Chapter 22

Wendy could tell Aurora was just trying to calm her. If Aurora really planned on doing something, it would be a huge mess. Drapping Owen into this wooden well… Aurea had finally gotten married after much struggle. Now, all Wendy wanted was for her to be happy.

But before Wendy could finish her thought, an angry male voice came from outside. “You bitch! So, she’s been refusing to come home because of you, right? You’re even encouraging her to marry away from the Klein family? And as far as possible, no less? Where do you think the camera went off to?”

On hearing the voice, Wendy’s body began to tremble uncontrollably. She clutched Sebastian tightly in one arm while using the other to push Aurora toward the door. Her voice broke as she cried out in desperation, “Go! What are you still doing here? Don’t be stupid! I don’t need you to worry about me. Just leave—now! Leave!”

Aurora’s expression turned cold, her eyes sharp as steel. Yet, her voice was calm, almost nonchalant. She leaned close to Wendy and said, “Don’t be afraid. Just watch. I can handle this. Till you make up your mind, we can cope quite well.”

She closed the door without waiting for Wendy to respond. Sure enough, as soon as she stepped outside, she saw Ryan storming toward them. His chiseled face was twisted with rage, and his whole demeanor radiated violence, like a predator closing in on its prey.

When Ryan saw Aurora standing firmly in the doorway, he stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes narrowing. Aurora's gaze was equally piercing, cold, and unrelenting, forcing Ryan to temporarily control his anger. His voice was sharp as he sneered, “It took me long enough to get you to come back.”

Amma didn’t bother answering. She calmly stepped closer, each move deliberate. The icy air around her was so oppressive that Ryan unconsciously took a step back. “Did you do this to her?” Her calm voice had an edge that made Ryan uneasy.

Then he chuckled, shaking off the moment of doubt. Who was this girl to question him? She was just some nobody they picked up, a stray. He glanced at Wendy, who was visibly shaken. A mocking thought crossed his mind. Could this brat actually be Wendy’s bastard child? Was that why she was so…

“It’s called consequences. She screwed up, so she got punished. This is our family’s affairs, something between me and my wife. You think you’ve got the right to…”

“Oh, but when you dragged me to that humiliating matchmaking stunt, treating me like a bargaining chip, I wasn’t considered an outsider then, was I?” Aurora shot back.

“You’ve got some nerve, don’t you?” Ryan snarled. “Did you come here to lecture me? You’re the reason Whitney’s in the hospital! She’s still there because of… What, you think you’ve made it now? That you can just walk away from us? Remember that everything you have is because of the Klein family—”

Aurora cut him off before he could finish, a mocking smile tugging at her lips. “Oh, don’t worry. I remember. Do you want to talk about how I got here? About how you revived Deyron Media, only to rename it Venochi as some phony symbol of your so-called love?”

“Let’s not forget, there’s also your father’s cancer diagnosis. That probably has your name written all over it.”

“Shut your mouth!” Ryan roared, his face flushed with fury. “You think you’d be anywhere near where you are now without the Klein family? Do you really believe people respect your talent? It’s all because you’re a daughter of the Klein family!”

“A daughter of the Klein family? Well, looks like Whitney has finally decided to use her head. She’s trying to use others to get her revenge, huh? If she’s that reckless, I’ll play along with her little game,”

Ryan’s expression tightened, unease flashing across his face. “What are you planning?”

“You know how your little empire was built. Don’t push me. I’m not the type to let things slide.” Aurora’s voice dropped to a chilling whisper, each word hitting like a dagger.

“Are you threatening me?” Ryan laughed, though his eyes betrayed his growing discomfort. “You’re just a spoiled brat with no clue how the real world works. And that whole idea of a mother of yours—”

Before he could finish, Aurora’s fist shot out, connecting with his jaw. The force of the punch sent Ryan staggering. Blood filled his mouth, and he clutched the railing to keep himself from toppling down the stairs. He stared at Aurora in shock, disbelief plastered across his face.

“Take back what you just said,” Aurora demanded, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade. “You’ve got two kids with that mistress of yours, don’t you? That makes you the truly guilty one here. You’ve got no right to judge her. And since you’re so fond of using your fists, let me show you what that feels like.”

“Aurora, you’ve lost your mind! You think you can defy me? I’ll put you in your place today!” Ryan snarled, his face contorting in rage as he charged at her.

She deftly sidestepped and twisted his arm when he lunged at her, slamming him against the railing in fluid motions. Ryan groaned in pain, his shoulder screaming in protest as he thrashed against her hold.

“Let go of me, you ungrateful brat!” he bellowed, his face turning crimson. The commotion drew Rosalie’s attention downstairs, and her voice was shrill and accusatory. “What’s going on up there? Anora! How dare you lay hands on your…”

Aurora glanced down at Rosalie, her disdain evident. She didn’t bother hiding her contempt. For years, Rosalie had manipulated Wendy, brainwashing her with outdated, oppressive nonsense. After Aurora’s real identity was revealed, Rosalie even tried to sell her off to Alexander like some cheap commodity. Aurora would have fallen right into their trap if she hadn’t been sharp. Every single one of these people was disgusting.

“You can send Whitney to gather resources for your precious family, can’t you? I’ve repaid whatever so-called debt I owed you. Don’t push your luck. If I see you lay another hand on her, I’ll make sure your kids and that mistress of yours pay double. You know I can do it. I don’t care about jail. Do you think I’m afraid to drag you down with me?”

Ryan’s face twisted with rage, his veins bulging as he spat out, “How dare you threaten me?”

Aurora chuckled, the sound cold and sharp. “If you don’t want me spilling all your dirty secrets to the press tomorrow, you’d better listen to what I’m saying.”