Chapter 9
Newton, Beamna, and Von had been frantic, desperately needing a bone marrow donor. Ertem, however, discovered that Aurora shared Josh's rare blood type and immediately informed the Newton family that Aurora was a willing donor. When the time for surgery arrived, however, Aurora instead found herself the target of Beatrix's spite. The woman, who considered herself the future daughter-in-law, and who should have been proud and eager to save her son's life, was revealed to be a cruel and malicious puppet of Autor.
She raised her hand, her eyes gleaming with amusement. “First, you send your minions, and now you challenge me with your so-called authority?”
The crowd, which had been observing the escalating tension, included the Newton-Langley family—a branch of a larger, more influential family from Jydratica, based in Merida, wielding immense power. Everyone in the room believed Beatrix had a death wish. With a swift motion, Aurora knocked the tray of cocktails and delicacies from his hand, scattering them across the floor in a colorful mess.
“Unlike Miss Aurora Crawford, who grew up in the countryside,” Beatrix said with a cold, mocking smile, “surely you’re used to cleaning up after people. There’s a dear; and clean this slop for us.” She turned to Damon, who stood nearby. “Fetch the cleaning supplies.”
The room fell silent. The humiliation of forcing Aurora, in her elegant gown, to clean up the mess in front of everyone was amplified by the setting: the grand hall, under everyone's scrutiny. Beatrix wasn't merely trying to embarrass her; she was aiming for complete degradation. Aurora felt the weight of everyone's stare—some curious, others gleeful. Whispers began, someone saying, “So much for her high-and-mighty air. What good is looking all fancy if she’s just going to be mopping floors in front of everyone?” They laughed quietly, relishing her imminent downfall.
Damon, sensing Aurora wouldn't comply easily, gestured to the servants, who tossed a mop and bucket in her direction. Aurora tried to avoid them, but someone discreetly threw a small marble in her path. Her heel slipped on the marble, sending her crashing to the floor. Broken glass sliced her arm, blood welling from deep gashes. The bucket of dirty water spilled over her expensive dress, soaking it beyond repair.
Moments earlier, people admired her elegance and poise. Now, they recoiled as if her fall from grace were contagious. Their eyes, once filled with compliments, now brimmed with cold mockery and disdain. In high society, darkness lurked behind almost every smile, and the higher one climbed, the more brutal the fight became. No one reached the top without scars, but openly defying the powerful invited disaster. Aurora's defiance only made her a larger target.
“Aurora, let me give you a lesson. In this world, only power and influence make people bow. Did you really think that just because you’re suddenly the Crawford family’s heiress, you can look down on others? How naive.” Beatrix sneered, her voice dripping with condescension. She showed no remorse for bullying a teenager.
Alison, ever eager to stoke the conflict, smirked. “Oh dear, Mrs. Newton only asked Miss Aurora Crawford to clean up, but it seems she decided to mop the floor with her own dress instead. How thoughtful.”
Damon, feigning shock, added with a dramatic sigh, “Imagine that. Our esteemed Miss Aurora Crawford, using her own dress to wipe the floor. We, the Lloyd family, certainly don’t have that kind of power. She’s being too kind.”
Samara, never missing an opportunity to add insult to injury, gave a snide laugh. “Who knows? Maybe she’s trying out some kind of new seduction tactic by getting all wet. You know, those country girls, they always know the weirdest tricks.”
The commotion drew the attention of men discussing business across the room. Even they drifted over, intrigued by the spectacle. From the corner of her eye, Aurora spotted Jason hiding in the distance, his face hard with disgust, devoid of concern. Aurora knew he wasn't worried about her; he worried about the trouble she might cause the Crawford family.
Aurora had long since stopped expecting anything from Jason, but his cold indifference still stung. Each display of cowardice added to her disappointment. She knew he wouldn't lift a finger to help her—not now, not ever.
Aurora’s gaze grew colder, like ice forming over deep waters, yet she wore a smile that was anything but warm. With quiet grace, she pulled her gown from the water and, placing her palm firmly on the shattered glass, stood.
The room held its breath. In a swift, shocking move, she slapped Beatrix across the face, shards of glass embedded in her palm slicing into her skin. Beatrix shrieked, clutching her cheek but afraid to touch it. Her face burned, her hair falling loose, no longer resembling the refined lady she projected. Damon, dumbfounded by Aurora's audacity, scrambled for help, his face drained of color.
“Kuenebradi gralaber,” she commanded, her voice trembling with fury. Her eyes gleamed with a thirst for vengeance as she made up her mind to teach Beatrix a painful lesson. The Newton family rushed in, surrounding Aurora like wolves closing in on prey.
Jason, watching the situation spiral out of control, stormed over, hand raised, ready to strike his daughter. “Aurora,” he began.
But Aurora, unflinching, caught his wrist. “Too far! Mrs. Newton singled me out and humiliated me in front of everyone. I simply…”
“Who do you think you are to do that to Mrs. Newton?” Jason spat, his shock barely contained.
Aurora’s smile faded as she released his hand. “Oh, please. Our family and the Lloyd family are both distinguished names in Merida. Are we supposed to roll over and let the Newtons walk all over me, the Crawford family’s heiress, at a Lloyd family event? Should we just hand over our family business while we’re at it?”
Jason froze. Across the room, Patrick Lloyd, the head of the Lloyd family, intervened. “The Newtons, Crawfords, and Lloyds have always been allies. Aurora, you’ve acted recklessly, and Mrs. Newton, as your elder, was merely teaching you a lesson. Yet you’ve responded with cruelty.”
“Mr. Crawford: your daughter’s behavior is both ruthless and cunning. If you don’t rein her in, there will be consequences.”
Jason felt like he was sitting on a powder keg. “You little brat, apologize to Mrs. Newton, now,” he demanded, his face flushed with fury.
While the family doctor treated her wound, Beatrix, her face still bleeding, chuckled coldly. “No need for apologies. Assault is a crime. I’ll have her sent to prison.”
The mention of prison sent a shiver through Jason’s spine. His anger faltered, but fear of escalation kept him silent. He shot Aurora a furious glare, knowing this wasn't a battle he could afford to fight.
Aurora, however, stood her ground, cornered by bodyguards. Beatrix, sensing her moment of power, let her cruelty shine. “Well, there’s one way I might let this slide…”
Jason exhaled in relief, but Aurora remained unmoved, knowing exactly where this was going. As expected, Beatrix’s voice dripped with malice. “She can strip herself naked and crawl out of here.”
The room gasped. Beatrix smirked, reveling in the horror. “Let her crawl out, humiliated, with her nude photos plastered all over the internet. She won’t even be able to show her face in public anymore.”
Several men exchanged wicked smiles, anticipating Aurora’s humiliation. Jason’s expression stiffened. He knew that if Aurora complied, she’d lose all worth in his eyes. She’d be nothing but a ruined pawn. Yet, he also understood that Beatrix would never let this go. Intervention would only bring her wrath down on him.
Silence filled the room. Beatrix, smug and self-assured, savored her victory. “Well?” she asked, daring anyone to challenge her.
Whispers started, low but clear. “If she knew it would come to this, she should’ve just changed her dress earlier.” “That’s why you don’t throw your weight around unless you’ve got the power to back it up,” another murmured, their tone dripping with schadenfreude. “This isn’t a playground. It’s the real deal.” “And if even her own father won’t defend her, who else will?” someone said with a cruel chuckle.
Aurora, blood still dripping from her palm, scanned the room. Faces that had once praised her beauty now looked on with disgust or indifference. But instead of fear or shame, defiance flickered in her eyes. Beatrix might think she'd won, but Aurora wasn't one to bow down easily.