Aurora listened quietly as Rebecca recounted her past with Mio. After a pause, she finally spoke.
“Love is one of the hardest things to explain,” Aurora said softly. “And people… they’re never entirely good or bad.
“For instance, there was a time when he almost killed me-left me to drown at sea. I thought I’d never see Julian again. I hated him so deeply back then.
“But later, when I returned to the family, I learned about his past. I began to understand why he became the person he is today.
“He has no friends, no lovers, no family-no one standing behind him. He only has himself.
“If he didn’t fight his way up, he would have forever remained the one trampled underfoot. We might see his methods as despicable, but do you think he ever truly wanted to live that way?
“During the family meeting, he voluntarily resigned. Even though the situation was in his favor, he gave all his shares to me.
“He hurt me, yes. But he also saved me. And eventually, I came to realize that his desire to lead the family wasn’t just for personal gain-it was to change the future of the R family.
“For years, he’s been manipulated by Mr. Grant. His life wasn’t as easy as we imagined.
“So, I think good and evil don’t matter as much anymore. What matters is your own heart. Your heart will tell you whether or not you truly love him.”
Rebecca was stunned. “You’re saying that before he resigned, he gave all his shares to you?”
“Yes,” Aurora replied. “Didn’t you know? Mio’s sudden change in behavior always puzzled me. Now I finally understand. Everything he’s done… it’s very likely all because of you.
“You hurt him, but maybe that’s what made him realize his past mistakes. No wonder he said he’d spend the rest of his life repenting for his sins before he left.”
“He changed… for me?” Rebecca asked, her voice trembling with disbelief.
“I think so,” Aurora said with a nod. “That day, the way he looked at you-it was the look of someone deeply wounded. If he was just playing around, he wouldn’t have shown such emotions. He’s fallen in love with you.”
“Fate is such a joke,” Rebecca sighed bitterly. “He fell for me, and I fell for him.”
“If you love him, then go find him,” Aurora encouraged. “He has no family, so he longs for one. I know how that feels.”
Aurora’s eyes softened as she spoke. She remembered her own loneliness, the days when darkness consumed her. Then Asher appeared-like a ray of sunlight breaking through the shadows. He illuminated her life and drove away her solitude.
Mio had been alone from childhood to adulthood, living under constant suppression. More than anyone, he longed for light.
It wasn’t surprising that Mio fell for Rebecca. Her eyes were as beautiful as the clear blue sky, and her smile was irresistibly sweet.
“I hurt him so much. I don’t think he’ll ever love me again,” Rebecca said hesitantly.
“That’s not necessarily true,” Aurora reassured her. “If he truly loves you, nothing you’ve done will matter.”
Aurora smiled warmly, hoping that everyone around her could find happiness.
Just then, Julian’s voice interrupted them.
“Little Bunny, so this is where you’ve been! No wonder I couldn’t find you anywhere. I forgot to mention-our garden is huge, but not every part of it is safe. Some of the flowers are poisonous, so don’t wander around too much, okay?”
Rebecca glanced at Julian, who looked genuinely worried. Suddenly, a memory surfaced-of a day when she and Mio had been walking down the street, and she’d nearly been hit by a car.
Mio had reacted instantly, pulling her into his arms. His expression back then was even more anxious than Julian’s was now.
“Are you okay? Did you get hurt?” Mio had asked, scanning her for injuries. His hands trembled slightly as he held her. At the time, she had laughed at how convincingly he seemed to act.
“I’m fine,” she had said, teasing him. “Why are you so nervous? It was just a scare.”
But Mio had tightened his embrace. “Don’t ever scare me like that again,” he whispered. “Rebecca, you’re all I have. Don’t leave me.”
Back then, she hadn’t understood what he meant. She’d assumed he had said those words to countless other women before.
Now, Julian’s voice brought her back to the present.
“Julian, I’m fine,” Aurora said with a smile. “Besides, Rebecca was with me. She’s more careful than I am.”
“That’s true,” Julian replied. “But from now on, I’ll go with you wherever you want to go. You’re pregnant, so no running around on your own.”
“Yes, yes,” Aurora said with a chuckle. “I’ll stay where you can see me.”
The two walked off, Julian’s arm around Aurora, their figures fading into the distance. Together, they painted a picture of perfect harmony.
Rebecca stood still, her mind drifting to Mio. Ever since that last encounter at the office, she hadn’t seen him again. But every day since then, a bouquet of white roses had appeared in her office.
White roses-her favorite. She knew they could only come from him.
For a month, her desk had been filled with white roses. Some were fresh and vibrant; others had wilted. Yet beyond the flowers, Mio seemed to have vanished from the world.
He sold his house. He sold his car. He left the company. She had no idea where he had gone.
Finally, curiosity and longing got the better of her. She decided to find him.
After following the delivery driver for a day without success, Rebecca discovered where he lived. The next morning, she waited for him to pick up the roses from a flower shop.
She followed the driver to a quiet, unremarkable neighborhood. Around the corner stood a small flower shop with a simple name: My Love.
Was Mio here?
He had left everything behind-his job, his house, his car-and opened a flower shop? Rebecca’s heart stirred. White roses were her favorite. Could it be that all the bouquets she’d received had been handpicked and wrapped by him?
She noticed how the packaging had evolved-from clumsy and simple to elegant and refined. She felt a wave of emotion.
At the entrance hung a wind chime. It was the same one she had given him long ago. She had told him, “Whenever the wind blows, it means I’m thinking of you.”
Mio had been so happy over that small gift.
Rebecca stepped inside. The shop was quiet, filled with the scent of fresh flowers.
And then, she saw him. Mio.
He was there, just as she had imagined. But he wasn’t alone.
A young woman stood beside him. Mio was gently holding her hand, carefully applying a bandage to her finger. The girl’s eyes were filled with affection.
Rebecca froze. Every hope she had nurtured crumbled in an instant. She had been foolish to think he still cared for her.
She turned to leave, but Mio looked up and saw her silhouette.
“Rebecca? Is that you?”
Panicked, Rebecca fled. Her heart ached as she ran. She must have been crazy to think about him all this time. His life was fine without her. He had someone new.
Lies. Everything had been a lie. She swore she would never trust a man again.
A car sped past her, its horn blaring. Suddenly, she felt herself being pulled into a familiar embrace.
Tears streamed down her face. The image of Mio and the girl lingered in her mind, etched there forever.