Hearing that, Megan felt a little better. Aurora was right; the little cat hadn't left this world hungry. It had been petted, fed, and loved before it passed. Megan stared at the photo, silently whispering in her heart, “Little One, will you come find me again in your next life?”

“Aurora, when I’m discharged, will you take me to visit it?”

Little Aurora answered without hesitation, “Of course. But only if you promise to get better first.”

“Don’t worry. I promised, so I’ll make sure it happens.”

Megan nodded, then her thoughts turned to the three men. “Aurora, what happened to those men?”

As soon as she asked, Aurora’s expression shifted. Standing beside her, Aurora lowered her gaze. She understood that crushing sense of helplessness all too well. Now, little Aurora was feeling exactly what she had once felt—a dead end, no way forward, no trace of the person behind it all. With that realization, a wave of frustration washed over Aurora. Was she even fit to be Megan’s friend anymore? Megan had given her unwavering trust and support, but she couldn’t even uncover the one pulling the strings. How could she be so useless?

At that moment, both Auroras—past and present—were swallowed by the same feeling. Their postures matched, heads bowed low. Megan saw their reaction and quietly understood. Looking at little Aurora’s defeated slump, she simply gave a small, knowing smile. Then Megan sat up and wrapped her arms around little Aurora, gently patting her back. The tension in Aurora’s body melted away at the touch, and the storm in her chest began to calm.

“Aurora, you…”

Megan shook her head. “It’s okay. I know. I understand you, I really do. You’ve always been so good to me. And you’re not much older than I am; you’re already carrying so much on your shoulders.”

She held Aurora’s hand and looked her straight in the eye, speaking with quiet conviction. “I just don’t want you to pressure yourself too much. You’re still young. And we’ve got a long road ahead of us. Even if we can’t uncover the truth right now, we will someday.”

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Aurora, filled with unwavering trust, as if she’d entrusted her whole world to her. Seeing that, Aurora’s eyes stung. She hugged Megan tightly, silently vowing in her heart that she would protect her with everything she had. Megan was her only best friend; nothing could change that, not even her own mother. A best friend was the kind of family you chose for yourself—no blood ties, just a bond that ran deeper than most could understand. Aurora felt proud of the choice she’d made.

Across the room, Aurora watched the two girls with a warm smile. The way they held each other filled her with a tender ache. She found herself missing Megan. It felt like she’d been asleep for a long time; she could barely remember what time it was anymore.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, little Tessa arrived at Nicholas’ place in her school uniform. Her face looked worn and troubled, but she moved through the familiar halls with practiced ease, heading straight into a private room. The staff barely blinked; they’d gotten used to it. It used to be a monthly occurrence; now, it had become routine.

Chapter 682