Chapter 267

Grace fell silent. She hadn’t, in fact, asked Tessa how she felt about it. Her concern had been whether Aurora would be willing to accept it, assuming that Tessa would naturally jump at the opportunity. In her mind, this was a rare chance, a golden opportunity to get Tessa involved in the company. Why wouldn’t she take it? But now, hearing Aurora lay it out so plainly, doubt began to creep in. Had she gone about this the wrong way?

Noticing her mother’s moment of reflection, Aurora stood up. “Mom, judging by your reaction, I’m guessing you haven’t talked to her yet,” she said gently. “So, my suggestion? Start by talking to her first. As for me, I don’t have a problem with it. If she’s willing to join, she’s more than welcome.”

Grace’s expression softened, her lips curving into a smile. “Rora, you’ve really grown up.”

Aurora returned the smile, but with quiet grace. “It’s not about growing up—it’s about knowing when to ease your burden. You’ve carried a lot on your shoulders for a long time.”

“Take your time thinking it through. I’ll leave you to it,” she said, then turned and made her way toward the door. Grace didn’t stop her. She sat there, replaying Aurora’s words in her head. She couldn’t deny that her daughter had made a fair point. Forcing Tessa into a role she hadn’t agreed to could easily backfire. And if both daughters ended up resenting the situation, she’d be the one stuck in the middle. Better to take a step back and reconsider. Maybe it was time to have a real conversation with Tessa.

Meanwhile, as soon as Aurora stepped out of the office, her composed expression dropped. Everything she’d said inside had been a calculated performance. She’d bet anything Tessa would never be satisfied playing second to her. That woman’s ambition was far too obvious now, no matter how sweetly she pretended otherwise. What worried her wasn’t Tessa’s desire, but her lack of real capability to match it. But Aurora was confident that Tessa wouldn’t take the offer. Working under her? That would be unbearable. It would feel like a public defeat. She curled her lips into a slight smile. “Tessa, if you have any real pride left, don’t take the bait. That way, maybe I’ll still respect you just a little.”

As expected, when Grace brought up the idea to Tessa, her reaction was immediate and firm. “Mom, you’re joking… right?” But one look at Grace’s serious expression, and she knew—this was no joke. Grace didn’t bother with subtlety. “So that’s a no, then?”

Tessa nearly screamed. Of course it was a no. She didn’t see herself as any less capable than Aurora. If anything, she blamed her lack of involvement in the company on her health, not her skill. In her mind, she had just as much potential—she’d simply been sidelined. How could she possibly stand working beneath Aurora? Taking orders from her? Never. But she wasn’t stupid. She knew better than to argue directly. Instead, she took a softer approach. “It’s not that, Mom.”

“I’m just thinking… since Aurora’s identity has already been made public, if I were to suddenly join the company under her, people might start talking.”

“You know how the rumor mill works. One or two comments are easy to ignore, but dozens? How could we silence all of them?”

Grace looked at her eldest daughter, so considerate, so seemingly measured, and felt reassured by her maturity.