Aurora gently tugged at the corner of Heath's shirt, her voice tinged with hesitation. "Um... about that sweet and sour fish I wanted to buy... I haven't gotten it yet."Heath glanced at Kieran through the rearview mirror, his eyes narrowing for a moment. "It's fine. We can pick it up later. The hospital comes first."Kieran felt like crying but had no tears to shed. How could he have anticipated that the moment Miss Aurora stepped out, they'd bump into a member of the Fairbank family?When they arrived at Fairview Medical Center, Heath didn't waste any time. Carrying Aurora in his arms, he headed straight for the Dean's office. As they neared the door, they heard the soft rustling of papers from inside. Aurora's cheeks flushed a rosy hue, and she buried her face deeper into Heath's chest.Heath let out a resigned sigh. "Kieran, knock on the door, will you?"Kieran complied, pounding on the door with a force that betrayed his frustration. A voice from inside, clearly irritated, barked
It was Eamon Ironside.Snapping back to reality, Aurora managed to say, "Come in. Heath is in his study."Eamon stepped inside, a bottle of red wine in hand. Right behind him were Lysander and Alaric.Aurora pushed open the door to the study and announced, "Lysander and the guys have arrived."Alaric's eyes widened in disbelief, "She's bold enough to interrupt Heath just like that?"Lysander shrugged, completely unfazed, "What's the big deal? Heath's so into her, he might as well be eating out of her hand."Heath emerged from the study, casting a sidelong glance at Lysander, "Did your hospital go bankrupt or something?"Lysander turned and dramatically hugged Alaric, sobbing, "Look at this! What kind of friend do I have? All he does is exploit me day in and day out!"Alaric patted Lysander's head and casually asked, "So, what's for dinner?"Heath: "How about we just order takeout?"A moment of awkward silence fell upon everyone: Alaric, Eamon, and Lysander.Heath looked up, slightly a
The next day, Kieran brought Aurora to find Daxton.In a narrow alley, an elderly woman sat on the steps, hunched over picking vegetables. A young, handsome guy sat next to her, strumming a guitar and singing."Doing the impossible for you.Learning to play the guitar and write for you.Losing my sanity for you..."It was an old song, but when he sang it under the sunlight, it still sounded captivating.Aurora sat in the car parked by the roadside, watching the mother and son on the steps. Kieran asked, "Miss Aurora, aren't you getting out?"Just as Aurora was about to step out, a few burly men walked over and kicked over the small stall.Daxton stood up and asked, "What are you doing? I've already withdrawn from the competition. What more does he want?"The leader of the men shoved Daxton aside and arrogantly said, "Our boss wants you to shut up! No singing! You think withdrawing from the competition is enough?"Daxton's face turned red with anger, "Why? Just because he's from the So
Heath seemed nonchalant as he said, "I was just messing around in the entertainment industry a few years back. These days, Alaric handles everything. I don't really get involved."Aurora: "…"The biggest talent agency in the entertainment industry, and you're telling me you're just messing around?Aurora sidled up to him, asking, "So, does that mean I can borrow some resources from Skyline?"Heath nodded, "Sure, just let Alaric know."Aurora then scuttled over to Alaric and asked, "I heard that Shaw from Skyline is having a concert soon?"Alaric nodded, "Yeah, half the company is busy with that. Shaw is the hottest singer these days.""Can Daxton make a guest appearance?" Aurora inquired.Alaric nodded again, "I don't see why not. Just have Daxton meet Shaw and give him a heads-up."Aurora hopped back to her room and called Daxton, telling him someone would pick him up tomorrow and bring him to the apartment. Then she went over the work arrangements.Alaric, munching on sunflower seed
Aurora sat on the sofa for a good ten minutes before finally taking out her phone to call her grandpa."Ah, so the young lady remembers her old grandpa, huh?" he teased her."Grandpa, I call you every week, you know!" Aurora responded, a bit exasperated."So, what's going on?" her grandpa inquired."When are you moving to the capital?" Aurora asked."In a few days, I suppose. The villa I bought is still being tidied up. I'll move in a couple of days," he replied."I'll move in first, then! We can live together when you get here," Aurora quickly suggested.Her grandpa paused for a moment. "Did you have a fight with Heath?""No," Aurora answered."Then why the sudden urge to move back?" he questioned."Grandpa! Am I not your real granddaughter? Aren't you happy that I want to move back home?" Aurora asked, feigning a pout."Alright, alright, if you want to come back, then come back. Do you think I'd let you go hungry?" her grandpa said, his voice tinged with affection.---After settlin
On the third day, Aurora’s grandpa arrived in the capital city. Aurora was there to pick him up from the airport, and they shared a meal together at home.While they ate, Grandpa tried to subtly inquire about her relationship with Heath. However, Aurora had already made up her mind not to discuss it.Since she had moved out, Heath had not reached out to her. No phone calls, no messages, absolutely nothing.It was as if the two had entered into a cold war, refusing to communicate and each nursing their own grievances.Kieran had been nervously following Heath for two days. During this time, Heath had been like a cold-hearted king of hell, causing the atmosphere in the entire company to plummet.Even the directors were trembling as they reported their work, terrified that a single decimal point mistake would earn them a scolding from Heath.Heath himself had turned into a workaholic, staying at his company for two days straight without returning to his residence.He couldn't bring himse
Aurora had zero interest in dealing with Silas. But the guy seemed to lack any sense of social cues, sticking to her like an annoying adhesive bandage that just wouldn't come off."Aurora, do you happen to have any free time tomorrow?" Silas inquired, his face adorned with a hopeful smile."I'm busy," Aurora responded, her voice laced with finality."So, what's your preference, Miss Pendleton? Western cuisine? Or perhaps Japanese? I have a friend who owns a rather delightful restaurant. Would you grace us with your presence?" Silas wasn't giving up; he was hell-bent on getting a date with her.Aurora had no intention of engaging with him. Her attention shifted as she saw Sophia walk into the party, arm-in-arm with Ethan. The entrance caused quite a commotion, and even Aurora found herself doing a double-take.Sophia was the rising starlet of the entertainment industry. Her face, a blend of innocence and allure, had made her incredibly popular. Everyone in their social circle knew she
Aurora found herself isolated in a corner, her eyes following Sophia as she tenderly used a napkin to wipe away the drink that had ruined Ethan's shirt and hairstyle. The unfortunate spill had forced them to make an early exit from the party. Aurora was drowning her sorrows, glass after glass of champagne. Had her grandfather not insisted she attend the event, citing her recent melancholy, she wouldn't have had to deal with this absurd social circus."Little future Ms. Fairbank, you're quite the audacious one, aren't you?" came a voice from behind her. Turning, she found Alaric Strider, impeccably dressed in a white suit, taking a seat beside her."Always have been," Aurora replied, her lips curling into a half-smile, half-smirk that betrayed a mix of amusement and disdain.Alaric pointed subtly towards Silas, who had been casting glances in their direction all evening. "That young man from the Song family seems to have taken quite an interest in you, hasn't he?"Aurora took another s
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,