Chapter 1057
On her way to Grace’s office, Aurora couldn’t keep the smile off her face.
If she could cut off just one of Hayes Enterprises’ lifelines, the rest would take care of itself—Hayes Enterprises would eventually collapse on its own. The thought of that possibility amused her. That way, Julian would never have a chance to rise again. With that in mind, she felt even more driven. The most crucial thing now was to remove the Hayes family completely. Only then would Walton Corporation’s environment be clean again, free from those parasites. Just thinking about how the Hayes family had been draining Walton for years made her restless.
In the past, she had held back for Tessa’s sake, but now, neither of them deserved her kindness. So why should she hold back anymore? There was no need.
With the documents in hand, Aurora headed to Grace’s office. This time, she intended to make things clear once and for all. She had no intention of helping the Hayes family again—it was completely unnecessary.
When Aurora arrived, Grace was already waiting for her. Before she could even knock, Grace called for her to come in, as though she had been expecting her. Aurora paused for a moment before pushing the door open. This time, Grace wasn’t busy with her own work. Instead, she was seated at the guest table, brewing a pot of tea. The room was filled with its rich fragrance. Keeping her hands moving, Grace glanced up at her. “Here already? Come, sit with me.”
Aurora was genuinely surprised by her mother’s tone. Before, Grace had always treated her politely, but never quite like this—almost as if she needed something from her. The thought made Aurora shake her head quickly, brushing away the strange idea. They were mother and daughter, after all. How could there be so much distance between them? And even if Grace really did need something, couldn’t she just say it outright?
Aurora took the documents, pressed her lips together, and sat down across from Grace. She gave a slight nod and greeted her. “Madam Grace.”
Grace’s hand paused mid-pour, a faint bitterness rising in her chest. She hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Aurora, this is the office, but you can call me Mom. There’s no need to…”
She didn’t get to finish before Aurora cut her off. “Madam Grace, we’re at the company. It’s better to keep our distance.”
Cool and detached, she nodded slightly, clearly with no intention of changing how she addressed her. She hadn’t forgotten. Back at the company before, Grace’s attitude toward her had been crystal clear. Grace had even sternly reminded her that in the office, she needed to act professionally and not do anything meaningless. Moreover, she told her not to think she could act with impunity just because she was her daughter. At the time, Aurora had been so stunned she could only laugh in disbelief. After that, she followed the rule to the letter, never once overstepping.
Grace opened her mouth to say something, but seeing the indifference on Aurora’s face, the words lodged in her throat. She didn’t know what to say anymore. She couldn’t tell when it had happened, but somehow, the two of them had ended up like this. Seeing that Aurora was set on keeping things strictly business, she lost the mood for any sentimentality.