Chapter 3

“Oh, Aurora, how clumsy can you be?”

Serena leaned into Julian’s embrace, her voice sickly sweet.

“Julian, should we call a doctor to check on her?”

Julian frowned, glancing at me. After a moment of hesitation, his tone grew impatient. “It’s just a scratch. Don't be so dramatic.”

He turned and carried Serena and their children upstairs to rest.

I walked alone to my small, forgotten annex. Behind me, the nannies' sneers were unconcealed.

“Still putting on her ‘lady of the house’ act, huh? Hope she breaks her neck!”

I curled up on my narrow bed, sleeping until midnight. The wound on my forehead still throbbed.

Footsteps approached outside the door, followed by Julian’s cold voice.

“Grandfather’s eightieth birthday gala is tomorrow. You’d better behave yourself.”

I didn’t respond.

The door was abruptly shoved open. Julian’s tall figure stood in the doorway, a first-aid kit in his hand.

Before I could react, he roughly pulled me up, his grip so strong it made me wince.

“You know it hurts, so why didn’t you put on some medicine?”

He stared at my wound, a cold smirk on his face, but skillfully took out an alcohol wipe.

“You’re not trying to let Grandfather see you looking like this tomorrow so he’ll take your side, are you?”

“Julian,” I asked softly, “why did you marry me?”

His movements paused for a beat, then he mockingly pinched my chin.

“Because you needed the Grayson family’s billion dollars.”

In the darkness, I silently laughed, tears streaming down my face. I should have known. He didn’t marry me out of love.

For ten years, he’d resented my parents for tearing us apart, unaware that I left him because I was misdiagnosed with cancer.

By the time I wanted to tell him the truth, he hated me to his core.

I pulled the divorce papers from my bag and placed them on the bed.

Over the years, I’d suggested divorce a few times, but it never worked.

The Reynolds were bankrupt, and Julian had me confined to the house, taking care of the children.

I had no way to come up with a billion dollars for my freedom, as he’d demanded.

He knew it too, never taking my requests seriously.

He sounded impatient.

“Aurora, are you ever going to stop this drama?”

“This time, it’s real.”

My voice was soft, yet firm.

“I’ll find a way to pay you back. Even if you don’t believe me, my feelings for you…”

Serena’s sweet, whiny voice drifted down from upstairs.

“Julian~ Where did you put my pink lingerie~?”

Julian immediately let go of me, crumpling the divorce papers and tossing them into the trash.

“Alright, you’ve squandered every last dime you ever had. Besides me, who else would give you a billion dollars?”

The door slammed shut.

The next day, I forced myself to apply makeup, covering the wound on my forehead, and arrived at the birthday gala.

Julian’s assistant, however, seated me in the very last row, in a corner, at the same table as the Grayson family’s drivers and nannies.

“Well, isn’t that Mrs. Grayson?”

A socialite passed by, covering her mouth with a delicate laugh.

“What are you doing sitting here?”

I sat down in silence, whispers drifting from behind me.

“I heard Mr. Grayson brought another child back. Miss Hayes is so fertile, so blessed with children. No wonder he adores her.”

“Right? And his legitimate wife is stuck at the staff tables. So embarrassing.”

I gripped my napkin, my knuckles white.

A moment later, Julian strode over, Serena trailing behind him.

“Who told you to sit here?”

The assistant stammered, “Miss Hayes said you wanted Mrs. Grayson to sit here.”

Serena’s face instantly paled with feigned panic.

But Julian merely frowned, saying nothing.

Her triumphant smile returned.

I followed Julian to greet Grandfather.

After a few kind words and some loving concern for me, Grandfather turned to Serena, his expression displeased.

“The Grayson family threshold isn’t for just anyone to cross. Next time, don’t bring strays.”

Serena’s face went chalk-white.

Just then, Leo and Mia suddenly rushed to her, sweetly calling her ‘Serena’.

Serena’s expression softened considerably. After all, she had given Julian three children. Even if Grandfather disliked her, he would still give her face for the children's sake.

Grandfather snorted and called Julian away.

I was about to stand up and leave when Serena, with a cold smile, suddenly pressed down on my shoulder.

“Aurora, let’s play a game.”