Carmine looked astonished. “Miss Aurora, you’re going to bake it yourself?”
“Yes,” Aurora replied.
“Um… do you know how to bake?” Carmine asked, surprised. Ordinary cakes weren’t difficult, but since it was a gift, it couldn’t just be a simple, plain one. While she had never baked a cake herself, she knew that some types of cakes could be extremely complex and time-consuming.
“I’ve never baked before, but don’t we have a chef at home? I’ll just ask him to teach me,” Aurora said with confidence.
“Miss Aurora, please don’t overexert yourself. Your health should always come first.”
“Don’t worry. It’s just baking a cake-it’s no big deal.” Aurora thought they were overly concerned about her health. She had always felt fine.
“Alright, it’s time to finish work for the day. Miss Aurora, you should head home now,” Carmine said. As a personal assistant, Carmine was truly diligent, not only handling Aurora’s work efficiently but also caring for her personal life.
“I am a bit tired,” Aurora admitted, putting down the documents she had been reviewing. After a full day of reading, her head was spinning.
Ever since becoming pregnant, her energy clearly wasn’t what it used to be. She tired easily and had to push herself to focus on work. Even managing to read through a day’s worth of materials was a testament to her determination.
“I’ll arrange for the driver to take you home today.”
“Alright.” Aurora only wanted to rest now. She planned to study how to make a strawberry cake after she got some sleep.
When she returned home, she skipped dinner and fell asleep right away. She woke up at nine, ate a late dinner, and then asked the chef to help her learn how to bake.
“Miss Aurora, you want to learn how to bake a cake? There are many different types on the market. Do you know which one you’d like to learn?”
“Hmm, I want something unique and exquisite-it’s a gift,” Aurora explained her requirements.
“Currently, fountain cakes are popular for weddings or milestone celebrations. Compared to traditional cakes, they are more elaborate, require high-quality ingredients, and are a true test of craftsmanship.”
“Alright, then I’ll make a fountain cake. Teach me how,” Aurora said decisively.
The chef had no choice but to prepare the ingredients as instructed. Aurora had seen fountain cakes at many important events before.
The intricate patterns were stunning, and the cake itself looked more like a piece of art than something edible.
Making the cake base wasn’t difficult, but carving those patterns was the real challenge.
“Miss Aurora, what kind of design do you want for the cake?”
“I’ve never done this before. What design do you think would look good?”
“Since the cake isn’t very large, there’s no need for overly complicated designs. I think a blue rose would be perfect-simple, elegant, and sophisticated. It’s also manageable for a beginner, while still offering a striking visual impact.”
“Alright, let’s go with the blue rose,” Aurora agreed. She trusted the chef, who worked for a high-end restaurant. If he said it would look good, it definitely would.
“Okay, first, we’ll take some fondant and color it with blueberry jam. Yes, just like that. Then, we’ll cut out a few circular shapes to use as petals later.”
Aurora nodded and followed the chef’s instructions. Although the design looked simple, making it was far from easy. Fortunately, Aurora had a background in art, so she had a good eye for shapes and proportions.
By her third attempt, her work was already looking impressive. Even the chef nodded in approval.
“Miss Aurora, you’re truly gifted! I’ve trained many students before, but none of them had your talent. You’ve never worked with cakes before, and yet you’ve mastered this flower design, which requires a certain level of skill.”
“I didn’t expect it to turn out so well either,” Aurora said, scratching her head with a shy smile.
“To get it right on your third try… that’s unheard of!”
“Calling it ‘mastered’ is a bit of an exaggeration. I’ve just managed this one design. If it were something else, I’d probably struggle. It’s getting late; you should rest. I’ll make another one tomorrow.”
“Alright, Miss Aurora. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.”
“Okay.”
Aurora yawned. It was indeed late-nearly midnight. She went to bed obediently and got up early the next day. She left work two hours earlier than usual to head home and prepare the birthday gift for the young master.
She personally prepared strawberries and jam. Aurora found regular cakes too bland, so she decided to make a mille-feuille cake. She added diced fruit between each layer and finished it with the blue rose design on top.
The entire cake was small-just enough for two people-but it was exquisitely crafted. It was so perfect that it looked like a work of art. She almost didn’t want to give it away.
But since it wasn’t for her to eat, she left that dilemma to the young master.
After packing the cake into a specially designed box, she included a handwritten card. With everything ready, she changed into a new outfit and left for the evening banquet, which was being held at her family’s large garden villa.
Luxury cars streamed in one after another, carrying guests who were mostly prominent figures in the business world. Aurora didn’t recognize most of them.
Asher spotted her the moment she arrived. Although he knew she had lost her memory, he couldn’t help but want to confirm it for himself. He walked toward her, but Aurora brushed past him without the slightest reaction.
Watching her familiar figure disappear into the crowd, Asher smiled bitterly. Compared to the days he spent watching her happily in love with Julian, being forgotten by her hurt even more.
“Little devil…” he murmured with a sigh.
Aurora had already blended into the crowd when someone greeted her.
“Aurora,” Hayden said, surprised to see her here.
He had left Clothville specifically to avoid running into her again, yet here she was.
Aurora looked at him blankly. “Do I know you?”
“Aurora, what’s wrong?” Hayden asked, confused by the unfamiliarity in her eyes. It was as if they were complete strangers.
“I… don’t remember anything from before,” Aurora admitted honestly.
Hayden stared at her in disbelief, as if she had just told him something impossible.
“Are you okay now? And where is he?” Hayden asked, assuming something terrible had happened to her.
“I’m fine. Who are you talking about?”
“You don’t even remember him?” Hayden asked, stunned.
“Miss Aurora, we should go inside,” Carmine interrupted, unsure if Hayden was a friend or foe.
Aurora nodded and gave Hayden a polite nod. “Excuse me.”
As she walked away, Hayden was left staring after her, completely baffled. What on earth had happened to her?