The two of them returned to the villa. Just as they got out of the car, they noticed two people standing at the entrance. Upon seeing the car pull up, the pair hurried to greet them.
“What are you two doing here?” Aurora asked, her gaze falling on Zachary and Ivy. She hadn’t expected to see them at her villa.
The two looked disheveled, their clothing and appearances lacking the polished glamor they once prided themselves on. Ivy, in particular, was bare-faced-so different from her usual meticulous self.
“Aurora, we’re here to apologize,” Ivy said earnestly, her expression unusually sincere.
“Apologize? Why is it that those words sound so suspicious coming from you two?” Aurora’s lips curled into a cold smirk as she recalled how not long ago, Ivy had been wearing an extravagant gown, orchestrating a cruel scheme with beggars to humiliate her. Back then, Ivy’s triumphant smile had been anything but apologetic.
“Aurora, I know Zach and I have done many terrible things to you in the past. We came here today to sincerely apologize and hope you can forgive us,” Ivy said, reaching out to take Aurora’s hand.
Aurora immediately shook her hand off. If their past actions had been mere petty pranks, she might not have been so ruthless. But this… this was different.
“I can’t bear the weight of your apologies. Don’t come looking for me again. Even the paternity test has proven there’s no blood relation between us,” Aurora replied coldly.
“Fine, fine, fine,” Ivy said hurriedly. “Aurora, we really are here to apologize. We’ve reflected a lot these days and realized how wrong we were.”
Aurora was unaware of the recent developments. She hadn’t yet learned that Genevieve had turned herself in to replace Zachary. After spending her day at work, she hadn’t had the opportunity to hear the news. In her eyes, Zachary and Ivy showing up here with this act could only mean one thing-they were plotting to worm their way back into the Montgomery family. After all, they’d lost everything now.
Having grown accustomed to the life of indulgence within the Montgomery family, they were unlikely to adjust to their new reality. With no income and the stigma of being illegitimate children, they were undoubtedly the subject of ridicule. It was no surprise that they’d try to grovel for forgiveness and seek a way back into the family.
To Aurora, their sudden remorse was nothing but a calculated performance. Yes, people could change, but not in such a short amount of time. And if they had experienced something significant enough to change them, it was likely her own actions-kicking them out of the Montgomery family-that had caused it. She doubted they felt anything but hatred toward her. True repentance? That was laughable.
“Apologize? Where was your apology when you drugged me twice and sent thugs to assault me? Where was your apology when you put snakes in my room to scare me? Now that you’ve been kicked out of the Montgomery family, you suddenly know how to ask for forgiveness?” Aurora’s voice dripped with anger.
The more she thought about it, the more enraged she became. She had never wronged them, yet from the moment they entered the Montgomery family, they had treated her with arrogance and cruelty.
“We were young and foolish back then. Please, be the bigger person and forgive us. We truly know we were wrong,” Ivy pleaded, though her tone betrayed her frustration.
But they had no other choice. They had originally sought out Paul for help, only to find him hospitalized after a car accident and hovering between life and death. They had then tried to approach some of the well-off acquaintances they’d known in the past, but as soon as those people saw who was at their door, they refused to even let them in.
Only now did Ivy and Zachary realize that all the people who had once praised them-calling them charming or lovable-had only done so out of respect for the Montgomery family. Without that family name, they were nothing. No one was willing to help them, or even acknowledge them.
Left with no other options, Ivy turned to Aurora. Aurora now had wealth and power, and if she wanted, she could undoubtedly help them.
“Just say it. What are you really here for? Stop putting on this act-I’ve known you two long enough,” Aurora said, her expression unreadable.
The two exchanged glances. Finally, Ivy clenched her teeth and confessed the truth. As Aurora listened, a flicker of emotion crossed her face.
She thought back to the day she’d stood by the window, watching Genevieve’s retreating figure. To think that Genevieve had traded herself to save Zachary… Despite all the terrible things Genevieve had done, she had, at least once, made a meaningful sacrifice for her children.
“What do you want me to do? If she’s convicted of intentional harm, the court will decide how many years she’ll serve. I’m not a judge. Pleading with me won’t change anything,” Aurora said firmly.
“True, you’re not a judge,” Ivy replied desperately. “But the Montgomery family has connections. We’ve already suffered enough. Please, just speak on my mother’s behalf.”
Money could move mountains, and Ivy knew this well. As long as Aurora was willing to help, there was hope.
“You’re mistaken about one thing,” Aurora retorted. “In the eyes of the law, everyone is equal. I can’t help you.”
“Aurora, maybe what we’re asking is too much,” Ivy said, clinging to her arm. “If you can’t get her out, at least reduce her sentence. Please, I’m begging you.”
“Sentence reduction?” Aurora raised her hands in mock surrender. “As long as your mother behaves well in prison, she’ll earn a reduction automatically. That’s not something I can influence.”
“Aurora, I’m begging you! Punish me if you want-hit me, yell at me, I don’t care. You know what it’s like to lose your mother. We’ve already been kicked out of the Montgomery family. Yes, we were awful before, but none of that was our choice! We didn’t ask to be born into this situation.
From the moment we were brought into this world, our mother gave us everything she could. She told us about the hardships she endured and vowed we wouldn’t suffer the same. When we joined the Montgomery family, we thought we’d stepped into a fairytale. From your perspective, my mom was vile, yes. She broke apart your family. But she did it so that we could have a better life! Is loving her children so much a crime? Now that she’s in trouble, how can we just stand by and do nothing?”
Aurora couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of Ivy’s words.
“For her children?” Aurora sneered. “I’ll admit, parents naturally want the best for their kids. But by your logic, should every mother become a mistress to secure a better life for her children? Should the world be filled with mistresses, then?
You say you’re suffering without a mother now. Do you know how old I was when Genevieve drove my mother away? Do you know the pain I endured? Why is it that good people are expected to just endure and move on while bad people deserve redemption? You say you’ve suffered, but everything I’ve endured has been soaked in blood and tears!” Aurora’s anger boiled over.