Chapter 21
Tessa gracefully descended from the stairs. “Aurora, you’re going a bit too far. Chuck once saved my life. Your hostility towards him puts me in an awkward position.” She approached Grace and gently took her arm. Aurora stared at Tessa, utterly speechless. She struggled to suppress her rising anger. “Mom, I’ll ask you once more: are you planning to deal with Chuck or not?” “Aurora, just leave this to me. I’ll handle it,” Grace answered evasively. Seeing her mother’s vague response, Aurora felt a wave of bitter disappointment.
She knew Grace wouldn’t do anything–she would always smooth things over, favoring Tessa above all else. “Fine. I’ll deal with it myself.” Aurora turned away, unwilling to waste more words. “Aurora,” Tessa quickly called out as she saw Aurora leaving, her tone puzzled yet gentle, attempting to ease the tension. “Why are you so worked up?” She walked up to Aurora, trying to calm her down. “Wouldn’t it be easier if you just publicly revealed your identity and officially returned to the company?” Tessa paused for a moment before adding, “Why must you insist on going after Chuck?” Her voice carried a hint of reproach, as if Aurora were making a fuss out of nothing. Aurora stopped and turned to face Tessa directly. “Tessa, we’ve grown up together, and you know I never let anyone walk over me. Chuck ruthlessly kicked me out of Walton Corporation, so it’s only fair that I use my own methods to make sure he leaves too. “Why should Walton Corporation keep someone who’s embezzling money and harassing employees?” Having said her piece, Aurora turned on her heel and left without another glance. Only when Aurora’s figure disappeared through the doorway did Grace finally let out a heavy sigh. She set her teacup firmly down on the table with a sharp clink. “That child’s temper is growing worse by the day,” Grace muttered wearily, rubbing her temples. Seeing this, Tessa gently walked over to Grace and began softly massaging her shoulders, her tone gentle but subtly provocative. “Mom, please don’t be upset. Aurora means well for the company. It’s just… the way she speaks can be a little harsh.” Grace waved her off tiredly. “Enough. I don’t want to discuss this anymore.” With that, she stood up and returned to her bedroom.
Tessa remained standing alone, watching Grace’s retreating figure. An imperceptible, cold smile slowly curved her lips.
Chapter 21
After leaving the Walton estate, Aurora texted Megan, then drove to a private restaurant hidden in a quiet, secluded alley. The restaurant had a peaceful ambiance and served exquisite dishes, making it a favorite spot she often visited with Megan. Megan arrived early and was flipping idly through the menu. As soon as Aurora stepped inside, Megan immediately set the menu aside, her eyes brimming with curiosity. “So? What did your mom say? Did she take care of that creep?” Aurora tossed her bag onto a chair and poured herself a cup of tea, draining it in one go before responding with a bitter laugh. “Take care of him? She can’t bear to. She said Chuck saved Tessa’s life, so it’s complicated.” Megan exploded instantly. “Saved her life? So that gives him a free pass to embezzle company funds and sexually harass employees? What kind of twisted logic is that? Is your mom out of her mind?” Aurora smiled bitterly. She knew very well how biased her mother was, but it still hurt every time it happened. “Tessa stood there pretending to be innocent, acting like I’m putting her in a difficult spot by going after Chuck.” Megan slammed her palm onto the table, furious. “Tessa might look gentle and harmless, but who knew she was this manipulative! She’s your sister. How could she take someone else’s side?” Megan fumed, her irritation growing the more she thought about it. “I promised my mom before that if things didn’t work out with Joseph, I’d return and take responsibility for the company.” “Then you absolutely can’t let Tessa get away with this! Who knows what dirty secrets she might be hiding with Chuck Mills? Maybe she’s the one behind everything, deliberately getting that old creep to target you and kick you out of the company!” As Megan spoke, she grew more convinced of her theory, her voice rising in anger. Aurora suddenly felt a jolt, Megan’s words hitting her hard. She’d always assumed Tessa’s actions were merely jealousy or attempts to curry favor. But now, looking back, many things seemed suspiciously coincidental. Tessa’s sudden appearance, Chuck’s aggressive behavior–everything lined up a bit too perfectly. Could they really have joined forces just to remove her from Walton Corporation?
Chapter 22