Once, when she was with Paul, she too had briefly been a princess, living in a costly upscale apartment, her wardrobe brimming with clothes. Paul was generous to her, frequently buying her clothes and bags as long as she took good care of him. Aside from lacking a formal status, she had everything she desired; she could wear luxury brands seen in magazines and enjoy afternoon tea with her sisters. As they chatted amidst envious looks from friends, Paul had even promised to buy her a car soon. She had enrolled in a driving school so she wouldn’t have to endure the subway every day.
But all this shattered because of another woman.
She fell from grace, like Cinderella at midnight, her beautiful shoes and dress reverting to their original form. In fact, her situation was worse than Cinderella’s. When the scandal broke, her strict family was the first to turn on her. She hadn’t even entered her home before her father kicked her out, and Paul took back the apartment.
Her previous extravagance left her with little savings, forcing her to hop from one job interview to another, only to have her resume promptly rejected. Unable to secure a corporate job or even a retail position to stabilize and feed herself, she was immediately dismissed by the store manager upon mentioning her intent. Far from a normal, ordinary life, she was now enduring severe hardship.
Meanwhile, Aurora remained as regal as ever, the true embodiment of a noble princess.
“Are you happy now? Look what I’ve become,” Alison trembled.
Aurora had initially wanted Heather to inquire about Alison, but seeing her current state, it seemed unnecessary.
“Why would I be happy? Your present plight is merely the consequence of your past actions. I am neither pleased nor saddened,” Aurora said calmly, clearly not delighting in Alison’s misfortune.
“Heh…”
Alison laughed mockingly at herself. What else could she do, after all? She had brought this upon herself by striking at Aurora first. It was her fault for not being born into nobility.
As she turned to leave, Aurora spoke, “Wait…”
“If you intend to mock me, go ahead,” Alison said, resigned.
“Kicking someone when they’re down is not what I do. You seem to be struggling; perhaps I can help,” Aurora said coldly.
“Help me? Ha, just don’t push me further into the pit,” Alison replied skeptically.
“There’s a restaurant ahead. I haven’t had dinner yet. If you don’t mind, join me for a meal; I have something to tell you,” Aurora invited directly.
Curious to see what Aurora might be plotting and given her own dire straits, Alison thought, “Why not see what she wants? It’s not like she’s going to devour me.”
They entered the restaurant one after the other, Alison feeling as if she was stepping into a bygone world. When she was with Paul, they often visited such luxurious places-a life of glittering excess that anyone would miss.
Now, she was wearing the street stall clothes that she had once mocked, walking on the floor so shiny that it reflected her own image, feeling a sense of unease.
Aurora, on the other hand, walked with relaxed, unhurried steps, her spine straight. She had once thought Aurora was just putting on airs, but now she knew her elegance was innate.
“Miss, good evening.”
“I need a table for two.”
The two followed the waiter to a window-side spot, as Aurora had chosen a private room to discuss something important.
“Order whatever you like,” Aurora offered the menu to Alison first.
Alison coldly said, “I don’t have the money to pay right now.”
The average cost per person here was over a thousand dollars. Paul had brought her here before, and at that time, she had been quite proud of it, but now her feelings had changed.
“I’ll pay. Order whatever you want.”
Hmm, since there was a sucker willing to pay, Alison decided to go for it. Would Aurora even dare to poison the food?
She ordered an expensive bottle of red wine, a steak, and some pricey, small appetizers.
Aurora didn’t even blink an eye, disappointing Alison, who had maliciously hoped to see her in pain over the expense.
But then again, for Aurora, who could easily buy a multimillion-dollar mansion on a whim, the cost of a meal was nothing.
Realizing this, Alison scoffed at herself for her pettiness. What seemed like an exorbitant meal to her was trivial to Aurora.
Once the waiter had left, Alison finally spoke, “Out with it. What do you want with me? And don’t say it’s because you feel sorry.”
Aurora didn’t respond immediately but leisurely pulled out a check from her bag, signed it, and handed it over.
Alison’s expression changed when she saw the check-it was for a hundred thousand dollars.
“What is this supposed to mean? Are you actually trying to compensate me?” Alison looked surprised.
Though she was pitiful today, it was really her own doing; she wouldn’t be in this situation if she hadn’t struck at Aurora first.
Aurora, without kicking her when she was down or mocking her, still offered her money. What was this woman plotting?
“It’s compensation, and also a deposit. I need you to do something for me. Once it’s done, there’s another nine hundred thousand dollars for you,” Aurora said lazily, leaning back on the sofa, her hand supporting her head as she gazed intently at Alison.
Alison saw in those proud, aloof eyes a depth she couldn’t fathom.
“You can have anything you want with a wave of your hand. How could I possibly be of use?” Alison never believed in such fortunate falls from the sky.
Especially not from Aurora, which made her even more skeptical.
“There’s really no one else but you who can help me with this. It’s a very simple task for you,” Aurora said with a smirk.
It was only at times like this that she could forget Julian and return to her calm, collected self, fully grasping her opponent’s psychological state.
“What is it?” If it were truly simple, she wouldn’t be offering a million dollars for the task, Alison thought with full suspicion.
“The task is simple. I need you to get me Paul’s hair, at least five strands,” Aurora said straightforwardly.
Alison was even more baffled. What did she need five strands of hair for? This request was even stranger.