Her plan was already in motion. She avoided revealing her identity to ensure the smooth establishment of her new company. Once they discovered she had returned, not just Genevieve but even Susan would make things difficult for her. Fortunately, the paperwork for her company was completed during this period, and now Julian had resolved her biggest problem. She couldn’t maintain this disguise much longer and would soon return to the Montgomery family, making a comeback and reclaiming everything she had lost.
“I’m leaving,” Aurora said, turning to go.
Julian suddenly pulled her back into his embrace. “Call me if you need anything.”
“Okay…” His arms encircled her waist as he gently planted a kiss.
After a brief kiss, he moved away, his voice magnetic as it lingered in her ear. “And remember to miss me.”
Aurora’s heart fluttered again, and she pushed Julian away. “I-I need to go now.”
She felt that the tender Julian was harder to deal with than the domineering man he had been before. At least with the latter, she wouldn’t be as mentally disarrayed as now. Julian watched her hurried departure with a gentle smile, softly touching his lips. He realized that with women, gentleness was always the best policy.
Aurora was like sand in his hands. The tighter he held, the faster she slipped away, but now that he had loosened his grip, she seemed lost.
After running a considerable distance, Aurora finally stopped, panting. She clutched her chest, wondering why she felt as if she was newly in love. She remembered how her cheeks flushed and she couldn’t sleep from joy when Hayden said a sweet word or did something delightful back when they first dated. Her heart raced and her mind blanked when he first kissed her forehead. She had thought herself immune to love, never to fall again.
But this morning’s change in Julian brought back those feelings of first love. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. She had given up on love long ago. The lesson from Hayden was enough. She shouldn’t make the same mistake again.
“Aurora, what’s wrong?” Ian had just finished playing basketball when he saw an out-of-breath Aurora.
Aurora looked up at him, her tone cold. “I’m fine.” With that, she headed towards the classroom.
“Aurora, I need to talk to you about something. The previous incident was a misunderstanding. I didn’t know Gemma would say such things, and I’m not her boyfriend…”
“I know it has nothing to do with you. I didn’t take it to heart,” she said, leaving without pausing.
Ian watched her walk away, mouth agape, ultimately saying nothing. His explanation meant nothing to her. She deserved someone better by her side.
Seeing Aurora in the classroom, Gemma swept her venomous gaze over Aurora. She was about to get a permanent job, but because of Aurora, it all fell through. Not only was she fired by Julian, but she also didn’t receive her last commission. What irked Gemma most was how wealthy Aurora was, a woman who could casually buy a villa in cash. Gemma was resentful yet powerless, puzzled why Aurora, clearly beautiful, would choose such a plain and ordinary disguise at school.
In the class, only Ian and Gemma knew Aurora’s true appearance. Everyone else regarded her as an ordinary, unattractive woman. Gemma was also bent on finding an opportunity for revenge. She was determined not to let things slide, including settling old scores from their last encounter at the cafe with Aurora. Aurora, for her part, remained as she always was, whereas Ian, having seen her true face, could no longer treat her with the same indifference as before.
During class, he found himself unable to resist stealing glances at Aurora, whose skin, even at the wrist, was exceptionally fair and delicate. Despite wearing no makeup, her skin was much smoother than those of the other women in the class who were made up. He looked again. Her fingers, holding the pen, were enchanting and slender. Ian gradually realized he was poisoned by Aurora’s allure.
When one held another in their gaze, they inevitably began to care about everything concerning them. Previously, Ian thought She was aloof and unwilling to communicate because she was introverted, but now he understood he was wrong. Aurora was disdainful. She could easily solve difficult problems that others couldn’t, and her reluctance to communicate was because no one else was at her level.
Aurora was no ordinary person. Whenever she had a moment to herself, she would be seen with earphones, scribbling or sketching in her notebook. Ian had once sneaked a peek at her notes and found they were all about stocks. Was her real identity that of a trader? Her thick glasses shielded her from everyone else’s prying eyes.
“Aurora, there’s a lecture tomorrow night. All of us have to attend,” he reminded her.
Aurora looked up at him. “At what time?”
“Seven-thirty. It’s mandatory attendance.”
“Okay, I got it.”
Aurora then returned to her phone conversation with Asher. “What, you’re coming?”
“You sound surprised. Can’t I come to see you?” Asher idly twirled a pen in his fingers, clearly not at ease with leaving Aurora alone in Clothville.
“Suit yourself. Come if you want,” Aurora responded indifferently.
“Humph, we haven’t seen each other in days. You don’t miss me at all, do you? It really breaks my heart, considering you’re all I think about every day,” Asher complained playfully.
“Will picking you up at the airport do? What time is your flight?” Aurora softened her tone.
Asher brightened up. “The day after tomorrow, at ten-thirty in the morning. Don’t be late.”
“Fine, then. Bye for now,” Aurora ended the call crisply. Asher was coming, and despite herself, she felt quite happy.
Ian noticed the radiant smile that curled the corners of Aurora’s mouth. It was a genuine smile. He had also overheard something about someone important coming. Whoever could make her smile so brightly must be special indeed. He felt a twinge of envy. Aurora had never shown such a heartfelt smile to him.
“Aurora, is your friend coming?” he mustered the courage to ask.
“Not a friend. He… He’s an important person to me.” Aurora shook her head, correcting his terminology.
“An important person…” Ian murmured to himself.
If she were a small tree, then Asher was her sunlight, the sunlight that sustained her life. Asher meant a lot to her.