Genevieve cherished her two children above all else in her life. Now, her son had been taken to the police station, and her daughter had been dishonored. Was this truly a debt that needed to be repaid?
She had enjoyed twenty years of glory, and now it seemed she must atone for it with her beloved children. Genevieve knelt on the ground, “Lord, everything is my doing. If there is to be retribution, let it fall upon me, for my two children are innocent.”
“Mom, stop talking,” Ivy said through tears, her eyes swollen like walnuts. She silently took out the medicine Genevieve had bought and swallowed it. Though the pill was tasteless, her mouth filled with bitterness.
She recalled how those beggars had disgustingly forced their tongues into her mouth the night before, their hands wandering over her body, causing her stomach to churn and making her vomit once again. Having not eaten, there was nothing to vomit but dry heaves. While physical filth could be washed away, the stain on her psyche seemed permanent.
“Never mind, I’ve made some porridge for you. Eat and rest well. Once you wake up, we’ll talk more, and I’ll go get more medicine,” Genevieve said, feeling somewhat helpless. Such incidents were like nightmares for women. Ivy now understood the sorrow and disgust, but she hadn’t considered how Aurora must have felt when she had treated her the same way. Would Aurora have felt just as bad?
Ivy tried to take her medicine again, but she couldn’t sleep well. Whenever she dozed off, she dreamt of men crawling towards her body.
“Don’t, don’t touch me!”
she cried out in her sleep. Genevieve stayed by her side, helpless but patient.
“Ivy, mom is here, you’re going to be okay,” she said, comforting her until Ivy finally closed her eyes.
The next day, Aurora went to the office refreshed and ready to select a new manager. As she arrived downstairs, she saw Eric, who had not come in his own car but rather in a woman’s sedan.
“Ricky, I’ll pick you up after work,” Emily called out loudly, embarrassing Eric, who wished he could disappear. He had been so angry at the time that he had foolishly agreed to her terms, and now the thought of spending another month with her was overwhelming.
“Stop calling me Ricky!”
Eric snapped. Emily seemed oblivious, wondering what else she could call him. Just then, she spotted the neatly dressed Aurora nearby and hurried over.
“Miss Montgomery, hello, I’m Emily from Langdon Corporate. We’ll be working on a project together soon. I’m pleased to meet you.”
Aurora had a good impression of her. Genuine, unpretentious women were rare these days, and taking Eric off her hands might not be such a bad thing.
“Hello, I’m Aurora.”
“Miss Montgomery, you are so beautiful! How do you maintain your skin? My dad always says I don’t look like a girl. If I had your skin, I’d die happy in my dreams,” Emily exclaimed.
Aurora smiled. Her skin was naturally fairer and more delicate than most. Emily’s was not dark, just not as fair in comparison.
In the crowd, Emily’s complexion was notably fine, but such unreserved praise from Aurora was a first.
“Miss Langdon, you are naturally beautiful, why envy me?”
“I heard that Miss Montgomery and I are the same age, but you are much more accomplished than I am. I truly admire strong women like you, even managing to secure orders from Luminary. My father says Luminary is a very large publicly traded company. Miss Montgomery, could you teach me?”
Emily appeared genuinely enthusiastic, not merely flattering for the sake of closeness but from the heart.
If Aurora had agreed at that moment, Emily would have probably run over to hug her, given her straightforward and heroic nature.
Aurora glanced at Eric, guessing Emily was unaware that the real big boss behind Luminary had just stepped out of her car.
“Miss Langdon, I too have my shortcomings. If you wish to learn, I suggest you learn from Eric. I have another meeting soon, so I must go,” Aurora quickly excused herself.
“Miss Montgomery, hey, why are you rushing off?”
Emily was confused, and Eric was somewhat speechless at her naivety.
“I have to go as well.”
“Remember to stop by here after work, I’ll be waiting,” Emily cheerfully waved him goodbye.
Aurora felt something odd yet fitting about the two, as she and Eric rode silently in the same elevator. Neither spoke, and though Eric tried to say something several times, he ended up saying nothing. What could he say after all? Since that incident, he had left a very bad impression on Aurora, and now they merely nodded to each other in passing.
Back in her office, Aurora glanced towards Ivy’s empty desk, unaware of what Ivy had encountered.
She merely thought they had been ousted from the Montgomery family, and that Zachary’s arrest had been too much for Ivy.
With such developments, and Ivy’s pride, now knowing she wasn’t a Montgomery daughter, she probably felt too ashamed to continue working.
Aurora didn’t dwell on it, focusing instead on organizing her documents.
“Manager, your water.”
Those who usually kept their distance had heard rumors that Aurora’s managerial position might soon be up for grabs among them. She observed these people who had eagerly badmouthed her, now diligently currying favor for her position.
“Thank you, just put it there,” Aurora pretended not to notice their intentions, too weary to care.
Just then, Ivy appeared in the doorway, pale-faced, her situation having already spread throughout the company. Everyone thought she would never show her face again, yet here she was, surprisingly showing up to work. Even Aurora was taken aback, as this was not typical of Ivy’s style. She had the courage to face the gossip, now without the protection of the Montgomery family and her awkward status, the old hands wouldn’t be kind to her.
Ivy ignored everyone’s stares and went straight to her desk, silent as a muted film. Aurora, seeing her haggard appearance, thought she was deeply affected but decided not to ponder further, simply saying to those around her, “Alright, you may go now.”