How had she never seen it before?


    Clearly, her sister was even better at pretending than she’d ever imagined.


    After all these years, if she hadn’te back like this, Aurora might never have discovered the truth.


    She never would’ve thought to connect this incident to Tessa.


    But sure enough, Tessa met up with Emma not long after school.


    She handed her a bunch of snacks, then looped her arm through Emma’s and said with a smile, “Emma, I really owe you one this time. Next time, dinner’s on me.”


    Emma responded just as warmly.


    The two of them looked like the best of friends. “Tessa, you don’t have to be so polite with me.


    “That girl was so mean, always bullying you. So, what if she got a little payback? And anyway, she brought it on herself.”


    Hearing that, Aurora instinctively took two steps back.


    They really did know each other.


    So, the darkest shadow of her childhood had a direct link to Tessa?


    Why would she do that to her own sister?


    It didn’t make sense.


    Back then, Tessa had seemed kind to her too.


    Even if she didn’t like her, she still gave her what she was supposed to.


    Aurora had never misunderstood that.


    She’d even thought that, unlike the evil sisters portrayed on TV, her own sister wasn’t that bad.


    Just the fact that Tessa didn’t go out of her way to torment her had been enough for young Aurora to feel content.


    But now, all of that was shattered.


    She was seeing Tessa for who she truly was.


    Someone with a heart ck as ink.


    If she didn’t like someone, she didn’t need a reason.


    She simply wouldn’t.


    When Tessa heard Emma’s words, she lowered her head, feigning a timid expression.


    “There’s nothing I can do. Mom has always loved my little sister more. All I can do is study harder than Aurora. That way, maybe Mom will finally look at me<b>.</b>”


    Hearing that, Emma’s heart ached even more.


    “Tessa, don’t worry. If she ever bullies you again, just tell me.”


    “I promise that I’ll help you deal with her!”


    At the time, Emma’s family and background were far more powerful than the Waltons.


    Even now, Aurora couldn’t figure out how Tessa had managed to cling to someone like Emma..


    How had she gotten her to be so fiercely loyal?


    Was all of this really just coincidence?


    But no one could give her an answer.


    She was just an observer now.


    After walking Emma home, Tessa headed off with a bag of gifts to visit the teacher.


    In a roundabout way, she brought up the issue of the broken surveince.


    The teacher, understanding exactly what she was implying, simply nodded and said the cameras were indeed broken.


    Hearing that, Tessa feltpletely at ease.


    Now she didn’t need to worry about anything else.


    She handed over the bag she brought and smiled sweetly. “Thank you, teacher. Sorry to bother you today. I’ll head home now.”


    The teacher took the bag, her expression a little unimpressed at first.


    The packaging looked in, nothing special.


    But the moment she saw the bank card inside, her eyes widened in shock.


    She stared after Tessa’s retreating figure, clicking her tongue in disbelief.


    This was something else.


    Only ten years old, and she already understood the world so well.


    How had she never noticed before?


    If Aurora kept blindly trusting someone like Tessa, she’d be chewed up until there wasn’t even a scrap of bone left.