Rosie really wanted to be with Isabella. He wanted to chase after her boldly, just like Aurora suggested. But with Isabella avoiding and even hating him this much, how could he get close to her?Aurora, lounging on the couch, asked, "But how do you know that Dominic doesn't like my cousin?"Rosie frowned, clearly disliking the mention of Dominic Ashcroft. "I've seen them together. Dominic Ashcroft doesn't want to be near her, doesn't even want to talk to her!"Aurora clicked her tongue and said, "If he doesn't like her, and she still wants to marry him, she's in for a tough time!""No way! I won't let her suffer!" Rosie immediately retorted. To him, Isabella was the woman he would protect for life, and he couldn't allow her to be hurt.Seeing this, Aurora nodded and said, "Then go tell your grandpa to let her marry you."Rosie sneered, "Do you think I'm an idiot? Isabella is the Whitmore family's precious gem. They've been planning this marriage with Dominic for years. Now that it's a
Isabella glared at Aurora with disdain. This woman was useless, just standing there with her head down, pretending to be pitiful. All she could say was "I was wrong" and "I understand." Isabella knew that this trap would completely ensnare Aurora. When she couldn't find any way out and had to pay the five million, everyone at the company would despise her and blame her for ruining the company's reputation. Even Mr. Whitmore who doted on her wouldn't have a choice but to kick her out.Once Aurora was out of the picture, Isabella's life would be so much easier. After all, she was the rightful granddaughter of the Whitmore family and the only one qualified to inherit the family business. As long as she had control over the company and got pregnant with Dominic Ashcroft's child, he would have no choice but to marry her. Dominic was hers, and no one could take him away.The old man looked at Isabella and said, "Don't just blame Aurora. The media problems are partly your fault for not handl
Aurora watched Isabella's arrogant retreating figure and smirked. She wasn't sure if it was because her acting was too good or if Isabella was just that simple-minded.Did Isabella really think a few simple words would be enough to make Aurora obediently do her bidding?Aurora thought Isabella was probably already planning a celebration. If things continued like this, Aurora would soon be ruined. Even as a Whitmore granddaughter, she'd be a disposable one at that point.The next day, Aurora visited the hospital again. She chatted with Wolf and the others, and signed the 2 million compensation contract. Once the paperwork was done, the money would soon be transferred to Wolf's account. Now they could just rest easy in the hospital.The latest news from reporters was about interviewing Wolf and Aurora. Both sides stated they had agreed on the compensation amount. The company expressed deep regret over the incident and promised to do everything possible to help Wolf, the “victim” rebuild
Aurora stood there, listening to Isabella's words, her fists clenched. Her mother was the best woman in the world, but Aurora had left home young and never experienced a mother's love. This was a regret she could never make up for.Isabella bringing up this issue hit Aurora's raw nerve. She could fight Isabella tooth and nail, using every dirty trick in the book, but she wouldn't allow anyone to insult her mother, not even in thought!Aurora looked at Isabella and said, "Let's stick to the issue at hand. Why bring my mother into this? I already said I didn't transfer any money. That 300,000 isn't mine.""If it's not yours, then whose is it?" Isabella shot back. "Are you saying it's mine? The evidence is right here, and you're still trying to deny it?"Aurora smirked and said, "Why couldn't it be yours? Grandpa's scolded you multiple times because of media troubles. Maybe you just wanted to get rid of this issue quickly and paid the 300,000 yourself?""Nonsense!" Isabella said coldly.
Mr. Whitmorelooked towards the door. Wolf was sitting in a wheelchair, pushed into the living room by a woman. She glanced around the luxurious room, then timidly lowered her head. She had never seen such a big house or so many important people before."So you must beMr. Wolf?"Mr. Whitmore started.Wolf nodded, glancing at Isabella. "Yes, it’s me. What did youwant to see me about, sir?"Mr. Whitmoresmiled kindly and said, "Nothing major. I just wanted to ask how your recovery is going. What did the doctor say? After all, you were injured at our company's construction site. We should show some concern. If you have any difficulties, please let us know. We'll do our best to help."Wolf smiled politely, then sighed regretfully. "The doctor said everything else is fine, but my legs... whether I can stand again depends on luck. If the recovery goes well, I might have a c
Aurora said this to Heath in a not-so-quiet whisper, so everyone in the living room heard it clearly. Things got awkward real fast, and Rosie's face turned pale.Heath smirked and said, "I don't care about your family disputes. Right now, we're talking about the construction site issue. Let's solve this first. If Rory really messed up, I'll pay the company 5 million, heck, even 50 million. But if she's been wrongly accused, maybe it's better if she's not in this family anymore. At least no one will bully her at home."Aurora turned to Wolf and said, "Look up and take a good look at everyone in this room. Who told you to mix in the crappy cement? Who transferred the money to you? Don't go blaming innocent people now."Wolf raised his head and carefully scanned the room. He lingered on Aurora and Isabella's faces for a few extra seconds, then nodded and said, "I'm not mistaken. There are only two young ladies here, and you don't look alike. How could I mix you up? It was definitely Miss
As soon as Aurora finished speaking, Mr. Whitmore's face changed. He had believed Isabella's story and really thought Aurora had done such a foolish thing. He had even been comparing her unfavorably to her mother in her youth, thinking Aurora wasn't as good as her mother had been.He'd even started to regret bringing Aurora back. Now that the truth was out, Mr. Whitmore felt even more guilty towards Aurora. And after Aurora's speech, he wasn't just guilty - he was deeply disappointed and angry with Isabella.Isabella clenched her fists as she looked at Aurora. She'd experienced Aurora's sharp tongue before, but never imagined she could be pushed this far. Everything she had said earlier had become a weapon for Aurora to use against her, leaving her with no way to refute it.Seeing his daughter's predicament, Thursto spoke up: "Dad, Isabella didn't mean any harm. We can't blame this all on her. She's still young - she's your granddaughter after all. How can we condemn her based on a fe
As soon as they got into the room, Heath tossed her onto the bed and lay down next to her. "Satisfied now?" he asked.Aurora pouted. "It's alright, I guess. I just got Isabella fired, but I don't see much other benefit. There's still a long way to go!"Heath chuckled. "You've only been here a few days and you've already kicked Isabella out of the family. That's a big move. The rest will come slowly."Aurora rolled over, snuggling into Heath's arms. She nodded. "I know, I'm just anxious. I'm worried she'll suddenly marry Dominic Ashcroft. With that connection protecting her, it'll be even harder to deal with her."Heath's face darkened as he looked at Aurora. "Worried she'll marry Dominic Ashcroft?"Aurora jolted, feeling the chill emanating from the man. She quickly shrank back. "No way! I don't care who she marries. My babe is the best anyway, he can handle everything for me!"Heath lay back down, holding Aurora and kissing the top of her head. "It's been a few days. Have you gotten
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,