l, Aurore didn't leave immediately. Instead, she instructed her driver to wait and walk

f Bella Haley, the girl she knew wa

fficult-raised by a single mother in a low-income neighborhood-but she's incredibly hardworking and a model student," the principal explained, pulli

row. "They're already dating?

so we've turned a blind eye," the principal admitted, sweating slightly under her intense gaze. The real reason, of course, was tha

barrel. They literally can't drop any lower," Aurore

lete fabrication, a carefully constructed narrative orchestrated by Cyrus Thorne to plant a spy next to her naiv

ched her waiting car, a familiar, entirely unwelcom

ushed toward her, his face

ently placed Anna inside, and instruct

C. grabbed her arm, pulling her slightly away fro

aw?" he demanded, his hands gripping her shoulde

pure, unadulterated nausea wash over her. She forcefully shoved

was watching. I just had to pick one," she li

couldn't tell if she was telling the trut

g silence, he asked, "The

he rules," Aurore said coldly, adjusti

raw! You know Arthur would have allowed

"I hold the initiative, but in our position, we don't just represent ourselves. We re

dropping to a devastated whisper, playing

ass in manipulation. It was no wonder he had kept a mistress hidden for fifte

thing we can do." Internally, she was thanking the heavens for let

ing out his final trump card. "I accidentally saw it once. Uncle Kane has a tattoo o

had never shown interest in any woma

of convenience," Aurore said, feigning

the rules? "Then... in your heart, it's still only me,

etting the silence feed

so thrilled he didn't notice how rigidly Aurore held herself, her han

you, Aurore?" he whis

against his shoulder, her

realize exactly what you are. And I will make sure you ne

e immediately took off the expensive designer jacket he had touched a