Chapter 83

Oblivious to Aurora's insight, Jaxon believed he was being subtle. He steered the conversation toward Alison. "That's good to hear. I was worried someone might seek revenge. By the way, did those girls who bullied you last week ever apologize?"

"If they haven't apologized, just tell Daddy. I'll make sure justice is served," he said, adopting a righteous demeanor.

Aurora lowered her gaze, her bangs concealing her expression. "They did apologize," she replied quietly.

Jaxon, finally revealing his true intentions, continued, "Mr. Andrews called me today. He said you sent them a summons. Since they've apologized, why don't you drop the lawsuit? We're all from Mercida. We've scared them enough. Taking this to court will just make things awkward. We'll keep running into each other around town."

Seeing Aurora's silence as agreement, Jaxon pressed on, appealing to both her reason and emotions. "I know you've been wronged, but with your SATs coming up, dropping the case will let you focus on studying. If you do well on the exams, I'll buy you a laptop—the best one!"

Aurora's eyes turned cold, and she laughed bitterly. "How could you even suggest that? Buying me a laptop, but only if I get good grades?" Maura's top-of-the-line desktop was already in her room. Aurora had been back for a while, and it hadn't occurred to him to get her any new furniture.

"How much did the Andrews family pay you?" Aurora asked abruptly.

Jaxon, caught off guard while mentally calculating his profits from the Andrews deal, blurted, "They gave me an extra five percent when we signed the contract. It's probably a few million dollars in profit."

Faced with Aurora's knowing smirk, he belatedly realized his mistake. He put his hand to his forehead, deeply regretting his carelessness. "How did I end up spilling that?"

The Andrews had given him millions in profit, and he was offering Aurora a laptop. The disparity was staggering.

Jaxon's face flushed as he rubbed his hands on his thighs. Clearing his throat, he pressed on, attempting to salvage the situation. "Aurora, honey, you're still young. Having too much money might make you a target for scammers. Everything I've built is for you anyway. What's mine is yours, right? How about this? I'll give you another seventy thousand dollars. You can travel during summer break and then start college with a smile on your face!"

"But Dad," Aurora replied calmly, meeting Jaxon's gaze with a hint of mockery, "Alison still hasn't apologized to—"

Jaxon patted her lightly, dismissing her concerns. "Come on, kiddo, why so stubborn? Those online posts and accounts have all been taken down. And didn't you rough up that Andrews girl the day it happened? So what if a few words were said about you? Why dwell on it?"

Aurora lowered her gaze, feeling a surge of frustration. A few words? she thought. Is that all he thinks this is? Being surrounded, accused, insulted, and having trash thrown at me—how is that not a big deal? It's a severe blow to one's dignity. How can you compare a few million dollars to my reputation? They're not even in the same league.

A person's reputation was everything. The posts and accounts were deleted, but Aurora was certain someone had saved those photos. Those people were like hidden vipers, ready to strike. When they did, rumors about her would spread like wildfire. If enough people started talking, the public's perception of her would inevitably shift. That would prevent her from building meaningful relationships or friendships. She had to nip these rumors in the bud. Letting them fester would only give someone like Alison more opportunities to spread lies. Sitting back and stewing in anger wasn't an option. Some things were her bottom line, and that line couldn't be crossed. If she gave in now, she'd end up just as helpless as in her past life. This second chance would be pointless.

"I won't drop the charges," Aurora said firmly.

Jaxon's expression froze. Seeing her unyielding face, he felt a surge of shock and anger. He realized he'd been talking to himself. Aurora hadn't absorbed a word.

"When I tell you to drop it, you drop it!" Jaxon slapped his thigh and stood, his eyes blazing with fury. Gone was his gentle tone. He pointed at Aurora's face, delivering his ultimatum. "How many messes have you made since you came back? Who cleaned them up? Me! I've already promised Mr. Andrews you'd drop this case. If you don't, I'll cut off your bank cards. Let's see how you like roughing it on the streets!"

He turned and shouted to Emma in the kitchen, "Emma, don't bother with dinner for her tonight. She needs to cool off and get her head straight!"

Jaxon's anger escalated. He grabbed a glass from the table and smashed it against the floor. The shattered pieces glinted under the crystal chandelier.

Aurora laughed derisively but said nothing, heading to her room to pack. This suited her just fine. She had no desire to remain at Crawford Manor. She might as well seize this opportunity to leave and never look back.

Jaxon was eating dinner when he saw Aurora coming downstairs with a suitcase. His face, which had just begun to relax, darkened. He'd thought Aurora was crying in her room. He never expected her to actually leave.

Emma watched the two, nervously fidgeting with her apron. "Oh, Ms. Crawford, it's already dark out. Where are you going?" This was turning into a mess. Just moments ago, Jaxon and Aurora had been laughing together. Now, Aurora was leaving.

Jaxon, recalling the many times Aurora had outmaneuvered him, felt his patience snap. He'd already swallowed his pride, yet she still acted superior. He couldn't take it anymore. Turning to Emma, he spat, "Let her go! If she wants to leave, fine! If you've got any pride, don't come back! And don't use our driver either. He works for the Crawfords!"

Aurora stood at the front door, her gaze fixed on Jaxon. Her expression was sharp and cold, making him squirm.

"What are you looking at? You ungrateful child!" Jaxon growled. "Are you trying to be the death of me? Didn't you say you wanted to leave? Then get out! Now!"

Aurora's lips twitched. She wanted to say that Crawford Manor was bought by her mother, her mother's premarital property, and that Jaxon should be the one to leave. In the end, she said nothing. She grabbed her suitcase and walked into the night. It didn't matter. She'd be eighteen in two months. Then, she could legally reclaim Crawford Manor. What belonged to her, she'd rather throw away than give to someone who deliberately tried to harm her.

Outside, the night air was cool. Aurora rubbed her arms, gazing up at the stars and the distant mountains. The road was deserted. She started pondering how she was supposed to get down the mountain.