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 Hunt, but your membership invitation has been revoked.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.

It was an unrestrained kiss—deep and intense.

She gasped softly, but he captured her breath entirely, feeding it back into her lips.

Instinctively, she clutched the hem of his shirt.

Only when her legs grew weak did Lucas finally stop.

He gazed down at her, his voice low and husky. "Did you really think you could just walk away after sleeping with me? Mrs. Carter, your skills are still lacking."

Aurora was never one to back down.

The corners of her red lips lifted slightly before she suddenly pressed a kiss to his Adam’s apple.

Feeling his body tense for a brief moment, she pulled back half a step, her lazy smile carrying a hint of provocation. "Mr. Carter, you're not that impressive either."

Lucas' gaze darkened slightly, but Aurora knew when to stop.

After exchanging contact information with Lucas, she moved into his home.

The house was in a prime location.

Before moving in, she mentioned registering the marriage to her mother, though she hadn't brought up Lucas.

Grace was a little surprised at how quickly Aurora had gotten married, but she merely responded indifferently, "The Walton family doesn’t believe in divorce. You made your own choice, so you should be clear about it.

“Now that you're married, focus on the company."

Aurora couldn't quite describe how she felt.

Grace had always been like this—so long as nothing directly went against her wishes, she rarely interfered with Aurora’s decisions.

There was a fleeting moment of disappointment that Aurora couldn’t quite grasp.

She simply smiled and said, "Alright."

Just before hanging up, Grace added, "Bring him home sometime so I can take a look."

That afternoon, Aurora reported to Walton Corporation for her first day.

Grace hadn’t concealed Aurora’s identity.

Her intent had always been for Aurora to quickly familiarize herself with the company’s operations.

As a result, the managers treated Aurora with the utmost respect.

"Miss Walton, this is the project we’re aiming for this month. Vanguard Group is planning to develop a wellness hot spring resort.

“Aside from Walton Corporation, several other companies are bidding for it. If we can secure this project, it will be highly beneficial for us."

Aurora took the file the manager handed her and skimmed through the details.

Vanguard Group was the industry leader.

A few years ago, they underwent asset restructuring and seemed to have changed ownership.

In recent years, they made bold moves, and without exception, their profit margins were among the highest in the field.

People often said that even the leftovers from Vanguard Group were worth more than what most companies could dream of in a lifetime.

Even Grace mentioned how crucial this project was.

Her gaze swept over the list of competing companies, and as expected, she spotted the name Hunt Enterprises.

Her brow arched slightly with an unreadable expression.

So, the Hunt family was after this project too.

"Send me the full project details, along with Vanguard Group’s information."

The manager nodded, then added, "After the restructuring, Vanguard Group's new owner has remained a mystery.

“However, they are hosting a business gala soon, and their boss is expected to attend."

Aurora glanced at the notes and committed the key details to memory.

If they wanted to win Vanguard Group’s project, this business gala would likely be the perfect opportunity.

Meanwhile, at the Hunt estate.

Harold Hunt, the head of the Hunt family, handed Joseph a file with the competitors' profiles.

“Take a look. These are the companies we're up against for this project. Walton Corporation will be our main competitor.

“I heard the Walton matriarch’s younger daughter is personally involved in the bidding. No matter what, you must secure this project.”

Walton matriarch’s younger daughter?

Joseph frowned slightly.

He had never heard of this woman before, but in the end, she was just that—a woman.

There was no way he would lose to a woman.

"Don’t worry, I won’t let you down."

"And another thing," Mr. Hunt continued, frowning. "Settle things with Judy as soon as possible. I heard that college girl you were keeping around didn’t take the breakup too well?

"At a time like this, drama is one thing, but don’t let it turn into a mess."

"Rest assured, I’ll take care of it."

Joseph thought of Aurora and felt a wave of impatience.

Women like her, who had never seen the world, were always restless—clinging and refusing to let go.

His eyes narrowed as an idea crossed his mind.

He called his assistant and instructed, "Do something for me."

Aurora worked late into the night at the company.

Real estate was a cutthroat industry, and as a newbie, she had to work twice as hard to catch up.

Just as she was finishing up, a message popped up.

It was from Joseph.

"Aurora, a breakup should be clean. Return all the gifts I gave you."

He attached a list of items.

Everything from necklaces to slippers—he even included the ten dollars deal from a fast-food promo.

When she didn’t respond, he sent another message:

"I’m giving you three days. Since you think so highly of yourself, you wouldn’t want me to look down on you!"