The two walked out of the hospital, and Julian looked puzzled. “Why didn’t you plead for Kimberly?”
“There’s no need. If I spoke up for Genevieve, it would be like rubbing salt in her wound. When you do something wrong, you must face the consequences. This is what she deserves. She has tried to have me assassinated multiple times in the past-she committed her crimes long ago. Being locked up in prison now is only fitting. I won’t concern myself with her matters anymore.”
“That’s fair. Not everyone who makes mistakes deserves forgiveness,” Julian said, secretly hoping Genevieve would suffer even more.
Aurora, outwardly intact, had endured far more suffering in her past than Genevieve was experiencing now.
“Mm. It’s over, and it has nothing to do with us anymore. Let’s go home.” Aurora took Julian’s hand.
“Alright, let’s go home. As long as our haven remains warm, we can weather any storm outside.”
As they were about to get in the car, Aurora spotted someone approaching. It was Alison, whom she hadn’t seen in days, carrying a basket of fruit. Aurora thought of the news she’d heard that afternoon about Paul’s car accident. There was no way this fruit was meant for Kimberly.
“I see someone I know. I’ll say hello. Wait for me in the car,” Aurora said, letting go of Julian’s hand.
“Okay, but don’t forget to come back.”
“Mm.” Aurora walked toward Alison.
“It’s been a while. Are you here to see her?” Alison referred to Kimberly.
Aurora pulled her aside to a spot where no one else was around. “Kimberly is hospitalized, Paul had a car accident. If you were seeking revenge, you’ve already achieved it. Why are you still here?”
“Coming to a hospital is naturally to visit someone,” Alison said, gesturing to the fruit basket in her hand.
“Alison, you know what I mean. Your revenge is complete, and I gave you a million dollars. You could’ve moved on to a happy life. Why are you still hanging around here?” Aurora couldn’t understand her persistence.
Aurora had always encouraged Alison to return to a normal life. But once someone started down a certain path, how could they ever retrace their steps?
“Aurora, I came to see the father of my child. What’s wrong with that?” Alison said with a slight smile.
Aurora froze. The father of her child? “You mean… Paul?” Her gaze dropped to Alison’s flat stomach.
“Mm, it’s been over two weeks now.” Alison’s lips curled into a strange smile.
Aurora was momentarily speechless. She suddenly felt that asking Alison for help had been a mistake.
“You… you know his current situation, right?” Aurora finally found her voice after a long pause.
“I know. He’s in the middle of divorcing Kimberly.”
“Do you also know that Kimberly plans to leave him with nothing? He might not get a single cent. And you still plan to have this baby?” Aurora looked at her in disbelief.
In terms of looks and figure, Alison certainly wasn’t lacking. Although her reputation had been tarnished before, people’s memories were short. In a few years, no one would remember. She could easily find a suitable man and live a peaceful life. But now Paul had nothing, his reputation was ruined, and as the mistress, Alison shouldn’t still have any interest in him.
“So what? I used to think money was important too. But later, I realized that for Kimberly, it’s not about money-it’s about Paul. She loves him deeply. Even if they divorce, that won’t change. The day she came to my workplace and humiliated me, I swore I would take away the person she treasures most!”
Aurora understood how terrifying hatred could be, but she hadn’t anticipated Alison would go so far as to use herself as a weapon for revenge.
“You’re using your future as a bargaining chip for revenge, deliberately getting pregnant with Paul’s child. Is it worth it?” Aurora was alarmed.
If she had known Alison would become this extreme, she would have reconsidered her actions back then. At the time, all she’d wanted was to repay Genevieve in kind, never imagining Alison would go to such lengths for revenge.
“I used to think it wasn’t worth it. How could I ruin my future over a man? But after being publicly humiliated by Kimberly, I realized nothing is more important than dignity.”
“I really regret what I did,” Aurora said, shaking her head. She hadn’t intended to drag innocent people into this mess for the sake of revenge.
“This has nothing to do with you. Everything I’ve done has been my choice. Anyway, I’m heading up to see him now.” Alison lifted the fruit basket.
Aurora didn’t know what to say. There were many things she couldn’t stop. Once something began, it couldn’t be undone.
She returned to the car feeling heavy-hearted. Julian noticed her expression. “What’s wrong? Didn’t have a good talk with her?”
“Julian, did I make a mistake?” Aurora asked, reflecting on the path that had led them here. She had only wanted Genevieve to face justice, but things had spiraled far beyond her intentions.
“What mistake?”
“By seeking revenge on Genevieve, I dragged so many others into this. I think I was wrong. Truly wrong.”
“You’re overthinking this again. All you did was set things in motion. The problem lies in human nature, not you. The same situation would lead to different choices for different people. Everyone is responsible for their own decisions. If you blame yourself for all this, you’ll only drive yourself mad.”
Julian ruffled her hair. Aurora was still young, though life had given her plenty of experience. But that didn’t make her perfect-she had her moments of doubt too.
“Really?” Aurora blinked.
“Really. You’re not God. You can’t control everyone’s fate. The path people take depends on their own choices, not you. Don’t overthink it.”
Julian was like Aurora’s life coach, always guiding her whenever she felt lost.
The car slowly made its way to their seaside villa. Aurora began to let go of her worries. Instead of dwelling on unrelated people, she decided to focus on cherishing her own life.
“I’ll take a shower first,” she said as soon as they got home, slipping into the bathroom. When she finished, she pushed Julian into the bathroom, instructing him to take his time.
She picked out a uniform-style dress-something Alison had once taught her. When Julian came out, he found Aurora in a black silk outfit, sitting on the edge of the bed.
His gaze lingered on her long, shapely legs, and his Adam’s apple bobbed. Another surprise. This girl never stopped surprising him.