Aurora supported Oswaldo, her cheeks flushing with a hint of crimson as she heard Julian would be staying. The memory of their unfinished romantic encounter lingered in her mind. Knowing Julian well, she suspected he would be jumping over walls again tonight.
“Aurora, what are you thinking about making your face so red?” Julian asked teasingly, his charming eyes fixed intently on Aurora.
Aurora glared at him but did not respond. Instead, she turned to Oswaldo with a bright smile. “Grandpa, it’s getting late. I’ll take you to rest now.”
“Alright, Aurora. Julian is our guest, so make sure you take good care of him,” Oswaldo said, having noticed her glare at Julian.
“Yes, Grandpa. I’ll let Mr. Nash prepare the guest room for him, so you don’t have to worry about it,” Aurora said, helping the old man upstairs.
Genevieve had trapped herself this time. Intending to take down Aurora, she inadvertently solidified Aurora’s position, much to her own frustration.
Magnus, blissfully unaware of what had transpired, was just relieved his daughter hadn’t committed any embarrassing acts.
“Mr. Barnet, please make yourself at home,” Magnus said kindly, respecting Julian for his self-made success in the business world, despite not being supported by the Alvarez family.
“Thank you, Mr. Montgomery. I appreciate your hospitality,” Julian replied politely, a stark contrast to his previous arrogance with the Alvarez family.
“Mr. Barnet, please follow me,” Mr. Nash said respectfully, leading Julian away.
Once everyone had left, Magnus’s expression turned stern. “What are you still doing here? Go rest! If you dare to slander Aurora again, I won’t let you off!”
Although he was still unaware of the true nature of Genevieve and the others, thinking they were just gossiping, he was clearly upset.
“Magnus, I was only thinking of the Montgomery family’s best interest. How could I have known about Aurora and his relationship?” Genevieve, realizing her mistake, had no choice but to admit fault.
“Enough. This time, it was good that Aurora was generous and didn’t hold it against you. If you had angered my father, forget about joining the company,” Magnus said before leaving.
“Mom, such a good opportunity wasted again,” Ivy said, unable to hide her frustration.
“Do you think I wanted this? Who knew she had a thing with Julian? You two are useless! Aurora has hooked up with Julian after just a few years in the US, and none of the people you hang out with compare,” Genevieve retorted, pointing out their poor choice in companions.
Both were carefree in choosing partners, often switching them merely for their looks, never thinking about the future.
“If Aurora hadn’t come back, we wouldn’t need to feel threatened. But now that she’s returned so dominantly, you two aren’t even in her league.”
“Mom, that’s just because Aurora knows how to lure men, hooking one after another. I’m not like her,” Ivy said, tossing her wavy hair.
“If you were really that capable, you’d have snagged Julian by now. If you had him, forget about the Montgomery family shares, since his fortune is far greater,” Genevieve said, always clear-headed about such matters.
“Mom, are you suggesting that I go after Aurora’s boyfriend?” Ivy finally grasped her mother’s intention.
“They’re not married, and even if they were, it wouldn’t matter. Didn’t I snatch your father from someone else? Do I need to teach you how to do it?” Genevieve said with a smirk.
“If Grandpa finds out, he’ll kill me!” Ivy exclaimed in shock. Although she often got into trouble at school and had no shortage of male attention, she didn’t need to steal someone else’s boyfriend.
Genevieve looked at Ivy with some disappointment. “You fool, why do you care about that old man who has one foot in the grave? It’s survival of the fittest. Like her mother, she was defeated by me, and look how well I’m doing now. And Susan has also ended up with Hayden.”
“That’s true, but I’m kind of scared of Julian. Rumor has it he isn’t interested in women,” Ivy admitted, intrigued yet instinctively fearful of Julian’s cool demeanor.
“If he weren’t interested in women, would he fancy Aurora, that little vixen? He’s here today, and this is your best opportunity. You know what to do. If you capture his heart, what does it matter if your grandpa gets angry?”
Genevieve’s shamelessness was beyond the ordinary, making shocking statements seem mundane as if it wasn’t an indecent matter.
Hearing this, Ivy had a revelation. Having a man like Julian would mean never needing another. His power and influence could give her everything, and with him as her support, why bother currying favor with Oswaldo?
“Mom, I know what to do,” Ivy said, her eyes resolute.
“That’s my good daughter. I’m doing all this for your sake, hoping you can have a promising future,” Genevieve said earnestly, as if her actions were perfectly normal.
Meanwhile, in the shadows of the second floor, Julian silently pressed the stop button on his recorder and looked towards the butler.
The two did not go downstairs but quickly left the place. Once back in his room, Julian said, “I’m sorry. I was just going out to get something from the car and didn’t expect to overhear so much.”
Mr. Nash, having served many years alongside Oswaldo and held in high regard, knew Julian had specifically asked him to open the door so he could retrieve something from the car, but it was no accident. It was deliberate, a way to convey the truth to Oswaldo through him.
“Mr. Barnet, don’t worry. I will tell the master exactly,” Mr. Nash said calmly.
“What I meant was to keep quiet about it. Don’t tell Oswaldo yet.”
“Why?” Mr. Nash was surprised. Wasn’t it deliberate?
“Because I don’t want to interfere with Aurora’s plans. Let her seek her own revenge. When the day comes for her to reveal everything, then you can share what you heard today,” Julian said, his eyes twinkling mischievously.