arms around her, offering solace. "Don't worry, Lysander said he'll be fine with proper care. He'll see you marry, have kids, everything."Aurora nodded vigorously in his arms, finding solace only in Heath's assurances, believing firmly that Grandpa would be alright.After spending much of the day together, it was not until Heath got into his car and drove away that Aurora returned to her room, watching his car disappear into the distance.Upon his return, Heath immediately summoned Kieran
When the whole city thought Heath was a bachelor noble, no one expected Heath to be proposing marriage!The manager immediately introduced with enthusiasm, "Mr. President, if you're choosing an engagement ring, with your status, it's best to pick a large one to showcase your stature."Heath glanced at the diamonds on the tray, finding none of them particularly distinctive—just big and vulgar. He frowned, and the manager, frightened by his expression, didn't dare to speak, unsure what he had said wrong.Sitting beside him, Lysander saw Heath's dissatisfaction and, giving the manager a look, said, "Is your boss like ordinary people to you? Presenting him with these goods... I wouldn't glance at them either!"The manager, in a difficult position, said, "Sir, these are the best diamonds we have in the store... If Mr. President isn't in a hurry, I could source others from elsewhere."Heath tossed the diamond he was holding back onto the tray, asking, "Isn't there a pink diamond available?"
Aurora's tears cascaded down in an instant. She had seen countless proposal scenes in TV dramas, thinking the actors were just trying to set the mood, thus shedding tears during the proposal.But today, when it was her turn, she realized that those tears really do fall involuntarily.It was as if, in just a few decades, she had finally met her soulmate, marking the end of all her wanderings. The tiny ring, the man kneeling on one knee, and his simple words all signified the security and belonging of her future.At this moment, she completely forgot her painful past, forgot Olivia, the abyss, Isabella, and her hatred. If she had once been a cold-blooded assassin, then this man alone could reawaken the deepest kindness and tenderness buried in her heart.Her eyes and heart were filled with the man kneeling before her, a man who stood high above all, king-like, now on one knee asking for her consent.Aurora nodded fiercely, "Yes! I do!"Heath slipped the ring onto her finger, stood up, a
After his shower, Heath emerged to find Aurora about to leave. In a bold move, he playfully insisted she join him, resulting in Aurora, albeit reluctantly, preparing for a bath.As she was about to undress, her eyes caught the delicate sparkle of the diamond ring on her hand. Bathed in the warm, yellow light, the pink diamond gleamed softly. Its design was both petite and intricate, highlighting the gem's size and brilliance while accentuating the slender beauty of Aurora's fingers.Staring into the mirror, reality dawned on her. It was true—she had just accepted Heath's proposal. Perhaps, in the near future, they would walk down the aisle, and it was time to reveal the secrets she had kept hidden deep within her heart.With care, Aurora placed the ring on the vanity before stepping into the shower. After her bath, she gingerly put the ring back on. Throughout her lifetimes, she had seen countless priceless jewels, yet this modest ring was her most treasured possession. It symbolized
Although Maxwell didn't suffer any harm this time, the moment he awoke and didn't see Aurora by his side, he insisted on leaving the hospital. Madeline, naturally, was displeased. How could her darling son be so entangled with Aurora, that girl seemingly from the nether?Madeline had intended to storm to the family patriarch in outrage, but to her surprise, Aurora barred them from even stepping foot inside, making Madeline wonder if the old man was on his last breath, given his recent hospitalization.With the patriarch's health in question, Madeline couldn't stand the thought of Aurora guarding him alone. What would become of the shares once the old man passed away?Fueled by this thought, Madeline shoved aside the servant holding her back and burst into the villa, screaming, "Dad! You must stand by us!"Aurora, startled by her outburst, rushed to intercept her, but Madeline was too quick, darting into the living room in a blink.There, Grandpa sat, engrossed in a game of chess, only
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,