"Got it. Now go. And close the door behind you if there’s nothing else,” Aurora said flatly, her face emotionless.

Seeing her that distant, Ian didn’t dare press further. He simply closed the door and turned around, only to be met with dozens of expectant faces.

Facing all those concerned eyes, he cleared his throat. “Alright, nothing to see here. Let’s all get back to work, okay? There’s plenty to do. Don’t just stand around.”

Despite his words, no one really felt at ease, because deep down, they all knew that Aurora probably hadn’t eaten. And judging from Ian’s expression, they were right.

As expected, she barely touched the food. After a few quick bites, she pushed it aside and went right back to her work. Between the heavy workload and her mother’s health issues, Aurora’s responsibilities had only multiplied. She no longer had the luxury of moving at her own pace, and that was exactly why she pushed herself so hard. She didn’t need to prove anything to anyone; she just wanted to shoulder more for her mother’s sake. If she could carry more, her mother could rest easier. That thought alone gave her more drive to keep going.

With Lucas out of town, Aurora had spent the past couple of days practically living at the office. She figured, what was the point of going home? It’d just be empty. Might as well stay at work and power through more tasks. But when night finally fell, her eyes started to sting with fatigue, and her stomach twisted in sharp, cramping pain.

Aurora sucked in a breath, the discomfort catching her off guard. This wasn’t normal – she had never felt pain like this before. Alarmed, she clutched her stomach and instinctively looked toward the door, wanting to call Ian in. Only then did she realize that the office was dark and silent. Everyone had already gone home. She was completely alone on the entire floor. Cold sweat beaded along Aurora’s temples as the pain in her abdomen worsened, draining every ounce of strength from her body. Yet in that moment, the only person who came to mind was Lucas. Barely holding herself together, she managed to pull out her phone and dial his number.

Lucas had already returned from Fortline, but right now, he was being pestered by Wendy and couldn’t get away. Wendy crossed her arms and said stubbornly, “I don’t care. I never agreed this would only be a few meals. Something this important – do you really think one dinner is enough to brush me off, Lukey?”

A vein throbbed at Lucas’ temple. If it weren’t for Kenneth’s sake, he would’ve gotten rid of this woman a long time ago. And now, she was growing more brazen by the minute. Desmond stood nearby, desperately giving her warning glances, trying to signal her to stop talking. This man, freshly back from Fortline, was not to be pushed right now. Whatever trouble Wendy stirred up, they’d be the ones cleaning up the mess later. But Wendy acted like she didn’t notice anything. Her eyes were locked on Lucas, refusing to back down until she got what she wanted. Lucas closed his eyes for a moment, forcing himself to stay calm. “So, what are you saying?”

Her eyes lit up. “So, take me out again! You’re finally back! Why rush home so fast? Just spend the afternoon with me, okay?” As she spoke, she reached out to grab his arm. Desmond’s heart nearly jumped out of his chest at the sight.