Aurora''s smile didn''t waver. "Your devotion is admirable, Joshua." she said.


    He gave her a strange look but said nothing.


    Aurora nced at her watch. "It''s lunchtime. Would you care to join me?"


    It was a casual invitation; she didn''t actually expect him to ept. Given Ste''s fraught rtionship with the Williams family, Joshua couldn''t risk being seen with her publicly without raising suspicion.


    To her surprise, he replied, "Are you treating, Ms. Williams?"


    Aurora paused for a second, thenughed. "Of course."


    It wasn''t about the money; neither of them was short on cash. His question was his way of epting.


    "What kind of food do you like, Joshua?" she asked with a smile.


    He named one of the most exclusive restaurants nearby. The area around The Williams Group headquarters was a hub for the city''s finest dining chains, and the one he''d chosen had the highest price tag of them all. Even a typical heiress might think twice before dining there, but for a woman from a top-tier family like Aurora, it was nothing.


    "Excellent choice," she said. "I''ll get the car."


    They arrived at the restaurant shortly after. A waiter approached with menus. "What can I get for you both today?"


    Aurora looked at Joshua. "Is there anything you''d like?"


    "This is my first time here," he said. "Why don''t you rmend a few dishes?" "Of course," she smiled.


    Aurora suggested several of the restaurant''s signature dishes, and Joshua nodded in agreement. White they waited for their food, they made small talk. She didn''t probe for information directly, instead chatting about the restaurant''s best dishes, and their ingredients. Gradually, the conversation shifted to Ste.


    "When Star first came home, she was very quiet," Aurora began. "But she was polite, well-spoken, and remarkably sensible."


    She shared a few lighthearted


    anecdotes about Ste''s time with the Williams family, carefully avoiding any mention of negativity or them underlying conflicts, She didn''t pretend they were


    close-maintaining a civil front was the best they could manage. A sisterly bond was all but impossible. <fnd231> Th?s chapter is updated by F?ndNovel</fnd231>


    "Star told me she''s been ying the violin since she was a child and even attended Neo-Vespera University," Joshua remarked. "But it seems none of you were aware of that?"


    Aurora admitted it freely. "No, we weren''t. At the time, the family was debating whether I should study art or go to business school. I wanted to study business, but my father wouldn''t allow it. I tried to fight for it it was the first time I had ever stood up to him for so long. Unfortunately..." A look of wry resignation crossed her face. "I failed."


    She let out a soft sigh. "To be honest, my artistic talents are nothingpared to Star''s. We simply didn''t know back then. If we had, the family certainly would have nurtured her gift."


    "So, you''re saying that Star''s father and brothers never really saw her potential?" Joshua pressed.


    "It''s not that they didn''t see her potential," Aurora corrected gently. "It''s that she grew up away from us. Our father didn''t fulfill his duties as a parent, and she never benefited from the family''s resources."