But this was clearly a calculated, targeted attack, one that had been planned in advance. She just didn’t know how her mother would respond to it.

When Aurora arrived at the office, she was surprised to find Tessa standing beside Grace. Grace sat at her desk, rubbing her temples, her expression tired and frustrated as she stared at the mess in front of her. Tessa, ever the considerate one, was gently massaging her shoulders, murmuring soft words of comfort now and then. Aurora curled her fingers into a fist, a faint, bitter smile tugging at the corners of her flawless face.

What a picture—mother and daughter, tender and devoted. If this was the scene she’d been summoned to witness, she felt it was unnecessary. She’d seen enough of it before. She knew it by heart. She stood outside the office window for a long while, silently bracing herself before finally lifting her hand to knock.

A few moments later, a voice called out from inside. “Come in.”

Her heart sank. She had no idea what her mother would say about today’s disaster.

“Madam Grace,” Aurora said, eyes lowered, refusing to look at either Grace or Tessa. Her mind was a mess, but one thing was clear—she needed to keep her temper in check and stay levelheaded no matter what.

Grace gave a quiet “Mm” and lifted a hand to signal Tessa to stop. Tessa obediently withdrew her hands and took a seat, her posture relaxed, watching Aurora with calm amusement. The dynamic between them couldn’t be clearer.

Grace’s voice rang out, stern and cold. “Do you know why I called you here?”

Aurora straightened her spine, hands still clenched. “I don’t. I’d appreciate your guidance, Mother.”

“Good, very good.” Seeing that same prideful stance, Grace felt her irritation rise once more. “What do you plan to do about the news online?”

Grace’s tone grew sharper with each word. “You know how ruthless industry competition is. One misstep, and it’s total ruin. And at a time like this, how could you let something like this happen?”

“Madam Grace, it’s not what you think,” Aurora said, trying to keep her voice steady. “I’ve been looking into it, and the way things escalated so quickly, it doesn’t feel natural. I really believe there’s someone orchestrating this behind the scenes.” She laid out her thoughts, hoping Grace would understand and assign more people to investigate. Two heads—and resources—were better than one. She was drowning alone, and she knew it.

But before she could finish, Grace slammed a file down onto the desk with a loud smack. “So even now, all you can do is look for someone else to blame? What about you? Do you really think you’ve done everything right? Do you even have the leadership skills for this role? Are your people truly loyal to you, or are they just putting on a show?” Her voice cut through the room like a whip, and Aurora stood frozen in place.

She hadn’t expected this. Not once in this crisis had her mother expressed concern. Not once had she offered help. All she saw in her was a target to scold.

Tessa sat beside them, watching Aurora’s stunned silence with a look of feigned sympathy. She even chimed in gently, as if trying to ease the tension. “Mom, don’t be too upset. I’m sure she didn’t mean for any of this to happen. Maybe she already has a plan. Maybe it’s just a matter of time.”

Grace scoffed. “There’s no time to waste. In a place like Ravenshore, hesitation is a luxury no one can afford. The way she’s handling this now only makes me question whether she’s truly fit to lead.”