Ever since Aurora returned, she felt as if her luck had dramatically improved. Everything she did went smoothly. Genevieve had been driven out of the house, and, unprecedentedly, Jason had decided to give her the order.
It all seemed like a dream, and she felt surreal throughout the workday.
As Aurora walked over in a daze, Julian rubbed her head and asked, “Why do you look so silly?”
“It’s nothing, I’ve just been wondering all day why Luminary would give me this opportunity. There’s no benefit to them,” Aurora had been troubled by this thought all day.
“Before you got the order, you racked your brains every day to secure one. Now that you’ve actually got it, you’re in this state.”
“I just feel uneasy. All these years, everything I’ve had, I earned step by step. Suddenly it feels like money is falling from the sky. Don’t you find that strange?” Aurora looked intently at Julian.
He used to despise men who had ulterior motives, and now with Luminary, it wasn’t clear what they were up to, yet he seemed so composed.
“There’s nothing strange about it. Let the soldiers block the incoming soldiers and the earth cover the incoming water. I’m by your side. Even if you hit rock bottom, I can help you rise again.
I don’t care how well Luminary is doing; in my eyes, they are insignificant. As long as you are happy, what does their motive matter?” Julian said this casually, and it was only much later that Aurora realized Julian’s power was even more formidable than she had imagined.
“That’s true. I’ve become more and more reliant on you. I always feel secure with you by my side, though I’m not sure if that’s good or bad,” Aurora said tenderly as she leaned into Julian’s embrace.
“Of course, it’s a good thing. I’m here to take care of you for a lifetime. If you can’t trust me, who can you trust?” Julian stroked her head.
“Mmm.”
Aurora rested on his chest, feeling that even if she lost the whole world, having Julian by her side was enough.
The next day, perhaps because she had a contract discussion, Aurora was up before the alarm rang.
Trying on several outfits in front of the mirror, she asked, “Julian, should I dress elegantly today, or should I go for something more professional?”
Julian, propping his head with his hand, lazily watched Aurora from the bed.
“That suit,” he pointed at a pantsuit.
If Aurora was meeting him, he preferred her in dresses; if she was meeting other men, he naturally preferred her in pants.
“Alright, this one it is.”
Aurora quickly changed into a shirt and cropped pants. She was a natural at carrying clothes; even the simplest outfit looked stunning on her.
“Are you this happy today?”
“If Jason isn’t lying, of course, I’ll be happy. Being a vice president, I’ll have more flexible hours, which is perfect as my own company is almost ready to launch.
I was supposed to have held a recruitment fair by now, but I’ve been too busy lately. Once things stabilize, I’m going to organize a large-scale hiring event.”
Seeing the smile at the corner of her mouth, Julian felt very warm inside. As long as she was happy, he was willing to do anything.
“I’ve already spoken with the fire department; you can start your business directly. If you need anything else, you can always reach out to me.”
“Julian, you’re always so thoughtful. Sometimes you take care of things before I’ve even thought of them.”
How could she not love a man like that?
“Things are a bit different here than abroad, and since you’ve just returned, you’re not aware. Many procedures just need a nod from me, and that’ll save you a lot of trouble.”
“Right.”
Aurora was in high spirits. She had plans with Jason at nine and didn’t want to arrive too early, so she decided to head to Montgomery Group first.
Aurora was feeling good, but suddenly noticed a sharp pain in her lower abdomen. It felt just like her period was starting.
Her periods were never regular. She hurried to the restroom to check, and upon removing her trousers, she found she was right.
Seeing the bright red, she felt a touch of disappointment. She had hoped… that this month she might be pregnant. Well, it was only one month; perhaps next month would be different.
Fortunately, she always carried spare pads in her bag. As she was taking care of things, she heard several footsteps approaching.
Outside, a group of women’s voices could be heard, “Miss Ivy, you are so kind. Yesterday, you treated us to seafood at the Grand East Coast, then karaoke in the evening, and even bought us breakfast this morning. We really don’t know how to thank you.”
“No need at all, we are colleagues after all. If you’re happy, I’m happy,” Ivy said hypocritically.
“Just because you are so generous, Miss Ivy, we must also help you take down Aurora. With you as manager, we’ll have better days ahead.”
“Yes, we need to push her out. I inquired last night; a childhood friend of mine works at Luminary Corp and has seen Eric and the president of Luminary entering and exiting together many times. They attended the same university, and she definitely won’t secure this order. Then we can use this to attack her and force her to step down.”
“Once she’s gone, the manager’s position will be yours, Miss Ivy.”
The women chattered back and forth, and Ivy seemed quite pleased, “If I become the manager, I’ll definitely treat everyone to a nice meal.”
The voices of the group faded away, and once everyone had left, Aurora emerged from the restroom.
Unbelievable, Ivy still harbored ill intentions, plotting to use her possible failure to secure an order as a reason to pull her down.
The ideas were nice, but reality was much crueler. Since they indulged in such pleasant fantasies, how could she interrupt their dreams?
Instead of returning to her office, Aurora called Heather.
“Manager, what do you need?”
“Spread the word that Luminary’s order went to Eric and that I’ve faced a setback and haven’t come to work,” Aurora cunningly instructed.
“Okay, Manager.”
Heather didn’t understand her motives, but trusted there was good reason.
The news quickly spread through the office. Ivy was thrilled. Aurora was always punctual, and if she wasn’t at work, it meant she truly had lost heart.
She signaled to the others, and Mrs. Lyman approached Heather with a stack of documents, “Heather, this is the performance data for the whole company this quarter. I need you to make a report by today for tomorrow’s meeting with the president.”
“A day’s notice? Aren’t performance reports usually started a week in advance?” Heather found it odd.