Lunch was served, and it was impossible for Julian and Aurora to shield Hayden and Susan from the toasts. Besides, Julian was worried that Aurora might be hungry, so he took her straight to the family and friends table. Although it was under Aurora’s influence that Joaquin had not dined with his son for a long time.
“Julian, isn’t it a bit too much to do this on their wedding day?”
Aurora thought of Susan’s tear-streaked face she had seen earlier. After all, Susan was a celebrity, and her unflattering photos from today had already been taken, likely soon to hit the headlines.
As for the grudge from three years ago, Aurora felt that Hayden not loving Susan was the best punishment for her.
“Naive Aurora, you don’t know what she has done. She arranged everything last night. When I see the wounds on your hand, I think of her. Have you forgotten how she pushed you into the sea last time?”
“That’s true.”
Aurora felt that the longer she stayed with Julian, the more he spoiled her, to the point where she lost her sense of direction and her past resentment had faded.
“Have some soup first.”
Julian immediately served her a bowl of chicken soup.
Joaquin, observing them, frowned deeply.
“Can’t she do anything herself? Why must everything be handed to her?”
“What does it matter to you how I pamper my own wife?”
Julian retorted, glaring back at Joaquin, who bristled with anger.
Hearing the word “wife,” Aurora blushed. Initially, she resisted Julian’s affections, but over time, she had grown accustomed to his kindness. She had even started ignoring how he always picked out her favorite dishes during meals, so much so that she seldom reached for the dishes herself.
In the time it took to eat from her bowl, Julian would have already filled it for her.
“In our Alvarez family, women honor their husbands, and it’s the wife’s duty to serve and add to the meals,” Joaquin grumbled angrily.
“Sorry, in our Barnet family, not only serving and adding to meals but even washing dishes and cleaning are men’s tasks. We marry our wives to cherish them, and since I haven’t even married her yet, I ought to spoil her utterly,” Julian declared.
Aurora chuckled, amused by Julian’s ability to switch allegiances. He had been part of the Alvarez family when asking Hayden for a toast. Now that the ceremony was over, he claimed he was no longer one of them. Was he intentionally trying to infuriate Joaquin?
“You defiant boy! Are you purposely trying to provoke me?”
Joaquin was so angry he almost slammed the table.
“Dad, Julian has always been rebellious, and you know his temperament well. Today is Hayden’s big day,” Hayden’s father quickly intervened, preventing Joaquin from possibly flipping the table in his rage.
“Let’s eat first,” Aurora also quickly pulled at Julian.
“Alright, as you wish.”
The couple seemed blissfully like newlyweds. Although Joaquin was initially furious, seeing Julian’s tender gaze at Aurora softened his heart. This Julian, who seemed almost saintly compared to his formerly prickly self, was new to Joaquin. Realizing this lightened his heart, and a faint smile appeared on Joaquin’s lips. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad if Julian truly loved this woman.
Now that such a scandal had erupted within the Montgomery family, Aurora was the sole daughter of the family. The Montgomery and Gilpin families were of equal standing, and critically, Aurora was the woman Julian deeply loved, and Joaquin had ceased his opposition.
Hayden came over with Susan, bitterness still lingering in his eyes.
“May you find happiness,” Aurora said as she stood, her expression serene. She had completely let go of the events from three years ago.
After making his rounds with a toast, Hayden was slightly tipsy. Seeing Aurora now stirred a mix of emotions within him. He didn’t speak but downed his drink in one gulp.
Drinking, turning around, at that moment, he clearly understood that he had lost her forever.
“Alright, let’s go too,” Julian said, seeing that Aurora had also put down her chopsticks, ready to lead her away.
“Wait, I have something to say to her,” Joaquin interjected, seeing the two about to leave, clearly still not resigning to having no place in her heart.
“But we have nothing to say to you,” Julian retorted, wrapping his arm around Aurora and leaving without giving Joaquin any face.
As they left, Aurora felt slightly bewildered.
“Julian, he is still your father after all. Is it really okay to leave like this? Maybe he has something important to say.”
“Fool, what important thing could he possibly have to say? He just wants to pull you aside and lay down the law. Remember, you are a Barnet now, why should you follow the Alvarez family’s rules?”
Julian scoffed, already guessing what Joaquin intended to say.
“Little Bunny, you must believe that our being together is just about the two of us, irrelevant to anyone else. No one can tear us apart.”
“Julian, I understand. No one can affect us,” Aurora said, taking his hand.
“Didn’t sleep well last night, did you? You don’t look very well,” Julian remarked, gently touching her head.
“Yeah, I’m having lunch with my mom this afternoon,” Aurora said, her mood brightening at the thought.
Julian gave her a look but said nothing further. Aurora got into the car and started idly browsing the news on her phone, only to discover that a past incident where she nearly drowned had hit the headlines.
“Moscar winner Susan Simmons Nearly Killed A Woman!”
The screen showed Aurora, drenched and lying on the ground surrounded by onlookers.
“What possible reason could Susan Simmons have for pushing that woman off the cliff…”
“Julian, what’s going on? This incident happened so long ago, why is it in the news now?”
Aurora was puzzled.
“She hurt you, she must pay the price. I want her out of the entertainment industry!”
Julian stated emphatically.
“Did you orchestrate this?”
Aurora was shocked.
“Do you know what she has done? Last night, that child, that candy, those beggars-it was all orchestrated by Susan. Getting her out of the industry is the least of her punishments.”
Julian took Aurora’s hand, previously adorned with white lace gloves. Removing the gloves, they revealed the traces of bandages underneath.
“Even if this wound heals, it will leave a scar. Aurora, I’m sorry I didn’t protect you well enough, and you were hurt,” Julian said, lifting her hand to his lips for a gentle kiss.