Chapter 47
After getting the response she wanted, Aurora no longer cared to see Stacy’s fake sweet–yet–bitter face. Turning on her heel, she clicked up the stairs, saying, “Since you’re not kicking me out, I’m going to bed now.”
Seeing that, people left in the living room exchanged glances, and one of the servants pondered, ‘We all thought Ms. Crawford would be kicked out. Who would’ve known things would turn around so fast, and she’s staying? But then again, Mr. Crawford is her biological father, after all. There’s no way he’d really throw her out.
‘So Ms. Maura Crawford ended up in hospital because of a car accident. No wonder the car Leopold drove home last night was in such bad shape. The windows were broken, and the door was all dented in. A car accident explains everything!
Upstairs, Aurora returned to her room, but there wasn’t a hint of happiness on her face. Watching Maura and Stacy face the consequences of their own actions should’ve felt satisfying. But seeing Jaxon spend the entire day at the hospital watching over Maura only proved one thing–no one cared about Aurora.
Aurora couldn’t understand what made her less than Maura. Grades, looks, personality, social etiquette–Aurora could learn them all. In fact, she was confident she could do better than Maura.
Aurora was confused as to why Jaxon was always so cold to her. Whenever they fought, he always took Maura’s side, as if Aurora had been adopted. Aurora just couldn’t wrap her head around it.
Aurora lowered her head and gently pressed her palms against her eyes, which were starting to sting with tears. It took a while before she composed herself again. Then, she carefully locked the door and pulled a medical book out from under the bed.
“At least I’m not alone. I still have my mom,” she murmured as she ran her fingers over the cover, her eyes filled with longing. She’d heard that her mother had gone missing, and she couldn’t help but think how wonderful it would be to see her again.
That night, just like every other night before, the light in Aurora’s room didn’t go out until late into the night.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the curtains, casting golden spets on the floor. Birds chirped outside, hopping from branch to branch, full of life and energy.
The morning air was crisp and refreshing. Aurora opened the window, stepped out onto the balcony, and took a deep breath, feeling lighter already.
After coming downstairs and eating breakfast, she received a call from Margaret, who excitedly invited her out.
Aurora slung her crossbody bag over her shoulder and headed to the underground garage. She found that only the emergency lights were on, and there was nothing else in sight. So, she turned back to the living room to ask one of the servants in the garden, “Where’s the driver?”
Emma pressed her lips together, looking a bit uneasy, as she replied, “There are only two drivers in the house. Last night, Mr. and Mrs. Crawford came back to pack some clothes for Ms. Maura Crawford, and they left that night. The other driver, well…it’s Leopold. H–he was the one driving Ms. Maura Crawford when they got into the accident. He’s probably on leave now…”
Hearing this, Aurora finally understood why Stacy hadn’t stayed at the hospital last night and ended up running into her at home. It seemed that Maura’s condition was worse than she had thought.
With that thought in mind, Aurora gave her first genuine smile of the day and said, “I’ll just take a taxi then.”
Terranex’s wealthy district had plenty of private cars but very few taxis. So, Aurora ended up waiting by the roadside for an hour, Even so, she was still smiling without showing any sign of irritation.
When Aurora arrived at the spot where she and Margaret had agreed to meet, it was already close to noon. Margaret pouted and shoved a milkshake into Aurora’s hand, asking, “Why are you so late, Rory? Hmph. Since you came so late, you’re paying for lunch.”
Aurora patted Margaret on the head and said with a warm smile, “Alright, Just order whatever you feel like eating later. Don’t hold back with me.”
The two then strolled arm–in–arm around the mall for a while before heading to a food street to grab lunch. Aurora figured she had done her part in keeping her promise to spend time with Margaret
As they were about to part ways, Margaret nudged Aurora with her hip, looking a bit hesitant. After all, it wasn’t easy for her to get Aurora to hang out, and she wasn’t ready to go home yet. So, Margaret suggested, “Rory, let’s go see a movie. I’m telling you, that new release is super good–like, really, really, really good.”
She repeated “really” three times, trying to persuade Aurora. Aurora was tempted but still refused. “I have something to take care of this afternoon.” She hadn’t come out just to hang with Margaret. She had some serious business to attend to.
The night before, when Aurora opened her door, she noticed a gray footprint on it. The print wasn’t large. It looked like it belonged to a woman.
1/2
0
+13
Chapter 47
Aurora figured it must’ve been left by Stacy when Stacy got the call about Maura being hospitalized and thought she was in the room, so Stacy kicked the door in frustration.
Aurora guessed that Stacy must have been in a hurry to get to the hospital and hadn’t actually entered the room. Otherwise, the herbal medicines Aurora had hidden inside might have been discovered.
The herbs weren’t that big of a deal. The most important thing was that book of medical theories and prescriptions. Both of these were left to Aurora by her mother. There was no way she was going to let them be taken away this time, like in her past life, only for them to become a stepping stone for someone else’s fame and fortune.
She had already decided to buy a house, and today, she finally had the time to handle it.
“I’m coming too!” Margaret had already made up her mind that she was going to stick by Aurora’s side the entire day. When she heard Aurora was buying a house, she eagerly raised her hand. “Rory, my family’s in the real estate business. You should buy from us, and I’ll make sure they give you the lowest price.”
I have to convince Rory to buy a place near me. Then I can visit her all the time, Margaret thought to herself, grinning from ear to ear.
When they arrived at the sales office, just as Margaret had promised, she led Aurora straight to the sales manager, insisting on the best they could offer.
“Don’t worry, Ms. McLean.” The manager gave Aurora a once–over, noticing that although she was dressed simply, all her clothes were classic pieces from major brands–very tasteful.
The manager thought to himself, ‘Besides, if she’s with Ms. McLean, she can’t be short on money. Even at the lowest price, a house wouldn’t cost any less than hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. All things considered, I have less hassle on my end, and I’m still making a good deal.
With that thought in mind, the manager asked Aurora about her preferences and, after thinking for a moment, led the two of them to a quiet residential area.
The manager said, “Ms. McLean, Ms. Crawford, the apartments here are all single–level units. The foot traffic is moderate, and there’s a supermarket, clinic, and gym inside. Most importantly, there’s only one apartment per floor, and the elevator requires a key card to access specific floors, which fits your needs perfectly.”
He opened the door and let Aurora and Margaret inside, continuing to explain, “This is a standard four–bedroom, two–living–room layout. The master bedroom has both an en–suite bathroom and a walk–in closet.
“Oh, and that smart door lock can be replaced with a new one if you like. The property management won’t let anyone up without the owner’s approval. Even for deliveries, they’ll call ahead and arrange for it to be dropped off wherever you prefer.”
The manager went into great detail, adding, “It’s also fully furnished, with everything from mattresses to appliances. You can move in right away with just your bags.”
Aurora walked around the apartment and noticed that the natural lighting was good. There were no tall buildings across the way, so she didn’t have to worry about anyone seeing her when she was preparing medicine.
She also thought that since the master bedroom was quite large, it would be perfect to turn part of it into a workspace for making medicine. The other rooms could easily be used for storing herbs and other supplies.
