Aurora remained calm. "Don't worry, I’m done with Joseph. But since I’ll be taking over the Walton family, my marriage should at least be stable. I’d rather choose someone I don’t dislike."

Grace had never approved of her being with Joseph.

Part of it was her disdain for Aurora allowing emotions to cloud her judgment.

The other reason was that the Hunt family was a direct competitor to the Waltons.

Though the Hunts weren’t as powerful as the Waltons, they were still considered rivals.

In truth, when it came to marriage, Grace wasn’t overly controlling.

She wasn’t as invested in Aurora’s affairs as she was in Tessa’s.

Her sharp gaze swept over Aurora, assessing her for a moment.

"Fine, you can choose whoever you want to marry, but a bet is a bet. Don’t let me down, Aurora."

Aurora nodded.

Grace had other matters to attend to and turned to head upstairs.

Now, only Tessa and Aurora remained in the living room.

Though they were sisters in name, their relationship had always been lukewarm at best.

Tessa deliberately toyed with the expensive bracelet Grace bought for her at auction, letting out a mocking laugh.

"Aurora, do you really think you can find someone better than Julian? The whole social circle knows you lowered yourself for Joseph. Do you honestly believe anyone would still want to marry you?"

The Walton and Hunt families didn’t run in the same circles.

But in Ravenshore, rumors about Aurora being involved with another man had been spreading like wildfire.

Aurora merely cast Tessa a glance.

She felt nothing for this so-called sister.

In fact, when Julian called off the engagement, she had been relieved.

For some reason, Tessa always harbored resentment toward her.

"Julian?"

Aurora arched a brow and let out a mocking laugh.

"If you like him so much, keep him. But from what I’ve heard, he sleeps around quite a bit. Make sure he gets regular checkups, sister."

"You—"

Tessa's chest rose and fell in anger.

She knew full well the difference between her and Aurora.

Grace was strict with Aurora yet indulgent with her—not out of love, but because she had higher expectations for Aurora.

But why?

Why was Aurora the one who got to inherit the Walton family?

Why not her?

Just because she was adopted?

As she watched Aurora walk away, bitterness and unwillingness filled Tessa’s darkened gaze.

However, Aurora had no time to bother with Tessa’s feelings.

News of her situation had spread, and her friends were eager to introduce potential matches for her.

For three days straight, she met with one man after another, yet none of them piqued her interest.

She was about to leave when a familiar voice called out from nearby.

"Aurora? What a coincidence."

Judy walked toward her, arm linked with Joseph’s.

Her look had completely changed.

She was now draped in high-end designer labels from head to toe, yet she still carried that same gentle, obedient demeanor.

Beside her, Joseph frowned at the sight of Aurora.

She seemed different from before.

Her makeup was flawless, her lips painted a bold red, her dark hair flowing effortlessly.

Her gaze carried a lazy, indifferent air—bold, unrestrained.

Nothing like the woman he once knew.

"What are you doing here?"

Joseph brushed aside his stray thoughts and asked coldly.

This restaurant was exclusive to members.

Someone like Aurora had no place here.

Aurora curled her lips into a playful smirk. "And why wouldn’t I be here?"

"Miss Walton, are you working here?" Judy let out a soft laugh, her tone laced with pity.

"The pay here is good, but I didn’t expect a top university graduate like you to end up as a waitress just for money."

"And what’s wrong with being a waitress?"

Aurora’s gaze swept over Judy’s expensive outfit, each piece worth thousands, before she said casually, "At least I make my own money instead of relying on a man."

Judy’s face paled. She bit her lip, looking pitiful.

But Joseph’s expression darkened with disdain. "So what if I spend money on my woman?

“When we broke up, I even gave you two hundred thousand dollars in compensation, but you insisted on refusing it.

“Aurora Walton, with an attitude like yours, do you even deserve to work here?"

His face was cold as he signaled for the manager.

Beside him, Judy remained silent, watching Aurora with quiet obedience.

Aurora looked at the two of them.

Suddenly, she found it all ridiculous.

If she really were a struggling university graduate, then Joseph’s actions would have ruined her job, making her already difficult life even worse.

And Judy, someone who should have understood this better than anyone, just stood by and watched as Joseph made things harder for her.

So much for that pure, kind-hearted image.

Soon, the manager arrived.

"This waitress has a terrible attitude. I don’t think she’s fit to work here anymore," Joseph said coldly.

But the manager froze, looking startled.

He quickly explained, "There must be a misunderstanding, sir. Miss Walton is one of our elite members, not a waitress."

"What?"

Joseph was stunned. His brows furrowed as disbelief flashed across his face.

How could Aurora afford to be a member here?

She used to hesitate over buying cheap street food, always careful to eat every last bite of a strawberry, including the stem.

How could she suddenly afford an elite membership at a place like this?

She must have schemed, done whatever it took, just to get his attention.

Disgust welled up in his eyes.

"Aurora Walton, what exactly are you trying to do? Clinging to me, hoping to get back together?"

Aurora lifted her gaze, red lips parting as she uttered, "Idiot."

For the first time, Aurora found it hard to reconcile the man before her with the one in her memories—the man who once comforted her, over and over, when she was temporarily blind.

Back then, after the earthquake, Joseph had saved her, staying by her side and reassuring her as they waited for rescue.

That was why she had been devoted to him for so long.

But she never imagined that the man who accompanied her through the darkness would turn out to be so arrogant and cruel.

"Aurora, a woman should have more self-respect," Judy said with a sigh, her expression one of helpless understanding, as if she were generously tolerating a clingy, unreasonable ex-girlfriend chasing after her boyfriend.

Aurora was just about to set the record straight when, suddenly, someone leaned in and whispered something to the manager.

The manager’s expression shifted.

He turned to Joseph, his tone polite yet firm.

"Apologies, Mr. Hunt, but your membership invitation has been revoked. You are no longer a member of this restaurant. Please leave."

Revoked?

This restaurant was well-known, and its owner was notoriously elusive and private.

Joseph’s expression darkened, but he forced himself to remain composed. "What does your boss mean by this?"

"My apologies," the manager said again, extending a hand toward the door.

"These are our owner’s instructions. I must ask both of you to leave."

Aurora paused for a moment, then let out a quiet laugh, watching the way Joseph’s face twisted with emotion.

Joseph shot her a sharp glance, clenched his jaw, but in the end, he didn’t dare make a scene.

Without another word, he turned and left with Judy.

As they stepped out of the restaurant, Judy hesitated.

Remembering the way Aurora looked just now, Judy felt aggrieved, her eyes turned slightly red as she asked, "Joseph, do you think this was Aurora’s doing?"

"Impossible," Joseph said coldly, his patience wearing thin.

"What kind of power would she have?"

"But isn’t the owner of this place supposed to be extremely wealthy? What if Aurora is still bitter over your breakup and deliberately got close to him? She does seem… different now."

Joseph frowned, thinking back to the way Aurora had carried herself tonight.

She really did seem like a different person.

Even her presence felt stronger than before.

"She wishes," Joseph said flatly.

"With her background, no one would take her seriously. She’s just a passing amusement. Just ignore her."

Only then did a faint smile appear on Judy’s lips as she obediently followed Joseph away.

…

In the restaurant, Aurora had long finished her arranged date for the night.

Still thinking about what had just happened at the restaurant, she wondered who exactly the mysterious owner was.

Just then, she caught sight of a familiar figure approaching from the distance.

It was Lucas.

She hesitated for a moment before greeting him with a sweet, casual smile, as if she had completely forgotten the absurdity of that night. "What a coincidence, Lukey."

His dark eyes lingered on her, calm and unfathomable, his voice low and steady. "Here for a date?"

Aurora nodded.

It was no secret—her arranged dates had been a hot topic in their social circle.

It wasn’t surprising that he knew.

"Madam Grace’s idea?" Lucas’s gaze deepened, unreadable.

Aurora wasn’t sure what he meant.

She looked up at him in confusion.

Then, unexpectedly, he spoke again.

"Interesting. My family’s been pressing me about marriage too."

He met her gaze. His expression remained indifferent as he asked, almost carelessly, "So, Aurora, want to get married?"

His voice was deep and husky, cool yet intoxicating.

Aurora’s heartbeat skipped for a moment.

She hadn’t expected Lucas to bring it up himself.

"Can I ask why?" she hesitated, as if something had just occurred to her.

"If this is about that night, you don’t need to take responsibility. Honestly, you were good in bed, and I had a great time."

It had been a mutual decision.

Besides, she was the one who made the first move, acting on impulse.

"If I had to give a reason…"

Lucas idly rolled the rosary bracelet around his wrist, his voice calm and unhurried.

"Call it mutual benefit. You’re Megan’s friend, and I trust her judgment."

When he mentioned Megan, Aurora’s lips curled slightly.

If she really went through with this marriage, she couldn’t imagine how Megan would react.

But then again… Lucas’ face alone made it hard not to waver.

She needed to marry someone she didn’t dislike, someone with good character.

Honestly, Lucas was the best option.

Aurora’s red lips curved into a smile as she blinked playfully. "Lukey, I don’t think I have a reason to say no."

"Then tomorrow at 10 a.m., at the city hall," Lucas said, meeting her gaze.

Aurora nodded.

It seemed he had other matters to attend to, as he turned to leave.

But just as he was about to step away, he paused.

His brows furrowed slightly, his tone casual but pointed. "About Joseph Hunt…"

"It’s over," Aurora lowered her gaze, recalling Joseph’s arrogance earlier.

"Don’t worry, I’m not the type to go back to an ex."

Only then did Lucas turn and walk away.

Aurora watched his retreating figure, feeling an odd sense of disbelief.

She was really about to marry Lucas.

…

She didn’t tell Grace about the marriage in advance.

Lucas had always been low-profile, an elusive figure even in the media.

And in truth, this marriage felt more like a formality to satisfy their families.

If she really thought about it, their connection, aside from that one reckless night and her fleeting, unspoken crush, mostly came from the fact that he was Megan’s cousin.

The next day, they walked out of the city hall, each holding a crisp marriage certificate in hand.

Only now did the reality of marriage begin to sink in for Aurora.

"Now that we're officially married, should we move into our place?" she asked hesitantly.

She wasn’t exactly experienced in these matters, nor did she know Lucas well enough to predict his response.

Aurora didn’t know much about the specifics of the Carter family’s business, only that they were exceptionally wealthy.

However, families like theirs always had an estate or a property set aside for newlyweds.

At the sound of the word “we,” Lucas’ lips curled slightly, an almost imperceptible reaction that vanished in an instant.

"Of course," he said coolly.

He handed her a set of keys along with a small red box.

Aurora opened it and paused.

Inside was a diamond ring.

And not just any ring—it was exactly the style she liked.

Understated yet exquisitely crafted, luxurious yet elegant.

It suited her past tastes perfectly.

"A wedding ring," Lucas said in his usual calm tone, his gaze resting on her as he added casually, "Want to try it on?"

Even after playing the role of a struggling student for three years, Aurora still couldn’t resist something that sparkled this beautifully.

She nodded.

Lucas took the ring and slid it onto her finger.

"Do you like it?" His voice remained indifferent, yet his gaze was focused entirely on her.

"If not, we can get another one."

Aurora’s lips curved into a smile.

"I like it."

There was no reason not to like a diamond ring worth nearly seven figures.

Back when she was with Joseph, the most expensive ring he ever gave her was a plain one.

She even returned most of the money he transferred to her.

He had barely spent his money on her.

For men like him, the truest sign of sincerity was investing in the woman they cared about.

The Waltons were never short on money, but feeling Lucas’ generosity still put Aurora in a rare good mood.

Lucas handed her another card.

At first, Aurora assumed it was for household expenses.

But then, he glanced at her and said in an unhurried tone, "The house is taken care of by the staff. This is for your personal spending, Mrs. Carter."

His voice was calm, indifferent, as if he were mentioning something trivial.

Aurora’s eyes flickered as she arched a brow, her red lips curving playfully. "Lukey, aren’t you worried I might run off with your money after I’m done sleeping with you?"

"Run off with my money..."

Lucas let out a low chuckle, his voice deep and smooth. "That’s fine. Name your price, Mrs. Carter. As for sleeping with me..."

Their eyes met.

His sharp, narrow eyes, porcelain-like skin, and perfectly sculpted features grew nearer and nearer.

Then, he leaned forward, pulled her close by the waist, and kissed her.