Chapter 163

“Judy, I know things have been tough on you lately. Go ahead and pick out whatever you want.”

With a grand gesture, Joseph handed her a bank card. “You know the PIN. If it’s not enough, just let me know.”

Judy was momentarily stunned by the gesture, caught off guard by the sudden generosity.

“Joseph, you’re so good to me,”

He pulled her into his arms. “You’re my woman. If I don’t treat you well, who else should I treat well? Go to the mall this afternoon. Don’t come back until you’ve spent it all.”

Judy leaned into him, looking blissfully content. She could only hope all her previous doubts were just in her head.

After sending her off, Joseph got himself styled up and prepared to head to Walton Corporation to see Aurora.

The more he thought about things, the more stifled he felt. That spiteful woman—Aurora had kept things from him for three whole years! It had to be intentional. There hadn’t been a shred of trust between them; that was what made being with her so exhausting, and what ultimately pushed him to walk away.

And yet, he couldn’t understand it. Relationships were supposed to be about mutual feelings—why did Aurora have to make everything so complicated? Now that he found out she was the younger heiress of the Walton family, she thought she could just throw him away?

Dream on.

Joseph waited outside the Walton building, right where Aurora would have to pass when she left. With so many people around, he figured she wouldn’t dare cause a scene. If she did, it wouldn’t just reflect badly on him; it would damage Walton Corporation’s reputation.

Unaware of any of this, Aurora returned to the office after parting ways with Leonard that afternoon. Since taking on the role of general manager, she’d felt more eyes watching her every move. She had to keep pushing forward. There was no room to stall.

Though she’d already secured the Vanguard Group project, the follow-up work couldn’t afford any mistakes. It was their first time working together, and trust was everything—only then could there be a chance for future collaborations.

During the afternoon, Grace called Aurora into her office for a quick meeting. She asked about the progress on Leonard’s side.

Aurora gave a straightforward report on the recent developments. “He has a younger sister with autism. Leonard himself is sincere and easy to work with. I’ve given him a draft design to revise.”

“Good,” Grace replied seriously. “Keep a close eye on Leonard. He’s in high demand overseas, and his design skills are well recognized. We need to bring him in as a long-term partner.”

Aurora nodded. Reflecting on their recent interactions, things had gone smoothly so far.

“I understand, Madam Grace. I’ll do my best.”

“Alright. You’ll be responsible for following up with Leonard. If anything comes up, you can leave the office as needed. No need to request time off.”

Aurora acknowledged the instruction. That certainly made things more convenient.

She returned to her office and resumed the work she hadn’t finished earlier. Once she started to focus on her task, time slipped away from her completely. By the time she noticed, most of the staff had already gone home. Some areas of the office were even dark.

Aurora stretched with a satisfied sigh, graceful and languid like a pampered Persian cat. She shut down her computer, gathered her things, and headed to the elevator. She hadn’t driven to work that day, planning to hail a cab from the company entrance. For now, she decided she’d stay at her family’s place. If her mother asked, she’d just say Lucas had been busy lately and he didn’t want to stay there alone.

Aurora sighed. It was the best excuse she could come up with.

Chapter 164