“Yes, that’s the one.”

Aurora found it ridiculous.

“That family’s only surviving link is their association with the Wallons. Otherwise, they would’ve been kicked out of Ravenshore’s elite circle ages ago. And now they still have the nerve to act like they matter.”

Lucas’s eyes turned sharp. “So, could it be that Julian doesn’t even realize the state his family is in?”

“No way.”

Aurora’s response was firm.

Lucas looked at her in surprise. Why was she so sure? Had she been keeping an eye on this the whole time?

Aurora caught his expression and rubbed her nose awkwardly. “Yeah, I’ve been following this matter all along.”

Lucas chuckled. Were they really this in sync already? There were things they never voiced, yet the other could read them as if they were written in plain sight. It was honestly kind of surprising.

Aurora spoke again, slightly embarrassed. “Back then, I was still looking out for Tessa. I didn’t want her to just marry off without a second thought. So, I started digging around to find out what kind of family the Hayeses really were.”

Lucas looked at her with gentle affection. “You really went out of your way.”

But Aurora no longer cared about any of that. Whatever Tessa’s attitude toward her now, it didn’t matter anymore. At the very least, she had once offered her genuine concern. If the other party didn’t cherish or value that, there was no point continuing. After all, the world didn’t stop turning just because someone walked away. These things were completely normal. So, from now on, she needed to live her own life and stop caring about Tessa. There was no such thing as sisterly affection. It was Tessa who threw it away first. Once one side wanted to abandon the relationship, the other would soon be discarded too. No matter how much she gave, it would all be in vain.

Nobody was a fool, not in a world where everyone was forced to grow up fast – least of all when it came to her feelings about Tessa. Between the two of them, it had always been Tessa who let go first. Since Tessa didn’t like her, and Aurora was never someone who dwelled on things, she moved on quickly. After all, she still had her good friend, Megan. As for her sister, she could treat her like a passing stranger.

“It’s all in the past now. From now on, I’ll be by your side.” Lucas noticed that Aurora seemed a little upset. He silently stepped forward a bit, blocking the breeze from outside so she wouldn’t catch a cold. They were still in the hospital room, but the balcony door was open, and the wind was drifting in. Looking at Lucas’ broad figure, Aurora felt a sense of peace in her heart.

Yeah, so what if they were blood sisters or not close at all? The hurt Tessa caused her had never lessened, not even a little. So, she wasn’t going to change herself for Tessa. If they couldn’t be together, then so be it. After all, in this world, there were plenty of people who would eventually part ways. Even if that person was her own sister. Aurora had already thought it through. Once she stopped caring about someone and no longer gave them a place in her heart, she wouldn’t overthink anymore.

So now, she could finally have more time for herself. It was precisely because of that, Aurora felt she had truly grown.

Lucas didn’t bring up those matters again. “Nothing else really happened. From here on, let them deal with it themselves.”

Aurora nodded. She agreed that there was no point interfering. Since they couldn’t change anything, it was better to let them handle it. Besides, Hayes Enterprises was already an empty shell. If Julian still thought it was worth something, then let him chase after it.

Aurora specifically instructed, “If Julian wants to make calls or do anything, just make sure no one stops him.”

There was no need.

Only when Julian hit rock bottom would he finally learn his lesson. That was how he’d remember it.

Lucas immediately understood what she meant. If he wanted someone to fall harder, he had to let them climb higher. Only by giving him hope and then pulling it away would the impact truly resonate. Anything less would be child’s play to Julian. This was the kind of blow that would truly stick.

“You really think things through. Don’t worry, Rora, I’ll make sure it happens.”

Aurora smiled but said nothing. Lucas being able to read her so well still made her quietly happy. On top of that, she also wanted to test just how capable Lucas really was. She had always felt there was more to him than met the eye. Now, seeing how well-connected he was with people abroad, Aurora realized... But the better those relationships looked on the surface, the more even seemed a little afraid of Lucas at times. That alone made her wary. Still, she had no real excuse to dig deeper. And her curiosity wasn’t rooted in anything serious – it was just that...

After all, who didn’t have a few hidden identities when they were young? It was pretty normal.