Chapter 65

Out of the corner of her eye, Aurora caught a glimpse of a familiar fabric. It was Joseph. He still hadn’t left? The moment he realized she had spotted him, the hatred in his eyes deepened. Without hesitation, he stormed out from the shadows, planting himself in front of them.

Aurora’s lips curled into a smirk. “Well, well, if it isn’t Joseph, the same guy who slunk away in shame just moments ago.”

“You bitch, don’t get cocky!” Joseph snarled, his gaze flashing with fury before flicking to Lucas. Standing face-to-face with him again, he could still feel the suffocating pressure radiating from the man. Joseph clenched his jaw, forcing himself to suppress the unease creeping in. He gritted his teeth and sneered, “So what? You found yourself a kept pretty boy, and now you actually think you can go up against the Hunt family?” His expression twisted with malicious delight. “As long as you’re in Ravenshore, you’d better be prepared. We’ll see who gets the last laugh.”

Aurora’s gaze turned ice-cold. “In that case, I’ll throw your words right back at you.” The way she looked at him—like he was nothing more than a pathetic clown—made his blood boil.

Lucas’ expression darkened as well. Watching Joseph strut around like some arrogant kingpin was almost laughable. Was this really the man Aurora had wasted three years of her life on?

Joseph’s fingers curled into fists as he stared at them—Aurora standing confidently beside Lucas, looking radiant, bold, completely untouchable. And Lucas himself… devastatingly handsome, his presence overwhelming. Together, they looked perfect. For the first time, he had to admit that Aurora had only grown more stunning after leaving him. She was now so impossibly refined, so breathtaking, that she almost didn’t seem real.

But so what? At the end of the day, she was nothing more than a scholarship kid from nowhere. Joseph took a deep breath, trying to steady the jealousy burning in his chest. “You just wait, Aurora. Don’t think you’ve won just yet.” He lifted his chin, his smirk returning. “In Ravenshore, crushing you is as easy as snapping my fingers.”

With that, he turned on his heel and walked away, his smug grin lingering. Aurora saw it clearly. Her brows furrowed slightly. Was this really the man who had once saved her? As Aurora watched Joseph strut away, his arrogant smirk still plastered across his face, disgust curled in her stomach. If she had really been just a penniless scholarship student, would she have had any way to survive in Ravenshore? The thought alone made her feel even more repulsed by him.

Lucas took her hand, his voice calm and reassuring. “It’s okay. As long as I’m here, I won’t let my wife be bullied.”

The icy feeling in Aurora’s chest eased slightly. She looked up at him with a small smile, her voice steady and confident. “Don’t worry, he’s nothing more than a joke. He couldn’t possibly get to me.” She glanced in the direction Joseph had left, her expression unreadable. “But for once, he’s right about something—who gets the last laugh in Ravenshore is still up in the air.”

Lucas raised a hand and gently ruffled her hair. “Do whatever you want. I’ll always support you.”

Aurora nodded slightly. The two drove home in comfortable silence. Though no words were exchanged, Lucas could feel the shift in Aurora’s attitude toward him. After everything that had happened with Joseph, her resistance toward him didn’t seem as strong anymore.

Later that night, after she finished her shower and stepped out of the bathroom, she found herself locking eyes with Lucas. His gaze was deep, unreadable. Her heart skipped a beat.

Without hesitation, Lucas reached for the towel in her hands. “Let me dry your hair.”

Aurora stiffened slightly at the unexpected offer. She hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded. “…Okay.”

They were close—too close. The air between them felt heavier, charged with something unspoken. After a moment, Lucas finally spoke, his voice unusually gentle.

“Rora… can you tell me why you were upset earlier? Did I do something wrong?”