Aurora, hearing him profess his love repeatedly, could only scoff in disdain. If he were trulymitted to Susan as he had previously imed, it would be eptable. However, his current scheme was to use the Simmons family''s rising status as a stepping stone and then discard Susan, a thought Aurora found despicable.


    "Hayden, do you think I have no standing in the Montgomery family, that I can''t offer you what you desire but the Simmons family can? If I could secure the inheritance for you, would you call off your engagement ceremony with her tomorrow?" Aurora''s pressing words came forth, questioning why Hayden hadn''t yet parted ways with Susan, if not for some remaining utility she provided.


    "Now I doubt your intentions when you first approached me. Was it genuine affection, or was it because I am the heiress of the Montgomery family?" Aurora only now realized the depth of his scheming.


    "Aurora, it''s not what you think. My feelings for you have always been real. Except for that regretful night three years ago, I have never wronged you. You might think me shameless, but this inheritance is truly important to me. I''ve mentioned my younger uncle before, whose identity was kept hidden, but he has been favored by my grandfather from childhood. Despite my continuous efforts, I couldn''t surpass him. With his sessful ventures in Clothville, and my grandfather recently returning to the country, our disparity in strength is too great. I must rely on the Simmons family. Aurora, I promise you. Once I get the inheritance, I will sever all ties with Susan. I will be good to you, only to you, for life. Aurora, won''t youe back to me?" Hayden pleaded earnestly.


    "No, because I already have someone I like." Aurora slowly raised her hand, showing off the ring Julian had given her, a precaution against Hayden''s potential nonsense.


    Seeing the ring on her finger, Hayden knew no one would casually gift such a significant diamond without substantial means. "Who is he?" Hayden had always thought the boyfriend Aurora mentioned was fictional, but seeing the ring changed everything.


    "I will be attending your engagement party with him tomorrow, and you will soon find out who he is. Now that we''ve caught up, can you tell me about my mother?" Aurora asked, shifting the topic.


    Hayden, still fixated on her having a boyfriend, grabbed her hand impulsively. "Aurora, just tell me. Who is he?" His actions, once unthinkable for him, now spoke of his desperation to know whom she loved.


    "Hayden, I just want to know about my mom," she said sharply, pulling her hand away. "About your mother... Right." He seemed to remember something else and pulled out his phone. Flipping through his gallery, Aurora leaned over to look. It was a photo of a car ident scene crowded with people. As her gaze wandered through the crowd, she suddenly zoomed in on someone in the blurred background. Upon seeing the familiar face, Aurora was stunned. "Mom!"


    The woman in the photo bore a striking resemnce to her mother, even in stature, prompting Hayden to quickly say, "You see the resemnce too, don''t you? I stumbled upon this photo two years ago."


    Due to the photo''s blurriness, Aurora couldn''t be entirely sure. After all, her mother had been dead for many years. What if the person in the photo merely looked simr and wasn''t actually her? Yet, a glimmer of hope stirred in Aurora''s heart. She often fantasized about how wonderful it would be if her mother were still alive. Now, seeing this photo stirred a tumult of emotions within her.


    "It really does look like her. Where is this photo from?" Aurora asked, desperate to cling to any shred of possibility.


    "I have the details saved on myputer. At the time, I thought this person looked like your mother, but I wasn''t sure. I was afraid of upsetting you if it turned out not to be her, so I just took the photo and decided to wait until I met you to discuss it. If you want to know more, we''ll have to go to my house," Hayden exined.


    "Let''s go now," Aurora said, eager to learn the truth. She grabbed Hayden and hurriedly left with him.


    Aurora was familiar with Hayden''s vi and they sped to his home, unaware of a car following them closely. Julian watched them rush into the house, his eyes dark and turbulent. He had nned several times to take her away but had managed to suppress his anger, observing as the once-dark room was suddenly filled with light. The thought of them alone together made his heart feel as if it were being wed at incessantly.


    Aurora, without even changing her shoes, followed Hayden into the bedroom and urgently turned on hisputer. "The password," she urged as she looked back at him.


    "Your birthday," Hayden said tenderly.


    She was surprised that after all this time, his passwords were still set to her birthday. Aurora entered the password and essed the main page. Hayden stood behind her, leaning over and wrapping his arms around her, his hand taking hold of the mouse. Their close posture was intimate. Hayden could smell the faint scent of her perfume, reminiscent of better times when they were together.


    "It''s here," he said as he clicked on a webpage. Aurora saw an article about a car ident in Lorvale. The photo was clearer than on his phone but still not very sharp. "Can it only be erged this much?"


    "Yes," he replied.


    "Send the link to me. I''ll have someone try to enhance it to make it clearer."


    "Sure."


    "Alright, you should head home too. I need to leave. Thank you for sharing this with me."


    "Aurora, since you''re here, why not stay for a coffee before you go?" Hayden saw that the mood had lightened significantly.


    "No, it''s gettingte, and you have things to do tomorrow."


    "Aurora, why not stay the night?" Hayden held Aurora tightly, his intentions clear. As he inhaled her scent, he found it even harder to let go. Outside, the observer watched the embracing couple, his gaze icy.