Ivy turned to look at Genevieve.
“Mom, were you unfaithful in your marriage?”
“We’ll talk about this later, I… I had my reasons,” Genevieve replied, although she had a wild youth, having been with many men. Since being with Magnus and becoming pregnant, she had reined in her nature. Now, the thought of her past being exposed in front of her children filled her with shame.
“Dad, there must be some misunderstanding. Please don’t let mom leave, okay? Look, it’s raining so hard outside, it’s dangerous,” Zachary said, clearly worried.
“I’ve given her enough time. She has been delaying this over and over; no one else is to blame. Now, leave,” Magnus said coldly.
Genevieve, dragging her suitcase and carrying a bag, walked step by step towards the door. She knew that if she didn’t leave now, Magnus would indeed drive her out personally. Better to leave with dignity now than be chased out in disgrace later.
“Wait.” A cold voice intervened. Aurora stood at the door.
“You can’t leave just yet.”
Genevieve looked at her, puzzled. Was Aurora up to something again? Well, if it meant she could stay, she was willing to play along.
“Aurora, are you also going to plead for her?” Magnus and Ivy’s gaze shifted to Aurora.
Every twist in the situation had involved Aurora so far. Could she have changed her mind? That seemed unlikely; she was the one who most wanted Genevieve gone.
While everyone was guessing what Aurora might do next, she finally spoke.
“Dad, did you forget? You said she should take only what belongs to her. This room used to belong to my mother. Who knows if she’s taken something that belongs to my mom or the Montgomery family? I want her to open her suitcase and check.”
“Outrageous,” Aurora’s insulting words broke Genevieve’s composure.
“Aurora, am I a thief? You want to check? I have rights too, and this is an invasion of my privacy.”
“Why so angry? If you’re innocent, just open the suitcase and prove it. The angrier you get, the more it seems you have something to hide.”
Aurora remembered her mother standing alone in the rain years ago, seemingly frail but actually very proud and stubborn. Magnus had promised he would come back, even though he was celebrating a birthday with another family. Her mother had stubbornly waited in the rain, knowing that was the first place she would see him return. But after that storm, her mother had fallen seriously ill.
Though it stirred guilt in Magnus, it only provoked Genevieve to retaliate even more fiercely, periodically sending her mother indecent photos and unbearable voice messages. Although she hadn’t confronted her mother directly, she had tormented her psychologically for many years. Now, letting her just walk away freely seemed far too simple.
Genevieve, driven to fury, responded, “You don’t need to provoke me. I’ll open it.” She threw her suitcase onto the ground.
“Look, see if you can find what you’re looking for!”
“Don’t worry, I’ll take my time. I won’t let you take anything that belongs to the Montgomery family,” Aurora said, smiling as she crouched down.
“Ivy was nearly bursting with rage. ‘Aurora, I warned you not to go too far. You’ve already driven my mother away. What more do you want? Won’t you even leave her the last bit of dignity?'”
Aurora looked up and smiled slightly.
“Dignity? Your mother lost that long ago, not because of me, though. She threw it away herself.”
Having said that, she seriously began to check Genevieve’s luggage. Genevieve clenched her fists tightly, helpless.
As the saying goes, thirty years can change the course of a river east and west. Once, she controlled everything; now she couldn’t change a thing, like a fish on a chopping block, ready to be sliced.
“Aurora, that’s enough,” Ivy pleaded.
“I haven’t even started looking yet. How can you say that’s enough?” Aurora went straight for the jewelry box. Genevieve was smart-not many clothes, but what she carried were all valuable jewels.
These sparkling ornaments were collectively quite expensive. Aurora searched through them and found a bracelet.
She had only intended to strike at Genevieve’s pride but didn’t expect her to be so shameless! The other jewels had been acquired over the years, but this bracelet was different.
She remembered clearly; it was her mother’s favorite piece of jewelry.
“Genevieve, this is my mother’s jade bracelet. Can you be any more shameless? You took my mother’s man, lived in my mother’s house, slept in my mother’s bed, and now you even want to take her jewelry!”
At the time, this bracelet had caused a frenzy at the auction, worth millions. After over twenty years, its value had increased to at least ten million dollars!
That damn Genevieve was really bold, actually wanting to take this bracelet. It was hard to decide whether to admire her for recognizing its value or criticize her audacity.
Magnus looked closely and confirmed the bracelet indeed belonged to Victoria, and he had given it to her as an engagement token.
Back then, Victoria had been very moved, vowing to cherish it for life, not just for its value but for its significance.
Victoria only wore it on special occasions, fearing it might get scratched or damaged otherwise.
“This is Victoria’s, Genevieve. I told you that you could take your things, all the jewelry I bought you over the years, but Victoria’s are hers, and you must not touch them!”
Magnus was also getting angry. Genevieve’s face turned pale.
“It wasn’t intentional. You only gave me an hour, it was too rushed, I didn’t see clearly…”
“Really? It’s normal to not see clearly and take the wrong bracelet, but what about these ruby earrings?” Aurora pulled out another item.
Genevieve had taken all of Victoria’s cherished jewelry. Unlike Genevieve, who was ostentatious, Victoria was understated except on significant occasions.
Aurora often stayed by her side, watching her carefully wipe the jewelry, which to her were not just cold hard trinkets, but a manifestation of Magnus’s love.
Aurora, having seen these precious items often, remembered them all clearly, even after so many years.
“You scoundrel, who allowed you to touch Victoria’s things?” Magnus was so angry his face turned red.
“Magnus, listen to me, I really didn’t mean to.”
“Don’t explain anymore; I don’t want to hear a word!”