Chapter 2

Timothy was scarily efficient. Thus, Aurora received her copy of the marriage certificate at 3:00 pm. Aurora looked at the marriage certificate in her hand. There was also a photo of her and Owen, but it had been hastily photoshopped. It wouldn't be an understatement to call it dismally half-hearted. Truthfully, she wasn't a stranger to Owen as he frequently donated to Astrait University over the years. As a matter of fact, he donated about 70 million dollars just last month. Her research department received a share of funding because of it. She had just submitted a funding application, and her department head was eager to allocate some of Owen's donation to her project. Owen also sponsored various prestigious awards. For instance, he had presented her with the prize when her team won the National Megistus Award earlier this month. He had even congratulated her, saying, "Congratulations on winning the top award once again, Professor Reed." There were numerous occasions where he presented awards, both domestically and internationally. Hence, even though they weren't strangers, they weren't exactly all that close either. Suddenly, her phone vibrated. She took it out and was surprised to receive a text from the bank. "Oh, my! A hundred thousand dollars has been transferred to my bank account!" she thought in pleasant surprise. Her eyes fell upon the sender's name and saw that it was none other than Owen. She didn't expect him to be so efficient. She couldn't believe that he transferred her allowance over almost immediately after they got their marriage certificate. Aurora hesitated momentarily, intending to text him about this. Alas, she quickly realized she didn't have his number saved. Forget Instagram, she didn't even have his number. Well, it seemed that she had indeed been rather hasty when it came to her marriage. She glanced at her Instagram and noticed that Owen's grandmother, Rhea Thompson, had dropped her a message. "Aurora, how did it go? Owen promised me you two will get your marriage registered today. Has everything been finalized?" Aurora tilted her head in thought and ended up giving Rhea a call. Rhea was quick to answer, blurting, "How's everything, Aurora?" "Rhea, we've gotten our marriage certificate." "That's fantastic news! Losing a total of five pounds was totally worth it!" Lord knew she had dedicated far too much effort in order to matchmake Aurora and her silly grandson. Owen had no choice but to agree after she doubled down on her efforts and then some. Although Owen was reluctant to go through with this marriage, Rhea was confident that it was only a matter of time before Owen fell for Aurora's charms. Besides, Rhea had vetted Aurora thoroughly. Aurora was far superior to the other fishes available in their social circle. Moreover, the Jenson family needed someone like Aurora to become their future matriarch. "Gosh, I can finally meet my late husband in the afterlife with no regrets. The Jenson family has always placed a great deal of emphasis on business. So, my late husband had always wanted a refined and cultured individual as his granddaughter-in-law. I've finally fulfilled his last wish." Aurora was rendered speechless. How did being cultured come into play here? If she wasn't mistaken, Owen was also a genius in his own right. He was an honor student at Astrait University back then and even pursued his doctorate. "Did Owen tell you to move in with him?" "He gave me the keys to Cordia. I'm planning to move there in a couple of days." "Cordia, you say? Well, I suppose… Don't worry, Aurora. You're part of the Jenson family now. I'll ensure that no one ever bullies you. I believe you and Owen will have a blissful marriage." Rhea's voice was filled with sincere joy. "Thank you, Rhea." She was genuinely grateful to this genial elder regardless of how her future with Owen would unfold. "Since you're married now, I won't disturb you two lovebirds. Do enjoy your time together and try to bless me with a great-grandchild as soon as possible! I've booked a flight to Thassa. I have to catch my flight now. I'll see you soon." Rhea had gone all the way to Thassa previously and prayed for Owen to have a blissful marriage. Sure enough, the heavens blessed her with a wonderful granddaughter-in-law. So, she had to return to Thassa to express her gratitude. Aurora was once again hard-pressed to reply. Rhea was so bold and flighty that it was very difficult for Aurora to associate Rhea with the ruthless and formidable businesswoman she was years ago. Aurora had just returned to Astrait University recently. As a result, her work had piled up, especially since she was involved in a major research project. It wouldn't be out of place for others to find her stuck in her office and laboratory for days on end. The days flashed by in the blink of an eye, and Aurora seemingly forgot that she had gotten married. Of course, that was until she received a call from her best friend, Helena Turner. "Hello? Dear Lord, you've finally answered your phone! You have no idea how close I was to reporting you missing!" "What's up?" Aurora had just changed out of her lab coat and was returning to her office with a stack of data. Helena sighed wearily. "Please don't tell me you forgot what today is." Aurora was about to hang up when she heard Helena screech urgently, "Wait! Don't hang up on me! Remember the party? When will you be here? Do I need to send a car to pick you up?" Today was the 60th birthday of their high school principal, Mr. Mitchell Billingsworth. He also happened to be a world-renowned pianist who was deeply respected and loved by his students. Aurora finally remembered the event after hearing Helena's reminder. "It's fine. I'll get a cab." "Oh, alright. Still, you'd better clean up nicely. Everyone will be dressed to the nines. They're all eager to brag about their achievements. You just returned to the country, so there's no need for you to lay low. Especially since…" Helena trailed off before continuing hesitantly, "I heard Sidney and Whitney are back in Zanzimar. They'll most likely attend the party. After all, this party will…" "I understand," Aurora responded blandly before promptly hanging up. This so-called gathering was merely an opportunity for her classmates to compete with one another. There wasn't much of a point in attending it. Honestly, Aurora rarely attended such events. Unfortunately, Mitchell had rung her up several times. As a result, she felt obligated to attend the party this time. The birthday party would be held at Aurum Hotel, which was incidentally the most luxurious hotel available in Zanzimar. Aurora rushed to attend the party right after her class. Hence, she didn't bother dressing up elegantly. Instead, she wore a simple suit that was neither overly formal nor too casual. Even so, her light makeup failed to hide her stunning beauty. The venue was bursting at the seams, and no one paid any mind to Aurora. So, she decided to find a comfortable place to sit while waiting for the party's star to arrive. She had just made her way to the terrace when she overheard a conversation. A few dolled-up women were surrounding someone, mocking her cruelly. Meanwhile, Whitney, who was dressed in an opulent champagne gown, was evidently the ring leader of those harpies. She was a popular supermodel who had transitioned into an acting career, starring in several web dramas. Those socialites were eager to ingratiate with Whitney. After all, not only was Whitney a supermodel, but she was also the true heiress of the Klein family. She was considered the apple of the Klein family's eyes. "Who cares about Aurora? She and Whitney were swapped at birth! She stole Whitney's rightful place as a rich heiress!" "What she said! She should be ashamed for enjoying such wealth after all these years. She's nothing without the Klein family's support!"