Tina felt helpless. Taking care of a child was far more challenging than studying for exams in the past. She could only pull Aurora back into her arms. “If you agree to wear pants instead of a skirt, I’ll buy you colorful cotton candy tomorrow.”
“Colorful cotton candy?” Aurora’s tears stopped instantly, her big eyes lighting up.
“Yes, there is.”
“Is it like rainbow colors?”
“Yes, if you behave, Mommy will buy it for you.”
Aurora’s tears turned into a smile. “Mommy, I’ll behave. I’ll wear pants. You have to buy me colorful cotton candy.”
“Alright, I’ll buy you colorful cotton candy.” Tina smiled and held out her pinky. “Let’s make a pinky promise.”
This was Aurora’s favorite gesture. Whenever she was promised something, she would insist on a pinky promise, fearing the other person might forget.
Looking at Aurora’s smiling face, Tina saw a reflection of the little girl who used to cry over wearing skirts. Time had flown by so quickly.
“Aurora, let Mommy take a good look at you.” Tina brushed away the traces of tears on Aurora’s face. Her cheeks had grown, shedding the babyish innocence of childhood.
“Mommy, please don’t leave me again, okay?” Aurora thought of how, in the past, she didn’t even have the right to call Tina “Mommy.”
Now, hearing it felt especially precious. Tears welled in Tina’s eyes as she nodded. “You’re my treasure. How could I bear to lose you?”
“Alright, everyone calm down. Little Aurora is pregnant, and Tina is still recovering. Neither of you can get too emotional.”
“You’re right.” Tina smiled. At that moment, she didn’t want to think about anything else. She just wanted to stay by her daughter’s side.
Asher took a phone call. Julian had already arrived in New York and was frantic with worry.
Asher sent him the address of the sanatorium and assured him that everything was fine. Julian had been almost driven mad by his concern for Aurora.
“You little troublemaker, don’t you dare run off again. If you do, that man will practically flip the world over to find you. Anyway, he’s on his way here now.”
“Thank you, Ashy. Ashy, I’m a bit hungry. Can you get me some lunch?”
“Of course. What do you feel like eating?”
“Anything. You know my tastes.”
“Alright. Tina, make sure she doesn’t run off again while I’m gone.” Asher teased Tina playfully.
Tina knew the bond between Asher and Aurora. From the looks of it, their relationship was even closer than she had imagined.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure she doesn’t run off this time.”
“Goodbye, Tina.” Asher left, determined to get something nutritious for Aurora.
Once Asher was gone, Tina sent John Walsh and the others away. Then she turned to Aurora. “Alright, tell me. What is it you want to say to me?”
No one knew a daughter better than her mother. Asher hadn’t noticed Aurora’s intentions, but Tina had.
“You caught me, Mommy. How did you know?”
“You’ve always made this face when you try to hide something from me. Even after all these years, you haven’t changed.” Tina chuckled softly.
“Ah, so that’s how you knew? I let my guard down.” Aurora felt relaxed in her mother’s presence.
Looking at Aurora was like looking in a mirror. Not only did Aurora resemble Tina in appearance, but even her temperament was the same. Tina had already guessed what Aurora wanted to say.
“Aurora, Julian will be here soon. I want you to go back with him. From the moment you were born, I kept you away from the R family because I wanted you to grow up as an ordinary child.
I gave you medicine to prevent pregnancy because I knew that if you had a child, you’d inherit the so-called curse. You’d only live to thirty.
Julian has been giving you medicine these past few months to nourish your body, and now you’re pregnant. Everything I did was for nothing.
But it’s not just about that. The family is too dangerous. You shouldn’t have gotten involved. I refused to acknowledge you before because it was for your own good.
Now, many in the family support Mio. If you don’t want to, Mr. Elderstone won’t force you.
Just pretend you don’t know anything about the family. I’ll ask Mr. Elderstone to keep your existence a secret. The two of you can live a peaceful life together.”
Tina’s voice was earnest and full of concern. She didn’t want Aurora to go down the same path she had.
Aurora’s grandmother had taken the serum, forgetting even the man she loved most. Tina still remembered how, as a child, her mother would stare blankly into space and ask herself if she’d forgotten something.
It broke Tina’s heart. She resolved never to experience the same thing. She had to escape the family.
But things didn’t go as planned. She trusted the wrong person, Magnus, and had a child. Even knowing what would happen, she decided to have the baby, convinced Magnus was the love of her life.
Tina had always been someone who loved with all her heart. Even though she foresaw her own fate, she still gave everything for love.
Aurora met Tina’s gentle gaze. It was the same as always-full of love and warmth, directed solely at her.
“Mommy, if I leave, what about you?”
“I don’t have much time left. As the head of the family, I have my responsibilities. Being forgiven by you in this lifetime is enough for me.”
Aurora reached out to touch Tina’s face. Despite being bare-faced, Tina didn’t look like a woman in her forties. Perhaps it was the family’s unique traits.
“Mommy, you’ve done enough for me. You’ve protected me for so long. Now it’s my turn to protect you.
If it’s a curse, I believe there’s a way to break it. I won’t let anything happen to you. As your daughter, I have my responsibilities too. I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”
“Aurora, didn’t Mr. Elderstone tell you? If you take over as head of the family, you’ll be injected with FT2?”
“Yes, he told me.”
“Then why are you still willing? Julian is a good man. I know you love him, and he loves you too. If you choose to forget, do you know how much that will hurt him?” Tina couldn’t understand why Aurora was so stubborn.
Aurora’s expression was resolute. “Mommy, I know you’re trying to protect me. If there were any other way, I wouldn’t do this.
Grandpa Bramwell promised me that if I break the rules, I can reshape the family. I’ll abolish all these absurd traditions.”
“You stubborn child. I don’t want you to carry so much on your shoulders.” Tina ruffled Aurora’s hair gently.