Magnus was surprised when Ivy suddenly grabbed him.
“Why are you still here?”
he asked. Although he had never ousted Ivy, he thought that after all that had happened, she would be too ashamed to come back to work. However, he had underestimated her.
“Dad, even though I’m not your biological daughter, the years we’ve spent together are not fake. I’ve been having a really tough time these past few days,” Ivy said, her face haggard, hoping for the gentle treatment from Magnus that she had grown accustomed to in the past.
Speaking of hardships, Magnus, who had been deceived for so many years, was truly the one who suffered the most. His mental state had taken a massive hit and hadn’t yet recovered, especially after their scandal had become public. He felt that everyone looked at him with pity.
Now, the whole world knew he had been cuckolded, spending over twenty years raising another man’s son and daughter, which led to his first wife’s death out of sheer anger.
Some called him foolish, others called him trash, for bringing an evil woman into their home, thus tormenting his own daughter.
“You’re having a hard time? My time has been worse. Let go of me; I’m not your father anymore,” Magnus said coldly.
He was not a man who judged without knowing the full story. If Ivy and Zachary had not tormented Aurora in the past, he might not have blamed the adults’ grudges on the children.
When Aurora had shared the ordeal she had endured, Magnus realized just how despicable he had been for allowing such venomous children to torment Aurora. Because of Ivy’s bullying, he could never forgive her in this lifetime.
“Dad, how can you be so heartless? Remember how you used to hold me when I was little? Anything I wanted, you’d buy for me. You were so gentle. Even though we’re not related by blood, you are the only father I acknowledge in my life,” Ivy pleaded, hoping that Magnus would remember their past affection and forgive her.
“Yes, I cherished you like a treasure, but what did you do? You and Zachary have always bullied Aurora, framing her,” Magnus retorted.
“Dad, those actions were instigated by mom; we were too young to discern right from wrong. I know it wasn’t fair to sister, and I’ve always wanted to apologize,” Ivy said, trying to win her way back into the Montgomery family by humbling herself.
“Whether you apologize or not is your affair; sorry, I have to go,” Magnus said, seeing through the true nature of Ivy and Genevieve. He had no intention of being fooled again.
The better he treated Ivy, the more unfair it was to Aurora. If only he had realized this sooner, he wouldn’t have lost his wife, nor would he have caused Aurora such a traumatic childhood.
“Dad, Zach is still at the police station; are you really so heartless as to not care about him too?”
Ivy hurriedly grasped at Magnus as the elevator arrived.
Magnus frowned. He hadn’t been upset until she mentioned it, recalling the dangerous situation. If Tina hadn’t stopped Zachary, who knows what might have happened.
“Find whoever’s son he is,” Magnus said, shaking off her hand. Ivy watched helplessly as Magnus disappeared into the elevator.
“Dad, you can’t treat me this way,” Ivy cried, pounding on the elevator doors.
This scene was witnessed by other employees leaving the office. They watched her incredulously.
“This woman really has thick skin, insisting on being part of the Montgomery family even though she’s not his daughter,” one woman said disdainfully.
“Of course, would you give up on the Montgomery family fortune? But now they don’t even recognize her, and yet she still has the nerve to call him dad,” another woman scoffed.
“It’s just that Mr. Montgomery has been too kind. After being manipulated by that mother and daughter for so many years, it’s truly beyond obligation that he still keeps her in the company.”
“If it were up to me, I would never want to see her again in my life, just kick her out of the company,” another person chimed in.
“What are you saying!”
Ivy, furious, glared at the several women in front of her, wondering when she had fallen so low as to be the mockery of passersby.
“What? Miss Montgomery, haven’t you heard yet, or should I remind you again? We said you have a thick face, thicker than the floor tiles of our company.
If I were you, I’d hide at home rather than shamelessly showing my face around,” the person continued mockingly.
“What are you, to mock me?”
Ivy picked up a mop nearby and swung it at the women.
“Goodness, this woman has gone mad!”
“Get out, all of you get out!”
Ivy shouted as she watched them leave.
The others in the company dared not provoke her, each glancing at her as if she were insane before hastily departing.
The once bustling company was growing emptier, and for the first time in her life, Ivy doubted whether staying at the company was right or wrong. Could Magnus still be won back?
No, no matter how tough, she had to try; she couldn’t just leave. Without the protection of the Montgomery family, how could she face the darkness outside?
Having endured cold stares on just the first day, Ivy couldn’t begin to imagine what the future held. She had to find a way back.
Magnus and Aurora had left in a hurry, managing to invite Tina out for a meal after much difficulty.
Julian dropped Aurora off at the restaurant, “I shouldn’t really be here today; I’ll come pick you up later.”
“Don’t forget to eat well while I’m not around,” Aurora said, kissing his lips, and Julian nodded.
“Be good, call me later.”
“Okay.”
Each departure between them was filled with sweetness.
Aurora felt that the painful past wasn’t entirely bad after all; she had seen a rainbow after the storm.
The restaurant they chose was an underwater themed one, entirely enveloped in blue water, allowing diners to watch various schools of fish.
Aurora had always wanted to visit an aquarium as a child. Unfortunately, Magnus’s schedule never aligned, preventing their family from ever visiting one together.
She arrived early at the reserved spot, and Magnus arrived soon after, half an hour earlier than planned.
“Dad, you’re here. Where’s mom?”
she asked, not bothering to correct herself privately.
“Aurora, you still think of her as your mom?”
Magnus asked, somewhat excitedly.
“Yes, no matter how much she has changed now or in the past, but a mother and daughter’s hearts are linked-I’m sure she is my mom!”
Aurora asserted confidently.
“Even if she is, she could never forgive me in this lifetime,” Magnus’s excitement faded.
“That may not be true; we are a family, and nothing can separate us now that we have a chance to reunite. This time, I will protect our home; I have grown up,” Aurora vowed inwardly. No matter what hardships Tina faced, she would strive to bring her back. A family should be together.
“I don’t dare hope for her forgiveness, just to atone for my sins in the time I have left,” Magnus knew his sins were too deep to expect forgiveness.
“The future is full of uncertainties, but I believe that we will be together again and never part!”
Aurora declared firmly.
“Look, mom is coming,” Aurora said, looking towards the distant figure in a black trench coat, her presence turning heads as if she were a major celebrity.