Chapter 262
A round of applause broke out in response to her words. The way everyone looked at Aurora shifted. There was admiration in their eyes now, clear and unmistakable. Young as she was, she knew how to speak, how to carry herself—and it wasn’t all. She was sharp, capable, poised.
Add to that her striking looks and calm, decisive presence, and it wasn’t hard to see why people wanted to work with her. It wasn’t just respect; they genuinely liked her. Working with someone like Aurora was something they welcomed.
Once the meeting wrapped up, Aurora stepped out to the break room to grab a glass of water. But just as she entered, she caught sight of a group clustered around Lucas. He walked at the center, composed and cold in a tailored suit, not a trace of emotion on his face. If anything, the way he carried himself made him seem even more distant—aloof and untouchable. Aurora frowned. She’d seen him earlier and assumed he was here for a simple business discussion. But now, seeing how the people around him treated him—with deference, even a trace of apprehension—it didn’t add up. Some of them looked almost intimidated.
Setting her glass down, suspicion began to twist in her chest. This wasn’t just another meeting. If she had met him here once, maybe even twice, she could’ve chalked it up to coincidence. But not this time. Something about this was off. She stepped forward, her curiosity quickly overtaking hesitation. She needed to know what was going on. This was Vanguard Group, after all—a place where positions weren’t handed out lightly. Everyone here was top-tier, polished and elite. They weren’t the type to show this kind of reverence to just anyone, especially someone supposedly here to talk business. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and her fingers curled tightly at her sides. She moved faster now, weaving through the hallway, trying to catch up.
As Lucas and the others rounded a corner, Aurora picked up her pace, breaking into a light jog to follow. But to her surprise, by the time Aurora reached the hallway, Lucas and the group had vanished. She stopped in her tracks, puzzled. Where had they gone? She could’ve sworn she saw them head in this direction. Had she imagined it? No, she was sure. Something didn’t add up. With suspicion gnawing at her, she walked a little farther, scanning her surroundings. There were several conference rooms in this area. Maybe they were here for a meeting? Still, even if that were the case, why avoid her?
Aurora continued down the hall, just as she was about to give up, a familiar voice called from behind. “Rora? What are you doing here?”
Startled, Aurora spun around. Lucas stood there alone. There was no entourage, no shadowing executives—just him. A dozen questions flashed through her mind. Where had everyone gone? Something was definitely off.
She composed herself and replied evenly, “What do you think? I’m here for the project update. What about you?” Her tone sharpened slightly toward the end. Her gaze locked onto his, sharp and searching, unwilling to miss the slightest flicker of deceit. She wanted to know if he was hiding something.
Lucas paused, caught off guard for a brief second, then gave a calm smile. “I’m here to discuss a partnership, of course.”
“But you told me your role with Vanguard was mainly tied to marketing initiatives,” she said, stepping closer, her voice cool. “And from what I know, they haven’t had any new marketing campaigns recently.”
Lucas didn’t flinch. “Rora, you know how companies like Vanguard operate. Not every project is made public, especially the more internal ones. So, it’s only natural you wouldn’t be aware of them.”