Chapter 7

"If I must choose a man to marry, why shouldn't I pick the best one out of the lot? I wouldn't have to worry about finances and force myself to face an ugly, entitled man day in and day out. I'm happy with my choice." Owen's calm gaze never left her. He was unsure if he should praise her for her honesty. "You're rather outspoken, aren't you?" Aurora placed her cutlery aside and replied, "Mr. Jenson, you're highly intelligent and observant. I'm sure you can easily deduce whatever tricks I pull. Plus, I truly shudder at the thought of living a life wearing a mask. So, it's honestly better to be open about certain things." Owen answered blithely, "You're no slouch yourself." Aurora smiled slightly. "Is that praise I hear?" Then, she rose to her feet and placed her glass before him. "Since we've come to an agreement, let's delegate the chores. I'll cook, and you'll clean the dishes. That's not too hard on you, is it?" She didn't bother waiting for his answer after leaving it at that. Instead, she shuffled off to the balcony and started flipping through her book. Owen blinked at the dirty dishes on the table and turned to stare at her in utter astonishment. She was definitely the first person to ever order him around. "The maid can handle this." "Are you suggesting that you can't handle such a minor task?" came Aurora's response, her gaze never lifting from her book. Owen pursed his lips in displeasure. He was a grown man. How could he possibly say no to that? Meanwhile, Aurora paid him no mind after delegating their chores. She didn't even flinch when she heard the distinctive sounds of porcelain shattering against the kitchen floor. Instead, she remained wholly focused on the book in her hands. Owen finally left the kitchen by the time Aurora turned to the sixth page. He headed straight to the living room's drawer and took the medical kit out. "Do you need help?" Aurora asked blandly. However, her eyes never once strayed away from her book. Owen's gaze darkened at the sight as he demanded, "Come here." Only then did she set her book aside and amble over to him. She took a closer look at his injury and found that it was deeper than she expected. So, she swiftly took the disinfectant from him and cleaned his wound efficiently. "You were just washing the dishes. How did you end up like this? Do you need to go to the hospital for stitches?" Aurora grumbled softly. Just then, Owen's phone started vibrating. Aurora couldn't be bothered to press the matter further. Instead, she quickly dressed his wound and slapped a bandage on it. "You should consider wearing gloves next time." He glanced at the bandage before getting up and walking toward his study without another word. Owen finally left the study when it was 10:00 pm. When he walked into the bedroom, he soon discovered that several unfamiliar daily necessities could be found. Not even his wardrobe and bathroom were safe from the invasion. It didn't take a sucker to guess that Rhea had a hand in all of this. Owen took a moment to calm himself before eventually taking his robe to the bathroom. When he left the bathroom, he overheard Aurora talking to someone on the phone by the balcony outside the bedroom. He heard her saying softly, "The hospital called me earlier. I know Mr. Klein Senior doesn't have long to live." He heard another voice replying, "Yes, I found out about that this evening. They've discussed it among themselves and plan to get Whitney engaged to Sidney while there's still time. This way, Whitney will get the publicity she desires while earning the public's goodwill." The voice sounded resigned, sad, and very cautious. The person speaking was none other than Wendy Quigley, Aurora's mother. She continued, "Aurora, I'm afraid you might need to plan ahead. Your father and the others have been getting rather close to Jordan Coleman. I heard he's wealthy and influential. They claim he'll be a good match for you—" Aurora smiled derisively as she remarked bluntly before Wendy could continue, "I see they've sicced you with the mediator role once again, yes?" "Aurora, I'm not exactly the best person when it comes to ascertaining another's character. Still, marriage is a big deal. I hope you'll find someone you love and who cherishes you in return. I told them to let you choose for yourself. You and Sidney were such a good match, but they…" Wendy trailed off. Frankly, Wendy's reassurances meant close to nothing as Aurora knew Wendy wasn't exactly having a good time either. Aurora fell silent for a moment before murmuring, "Mom, you don't have to worry about me in the future. I'm already married." "What? You're married? When did this happen?" Wendy was clearly shocked by the sudden reveal. "I just got my marriage registered a few days ago. I was so busy that it just slipped my mind." "That's so sudden." Wendy didn't know what to say to that and barely managed to whisper, "Is it because of your grandfather? Or are you doing this because of Sidney? Aurora, you shouldn't be so rash. You should marry someone you like even if you're desperate." Aurora chuckled before replying coldly, "It's not sudden at all. We've known each other for a while now. It felt right, so we got married. He's a good person. He's capable, tall, and handsome. Plus, he treats me very well. I've already moved in with him. Besides—" Wendy cut her off worriedly, "But Aurora…" "Don't worry, Mom. After all, there's no future between Sidney and I."