Chapter 281

Crystal had already worked out a mental blueprint on how she was going to "discipline" Aurora once she married into the family.

Meanwhile, Aurora was in her office, handling corporate matters, when she suddenly sneezed. A wave of irritation stirred in her chest. Something felt off—an uneasiness she couldn't shake, like something was about to happen. She gave her head a light shake, trying to clear the clutter in her mind. There was no point getting distracted by meaningless thoughts. They only dragged down her mood.

Right now, her head was filled with one thing—expanding projects and growing Walton Corporation. She didn’t want to think about anything else. Steadying herself, she refocused on the project documents in front of her. But before long, her temples started to throb. That sense of unease only intensified. What on earth was going on?

Unable to concentrate anymore, she stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing out at the traffic below. Only then did a sliver of calm settle over her. Maybe she was just overthinking things…

Just as she was about to return to her desk and resume reviewing the documents, a knock sounded on the office door. Her heart skipped. That anxious feeling surged again.

“Come in.”

Ian walked in, visibly flustered, and hesitated when facing her.

Aurora frowned, putting down her pen. “It’s fine. Whatever it is, just say it.”

Prompted by her calmness, Ian finally spoke, recounting everything in detail. "Miss Walton, there’s a man downstairs… he brought a banner, hired a band, and he’s loudly confessing his love to you."

A flash of disbelief crossed Aurora’s eyes. “Are you sure it’s for me?”

Ian nodded. “Yes, your full name and title were clearly written on the banner. At first, I thought it might just be someone with the same name, but it’s definitely referring to you.”

Aurora’s brows furrowed tightly. A sense of dread settled in her chest. Could it be Joseph again? If it really was him, what was he thinking? Hadn’t he learned his lesson the last time?

“Alright, I got it. I’ll go down and see what’s going on.”

She stood up, ready to leave, but Ian quickly stepped in her way, clearly struggling with what to say.

“Miss Walton, I really don’t think you should go down there right now.”

Aurora gave him a puzzled look. “What are you doing?”

Ian took a deep breath and forced it out all at once. “It’s just… there are a lot of people downstairs. If you go down, it might affect your public image.”

As his words sank in, a sharp pulse hit Aurora’s temples. The unease in her chest kept growing. She walked over to the window again, peering down, but all she could see was a dense crowd. Nothing was clear from up here.

Holding her breath, she admitted that Ian wasn’t wrong, but she couldn’t hide either. This was about her. If she avoided it now, it could affect the company’s stock value.

“It’s fine. I’ll still go take a look.”

No sooner had the words left her mouth than she stepped past Ian and headed for the door. Her fists were clenched tight, a slow-burning fury rising inside her.

“Joseph, what the hell are you trying to pull this time?” Aurora’s thoughts were cold and calculated. Clearly, the last lesson hadn’t been harsh enough. This time, she would destroy him because she couldn’t let his constant antics drag her career down any longer.