Chapter 3

Aurora pretended not to notice Maura's petty gestures.

"Maura, keep your distance from unclean people," Stacy said, her voice cool and detached, even as she elegantly picked at her food. The insult hung heavy in the air, and even the servants lowered their heads in discomfort. But Aurora remained unbothered, her expression steady, as if Stacy's words had never reached her. In her past life, she had weathered a thousand such humiliations. Now, nothing Stacy said could stir the faintest hurt in her heart.

Maura hesitated, feigning concern, casting a glance at Aurora as if she wanted to say something, but a flicker of smug satisfaction danced in her eyes.

Unfazed, Aurora sat at the dining table, her gaze locking onto Stacy across from her. "Every cubic meter of air teems with thousands of types of bacteria, and with every breath, up to twenty million of these tiny microbes enter our bodies. The chair you're sitting on, the utensils you're holding, the food you're eating—not a single thing is truly clean. If your standards for the environment are so impossibly high," Aurora said, flashing a slow, dangerous smile, "you might consider moving into a high-risk isolation ward."

Stacy was stunned for a moment before her face twisted in rage and shock, her fork clattering against her plate. "Aurora, how dare you!" she spat, realizing too late that her attempt to shame Aurora had backfired spectacularly. Her original plan had been to humiliate Aurora, especially after the way she had "mistreated her beloved daughter." She hadn't expected Aurora to retaliate with such audacity.

"I'm just stating facts," Aurora replied, completely calm. "What's the matter? Can't handle a little truth?" Gone were the days when a single disapproving glance from the Crawford family could send her trembling. She no longer sought their approval or dreaded their disapproval. Whether they were angry or not was no longer her concern.

"Watch your tone, Aurora. She's your stepmother. Show some respect," Jason chimed in, clearly uncomfortable with the tension but more surprised by his daughter. She wasn't the timid girl he had expected.

Before Aurora could respond, Stacy cut in, her voice rising with indignation, "Please, I don't recognize a stepdaughter who came from God knows where."

Jason's brows furrowed at Stacy's words. He didn't like that, not one bit.

Aurora's eyes glittered with cold amusement. "So, I'm Dad's daughter, and you think I'm from 'God knows where'? You mean I'm an illegitimate child? And what does that make my father?" She sat back in her chair, perfectly composed.

"And as for being my stepmother," Aurora's gaze slid to Stacy, full of disdain. She pointed at her, lips curling into a sneer. "You think you're fit for the role!"

"Enough! You're under my roof and I will not tolerate your disrespect!" Stacy, red-faced and shaking with fury, lunged forward, her hand raised, ready to slap Aurora.

But Aurora was faster. Her hand shot up, catching Stacy's wrist in mid-air. "You might want to think twice," she said, her voice low and cutting. "Once you lay a hand on me, the world will know how you mistreat your stepdaughter. That reputation won't be so easy to shake."

"That's enough!" Jaxon barked, fed up with the scene. "You've been back for barely a day and already the house is in chaos!" He cast a critical look at Aurora, the daughter he hadn't seen in years. He had heard Stacy and Maura complain about Aurora's difficult nature, but he hadn't paid much attention. After all, he thought Aurora was nothing more than a country bumpkin and wouldn't stir up any trouble. But now, seeing her in action, he realized they hadn't been exaggerating. No wonder they'd felt so wronged and threatened.

Aurora saw the disapproval in Jaxon's eyes, but it didn't faze her. She remained composed, her voice calm. "I read in the news that the Harrison Group is planning to build an elite school in Mereida, a place meant to groom the next generation of corporate leaders. Everyone in town is scrambling to get their kids in, hoping to forge some connection with the Harrison family. And here we are—shoving me into the servants' quarters on my first day and even having the nerve to complain about me being unclean at dinner. Stacy can't wait to see me fail."

"Sure, it might seem like a family squabble now, but when word gets out about her behavior, it won't just be her reputation on the line. It'll be the Crawford family's. And that's not a loss I think you'd be willing to take. Dad, even if you don't care about me, you should at least think of Griffin. How is he supposed to pass the school's interviews with a mother who's so narrow-minded?"

Aurora knew Jaxon's company came first, and right behind it, his precious son, Griffin. She had hit him right where it hurt, and just as she expected, the moment those words left her lips, Jaxon's expression darkened. He turned sharply toward Stacy and snapped, "The Crawford family has grown so much under my leadership, and as my wife, you should be using your head a bit more. Stop acting so petty!"

Stacy protested, her voice rising. "Ever since Aurora came back, you've been taking her side. Don't tell me you still…"

Jason's cold, ruthless glare cut her off mid-sentence. She swallowed the rest of her words, instantly reminded of how much Jaxon loathed any mention of failure, especially by his very person. Stacy knew she'd crossed a line.

Jaxon scolded Stacy. "If you disrespect me like this again, I'll cut the Atkins family's project entirely. Maybe then you'll stop thinking about them and remember where your priorities lie."

"It won't happen again, dear," Stacy mumbled, trembling, her earlier bravado shrinking into submission. Seeing how mad Jaxon was, she knew better than to challenge him any further.

Sensing the tension, Maura, ever the peacekeeper, quickly chimed in. "Come on, Mom, Dad, Aurora just got back. Of course, she's feeling a little upset. Let's not make a fuss, alright! Let's just eat." Her soft voice dripped with faux concern, expertly providing an escape route for Stacy while subtly casting Aurora as the unreasonable one.

Jaxon, appeased, nodded and glanced at Aurora. She was far from fazed, casually helping herself to the meal as if the whole situation didn't bother her in the slightest. His face hardened with a frown. "Maura is known as one of the most refined young ladies in Mereida. She knows how to conduct herself properly. You could learn a thing or two from her. Now that you're back with our family, you'd better start acting like it. No more of this wild, country behavior. I expect you to carry yourself with some dignity."

Jaxon's tone was that of a father giving a wise, heartfelt lecture to his wayward child, but Aurora knew better. Every word he spoke was like salt on an open wound. Once upon a time, she had believed he was doing what was best for her. Even when he demanded she make sacrifices time and time again, she had convinced herself it was all for the greater good of the Crawford family.

She'd been naive, making compromises and enduring countless humiliations just to earn his approval. But all the sacrifices had only led to her being discarded and handed over to a band of despicable scoundrels, like some tool that had outlived its usefulness. For years, he had drained her dry, sucking the very life out of her in the name of family. Even as she had approached the brink of death, he had continued to exploit her, squeezing out whatever remained of her worth until the very end.

Without even sparing him a glance, Aurora said coldly, "I've spent my whole life growing up like this. If you're so unhappy with me being here, I'll leave."

Jaxon's face twitched. 'Leave? No way,' he thought.

"Don't be ridiculous," he hastily scrambled to salvage the situation. "You're my daughter, and I've worked so hard to find you. Of course, you're welcome here. I just want what's best for you."

He then sighed deeply, a dramatic show of parental exasperation. "Fine, do whatever you want."

'If you really cared, why did it take you over a decade to find me?' Aurora thought bitterly but stayed silent, not buying it for a second.

"See, Aurora!" Maura piped up, her eyes gleaming with smugness as she wrapped her arms around Jaxon's, acting all cute and sweet. "Dad loves you, and he really missed you. He even gave me this name because it sounds like yours, you know? He's been so good to me all these years, just to make up for what he couldn't do for you."

Jaxon chuckled, gently patting Maura's head like she was his precious little princess, the perfect picture of fatherly affection. The sight made Aurora's chest tighten with a mix of sadness and frustration.

'I'm his real daughter,' she thought, her eyes stinging. 'Maura's just his stepdaughter. But he treats her like she's the only one that matters while he only sees me as a tool for him to use. Why? Just because I wasn't raised by his side? Why did he lose me in the first place? And where is my real mother in all this?'

The whirlwind of emotions building inside Aurora was barely kept in check, but before she could process any further, Maura struck again. "Oh, by the way, Dad," she said, feigning casualness, "have you arranged which school Aurora will attend?"