After a few days in the hospital, Sebastian didn’t visit.
He just had his assistant send a message, telling Aurora to rest up and return to work when she was better.
Aurora didn’t dwell on it. She fully recovered from her exhaustion before checking out.
Meanwhile, the company group chat was buzzing with gossip about Sebastian and Isabelle.
He’d rented out Disney World for a week to celebrate her birthday, with fireworks that lasted three days.
He’d taken her to a family dinner and given her a bracelet traditionally only passed down to the Hawthorne family’s daughters–in–law.
He bought a plot of land to build a private ski resort, the name connected to Isabelle…
Aurora silently read these messages; her heart remained unmoved.
After discharge, she returned to work as usual, meticulous in her duties.
She delegated anything requiring Mr. Hawthorne’s attention to other colleagues.
After a week of relative peace, Sebastian called her.
After delivering the files he’d requested, she was about to leave when he stopped her.
“I have a meeting. Isabelle doesn’t like eating alone; you’ll keep her company.”
Her face froze. Before she could refuse, Isabelle bossily ordered her around.
“I want shrimp. Peel a plate.”
Sebastian closed his study door.
Aurora could only swallow her objections and go to the dining table.
After peeling a plate of shrimp, Isabelle demanded a large plate of walnuts and jackfruit.
“I want some after–dinner fruit. There are no tools here; do it by hand.”
Looking at the hard shells and sharp thorns, Aurora’s heart sank.
She knew Isabelle was deliberately trying to torment her.
But she had to comply.
After shelling the walnuts and opening the jackfruit, both her hands were bleeding profusely.
Isabelle wasn’t done. She forced Aurora to bring the soup from the kitchen.
The soup, freshly off the stove, burned her hands crimson.
The pain was unbearable. Her hands slipped, spilling the scalding soup onto herself.
The steam rose, and within seconds, several blisters formed on her hands.
A searing pain shot through her; she bit her lip hard to stifle a cry.
Seeing Aurora fall to the floor, Isabelle burst into laughter,
The next second, seeing the study door open, she stopped laughing, feigning a scolding tone.
“Sebastian said you’re capable. You can’t even carry a bowl of soup without spilling it, burning my hand!”
Hearing this, Sebastian immediately panicked and rushed over.
“Where’s it burned? Let me see. Does it hurt?”
Isabelle showed him her slightly reddened hand, squeezing out a couple of fake tears.
“A few drops splashed on it. I don’t know if it’ll scar.”
“How could you be so careless? Isabelle’s been pampered her whole life–she’s never so much as scraped a knee! And now you let her burn herself carrying a bowl of soup? Couldn’t you have kept your distance?”
Sebastian’s face darkened, and he couldn’t help but reprimand Aurora.
But seeing her injuries, he couldn’t be too harsh. He picked up Isabelle to treat her injury.
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Before leaving, seeing her still standing there, he coldly called out,“Come to the hospital; we’ll take care of it together.”
Aurora could only endure the pain and get in the car.
On the way, Sebastian drove fast.
Isabelle, unwilling for him to see she was faking, periodically cried out in pain.
He was heartbroken, constantly glancing at her.
His distracted driving caused him to miss a speeding car.
With a bang, the two cars collided.
The impact sent Aurora crashing into the car door.
Her insides felt like they were shifting; excruciating pain shot through her body.
Blood gushed out, staining her world crimson.
Her body trembled uncontrollably. She managed to open her eyelids and saw Sebastian carrying Isabelle out of the car.
The sound of an ambulance came from the distance.
The
In a hazy state, she heard two urgent voices.
“Sir, the lady is merely in shock and unconscious. The injured passenger in the back is bleeding heavily; if she’s not sent to the hospital immediately, she might not survive.”
< 7
