"Mr. Whitmore, seems like you ain't keen on discussing business?" Heath was getting a bit impatient."Miss Aurora, are you alright?" Little Fish asked.Ever since Aurora heard Heath in the video, something felt off. Little Fish sensed that Aurora had suddenly turned into a shield, putting up all her defenses in an instant.And now, Aurora wasn't just a shield; she was like a cat that had its tail stepped on. She looked scared but also as if she wanted to pounce and take a bite. Her fists were clenched, trembling slightly.Hearing Little Fish, Heath looked up at Aurora.Her face was pale, almost bloodless. Her eyes were filled with a mix of fear and resentment, glaring at the laptop in his hands as if she was about to leap over and devour it.Initially, Heath had no intention of paying attention to Aurora. Ever since their inexplicable clash, he had considered her nothing more than an interesting young lady, hardly worth his concern.But now, her current state left him no choice.Heath

Heath descended the stairs, finding Little Fish trying to persuade Aurora to head home early. He was so focused that he didn't notice a man sidling up to them. "Had too much to drink?" the man inquired.Little Fish glanced nervously at the stranger. "Nah, I'm good. The driver's coming soon."The man persisted, leaning in closer. "It's late. Let me give you a ride."The smell of alcohol hit Little Fish's face, making her slightly nauseous.Heath stepped in, grabbing the giggling Aurora by the arm. "Let's go," he told Little Fish."Mr. Fairbank, ah, sure, let's go." Little Fish was a bit surprised, but she knew she was safe with Heath around.The man, seeing his chance at a drunk beauty slipping away, blocked Heath. "Hey man, ever heard of first come, first served?""Scram!" Heath shot the man a dismissive glance.Aurora tried to wriggle her hand free, but Heath tightened his grip, not having time for distractions."What's your problem, man?" The guy was getting agitated.The commotion c

Aurora had a restless night filled with bizarre dreams. One moment she was drinking with Jasper Bennett, the next Dominic Ashcroft was picking her up, and then she saw Isabella Whitmore shooting Mike dead.The thought of losing Mike and Arno made her heart ache so much she could hardly breathe.When the cab pulled up to the Pendleton house, Aurora and Little Fish got out. She told Little Fish to go rest while she headed to her room.Walking into the mansion, Sebastian was nowhere to be found, neither was Madeline. Sophia was lounging on the living room couch, flipping through a fashion magazine, while Maxwell was on the other side of the couch, typing away on his laptop.Sophia looked up as Aurora walked in, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, you remembered you have a home? Where'd you go gallivanting last night?"Aurora didn't have time for her. All she wanted was a shower and a change of clothes; she felt grimy.Ignoring Sophia, she turned to head upstairs. Sophia wasn't having it

By the time the sun set, Aurora was completely drained. Lyne called it a day. Wiping his sweat, he said, "That's enough for today."Aurora lay on the ground and said, "Toss me a towel."Lyne looked at the frail young girl and threw her a towel. "You don't look like a heiress from a wealthy family. Why are you pushing yourself so hard?"Aurora cracked a smile, wiping the sweat off her face. "I don't have the luxury of being a princess. If I'm weak, I won't survive."Lyne sat down beside her, shaking his head. "You're a girl, you should go easy on yourself. You're training like you're a guy."Aurora didn't respond. She should have been like a guy from the start. If she hadn't let her heart and emotions get the best of her, she wouldn't be in this mess now.Aurora stood up, gathered her things, and said, "I'm heading out. See you next time."Lyne waved her off, too tired to move. This girl, clearly exhausted multiple times, still insisted on standing up to fight. He couldn't fathom why sh

"What am I gonna do? The dinner party starts in just over half an hour, and where the heck is Aurora gonna find a dress?"She sat on the sofa, fretting. She considered raiding Evelyn's closet, but wearing someone else's hand-me-downs? That's just embarrassing.Just as she was torn, Grandpa walked in and called out, "Aurora, sweetheart, come here."Aurora stood up and walked over, asking, "What's up, Grandpa?""What's up with you? You look like you lost your best friend. Haven't visited me in days," he complained."Grandpa, I don't have a dress. I can't go to the Song family's dinner party," Aurora said."Tsk, always unreliable when it matters most," Grandpa retorted."Grandpa, are you here to kick me while I'm down? I'm your granddaughter, you know!" Aurora shot back."Miss Aurora, don't look so glum. Look what I've got here." Mr. Leen came from behind Grandpa, holding a beautifully wrapped gift box.Aurora walked over, untied the ribbon, and opened the box. Inside was a stunning haute