Just as everyone’s attention was centered on Gemma, Aurora suddenly had a new companion by her side.
Julian had changed into a new set of clothes, now donning a sharp suit, having just signed a contract.
His arrival nearly captured everyone’s gaze, and Gemma felt his voice sounded familiar.
After a moment, she realized he was the man driving the sports car the day before!
“It’s you!” she exclaimed in surprise.
Yesterday, Aurora had concocted a ten-dollar tale, and now, in the good lighting, Gemma could immediately tell his outfit was genuine.
It must have cost tens of thousands! And he was incredibly handsome, which only made her feel more discontented with her own disheveled appearance.
“Aurora, you bitch, you lied to me. You said he…” Gemma yelled, picking up another cup of coffee from the table to throw at Aurora.
Before she could finish, Julian stepped forward and casually blocked it, sending the coffee splashing back onto her.
She ended up dousing herself.
Coffee went up her nose, and she opened her mouth in disarray, completely at a loss.
“Is she your woman? The words coming out of her mouth are terrible. If there’s a next time, I might have to teach her a lesson!”
Julian said in a chillingly cold tone, having witnessed her pulling and dragging on Aurora and attempting to throw coffee.
Ian hadn’t even reacted when Julian was already leading Aurora away, saying, “Little Bunny, let’s go.”
The coffee had drenched Gemma’s face, dripping down continuously.
She could feel the stares directed at her from others, and Ian felt utterly embarrassed.
Being the nice guy he was, he couldn’t make things worse in such a situation and could only wipe her face with a napkin.
He had barely dabbed her face twice with the napkin when Gemma, as if possessed, chased after them. Aurora had deceived her!
Ian, worried she would cause a scene on the street again, hurriedly followed her out, just in time to see Aurora getting into a Bentley business car.
He had driven a sports car last night and now he was in a Bentley!
This man changed cars more often than clothes.
Seeing that car, something he could never afford, Ian felt a sudden pang of loss.
Given Aurora’s looks, it wasn’t surprising she knew such outstanding people, yet Gemma was clueless.
“That bitch!”
“Enough, Gemma!” Ian had to raise his voice sharply.
He rarely got angry, and his loud voice left Gemma frozen in place.
“Go back and change your clothes, and listen, I think you misunderstood something. I used to like you, but I’ve long since given up. I don’t like you anymore, not at all. The words you said about being my girlfriend, please take them back,” Ian said earnestly.
He softened his tone a bit. “Of course, I understand you were just using me to provoke Aurora. Whatever your intentions, please don’t do that again. I’m also very busy and don’t have time to play these games. If I did anything that misled you, I’ll be more mindful in the future.”
After speaking, Ian walked away without looking back, today more than ever seeing her true nature.
He should feel fortunate that he had given up on her long ago. Otherwise, how much longer would he have been deceived?
“Ian, come back!” Gemma was caught off guard by the successive blows.
Besides the strikes from Aurora and that mysterious man, what hurt her most today was Ian, who had always been so accommodating, telling her such words.
For a moment, she couldn’t believe this was reality. How could he not like her? He had clearly told her he liked her before.
Hearing her frantic and frustrated voice behind him, Ian did not turn back and walked away even faster.
In the car, Aurora and Julian sat in the back seat, still shaken by Gemma’s outburst, which had left the atmosphere gloomy. “Unhappy?” Julian removed her glasses, seeing her eyes frosty with anger. “Who would be happy after such an incident?” Aurora responded dryly. “This is human nature, vanity and filth. I thought you understood that by now,” Julian said as he pulled out a tissue to wipe off the coffee that had splashed onto her hair.
Aurora sighed lightly, “I’ve understood it for a while. Today, it just deepened a bit.” She obediently followed Julian back to the villa. Julian had a lavish dinner prepared, warming up the grand yet solitary villa for the evening.
After changing her clothes, Aurora, craving a smoke, stepped out to the breezy balcony and lit a cigarette. Julian, not finding her in the room, spotted her on the balcony. The sight was striking. Aurora, dressed in a loose white shirt revealing her delicate collarbones and elegant neck, wore only shorts beneath. Casually seated, her long legs crossed, she held a cigarette between her fingers, the white smoke blurring her features. It was a lazy yet dangerously tempting scene.
Julian, his eyes cooling, snatched the cigarette from her and extinguished it. “You’re not smoking anymore,” he said firmly, though he admitted to himself that she looked beautiful smoking. Seeing what she had become over the past three years pained him. She suffered from severe gastritis and a growing addiction to nicotine.
Without the incident from three years ago, Aurora would still be an innocent girl forever. “Julian, you have no right over me,” Aurora retorted, already in a foul mood. “We’ve been connected since three years ago. How can I not have a say?” Julian talked back, anger flaring as he lifted her from the smoky balcony.
“It was just a deal. You helped me, and I gave you something. At dawn, we part ways. I…” Julian cut her off with a kiss, throwing her onto the bed. His kisses came like a storm, harsh and punishing. He had searched for her for three years, waiting, and now that he had found her, she had changed dramatically.
Aurora was furious. Why should her fate always be manipulated by others? It had been so three years ago, and Julian was doing it again. She bit his lip fiercely, not letting go even as blood mingled in their mouths. “Sir, dinner is ready,” the butler’s voice interrupted from outside the room.
The two separated. “Coming.” Julian’s voice was hoarse. Aurora, her eyes filled with resentment, pushed him away and wiped the blood from her lips. “If you don’t know what I’ve been through these past three years, then don’t interfere,” she said coolly as she walked downstairs.
Julian sat alone on the vast bed, pondering her words. Hadn’t she been well these past years? Her gastritis wasn’t new. It had just worsened over the last three years. A deep light flashed in Julian’s eyes. Perhaps he still didn’t truly understand her. What exactly had she endured these three years?