The bodyguard quickly removed the massage chair, humidifier, and other items Ivy had brought in, leaving the office so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
“Everyone mind your own business,” Aurora said to the onlookers.
“Yes, Manager,” they responded. Everyone had just witnessed Heather and Aurora each slapping Ivy, which was satisfying to see.
Ivy had called them dogs, a woman so clueless about her place deserved a lesson, and everyone’s respect for Aurora grew even more. If Aurora hadn’t been there today, no one else could have handled the capricious and willful Ivy so effectively.
Aurora cradled Heather’s chin, lifting her face.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Manager. I’ll just revise this report a bit more.”
Heather realized more clearly what she needed to do after the incident. If she remained ineffective her entire life, she would always be trampled upon.
“That’s good, show me once you’re done,” Aurora said crisply, turning away. Some thought her too cold, considering Heather had just been humiliated and hit, that she should be given time to rest.
But Heather understood Aurora was looking out for her. A woman’s path wasn’t limited to tears and sobbing alone.
Only by striving to improve could she one day reach Aurora’s stature and not be bullied, her future was in her own hands.
The office quickly resumed its usual bustle, with everyone soon forgetting the incident. Aurora’s demands were strict, often driving them to redo their work.
Meanwhile, Ivy left crying, bumping into Zachary, who had been reassigned to another department.
“What happened to you? Who did this to you?”
“Mind your own business!” Ivy snapped, shaking off his hand and running back to Magnus’s office. Magnus had just managed to send this troublesome girl away, only for her to return so quickly.
Who knew what grievances she had suffered this time, crying pitifully, her face a mess from her tears and makeup, which she didn’t even bother to fix.
Usually so concerned with her appearance, now ignoring even her makeup indicated her deep distress.
“What’s wrong?” Magnus quickly set down his pen.
“Dad, I don’t care, this time you have to stand up for me, otherwise, I’ll jump from here,” Ivy threatened.
Magnus, completely baffled, replied, “Silly child, what’s going on? You need to tell me what happened.”
“Dad, Aurora slapped me and encouraged a junior employee to do the same. Look, my face is all red,” Ivy said, letting go of her hands. Her cheeks were already rouged, so Aurora’s slap made them look even more inflamed.
“Aurora doesn’t just do things like this. Tell me what happened,” Magnus was not a man who couldn’t distinguish right from wrong. Aurora was perfect in his eyes, and he couldn’t believe she would hit Ivy without reason.
“Yes, she wouldn’t do such a thing rashly. Dad, ever since she came back, you’ve been biased towards her. But I’m telling you, Aurora is not the same Aurora she was before,” Ivy thought of the many times Aurora had harmed her both overtly and covertly.
Yet she maintained such a good facade that even Magnus hadn’t seen her true nature, which infuriated Ivy the most.
“What do you mean she’s not the same Aurora? Ivy, the more you talk, the more confused I get. Isn’t Aurora still Aurora?” Magnus, whether it was Genevieve causing trouble or Aurora seeking revenge, he had been kept in the dark from start to finish, completely unaware of what was really going on between them.
“Dad, Aurora has changed. Now, she manipulates everything, playing the good person in front of you and Grandpa. But what about behind the scenes? She’s always scheming to hurt us!” Ivy accused.
“Ivy, you shouldn’t speak recklessly. Aurora is your sister. Ever since she came back, you’ve been targeting her. I acknowledge she has changed-she’s become more beautiful and capable. I was worried at first that she might not perform well as a manager. But it seems I worried over nothing; Aurora has far exceeded my expectations. During her three years in America, she has grown up significantly. Meanwhile, you and Zachary still act as childishly and stubbornly as you did when you were little. You should try to learn from her. Now that you’re working in the company, you must stop this foolishness. I know you’re jealous of Aurora’s excellence, which is not entirely unjustifiable-everyone has a bit of a competitive spirit, I understand. I hope you can turn this jealousy into motivation and strive to be as outstanding as her,” Magnus said, his lips curving up unconsciously whenever he spoke of Aurora.
He truly believed Aurora was exceptional and even felt a sense of pride-she was his daughter, after all.
Coming to complain, Ivy found that Magnus did nothing but sing Aurora’s praises. What did she amount to in his eyes then? She was his daughter too, wasn’t she? How could he be so biased? The more Ivy thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt, and her tears flowed even more fiercely.
“Dad, Aurora is your daughter, and so am I. Why do you only trust her and not me? Jealous, huh, what does she have that I should envy?” Ivy said, wiping her tears.
She had forgotten a similar scene from many years ago when she and Zachary had wrongly accused Aurora. Aurora had been painfully pricked by a compass, tears swirling in her eyes, but Zachary had turned the blame on her, and Magnus had believed him.
“Furious, he had said to Aurora, ‘Apologize to your brother right now! How could you do such a thing?'”
Tears fell from Aurora’s eyes.
“Dad, I didn’t do it, I really didn’t use the compass on him. I’m your daughter too, why won’t you believe me?”
“Such malice at such a young age, who knows what will become of her,” Genevieve had added fuel to the fire.
Back then, Ivy had stood by, smiling sweetly. Today, she found herself in the same position as Aurora had been.
“You’re just making trouble. Remember, today is your first day at work. Don’t forget what Grandpa said-don’t throw around your identity as a Montgomery. Just go to work,” Magnus said as he started to push her out.
“Dad, you keep saying how great Aurora is, but did you know that the last time Zachary got into debt from gambling was all her doing? She planned it to completely ruin us, to make Grandpa and you lose trust in us and keep us out of the company. Dad, she’s really malicious, doing all these things behind your back, now abusing her power to undermine me and colluding with others to beat me!” Ivy revealed her earlier grievances, feeling that if this continued, she would never have any standing in the Montgomery family.
Magnus slammed his hand on the table.
“Have you said enough?”
“Dad, why do you look at me like this? What I’m saying is all true!”