Aurora had unwittingly spent the entire night asleep in a chair, waking up in the morning feeling somewhat dizzy.
“I actually slept here all night,” she said with a self-deprecating laugh.
Subconsciously, she reached for her phone only to find that there were still no messages from Julian. This absence annoyed her greatly. Initially, it was certainly Julian’s fault for following her, but she had also used harsh words that hurt him. Now, who was right or wrong didn’t matter; what mattered was that Julian seemed genuinely upset, otherwise he wouldn’t have cut off contact for so long.
Everyone told her that a simple apology and a bit of charm would mend things, but being naturally proud, she wasn’t someone to easily bow her head.
She rubbed her nose, feeling the onset of a cold, although she was generally in good health aside from some stomach issues. She wasn’t too worried about a minor cold; drinking more hot water would suffice.
Aurora dressed swiftly. It seemed she would be staying in a hotel for the foreseeable future, for returning to the villa brought back too many memories of her time with Julian.
Her phone vibrated urgently. She rushed to it, hoping it was a message from Julian. The screen showed just a few words: “It’s done.”
Aurora felt a pang of disappointment, her lips curling into a resigned smile. When had her dependence on that man become so severe? He had only been by her side for a short while, yet a few days of his absence left her feeling utterly lost.
She splashed her face with cold water, reminding herself to stay strong. She had been fine before without a man, and she had important things to attend to.
Dressed, Aurora headed to the presidential suite, where Alison yawned as she opened the door.
Alison handed her a sealed bag containing several strands of Paul’s hair.
“Is this enough?” Aurora asked.
“It’s enough,” Aurora replied, carefully storing the hair. It was crucial evidence for her plan to take down Genevieve. Seeing Alison’s exhausted appearance, Aurora asked, “You didn’t sleep all night?”
“Paul has a lot of stamina, not at all what you’d expect from someone his age,” Alison replied unabashedly.
Aurora pulled out a check from her bag and handed it to Alison.
“This is the final payment. I hope you can keep today’s events confidential.”
“Don’t worry, I take the money and do the dirty work. I don’t know what you plan to do with him, but it’s clearly nothing good. At least on this point, we’re on the same side. I remember every word of the humiliation he caused me that day, and I will make sure his family knows no peace,” Alison stated, clenching her fists, her eyes reflecting fierce hatred.
Aurora observed her profile, reminded of herself years ago, filled with rage and vowing in the pouring rain that she would make those who had hurt her suffer a thousand times over.
“Is it worth it?” Although both sought revenge, the nature of their actions differed, and Alison’s potential sacrifice was clearly much greater.
Alison smiled faintly, “Now I have nothing left, despised by everyone. Originally, I should hate you.”
Having come to understand this feeling, if you were living the same life as me now, I would feel that I was the one at fault, empathizing heart to heart. Between us, there was never any deep-seated hatred; what you did was merely what I had done to you, and you were not wrong.
Thus, I no longer blame you. After spending last night with you, I realized you were straightforward and not the spoiled princess I had imagined. Our grievances end here, but my feud with Paul is just beginning. I will not let him and his wife live in peace!
“Weeds may be inconspicuous, but their greatest trait is their tenacity!” Alison chuckled at herself self-deprecatingly.
“The million dollars I gave you might not make you rich for life, but it’s enough to start a small business and live a simple life,” Aurora felt a pang of guilt. Had she wronged someone?
“Some things, once started, cannot be stopped, Miss Montgomery. You are a good person; I can never be one. Now that I have lost everything-no family, no friends, no lover-I have nothing left to fear. I will fight them to the end before I change my mind. This is my choice, and it has nothing to do with you; you need not feel guilty.”
Alison, once despised, turned out to be a perceptive person. It seemed that she should not have judged so many people and things merely by appearances.
Alison put away her previous arrogance at the company and her fawning over Paul, her face a mixture of seriousness and bitterness.
“You seek revenge, but be careful not to get burned. Kimberly Blake is the only daughter of the Blake family, a respected household. Your revenge might be futile, like throwing eggs against a rock. You can choose a quiet life or a tumultuous one. If one day you find yourself at a dead end, come to me, and I will show you a way out,” Aurora handed Alison a business card and then turned to leave.
Alison, surprised at seeing the title ‘President’ on the card, wondered just how far this seemingly young woman had come.
“Okay,” she responded to Aurora’s departing figure, hoping she would never need to use that card.
Aurora also realized that this woman was not as superficial as she seemed. If she could dedicate herself to the right path, she had potential.
Of course, the future was in Alison’s hands, and no one could decide for her.
Alison closed the door, picked up the clothes from the floor, and her fingers picked up a transparent film punctured with many holes.
She smirked coldly: “I will definitely not let you have an easy life!”
Years later, after getting everything she wanted, her biggest regret was not using Aurora’s card to seek her out.
But that was a story for another time. Life often goes like that; a single decision can define a lifetime.
Everyone should pay for their choices. Life is their own, as are the experiences of joy, bitterness, and pain.