After hearing Aurora''s story, Queenie''s heart ached for her.


    She gritted her teeth. "It was Ste! Aurora, Ste did this to you!"


    This time, Aurora didn''t say it had nothing to do with Ste. A coldness like water flowed in the depths of her eyes.


    She lowered her gaze, hiding the icy glint. "Queenie, I don''t want to lie to you or Sellers about anything. Please, tell Sellers and Sherman the truth about what happened to me. I''m happy to have known you all, but... we shouldn''t see each other anymore. I don''t want to damage your reputations."


    Aurora knew there was no way to keep this a secret. Even if Ste didn''t intentionally leak it, the Burton family had helped the Williams family search for her worldwide. Sellers would undoubtedly find out, no matter how much they tried to contain the news.


    Instead of waiting for Ste and Joshua to expose her, it was better to admit it herself. The more she tried to hide it, the wilder the spection about what she''d endured would be. People''s imaginations were often the most terrifying thing.


    As expected, Queenie was deeply moved. She believed Aurora was treating her as a true best friend by revealing her scars.


    "Aurora, this isn''t your fault. You''re the victim here," Queenie said earnestly. "Besides, what century are we in? Something like this isn''t that important. Take my uncle Sellers for example. He had a string of girlfriends before he met you. He''s no saint himself, so what right does he have to demand that from others? And we''re in Solmaris now; a lot of foreigners don''t care about this stuff. It was just two men. Aurora, you don''t need to feel bad about yourself at all. It''s only because you always kept to yourself and never dated. Plenty of the debutantes in our circle have had so many boyfriends they''ve lost count. They have plenty of experience. What''s the big deal?"


    Aurora frowned slightly. "But..."


    Queenie cut her off. "No buts. Don''t worry, Aurora, I''ll talk to my uncle for you."


    So what if Aurora had lost her virginity? It was only to two men. That shouldn''t be enough to affect Sellers''s feelings for her. It was the modern age; who still had those kinds of outdated hang-ups?


    Aurora stopped protesting and said softly, "Queenie, I''ll leave it to you then." Queenie smiled. "We''re best friends. There''s no need to be so formal."


    In the Williams family''s conference room, Skyler gave a brief overview of Aurora''s rescue.


    "The Fordham Group brothers are dead," Skyler stated. "We''ve decided to suppress all information


    regarding what happened to Aurora


    This wasn''t her faultyshe Aurora.


    victim of a random tragedy.


    Therefore, I expect everyone to stay silent about this."


    No one objected. After all, if such a story got out, it would tarnish the Williams family''s reputation. The world was always harsher on women. Even though she was victim, she would be the ongart subjected to ridicule.


    After that matter was settled, Jonathan spoke up. "Aurora''s


    the


    kidnapping and sale to the Delta was clearly an organized and


    premeditated act. We cannot let the person who did this to her get away with it."


    But when Jonathan finished, no one seconded him.


    Israel was yawning nonstop, lookingpletely uninterested. Coleman, uncharacteristically, was just sipping his tea with no intention of speaking.


    Jonathan''s brow furrowed.