But when the two of them suddenly stopped right in front of Megan, she couldn’t help but find it strange. There was something off about it. Could they have been eavesdropping on their conversation?

Tessa, quick on her feet, simply waved her hand and gestured that she couldn’t speak, then quickly pulled Julian away.

Watching their retreating figures, Megan’s suspicion only deepened. “Weird. Really weird.”

There was something odd about the way they had appeared and how quickly they left. It all felt too deliberate, almost like it had been...

Leonard noticed Megan staring off and asked curiously, “What is it? What are you looking at?”

Megan pressed her lips together. “Don’t you think those two were acting a little strange? And when I was about to mention my cousin’s identity, it felt like they were listening in.”

Leonard paused, giving it some thought. He had to admit that she had a point. So, he asked, “Have you seen them before? Do they seem familiar at all?”

That question caught Megan off guard. Her thoughts scattered, and she couldn’t recall anything specific. “I honestly don’t remember. I don’t even think I’ve seen them before.” Then she laughed softly. “Besides, with how covered up they were, how could I possibly recognize them?”

Leonard gave his forehead a quick smack, realizing his own oversight. What was he even thinking? They were all wrapped up, so there was no way anyone could’ve recognized them. He wasn’t thinking rationally. And in moments like this, facts mattered. He couldn’t afford to jump to conclusions.

“So, shall we head to the hotel?” Leonard asked in a gentle tone.

Megan nodded. “Alright, let’s drop our things off first. We can deal with everything else later. Once we’ve settled in, we’ll come back to check on Aurora.”

Leonard agreed and thought the same. They’d seen enough drama for one day, and nothing concrete had come from it. He was still left with a lot of questions. More than anything, though, he was genuinely worried about Aurora’s condition. He couldn’t understand it. What kind of illness could keep someone unconscious for this long? No one seemed to know what was really going on.

Leonard sighed, the concern weighing heavily on him. Seeing the frustration and worry in his expression, Megan felt a pang in her chest. Of course, she knew exactly what was bothering him. She felt it too. Growing up, she’d never seen Aurora this sick before. To Megan, Aurora had always seemed invincible. She was quick-witted and academically gifted, the shining star of the family. She was the girl every parent pointed to and said, “Why can’t you be more like her?”

And yet, even someone as exceptional as Aurora had once envied Tessa. Back then, Tessa’s frail health had naturally earned Grace’s affection. She could act spoiled around their mother, joke, tease, and be openly soft. But Aurora couldn’t. She was always met with strict expectations and high standards. She couldn’t afford to be anything less. That kind of pressure shaped her. And Megan knew that, deep down, Aurora had longed to be on the other side of it. She wanted to be the one allowed to be soft and loved without conditions.

And Tessa? She grew up to become the very image of what adults praised.