Chapter 460

“And more than that, there’s someone I want to protect now.”

As he spoke, Judy’s sweet smile surfaced in his mind.

But Albert misunderstood immediately. His expression darkened.

“You’re still thinking about Aurora?” His voice rose sharply. “I told you, the two of you are from completely different worlds. You’re not a match.”

“Dad, it’s not…” Joseph tried to explain, but Albert didn’t give him the chance.

He was already off on a rant of his own.

“She’s signed a deal with Vanguard Group; she’s got overseas partnerships backing her. Being ‘Miss Walton’ is practically the least impressive thing about her now!”

With that, Joseph was forced to face a truth he’d been avoiding for a long time: the chasm between him and Aurora wasn’t just wide; it was staggering.

He hadn’t realized it before, but now? Now it hit like a freight train.

“She’s really that capable?” he muttered, still clinging to the memory of the woman who used to make soup and wait for him at home.

How had she transformed into someone so untouchable?

Albert glanced at his dazed son and, despite being his father, didn’t hesitate to twist the knife deeper.

“Yes. She’s that capable. And the gap between you two? It’s only going to grow wider. So quit dreaming. Start learning how to manage the company instead of wasting your time on things that’ll never happen.”

Joseph dropped his gaze, the light in his eyes dimmed. He looked completely shaken.

Albert saw it, but didn’t soften. It had to be done.

“Alright,” Joseph said quietly.

He turned and left the office, his figure slouched, shoulders heavy. With his scruffy beard and tired steps, he looked nothing like the polished young master he once was.

Albert watched him go, shaking his head.

“Let’s see if this time he really sticks to it…”

He sighed, a hand bracing against the desk.

“These old bones… who knows how much longer I can hold out?”

As long as he still had strength in his body, Albert would hold that seat for Joseph–no matter the cost.

Without realizing it, Joseph found himself parked outside Walton Corporation.

He remained in the car, staring up at the towering building in front of him.

For a moment, he felt completely disoriented.

The headquarters stood tall in the city’s skyline, its location commanding, its structure imposing.

Standing at its base, he felt small and insignificant.

He couldn’t see where the floors ended even when he craned his neck.

The whole building looked like it pierced straight into the clouds.

So this was the gap between her and him.

His father was right. He’d grown complacent and careless.

And worst of all, he hadn’t even realized how serious things had become.

That blindness was the root of his lack of ambition.

As he sat lost in thought, movement by the building’s entrance caught his eye.

Aurora stepped out of Walton Corporation.

She wore a sleek, tailored suit that hugged her figure perfectly.

Her hair was swept into a neat twist at the back of her head, revealing a smooth, flawless forehead.

For work, she’d applied only a touch of makeup over her already striking features, yet the result made her even more captivating. The moment she appeared, Joseph’s gaze locked onto her.

In heels, she walked with sharp precision, her presence commanding and powerful. The energy around her was undeniable. And in that instant, Joseph saw something in her he hadn’t before–something that reminded him of his father.

No, even more ruthless and more decisive than Albert ever was in the boardroom.

He wasn’t even sure why he did it.

But before he could stop himself, Joseph stepped out of the car and walked straight toward her, cutting across her path.