As her breathtakingly beautiful face was revealed, no one would doubt her identity anymore. Even the clothes that had seemed plain before now appeared quite fitting on her.
Her large floral dress swayed in the wind when she tucked the strands of hair behind her ear. Her presence was crisp and refreshing, yet it captivated everyone’s gaze.
Ivy was startled by the familiar face before her. She had always envied Aurora’s appearance. Though they shared the same father, they bore no resemblance to Aurora. Ivy and Zachary looked more like their mother, Genevieve, and not at all like their father. From childhood, Ivy’s greatest resentment was directed towards Aurora.
Ivy had believed that after Genevieve’s oppressive treatment, Aurora must have had a hard time these past three years. However, despite the years, Aurora’s face remained unchanged. Yet, her aura and the coldness in her eyes had transformed completely, sending a chill through anyone who met her gaze.
“So what if you’re back? You think the Montgomery family has room for you? There was no place for you here three years ago, and there still is now,” Ivy spat venomously.
They had managed to drive Aurora away once and could do so again. No, this time, Aurora walked right into their trap herself. They just needed to sabotage her quietly. Did she really think she could survive that?
“Really? But I heard that even now, none of you have been officially recognized as heirs to the Montgomery family. You’re just illegitimate children,” Aurora said with a smirk.
Her grandfather had been strongly opposed to recognizing them. Even after Genevieve married into the Montgomery family, his side never approved. Grandpa Montgomery was in robust health and held significant power within the family. Even Magnus had to defer to him. Without his approval, Genevieve and her children could never be formally acknowledged.
It was well-known that Magnus had an affair during Aurora’s mother’s pregnancy, which was quite scandalous. Until Aurora was eight, Genevieve and her two children lived outside the Montgomery family’s manor. It was only after persistent harassment led Aurora’s mother to a fatal heart attack that the mistress moved into the Montgomery residence with her children the following year, further enraging Grandpa Montgomery.
Grandpa Montgomery was even less likely to accept them. Even though they changed their names, only the Montgomery family knew they weren’t considered true members.
The Aurora of the past was too naive and kind-hearted to ever exploit others’ weaknesses. But now, that might not be the case anymore. It turned out that exploiting these weaknesses was quite satisfying, much like the time Zachary hurt her hand with a compass.
Ivy’s face grew cold when she heard the term “illegitimate children.”
The classmates around them were not privy to the Montgomery family’s secrets, but who wasn’t curious by nature? They all began to discuss the matter heatedly, and Aurora’s smile widened.
“You’re talking nonsense!” Ivy snapped in embarrassment and rage, yet she couldn’t deny the truth.
“Am I talking nonsense? Ivy, should I tell everyone about how your shameless mother climbed into my father’s bed while my mother was pregnant?”
“Do you know how many explicit photos your mother sent to mine, trying to force my mom to divorce? Like mother, like daughter. You must be just like her.”
“You resorted to every tactic to get into the Montgomery family, but apart from enjoying luxury, what else can you do? No one in the Montgomery family will ever recognize you.”
“I am the rightful daughter and heir of the Montgomery family. You at best are mere strays. No, you’re nothing but scum,” Aurora declared with relish, downplaying the scandalous truths of the past as she captivated the onlookers with her revelations. It turned out that behind the seemingly glorious facade of the Montgomery family lay a scandal. Everyone had believed Ivy was the legitimate daughter, unaware she was actually born out of wedlock.
In this society, people despised mistresses, and now the gazes directed at Ivy and Zachary shifted accordingly. Zachary lay pinned under Aurora’s foot, unable to rise, while Ivy saw the disdainful looks from others. “Get lost, all of you!” Ivy lashed out at them in her anger.
“Ah, you’re upset because I struck a nerve, didn’t I? Why do you look at me with such disdain? Don’t you like me?” Aurora asked lazily. Ivy, who wanted to retort, feared Aurora might reveal more unsavory truths. No matter how much she convinced herself internally that she was the daughter of the Montgomery family, she couldn’t change the fact that her mother was a mistress.
Aurora had known Ivy for many years, but this was the first time she saw a defeated look on Ivy’s face. The expression on her own face now was probably similar to Ivy’s from years ago. Indeed, being the villain felt much more satisfying than being a good person. Ivy was left speechless, merely glaring back, as Aurora’s lips curled into a seductive smile. “You might not like me, but there’s nothing you can do about it. I’m back now, and you’ll probably see a lot more of me in the future.”
Aurora’s smile was stunning, leaving everyone spellbound. Ivy saw a face identical to Aurora’s past self, yet there was nothing about her that resembled Aurora now, which suddenly filled her heart with an inexplicable dread. Aurora stepped off Zachary and slowly approached her, making Ivy feel as if facing a demon, her body instinctively retreating until she fell back into a flowerbed with a scream.
A hand grasped hers. Looking up, she saw Aurora holding her, looking down at the sweat on Ivy’s face. “Why are you so afraid of me? Have you forgotten how you used to bully me? Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you remember everything one by one.”
Aurora was as beautiful as ever, but her smile sent chills down Ivy’s spine. “Wh… What are you going to do?” Ivy stammered.
“Me? I simply plan to repay all the things you and your mother did to my mom and me,” Aurora replied.
Ivy was pulled along, teetering on the edge of the flowerbed. “Don’t get too cocky. You were no match for us even when your mom was here, and now without her, you have no place in the Montgomery family,” Ivy retorted defiantly.
As she heard Ivy mention her mother, Aurora’s eyes turned icy. She let go abruptly, giving Ivy a push that sent her tumbling into the flowerbed. “Just watch who will be driven out of the Montgomery family in the end. Go tell your mother I’m coming home tomorrow,” Aurora scoffed before turning away.