In the past<b>, </b>she had always held back for the sake of her mother’s pride, telling herself to give in a little more.
But now she saw it clearly. Endless tolerance didn’t change anything. It didn’t change her mother’s stance, nor her so–called sister’s opinion of her.
Since that was the case, Aurora figured it was time to stop ying nice.
She wanted to see just what other tricks her good sister had up her sleeve<b>. </b>
Did she really think that man was such a prize? That anyone would be desperate to have Julian?
Aurora’s lips curved slowly into a colder smile. How could she forget him?
She had only kept her silence before to protect Tessa’s reputation. But looking at It now<b>, </b>everything followed a pattern–it had been building all along.
So why keep holding back?
Might as well wipe the te clean in one decisive move.
As she stared <b>at </b>the viral video on her screen, the fire in her chest burned hotter and brighter.
<b>She </b>hadn’t provoked any of them, so why did they keeping for her<b>, </b>one after another?
All she wanted was to grow Walton Corporation and nothing more.
She hadn’t even spared <b>a </b>thought for these petty<b>, </b>tangled personal games.
And yet these people kept rushing in, wave after wave, like fish swarming upstream, crowding In
Just thinking about it gave her a headache.
<b>For </b>some reason, Lucas<b>‘ </b><b>face </b>suddenly floated into her mind.
And oddly enough<b>, </b>the <b>first </b>thing she thought <b>of </b><b>was </b>wantingfort from <b>him</b>.
After everything that happened yesterday<b>, </b>something between them had shifted.
her path.
<b>It </b><b>wasn’t </b>like before<b>–</b><b>now</b><b>, </b><b>whenever </b>something went wrong, Lucas was the first <b>person </b>she thought of.
And this time<b>, </b><b>again</b><b>, </b>his image was <b>the </b>first to surface.
<b>For </b><b>some </b><b>reason</b>, ever <b>since </b><b>what </b>happened yesterday, Aurora found herself growing slightly dependent on <b>Lucas</b>.
The moment that thought <b>crossed </b>her mind<b>, </b>she instinctively recoiled—was she really bing <b>that </b>attached?
<b>But </b>the more she thought <b>about </b><b>it</b><b>, </b>the more <b>it </b><b>made </b><b>sense</b><b>. </b>He was her man<b>, </b><b>after </b>all. So<b>, </b>what <b>was </b>wrong with leaning on <b>him </b><b>a </b><b>little</b><b>? </b>
With that settled in her heart, Aurora didn’t <b>head </b>straight for the guest room when she <b>got </b>home that evening. Instead<b>, </b>she went directly <b>to </b>the <b>master </b><b>bedroom</b>.
Lucas wasn’t back yet<b>, </b><b>but </b>that didn’t bother her. She figured he’d be home <b>soon</b>.
<b>What </b>she <b>hadn’t </b>expected <b>was </b><b>that </b>before Lucas <b>even </b>showed <b>up</b><b>, </b>Wendy came looking for her.
The moinent <b>Aurora </b><b>saw </b><b>her</b><b>, </b>she <b>felt </b>a headacheing <b>on</b><b>. </b>
After all this time<b>, </b>Wendy was still hanging around the house<b>, </b>refusing <b>to </b><b>leave</b>.
<b>It </b>was obvious Lucas had no romantic interest in <b>her- </b>at best<b>, </b>he treated her like a little sister.
Even Aurora<b>, </b>who <b>hadn’t </b>known them long<b>, </b>could see that clearly,
<b>And </b>yet Wendy clung to him so stubbornly. Aurora <b>couldn’t </b>understand <b>it</b>.
<b>This </b>situation benefitted none of them. That <b>was </b><b>why </b>just seeing Wendy now made her temples throb.
“What do you <b>want</b>?”
Aurora didn’t bother putting <b>on </b>a friendly face.
Truthfully<b>, </b>she <b>didn’t </b>even know what tone she should use with this woman.
Wendy<b>, </b>on the other hand<b>, </b>couldn’t stand the <b>way </b>Aurora <b>always </b>carried herself -soposed and superior.
Wiry was she <b>the </b>one <b>who </b>got Lucas‘ love? Why was she <b>the </b>one Lucas went out of his way <b>to </b>protect?