Chapter 7
By the time Aurora returned to the mansion, it was past midnight ||
In the living room, a birthday cake with blown out candles sat on the table while Grayson helped Evelyn unwrap presents on the sofa.
Seeing Aurora soaking wet, Grayson Immediately stopped what he was doing. “Rory didn’t I send a car for you?”
He frowned, quickly grabbing a towel as he approached, intending to dry her hair.
But she stared at him with such cold eyes that she raised her hand without hesitation.
A vicious slap headed straight for him, but suddenly, a figure rushed between them.
CRACK
With a sharp sound, Evelyn clutched her cheek and cried out.
“Ah!” A red handprint quickly appeared on her face.
She collapsed dramatically into Grayson’s arms, her tearful eyes looking utterly vulnerable.
“Evelyn! Are you alright?” Grayson anxiously held her tight, his trembling fingers reaching toward her face.
As his fingertips traced the rapidly swelling redness, rage consumed him. He lashed out with the towel still in his hand.
“Aurora Quinn! You’ve completely lost your mind!”
The towel snapped against Aurora’s forehead with savage force, completely disheveling her wet hair and nearly knocking her off balance]
“Grayson, I misjudged you.” She held back tears, her murmur seeming to mack him
“For a worthless ring, you’d sell me to someone else? You truly disgust me!”
Grayson faltered, his expression revealing a flash of regret.]
But at that moment, Evelyn stretched out her arms to shield him, her voice choked with emotion: “Don’t talk to Grayson like that. If you’re angry and want to hit someone, come at me instead!”
What a perfect performance of undying loyalty.
Grayson’s momentary regret shattered completely as he lifted Evelyn into his arms. “Shh, I’ll handle this.”
He then turned his icy gaze to Aurora: “Those photos are typically auctioned after six months. When that happens, I’ll buy them back no matter the cast–billions if necessary. But Aurora, you should never have laid hands on Evelyn!”
Six months?||
By then, she would be long gone🙁]
Aururas
shrugged indifferently, catching his final words as he headed upstairs:[]
“If you don’t want to spend tonigla in detention for assault, get out to the courtyard and kneel?“]]
Midnight brought increasingly heavy rain
A private doctor’s car drove through the gates of the mansion.
The harsh headlights illuminated a shadow in the darkness–Aurora, monitored by several guards, kneeling motionless in the rain]
7
Iwo hours later, two figures appeared on the master bedroom balcony, looking down at her
“Grayson, poor Rory.” Evelyn’s voice was sickeningly sweet, but contained more mockery than sympathy. “My face is injured, so we’ll postpone my birthday party for a few days. Why don’t we invite Rory along? She probably hasn’t seen that yacht you gave me yet-
Grayson’s silhouette remained hidden in the shadows: “Tine, you arrange it. Evelyn, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you better.”
Their overly intimate conversation tore apart Aurora’s last sigh of resignation
Yes, the Grayson who once cared for her had died a thousand deaths in the past months.]
She clenched her fist tightly
The yacht?
Perfect–she would end this there.
That night’s kneeling in the rain left a ring of purple bruises on Aurora’s knees
Even two days later, every step brought pain, yet she limped to the County Clerk’s Office to collect their divorce certificates.
When she returned to the mansion, the security team’s car was already waiting.
“Mrs. Hart, Miss Reed’s birthday celebration–Mr. Hart asked us to bring you.”
She placed one divorce certificate on the master bedroom nightstand, then found her long–used wedding ring before being escorted to the party
On the luxury yacht’s deck, mountains of presents piled high. A champagne tower sparkled brilliantly under the lights as impeccably dressed servers moved among the guests
“Mr. Hart, your devotion is something else! You won’t even let Evelyn have a sip of alcohol”
Ar a long table, a group of wealthy young socialites were playing spin the bottle with Evelyn. When Aurora arrived, the spinning bottle stopped, pointing directly at her
Someone snickered loudly
“What perfect timing! Whoever the bottle points to must take a penalty!”
