Chapter 980

But what Aurora hadn’t expected was how quickly her mother had acted. It hadn’t even been that long, and she’d already brought Tessa back into the picture. Aurora would never forgive Tessa. Her fingers curled into a tight fist as she marched over to the trash can and, without a second thought, tossed the jewelry box inside. But after just a few steps, regret crept in. She paused, closed her eyes, and stepped back. Forget it. It would be a waste to throw it away. Might as well keep it; if her mother’s birthday came around, she could always give it then.

But right now, she didn’t want to give her anything at all. Grace had Tessa by her side–there was no need for Aurora to insert herself into that picture. At least she had the self-awareness to recognize that. Aurora stared blankly at the box in her hand. Clearly, being soft-hearted was dangerous. The moment she let her guard down, it was like exposing her weakness. She could never return to the version of herself that was strong and untouchable. But then she thought about the things her mother used to say, how Grace had once cared deeply for her. With that in mind, Aurora realized maybe being kind to her mother wasn’t such a bad thing. She would try to communicate more going forward. After all, Grace was still her mother. She had given her life and raised her. And because of that, Aurora knew she had a responsibility to look after her. She saw it all clearly now.

Back at the office, the moment she stepped into her workspace, there was a knock at the door. Aurora called out, “Come in.”

Chapter 980 +25 BONUS

The door opened, and in walked Ian. Aurora glanced up. It was indeed him.

Ian stepped up to Aurora’s desk and said, “Miss Walton, I’ve already arranged everything with Joseph Hunt. Dinner reservations are confirmed for you both.” Aurora froze in her seat. She hadn’t expected to see that man again so soon. She’d thought this lifetime would pass without ever crossing paths with him again. After all, she’d sent him to prison twice. Even if he didn’t hate her, he had to see her as an enemy. And sure enough, now he was here to retaliate, going straight after her company. What she hadn’t expected was how smoothly the meeting had been arranged.

“There weren’t any conditions from his side?” Aurora asked, unable to hold back the question.

Ian shook his head. “Not really. The only thing he insisted on was having dinner with you, which was… a little unusual at first. But after that, he agreed right away. He even seemed a bit excited.”

The word “excited” made Aurora’s lips curve into a smirk. Of course–it was classic Joseph, her ever-charming ex, who had once spun the whole “life-saving debt” into a clever lie just to win her over. Now, attacking her company, and still looking thrilled about it? They really were two sides of the same coin. Her interest was piqued. She had to admit, there was something about Joseph that still intrigued her. But no matter how amusing or clever he might be, she wasn’t about to go easy on him. He’d touched her company and for that, he’d better be ready to face the consequences. She brushed the documents aside and quickly tidied up her desk.

“Alright, leave these for now. Go pull everything you can on Hunt Enterprises’ current projects. I want every detail, especially the most recent ones. Gather it all–don’t leave a single file out.”