Julian stood at the edge of the crowd, watching the dazzling woman at the center of it all. Faced with a barrage of questions from reporters and the media, she answered with composure, neither hurried nor boastful. No matter how sharp the questions were, she deflected them with grace and ease.
He suddenly thought that if Aurora had entered the entertainment industry, she would undoubtedly have become a mega-star by now. Thankfully, she had no such intention. Otherwise, more people would have seen her, and Julian could hardly bear the thought of others gazing at his “Little Bunny.” He wanted to hide her away, to keep her all to himself.
But deep down, he knew that if he had chosen to clip her wings instead of helping her soar, she wouldn’t have become the radiant, joyful woman she was today. While he didn’t like others seeing her, her happiness was all that mattered to him. Her eyes, shimmering like rippling water, carried a faint satisfaction that made his heart ache with tenderness.
Although he had helped promote her work this time, her success was ultimately her own. Everything she had achieved was the result of her tireless efforts. How could he not be moved by such a brilliant woman? He knew he would never let her go in this lifetime.
The event lasted most of the day, and by noon, the crowd finally began to disperse. Candy, in a hurry to catch her flight, left before the event had even concluded. Aurora apologized and had Heather take Candy to the airport.
—
At the Airport
Candy handed Heather her private number, and just like that, the two became friends. Heather was still in a daze-she never imagined she would one day befriend a celebrity like Candy.
“Alright, no need to see me off. I’m leaving now. And remember, don’t be so silly in the future,” Candy said with a smile as she bid Heather farewell.
Watching Candy disappear into the security checkpoint, Heather felt both relieved and a little forlorn. Would she ever have the chance to meet her again?
For the first time, Heather realized that while there were celebrities like Susan, who were two-faced, there were also genuine and straightforward people like Candy. Life, she thought, was truly fascinating.
Back at the event, Ian’s nerves could finally relax. He hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep in two weeks. Heather thought of his slightly tired yet excited eyes, and her heart began to race.
So this is love, she thought. Love is when just thinking about someone makes you feel sweet inside.
—
When the event ended, Ian excitedly handed Aurora the final order tally. Over 10, 000 bottles had been sold.
“Miss Montgomery, take a look!”
“Not bad,” Aurora said with a smile. She was very satisfied with the results. After all, this was just from on-site sales. It was a remarkable achievement.
If those 10, 000 bottles sold well and garnered positive reviews, the brand would truly be successful. Aurora knew this innovative marketing model would soon be copied by other companies.
Previously, many companies had been worried about overproduction and the risk of unsold goods. But with this pre-order model, customers paid a deposit upfront and the remainder upon delivery. Even if there were returns, the deposit wouldn’t be refunded. This allowed companies to control market demand and significantly reduce risk.
While Aurora’s sales strategy was imitated, no one ever managed to achieve results as outstanding as hers.
True to her word, Aurora hosted a banquet to thank everyone for their hard work. She even gave everyone three days off to make up for the half-month of overtime they had endured, including weekends. Her generosity surprised everyone, and the atmosphere at the banquet was lively and joyful.
Even Gemma attended. She silently hoped for another chance, though she knew that even if Aurora didn’t take action against her, Mona wouldn’t let her off so easily.
To her surprise, no one brought up the incident. Throughout the banquet, neither Aurora nor Mona called her aside for a private talk.
Had they forgotten about it? Or were they simply too busy? Or perhaps Heather hadn’t told them?
For now, Gemma only cared about staying with the company. The benefits were excellent, and Aurora had promised that if the company performed well, everyone would receive bonuses.
Such a humane and generous company, paired with today’s resounding success, meant that Sun was destined for a bright future. Aurora’s extensive network of connections, evident from the influential figures who attended the event, further solidified her position.
Even if the work was exhausting at times, the potential rewards were worth it. After today’s perfume launch, everyone was in awe of Aurora. She had become their idol, their goddess.
—
Gemma spent the banquet in nervous anticipation. When it finally ended, many people had had too much to drink. Ian offered to escort Heather home.
As the clear skies of the day gave way to a snowy night, Gemma, who had also drunk a lot, noticed Ian taking Heather’s hand as they walked toward the subway station. Heather was wearing the scarf Ian had given her, and the two exchanged smiles that exuded warmth and romance.
At the hotel entrance, Aurora had also drunk quite a bit and was visibly tipsy. A black car was parked not far away, and from it emerged a tall, elegant figure.
“How much did you drink?” Julian asked. Earlier that evening, he had been entertaining Denis Vukic and Asher, two distinguished guests, leaving Aurora to dine with her team.
Aurora’s alcohol tolerance was far from impressive. Her cheeks were flushed, and when she saw Julian, she leaned into his arms without hesitation.
“Julian, you’re here,” she murmured.
This softer, more vulnerable side of Aurora was never visible at the office. Outside, she was like a warrior, invincible and unstoppable.
In her daze, she thought she heard him sigh softly. Then, the tall man scooped her up in his arms.
“Let’s go home. Don’t drink so much next time,” he said.
“Okay. Let’s go home,” Aurora mumbled, burying her head in his chest.
An assistant opened the car door for them, and the two got into the luxury car. Julian’s affection for Aurora was undeniable.
Gemma had once naively thought that someone like Julian, with his wealth and status, would eventually lose interest in a woman. But time and time again, she saw him treating Aurora with more and more care. Their relationship had grown so deep that no one could come between them.
As the car drove away, colleagues began leaving in small groups.
“Gemma, aren’t you leaving?” someone asked.
“I’ll leave soon,” she replied.
“The snow’s getting heavier. Do you want me to give you a ride?”
In the past, Gemma might have flirted a little, but after watching those two couples leave, she had no such energy.
“I’ll take a taxi. You go ahead,” she said.
“Alright, take care.”
“Will do.”
Gemma walked into the snowy night alone, shivering from the cold. This Christmas felt especially bitter.