When Aurora was very young, she blamed Magnus for not protecting her mother well and for his inability to discern right from wrong. As she grew older, she came to understand more: while he was at fault, much of it was Genevieve’s manipulation. If one day he were to discover the whole truth, who knows how devastated he would be-perhaps this would be the greatest revenge of all.
Aurora shook her head lightly. “Dad, it’s all in the past, I don’t blame you anymore.”
“I will make it up to you from now on,” Magnus replied, his heart growing heavier as he gazed at her face.
“Dad, it’s okay, I just wanted to ask about this. It’s getting late, you should go back to your room and rest.”
“Alright, you rest well too. I’m going to sleep,” Magnus said as he stood up gracefully. Compared to Paul’s corpulent figure, Magnus still retained a charming presence among middle-aged men.
“Dad…”
“Is there something else?” Magnus turned around.
“That… I think there’s something odd about Genevieve, keep an eye on her,” Aurora said without elaboration.
“I know.” Magnus felt it too, especially when she was around Paul, she seemed uncomfortable.
When Magnus had returned earlier, everything in the room seemed slightly off, sparking his suspicions. When he went to his bedroom as Genevieve was taking a shower, he looked around but noticed nothing unusual. However, as he sat down on the bed to change into his pajamas, he found an object under the covers. Lifting the duvet, he discovered a button, clearly from a man’s shirt, which he hadn’t worn recently.
His mind ignited with fury, recalling Genevieve’s sweaty, flustered demeanor. How many men were in this house? He tried to calm the turmoil within, telling himself it might just be Zachary’s, not to overthink it.
“You’re back, huh? What did Aurora come to talk to you about?” Genevieve emerged, drying her hair and clad in a seductive nightgown, making it hard for Magnus not to think too much.
“Nothing much, just some things about her childhood. By the way, you came to my office today, why did you go to the fifth floor? My office is on the sixth.”
Genevieve’s presence earlier had been peculiar; she appeared radiant as if to meet him after work, yet she seemed nervous and scared upon seeing him. Aurora had also warned him to watch her. Could Aurora know something? Magnus couldn’t help but connect all the dots from the afternoon.
“Oh, that’s because I didn’t take the elevator; I came up the stairs. What about it?” Genevieve acted as if nothing was amiss.
“Nothing, I’m going to shower,” Magnus said tightly, clutching the button and taking his pajamas to the bathroom.
Genevieve was a delicate person, who would always choose riding over walking, elevators over stairs-a trait well known to him for twenty years.
Her background was humble, yet she strained herself to mimic a true lady of affluence, paying meticulous attention to every detail. That afternoon she claimed to have gone shopping nearby, but it was odd that she bought nothing. If she had indeed been shopping, the high heels would have surely tired her out; climbing stairs would have been unlikely.
She was lying! The fifth floor housed Paul’s office, and she had clearly emerged from there. This thought sliced through Magnus’s heart like a knife.
The wretch!
Even though he felt certain inside, he could not confront her without evidence. That bath might have been the longest he ever took. When he emerged, Genevieve was humming a tune, dabbing her face at the vanity. He stared at her lips, slightly more swollen than usual.
He had never doubted her before, but now, reflecting on the overlooked details, he realized how much he had missed. Genevieve, patting her cheeks, was suddenly pulled onto the bed, “Darling, what are you doing?” she asked, surprised and displeased.
Magnus had always been a gentleman, even in bed, always considerate, never forceful like Paul, never demanding degrading poses. Thus, being abruptly pulled into bed was unfamiliar to her.
“Stop, I don’t want to today,” she said, hastily pulling down her skirt.
Genevieve usually had a robust appetite for such matters, and her refusal now only fueled Magnus’s anger, “Give me a reason.”
Magnus’s gaze instilled fear in her, a look she had never seen before. “What’s wrong today? Did that wretched Aurora say something?” Genevieve guessed, suspecting Aurora had spoken against her.
“If you’ve done nothing wrong, why fear what people say? Or is there something you’re hiding?” Magnus said coldly.
Genevieve gave a nervous laugh, “Me, hiding something from you? I’m just tired today.”
“You spend my money on beauty treatments, shopping, card games, and trips. You hardly lift a finger; what could possibly tire you?” Magnus thought of all he had done for her, and her actions made him feel even more disgusted.
“I, I’m just not feeling well today…” she cooed, a tactic that had always elicited his sympathy before.
“Magnus…” Genevieve saw his expression grow colder, and cautiously reached out to him.
Magnus abruptly pulled away and slapped her, “You wretch!”
Genevieve, clueless about his fury, asked, “Magnus, what is wrong?”
Seeing her tear-streaked face only disgusted him more. He didn’t reply and just went to bed.
Tomorrow, if that button turned out to be Paul’s, she would have no room for denial.