Since he already loved someone else, and she didn’t belong in that circle, forcing her way in would only make her a third party.

Aurora may not have been the favored child at home, but she understood right from wrong. A decent person wouldn’t take what belonged to someone else, especially not when both sides were in love. In matters of the heart, there was no such thing as who came first.

So, Aurora chose to step away rather than dwell on it. She wasn’t a third party, and she didn’t want to become one. Knowing that Joseph already had his so-called first love, what reason did she have to stay?

At that thought, a bitter smile formed on her face. The way Joseph had treated her before had already made her feel something was off.

No matter what, the older boy in her memory had always been gentle, understanding, and patient with her. But Joseph was nothing like that. Most of the time, he ordered her around, showing no respect. That thought left Aurora frustrated. Could it really be Joseph? Was the boy she remembered really connected to him? Something about it just didn’t sit right. She felt uneasy, as if drums were beating inside her chest. Part of her hoped it was him, because once she confirmed it and faced the disappointment, she wouldn’t need to hold on anymore. But part of her hoped it wasn’t, because the difference between Joseph and the boy in her memory was just too vast. Still, despite everything, Aurora wanted to uncover the truth about that year. After watching so many scenes, she was starting to lose track.

She didn’t know why she was still stuck wandering through this tunnel. She couldn’t find the beginning, and she didn’t know where she was anymore or even what year it was supposed to be. Doubt and hesitation began to stir in Aurora’s heart. She started to struggle, no longer wanting to be trapped like this. Especially after learning so much already, she was afraid. What if what came next only made things worse? Should she really keep going? Should she keep digging into the past?

Aurora began to shrink back. She wanted to leave this place, to stop everything. But as she looked around, she couldn’t find any way out. A creeping fear took hold of her—what if she was going to be stuck here forever? Aurora slowly crouched down against the wall, her mind spinning as she tried to figure out what to do next.

If she remembered correctly, Grace had just recovered from a serious illness, so she definitely couldn’t return to the company. And Aurora still had several major projects to oversee. There was no way Iari could handle them all alone. She slowly buried her head in her arms, her thoughts thundering inside her skull.

It all felt like a lie now. Everything around her unfamiliar and disorienting. Her brain buzzed loudly. Aurora covered her ears, overwhelmed by the chaotic noise surrounding her, as if a thousand voices were screaming at once. She wanted to run, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t escape. It felt like she was caught in an endless loop.

Hugging her knees, she stared at the spinning ground beneath her, growing dizzy and lightheaded.