Lucas had actually gone so far as to block him like this—what else was he capable of?

The thought made Leonard laugh bitterly. He couldn’t help but wonder, did Aurora know what kind of man Lucas truly was behind the scenes?

But he wouldn’t tell her. Some truths she would have to discover on her own, step by step, in her own life.

And right now, she and Lucas were in the glow of their romance. If he exposed it, he’d only look like the man trying to ruin someone else’s relationship. What would be the point? Why invite that misery on himself?

So, Leonard simply offered Aurora a sincere farewell before turning to leave.

Watching his retreating back, Megan felt an unexpected pang of loss.

When she turned, she found Aurora and the others all giving her the same teasing look.

“Ah, come on!” Megan yelped. “What’s with those stares?”

Aurora leaned in with a mischievous smile. “Funny, I’ve never seen you look at any other man the way you just looked at him.”

“What look?” Megan tried to play dumb.

But Aurora wasn’t letting her off so easily. “Don’t you like Leonard? If you do, why not go after him? What’s the point of holding back?”

“Stop saying nonsense.” Megan frowned at Aurora, clearly annoyed. Her eyes dropped, and she fell silent.

Seeing her reaction, Aurora exchanged a glance with Lucas and chose not to press further. After all, this was Megan’s business. She wasn’t a child anymore. She was an adult with her own mind. Interfering too much would only backfire, like trying to force a seedling to grow before its time. Everyone had to make their own choices.

Aurora quickly shifted the topic. “Alright, alright, enough of that. Let’s just go eat.”

“Yeah, I’m starving,” Ian chimed in at just the right moment.

To ease the awkwardness, even Lucas, for once, agreed.

Megan didn’t say another word, only lowered her head and walked silently ahead.

She couldn’t untangle her own feelings. Deep down, she knew Leonard didn’t like her–his heart was set on Aurora. That alone made the idea of her and Leonard impossible. After all, he had once had feelings for Aurora. And as Aurora’s closest friend, how could she ever cross that line? If word got out, what would people think of her?

Walking behind Aurora, Megan lifted her eyes to her friend’s back, her gaze shadowed and complicated.

At the Walton villa, with a loud crash, Tessa swept everything from the table onto the floor.

Her chest heaved violently as she looked at the mess scattered at her feet. Only in that wreckage did she feel the slightest relief.

Her fists clenched tight, her eyes dark and unreadable. Why was Aurora always so lucky? Why did she manage to slip through every trap?

Meanwhile, the black–clad reporter was still flooding her phone with messages.

“When are you sending me the final payment you promised?”

“Do you even realize how much risk I took for this job? No matter what, I want the rest of my money.”

“Don’t even think about stiffing me!”

Staring at those texts, Tessa’s anger only burned hotter.