Besides, staying in the hospital any longer wouldn’t change anything


    More importantly, with so many people outside eyeing Walton Corporation like wolves, how could Grace possibly stay here and rest easy?


    She needed to know exactly what was happening out there


    If she wanted progress, she couldn’t afford to stay still–that was the simplest truth.


    Once she saw Jason heading off to arrange the discharge, Grace’s expression finally softened.


    Lying in bed, she stared up at the ceiling as her thoughts drifted far away.


    “Rora, are we really okay leaving Mom alone in the hospital like that?” Lucas was behind the wheel, unable to hold back the question any longer. Aurora felt just as worried deep down, but she didn’t show it on her face. “It’s fine. That’s just how my mom is.”


    She let out a soft sigh. “Even if you forced her to stay now, she wouldn’t take it kindly.”


    “Honestly, I already guessed that kicking us out was her way of hinting she wanted to be discharged.”


    Lucas raised a brow at that. “If you knew, why go along with it?”


    “Because I know her. And knowing her means understanding that staying there would only make things worse. It’d get in her way.<b>” </b>


    Lucas thought about it from another angle and realized she was right.


    The two of them clearly shared a kind of unspoken understanding others didn’t.


    Sometimes, talking didn’t matter what mattered was what you chose to do.


    Aurora smiled. “Besides, <b>even </b>if she hadn’t told us to <b>leave</b>, there wouldn’t have been much we could do just sitting around.


    “To put it bluntly, if we ignored her wishes and stayed, we’d just be taking up space.”


    Lucas <b>had </b>to admit that for once, he had nothing to say in return.


    <b>She </b>madeplete sense.


    If nothing else, the two of them standing around when they couldn’t actually help would’ve only gotten in the way.


    “Alright, we’re home,” Lucas said.


    Aurora looked at the darkened house ahead, and for some reason, warmth stirred quietly in her heart.


    It feltforting.


    The house used to be dark like this too, but back then, it felt cold and empty, as if no one had ever truly lived there.


    But now, things were different.


    <b>#</b><b>25 </b>BONUS


    She nced at Lucas <b>as </b>he stepped out of the car with her, and a wave of reassurance washed over her. In the past, she always felt like she didn’t belong here, like she couldn’t quite fit into this home.


    But now, she realized she had been wrong all along.


    There was no such thing as a perfect fit from the start.


    It took time and effort.


    Without that, nothing else mattered.


    Lucas noticed <b>her </b>pausing at the door. “What Is It? Why are you just standing there?”


    <b>Aurora </b>smiled faintly. “Nothing, I just think… this, right now, is enough. I’m content.” Even if she’d fallen outpletely with ‘<b>Tessa</b><b>, </b>it didn’t matter anymore.


    She was willing to take the time to repair things with Grace


    And as long as she could protect this little family of hers that would be enough.


    Lucas froze for a second when he heard that, then quickly caught on.


    He reached out and ruffled her hair with a light scowl.


    “What are you talking about? Get inside already.”


    “Mm. Just take it as me rambling,” Aurora said with a helpless littleugh.


    It was rare for her to speak from the heart–who would’ve thought it’d gopletely unacknowledged?


    But then Lucas‘ expression shifted


    “Hey, what do <b>you </b>mean, ‘just take it as you rambling“?”