Chapter 7: First step

Aurora sat silently at the dinner table, her fork idly pushing food around her plate. Her thoughts were consumed by the shocking information she had learned earlier. The closure of one of their branches due to a scandal weighed heavily on her mind.

“Aurora? Are you even listening to me?” Carmela asked, her voice cutting through Aurora's thoughts. She had been discussing the schedule for tomorrow, but Aurora had barely registered her words.

Aurora blinked, startled. “Huh? What was it, Mom?”

Carmela sighed, her worry evident. “I knew it,” she muttered before turning to Francisco. “Francisco, can’t we slow things down? Pushing for this wedding next month is too much for Aurora! She just came back to us.”

Aurora's gaze shifted between her parents. She didn’t fully grasp what her mother was implying until her father’s sharp voice interjected.

“She’s more than ready, Carmela,” Francisco said firmly. “The wedding cannot be delayed any longer. It has been postponed enough already.”

Carmela opened her mouth to argue further, but Aurora quickly intervened. “Mom, I’m fine. I’m sorry. I was just... thinking about something,” she explained.

“What is it, dear?” Carmela pressed, concern deepening in her tone.

Aurora hesitated briefly before replying. “I was thinking… what if I managed the Westmoor division, Dad?”

Francisco’s brow furrowed. “Westmoor? Why that branch?”

“Your Uncle Mario is already managing it, isn’t he?” Carmela added. “And it’s so far away. Wouldn’t it be better if you stayed closer to home?”

Aurora offered a reassuring smile. “I know, Mom, but I think it’s time for me to start contributing to the family again. Now that I’m back, I want to help.” She paused before adding, “After the wedding, of course.”

“But why Westmoor specifically? You could choose any other branch,” Francisco questioned, his suspicion evident.

Aurora took a deep breath. “Dad, don’t you really know the situation with the Westmoor division?”

Francisco’s eyes narrowed. “No. What are you talking about?”

Reaching for an envelope beside her, Aurora stood and handed it to her father. “If you don’t already know, the Westmoor division has been closed.”

Francisco’s eyes widened as he tore open the envelope. “What?!” he roared.

Aurora winced, bracing for the reaction she had anticipated. She returned to her seat, her gaze steady.

“It’s been closed for about a month now,” Aurora explained. “I’m not sure how Uncle Mario managed to hide it from you, but he did.”

Carmela gasped in disbelief. “But I just spoke with him last week! He told me everything was running smoothly.”

Francisco slammed his right hand on the table, the sound echoing through the dining room. “I knew something was off with his reports! He’s lucky I’ve been too preoccupied with the main branch to investigate. I need to speak with him immediately!”

“No, Dad,” Aurora interrupted firmly. “Please, let me handle it. Can I?”

Francisco studied his daughter intently. “How did you even find out about this?”

“I checked our business reports through Red. I’ve been gone for too long, and I needed to see what’s been happening,” Aurora admitted.

Francisco sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair. “Fine. You can handle it, but not until after the wedding.”

Aurora smiled. “Thank you, Dad. After the wedding, I’ll take care of it.”

After dinner, Aurora returned to the basement, determined to bring her plan to life. She worked tirelessly, creating a new program that would allow her to carry Red with her wherever she went. Hours passed before she finally completed it.

“Yes!” Aurora exclaimed triumphantly, holding up her tablet. The familiar playful emoji of Red blinked on the screen, and the AI’s cheerful voice filled the room.

“Yohoo! I’m alive!” Red chirped, her tone as lively as ever.

Aurora grinned. “You made it difficult, Red, but we’re finally set.”

Red giggled. “Now I can talk to you everywhere, Master!”

“Yes, Red. Everywhere,” Aurora replied, her smile widening.