Aurora had always carried herself with grace andposure.


    She never stooped to ying the victim, nor did she seek sympathy by pretending


    to be weak. In everyone''s eyes, Aurora was the picture of effortless elegance—a


    goddess who seemed untouchable, as though nothing in the world could ever


    bring her down.


    But now, when had anyone ever seen her so vulnerable?


    The Williams men, along with Sellers and Sherman, wore identical expressions of


    concern and guilt. Even Simone''s face was clouded with remorse and self-


    reproach.


    At that moment, Aurora''sshes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes.


    Skyler, Jonathan, Sellers, and Sherman surged forward, pushing past Ste, who


    had only just arrived.


    "Aurora, are you alright?" they asked anxiously.


    Ste stumbled, nearly losing her bnce as they brushed her aside. Before she


    could fall, a slender, pale hand caught her just in time.


    She turned to see it was Joshua.


    "Thank you," she murmured softly.


    Joshua let go almost immediately, avoiding her gaze and saying nothing. He


    seemed far more distant than he used to, a cool reserve that hadn''t been there


    before.


    Just then, Ste felt someone''s eyes fixed on her. She looked up and found


    Simone staring at her, unblinking and intense.


    Ste understood at once—perhaps something had changed between Joshua


    and Simone, and Joshua didn''t want Simone to get the wrong idea.


    Aftering to, Aurora took in the anxious faces gathered around her and finally


    managed a weak, gentle voice.


    "I''m alright. Really, there''s no need to worry."


    Sherman, clearly shaken, blurted out, "Aurora, your hand was almost destroyed—


    how can you say you''re fine? You y the violin, you paint, you race cars—your


    hands are everything! And since you were a child, when have you ever suffered


    like this?"


    Aurora had always been sheltered, raised in luxury like a princess. She''d never


    known this kind of pain.


    Her lips, pale from exhaustion,


    curved into a faint, graceful smile


    "The doctor said I''ll be left with


    scars, but it won''t affect my painting


    or ying violin... even racing won''t


    be a problem."


    Sherman''s eyes brimmed with tenderness he couldn''t hide.


    At that moment, Sellers stepped


    forward. "Aurora, did you get a good


    look at the person who attacked


    you? Don''t worry—whoever did this, I


    swear I''ll make them pay tenfold."


    He shot Ste a meaningful nce as he spoke.


    Ste''s expression remained unreadable.


    Aurora shook her head. "No, the person was well disguised. I couldn''t see their


    face at all."


    Sellers pressed, "Do you have any suspicions about who it could be?"


    Aurora replied, "None."


    He stared into her eyes. "Aurora, are you sure?"


    If she''d named anyone, Sellers would have acted without hesitation—better to be


    wrong than to let the guilty go free.


    Aurora gave a resigned sigh. "Really, I''m sure. In fact, they weren''t after me at all.


    Simone was their real target."


    Aurora always handled things


    impably and rarely made


    enemies. Simone, on the other hand,


    had a penchant for making waves,


    just like her older brother, Leonard


    Lerman.


    Everyone turned to Simone. "Simone, is that true?"


    They all knew Sellers'' pointed words had been meant for Ste. By motive alone,


    Ste was the prime suspect.


    But Aurora had spoken up to defend her.


    Simone knew Aurora had taken this injury for her. She swallowed her pride and


    admitted, "That''s right. They wereing for me."