Chapter 294

“Son, just listen to your father and stay home,” Crystal advised. “Don’t worry, even if you’re grounded, I’ll still make sure you eat well. I won’t let the housekeeper shortchange you.”

With that, she slipped away upstairs and closed her door, leaving Joseph standing alone in the living room.

He still didn’t understand what “mistake” his father had been talking about. What had he done wrong? He had already smoothed things over with Judy–was it just because his confession to Aurora failed? That counted as a mistake?

Thinking about it only made him more determined. He wasn’t about to give up that easily.

“Stay home obediently?” Joseph let out a cold laugh. “No way. Not until I win over Aurora Walton.”

He figured the way his parents were treating him now would change the moment he brought money back to the table. He was sure their attitudes would shift again.

Back in his room, he started thinking through his next steps. But for now, he couldn’t come up with a solid plan. Aurora’s current attitude was nothing like before–she’d completely changed. Winning her over wouldn’t be easy anymore. This would take time and strategy.

Once he realized that, the urgency faded. After all, now that Melvin knew what he was up to, he no longer had to sneak around. If he could sneak out once, he could do it again. Joseph had already made up his mind–no matter what his parents said, it wouldn’t stop him.

After everything that happened with Julian, Aurora had become far more guarded toward everyone. But for now, she had no proof of anything. Without evidence, she couldn’t go around making accusations.

Just thinking about it gave Aurora a headache. And then there was Joseph again today–what was wrong with that man?

She turned on the shower, wanting nothing more than to wash away all the stress. She didn’t want to think about any of it anymore–the mess, the drama, none of it. Right now, she just wanted to clear her mind.

After her shower, Aurora instinctively headed toward the guest room.

Over the past few days, Wendy had been surprisingly quiet. She didn’t stir any drama. It was as if she had suddenly calmed down. Some days, she’d even greet Aurora if she was in a good mood. On bad days, she’d ignore her completely, acting like she didn’t exist.

Still, no matter how many hints Lucas dropped, Wendy refused to move out. She kept living there, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

At first, it made Aurora uncomfortable, but over time, she got used to it. At this point, it felt like she was just sharing a place with a stubborn roommate.

She had just turned to head toward the guest room when she nearly bumped into Lucas walking through the door.

He was dressed in a sleek black suit that emphasized his broad shoulders and trim waist, but his cold, unreadable expression made it impossible to tell what he was thinking, let alone dare guess.

“Where are you going?” he asked suddenly, his voice sharp enough to stop her in her tracks.

“To the guest room,” Aurora replied, unfazed. She’d grown used to Wendy being there, but she still had no intention of sharing a room with Lucas. Honestly, she didn’t even know what she was thinking anymore. Maybe she just saw them all as housemates now.

Lucas’ gaze sharpened. “Why are you still going to the guest room? We’re married. What exactly do you think this says about our marriage?”