Chapter 279

Tessa let out a soft chuckle. “Now that’s more like it. You really are a straightforward man, Joseph."

“It’s nothing much, really. I just wanted to let you know that Aurora’s doing incredibly well these days. Her career’s taken off, and the money’s rolling in faster than ever.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Joseph had been lazily sprawled out on his bed, but the moment he heard those words, he shot upright. His eyes lit up.

“Exactly what it sounds like,” Tessa replied, clearly amused. “What’s the matter? Didn’t you know your ex is practically printing money these days?"

“Don’t tell me she kept all of that from you—her background, her skills? Hiding everything from the man she was supposedly in love with? Tsk, tsk…”

She spoke slowly, deliberately, each word hitting its mark. With every sentence, Joseph’s fingers curled tighter into fists, his chest rising and falling with sharp breaths.

So, she really had kept things from him. The woman who stood quietly at his side had been hiding this much power the entire time? Why did she wait until after their breakup to reveal it?

Tessa could hear the ragged sound of his breathing on the other end, though he still hadn’t said a word. But she didn’t need him to. She knew everything she said had landed exactly where it was meant to.

Finally, after a long silence, his voice came through. “What do you want me to do?”

Tessa’s lips curled into a slow, confident smile. Just as she expected. This man couldn’t resist. The whole gentleman act was just a facade. Her mood lifted instantly.

“It’s simple. A woman like her? You’d be a fool to let her go. She belongs in your house—why not win her back?”

But the moment the words landed, Joseph hesitated. A flicker of doubt crept in. Part of him already wanted to walk away. He had already tried pursuing Aurora once and ended up being thrown into a police station for his trouble. That whole ordeal had been a disaster, and definitely not the outcome he was aiming for.

“I’ve tried that before. It didn’t work.”

Even saying it out loud made Joseph feel a little embarrassed. The sting of that humiliation hadn’t faded in the slightest.

But Tessa was unfazed, full of confidence. “Relax. You probably just used the wrong approach back then."

“As a woman myself, I know exactly what makes us tick. Just follow my lead…”

She laid out her plan in full detail, step by step. By the end of it, even Joseph was beginning to waver. “You really think this will work?”

“Trust me. Women love grand gestures. You can’t go wrong with this.”

Her certainty left him little room to argue, and though he still had his doubts, Joseph found himself willing to give it another shot.

After all, how could he not be tempted? The thought of Aurora raking in money left and right stirred something in him. A woman that capable—having her at home, on his arm—would be a point of pride in itself.

And beyond that, Aurora was stunning. Just imagining her face now was enough to make his fingers twitch with anticipation.

“Alright. I’ll do it,” he said.

Only then did Tessa hang up, completely satisfied. She had no doubt Joseph would pull it off this time. After all, who could resist chasing after a golden goose?

Once the call ended, Joseph turned back to his current reality—still under lockdown in his own house. With no other choice, he went to negotiate with his mother, Crystal Dixon, for permission to leave.

At first, Crystal was firmly against it.