Chapter 129

Grace gave Aurora a subtle look, gesturing for her to change into the gown that had just been gifted. Her current dress was soaked, and continuing to wear it was simply inappropriate for the occasion.

Aurora agreed—she couldn’t go on like this.

After offering a quick word of thanks, she followed the attendant to change.

This time, Tessa didn’t follow.

Her freshly manicured nails dug deep into her palm, but the pain in her hand couldn’t compare to the ache twisting in her chest. She had seriously underestimated her darling sister.

So, Aurora had managed to climb into the good graces of the man behind Vanguard Group?

All this time, she’d kept a low profile, hiding behind work and humility, only to come out with a move like this?

“Fine. Let’s see who has the last laugh,” she thought.

Grace, meanwhile, was feeling nothing but satisfaction. The timing of the CEO’s gift delivery couldn’t have been better—it was even more impactful than if he’d come in person.

Now, everyone clustered around her, their questions dripping with curiosity and subtext. Was that man who delivered the gifts really there for the younger heiress of the Walton family?

Grace simply smiled and said nothing, letting the mystery hang in the air.

And with that, everyone had their answer.

Only Joseph and a few coworkers from Aurora’s department were still in the crowd, too stunned to piece it all together. Why would the CEO of Vanguard Group send so many gifts to Aurora?

And wait—were people seriously saying Aurora was the younger heiress of the Walton family?

That had to be a mistake.

Joseph muttered under his breath, “That’s not possible. I’ve seen her before. That’s not her… The younger heiress of the Walton family doesn’t look like that. What’s wrong with everyone?”

He stood there, still dazed, while Lucas sipped a glass of red wine, perfectly composed. He watched the chaos unfold with faint amusement, savoring every shocked expression.

His Rora was a gem, far too precious to be buried in dust.

The reaction was exactly what he’d expected.

And as the whispers swirled and eyes turned toward the staircase, Aurora descended slowly from the second floor.

Aurora walked down the stairs, wearing the gown gifted by the president of Vanguard Group. The floor-length dress, with its off-shoulder design and crystal detailing, shimmered with every step she took.

Each movement landed squarely on the hearts of those watching.

How could someone be this breathtaking?

As she took her time descending, she lifted her delicate chin just slightly, meeting their awestruck gazes head-on, fully basking in the admiration surrounding her.

Gasps rippled through the crowd, and not a single soul was left unaffected.

“My god… she looks like a goddess.”

“Seriously, how is it even possible to look that good just by changing a dress and hairstyle?”

“That settles it. She must’ve been handcrafted by the gods while the rest of us were made in a rush.”

With nothing but her presence, Aurora had managed to unify the entire room’s standard of beauty.

Lucas looked up at her, his gaze locked. Every step she took felt like it landed directly on his chest. His dark eyes shimmered, barely concealing the wild love burning beneath the surface.

He had always known she was beautiful, but now, seeing the world appreciate that beauty—it sparked a fierce desire to hide her away, to keep that radiance all to himself.

Even Lucy, her coworker, finally realized something was off.

Just a while ago, they were chatting like normal colleagues, but now, Aurora felt untouchable—like she belonged to an entirely different world. And suddenly, Lucy’s mind turned to mush, unable to process the shift.

The woman who had first questioned her stood speechless beside her, no longer knowing what to say.

At this moment, it became painfully clear—Aurora wasn’t who they thought she was.

She was something else entirely.

Tessa clenched her fists tightly, eyes fixed on Aurora as she glided down the staircase like she was glowing, every eye in the room drawn to her, while she could only stand below, forgotten, like a rat in the gutter watching someone else’s perfect life unfold.