Ch. 36..40: Trapped in a Secret Marriage with a Dangerous Billionaire Chapter 36-40
Chapter 36: An Unexpected Guest
As the launch party unfolded with unexpected ease, Aurora seized the opportunity to mingle more with her guests.
"I am proud of you," Adam said with a twinkle in his eyes as he led Aurora to the table where their company’s board of directors were sitting. They had small talks over there, and the board members commended Aurora for her composure and mannerisms in the face of adversity.
"We are impressed by how you managed to pull such important figures to your champagne launch. Good job," one of the board members said. He had been able to exchange a few important contacts since he arrived so of course he would be happy.
Aurora politely accepted their compliments and chatted a little more with them before excusing herself. She left for Abigail’s table.
"Aura, well done!" Abigail pulled her into a warm hug. It didn’t matter how many times they had hugged each other because it still wouldn’t be enough.
Abigail released her from the hug and said, "I know for a fact that your stepmother and bitchy half-sister tried to ruin your event and no one can tell me otherwise. Thank God the matter was resolved within seconds." She was impressed by how fast the situation was taken care of.
"Those two got nothing on me," Aurora whispered before Xander called her attention, prompting her to leave for his table.
"If you don’t mind, the people at this table want to share a toast with you," Xander said as Asher quietly popped open the newly launched champagne bottle himself and poured the content into everyone’s glasses.
Xander had someone set an extra chair for Aurora next to him. As she settled down, she grabbed her own glass of champagne and clinked glasses with everyone before bringing her glass to her lips, eyeing Xander from the corner of her eyes.
He held her left hand under the table and refused to let it go. Though his palm was warm and Xander’s lips curled into a subtle smirk as he sipped his champagne. With a series of insightful questions, he skillfully steered the conversation towards the newly launched champagne, bringing the attention of everyone at their table to Aurora.
Olivia saw this scene and found it hard to believe. As Owen came to her side and handed her a glass, she asked without taking her eyes off Aurora, "Look at my sister embarrassing herself, doing all she can to steal your uncle’s attention. What do you think is her motive?"
Olivia spoke spitefully. She was mad that Xander didn’t attend her ’Spraying Champagne’ launch the previous day but could attend Aurora’s.
"Since our engagement, she has been trying to get into his good books. What do you think she is planning?" she added.
Immediately, Owen followed her gaze to Xander’s table and saw Aurora sitting next to him and scoffed. "Your sister can do as she pleases but will never get my uncle because he is already married."
"Huh?" Olivia quickly withdrew her attention from Aurora and shifted it to him, her eyes widening in surprise. "Mr. Scott is married? Wasn’t he still single at our engagement party?"
Owen shrugged. "Well, he is married. He announced it to my grandparents the other day I visited their quarters."
"So, you haven’t met her?" Olivia probed, lifting a curious brow.
Owen shook his head. "None of us has. I don’t think anyone in my family knows anything about her." Letting out a sigh, he explained, "My uncle is very private and that must be the same for his wife."
Olivia slowly cast her gaze on Aurora who gracefully chuckled at something Xander said. "I would like to meet Mr. Scott’s wife. Set a meeting for me as soon as you have established a relationship with her," she said to Owen.
"Why?" he inquired, his brows slightly furrowing.
Olivia turned her attention back to him with a small smile on her lips as she folded her arms below her chest. "I think my sister is trying to become your uncle’s mistress."
Instantly, Owen shifted his attention to Aurora, his gaze darkening as he caught that genuine smile that reached her eyes.
"Take me to your uncle’s table. Let’s go say ’hello’ to him." Olivia accepted the glass of champagne from Owen and tugged at his sleeves, leading him forward.
Arriving at Xander’s table, Owen took the lead. He nodded respectfully at everyone at the table before shifting his gaze to Xander. "Uncle, I didn’t know you would attend this event."
"Here I am," Xander replied.
Aurora picked up her glass of champagne. Although those two scum individuals no longer bothered her, it still hurt to hear their voices. They irritate her.
With the floor open and a big smile tugging at the corner of her lips, Olivia raised her champagne glass to Xander.
"Congratulations, Mr. Scott on your marriage!" Her voice was a little louder, drawing the attention of the other tables around them. Even the people Asher had brought to the launch had a look of surprise on their faces.
"Thank you," Xander replied to Olivia, admitting his new status.
Aurora’s glass paused in midair as something shifted in her eyes. She caught the satisfactory smirk on Olivia’s lips as everyone at their table congratulated Xander on his marriage.
Though Xander was happy to be married, he was mad at Owen for disclosing that information without his approval, so he cast him a strong stare. Immediately, the latter knew what he had done wrong.
Sensing that his uncle was mad at him, Owen swallowed a lump and immediately grabbed Olivia’s arm to retreat after nodding politely to everyone.
Some minutes later, the chatter in the hall died down as Liam escorted an important figure in a grey suit towards Xander’s table. Immediately, eyes followed them as whispers made rounds.
"Mr. Scott, the General is here," Liam announced softly, immediately grabbing Xander’s attention.
Instantly, everyone at the table rose, including Xander who had a subtle smile on his lips. He gripped the General’s hand in a firm handshake saying, "Welcome, Mr. Walker."
On the other hand, everyone had different reactions to General Walker’s presence at the launch party.
Watching the scene unfold before him, Adam’s gaze darkened as he gripped his seat’s armrest. The rims of Stella’s eyes turned red as her gaze turned fierce.
Noticing the shift in the atmosphere and the change in her mother’s countenance, Olivia whispered, "Mum, who is that man that just walked in?"
"That is General Walker, Aurora’s biological father," Stella revealed through gritted teeth as she balled her fists under the table, her gaze falling on Aurora. She looked apprehensive and itched to get her ass off the chair.
Meanwhile learning that such an important man who commanded the respect of everyone in the room was Aurora’s biological father, Olivia burned with jealousy, wondering why this stepsister of hers always got the best things.
Chapter 37: End of the Party
"It seems like this Xander Scott is the one that invited him. This man is well-connected and poses a threat to us. He must be removed from your sister’s side otherwise he will ruin all of our plans," Stella whispered to Olivia through gritted teeth.
Meanwhile, Xander introduced General Walker to Aurora, hinting at his personal invitation.
"Ms. Swift, meet my special guest, General Walker."
Almost immediately, Aurora reached out her fair slender hand for a handshake as the corners of her lips curled into a confident smile.
"It’s a pleasure to meet you, General Walker. I am Aurora Swift, the host of this launch. Thank you for coming.
General Walker shook her hands firmly, meeting her gaze. "Please, call me Mr. Walker out here.
Aurora nodded in understanding. And as he released her hand, he commented on her looks.
"Your smile looks familiar," he said, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before Xander offered him a seat at their table and Aurora took the opportunity to leave as the event entered the last segment for the night.
Desserts were served to the guests as the ushers gave out each packed complimentary champagne to everyone in the room.
Stella relaxed into her seat, feeling a bit relieved that Aurora was on the stage now, drawing the launch to its close. She didn’t care if she had everyone’s attention, just as long as she wasn’t near the General.
After speaking and thanking the guests for coming, she invited Adam to the stage to give a closing remark.
"Dearest distinguished guests, with a standing ovation and a round of applause, I would like to invite to the stage, my father, the chairman and CEO of Vintage Cellar, Adam Swift, to give a closing remark."
Immediately, everyone in the room rose to their feet and clapped as Aurora watched Adam walk to the stage with a big smile on her face.
Adam couldn’t be any prouder of Aurora than this moment when she recognized him in that room full of important people.
He embraced her and kissed both of her cheeks before taking the stage as she stepped down. He didn’t forget to acknowledge her first before going ahead to give his closing remarks.
Five minutes later, a round of applause resonated in the room, signaling the end of Adam’s speech. He bowed to the audience before getting off the stage.
Aurora returned to Xander’s table as General Walker was about to leave. And even Adam took that opportunity to meet him.
They exchanged a simple greeting, acknowledging each other before parting ways.
"I will see the General off and come back," Xander informed Aurora before leading the way for General Walker. Asher followed them as well.
Aurora watched the backs of the three men and felt there was something more to their relationship.
What kind of connection or relationship did Xander have to invite a four-star studded general to her champagne launch?
It could only mean one thing. General Walker was connected to the special agency Xander and Asher were grouped in. She made a mental note to inquire from the former when they got home.
Aurora spent almost an hour more connecting with the rest of her guests who took time off to honour her invitation. She made sure to exchange a few words with the ones still present in the hall.
Outside the hotel, Olivia and Stella walked side by side with Adam almost ten steps ahead of them, allowing them to chat secretly.
"Mum, you didn’t meet the General back in the hall. Is there a reason behind it?" Olivia inquired. She had expected her mother to go to Xander’s table to strike up a conversation with Aurora’s father but when it didn’t happen, she was disappointed.
"Your father can’t see me interacting with the General. He is not a fool. He will immediately become suspicious and keep his eyes on me. It’s better our relationship remained a secret."
So many thoughts swarmed through Stella’s head as they walked to their car. She was more bothered about Aurora and General Walker reconnecting than at her winning against Olivia on the champagne sales.
Her mind was occupied with doing something to grasp General Walker’s attention and keep him away from Aurora. She was also afraid that Adam might end up sabotaging her plans.
"Should I just kill that girl?" Stella mumbled as she climbed into the backseat of the car.
Aurora was chatting with Abigail and her mother when Xander and Asher returned to the hall after sending General Walker off.
As soon as Abigail’s gaze met Asher’s by mistake, she retracted it. And this scene didn’t go unnoticed by Aurora who narrowed her gaze at them.
Seeing their reaction to each other reminded her that they never exchanged a word throughout the event’s duration.
Since Abigail won’t tell her what happened and Asher is unlikely to speak either, Aurora thought of using Xander to find out what happened between her best friend and his best friend.
Soon, Aurora sent Abigail and her mother off before returning to the hall. She thanked Asher for the connection with Vogue’s editor-in-chief.
"It’s a wedding present," Asher whispered and leaned away with a wild grin. "I will keep you updated through Xander. You only have to keep the buzz around your brand high and the invitation will come faster."
Aurora nodded in understanding and thanked him. She felt an incoming headache and a sudden turning in her head thanks to the number of champagne glasses she drank that evening.
Networking wasn’t easy. With so many people offering her toasts, how could she refuse any as the host of the day?
As soon as all the guests left, Aurora managed to speak with her team for one minute before stepping out of the hall only to see Nene waiting for her.
Nene had disappeared from her side the moment she entered the hall and seeing her again after a few hours, she was curious but not in the best state to throw important questions around.
"Mrs. Scott, I will escort you to the car," Nene said, taking her arm and leading her away noting she was a little tipsy.
As soon as they stepped outside the building Aurora recognized Xander’s signature Martin car. Liam opened the backdoor to reveal Xander sitting inside with a cigarette in his hand.
"Let’s go home, Sweetheart," he said invitingly to Aurora.
Chapter 38: Is She Pregnant?
Aurora didn’t move an inch as her gaze lingered on Xander’s hand, forcing an explanation out of him because there was no way she would get into the car with the way she was feeling while he smoked.
"I’m not smoking, just holding the stick up."
Aurora finally got into the car with Nene’s help after a little struggle with her dress and managed to secure her seatbelt.
Just as she leaned back into the car seat, Xander closed in on her. Her eyes flickered and he held it for a moment before capturing her lips in a soft wet kiss.
He couldn’t remember the last time he kissed or touched her. But tonight, he felt like it.
Feeling no resistance from her, he grabbed the back of her head and deepened the kiss, savoring the last of the champagne taste left on her tongue.
Xander was forced to release Aurora’s lips and lean away when her fingers tapped him lightly on his arms.
He retreated with a satisfactory smile and watched her gasp for breath.
"You let me kiss you. You must be in a good mood tonight," he noted.
Aurora caught her breath as her chest rose and fell gently. She had forgotten to breathe as he kissed her.
"I give it to you for choosing one of my weakest moments to make a move," she said, taking her eyes off the lipstick stain smooched at the corner of his lip.
She had a tentative urge to wipe it away but instead, she continued, "Consider my lip service a ’thank-you’ gift for your saving kindness and support tonight."
There was no way she was going to forget everything he did for her tonight in a hurry, knowing he was probably the reason the lights in the hall came back on fifteen seconds after the disaster struck.
"If you want to thank me for tonight, a kiss won’t do the trick," Xander said as his eyes slowly moved from her face to her lips before going further down to her chest to see a bit of her cleavage.
The sight wasn’t much, but it was enough to entice him and make his cock throb.
Aurora followed his gaze to her chest and shut her eyes. "I’m tired tonight." Even she could feel the sexual tension between them and wanted to continue to ignore it.
Although Nene said she didn’t have to be compelled to forgive Xander, she thought that having sex with him would stop her from being mad at him and she didn’t want that.
She didn’t want to come off as an ’easy peasy’ woman after everything he put her through so he would think deeper before acting next time, especially when it came to her.
"You have worked so hard for the past few days. I will let you get some rest," Xander said with a small smile before turning away.
---
On getting home, Aurora felt nauseous and needed help getting out of her gown but wouldn’t let Xander help her, so he sent Nene in and went into his temporary bedroom to shower and change into something for the night.
By the time he returned to the master bedroom, Aurora had already taken a hot bath and was resting on the bed with a dark look.
Nene passed a mug of hot piping hot chocolate to her. As she took it and brought it to her lips, she immediately handed it back, her face squeezed in disgust as she got out of bed.
Instantly, Xander’s brows constricted into a deep frown watching her retreating back.
"Nene, what is going on with my wife? Is she sick?" he inquired, casting his gaze on her.
"She is not sick, Mr. Scott," Nene replied as she carried the mug back to the sitting area on her right to add more hot water to it before stirring the content with a spoon.
Xander’s gaze narrowed as he stared at the door Aurora disappeared into before shifting his gaze back to Nene again. He thought carefully for a moment before asking, "Is she pregnant?"
As soon as that question reached her ears, Nene straightened her back.
"No, Mr. Scott." Her tone was firm. "She just got her period and she always has it a little difficult on the first day."
Setting the mug on the nightstand, he added, "Strong smells make her nauseous as well. It’s nothing new."
"So, she doesn’t have to see a doctor?" As soon as Xander asked that question, they heard the sound of the toilet flushing.
Nene quickly cautioned him, "There is no need for that. Also, don’t fuss over her otherwise you are going to make her more mad."
Xander nodded in understanding as Aurora returned and crawled back into bed. This time around, she drank the unsweetened hot chocolate Nene diluted with ease before taking some pills.
"Are you having cramps?" Xander questioned, observing the hand on her belly.
"A little," Aurora sighed and pulled the duvet over her.
"Nene, get me the heat packs," he instructed as he walked towards the temperature monitor in the room and turned it up a notch.
Some minutes later, Nene delivered the heat packs and went away, leaving the couple by themselves.
"You know I can do this myself," Aurora said, meeting Xander’s gaze after his warm fingers grazed her bare belly."
"I know," he replied as he unsealed the two heat packs before placing them on her belly, just over her thick shirt. "I thought you were pregnant when I saw you nauseous."
Aurora blinked. "W-We only had sex once. The possibility is odd. Also, I won’t let myself get pregnant when I’m not ready."
Though Aurora just made her stance clear, a thought remained in Xander’s mind.
"I can’t believe that we’ve been together for two weeks and we’ve only had sex once." He seemed disturbed by that truth as lines appeared on his forehead.
Almost immediately, Aurora turned her back to him. "Mr. Scott, don’t make me horny by talking about sex. I’m on my period and I would hate for things to get messy."
It took a while for the usually knowledgeable Xander to get the message and by the time he did, Aurora had already fallen asleep.
Chapter 39: Trending Searches
WEDNESDAY.
#FruitPunchChampagne became the top trending search the morning after Aurora’s champagne launch. And along with the hashtag were pictures of the dignitaries from the event.
Aurora trended for her magnificent looks last night as well, totally overshadowing Olivia’s ’Spraying Champagne’ party whose hype only lasted fifteen hours, thereby pulling all the attention.
The Tea Time gossip blog was quick to report the success of Aurora’s launch by comparing it to Olivia’s and hinting at sabotage.
"LAUNCH PARTY SHOWDOWN: SISTERLY RIVALRY REACHES BOILING POINT!
In a tale of two launches, Wing City witnessed not one, but two starkly different unveilings. One sister, Olivia, threw a lavish, youthful bash on a cruise ship, inviting social media darlings, socialites and celebrities. And spraying champagne all night.
Meanwhile, Aurora, the understated yet formidable sibling, hosted a sophisticated soiree, drawing an A-list crowd of esteemed dignitaries, government officials, and industry heavyweights. The contrast couldn’t be starker even though a certain someone tried to ruin her event last night.
As each sister tailored their launch event and guest list to their product, the question remains: who will ultimately claim victory? Will it be the sister catering to youthful excesses with her ’Spraying Champagne’ concept or the one innovating for mature tastes with a healthier champagne alternative?
Only time will tell, but one thing’s certain: this sibling rivalry has only just begun to simmer. Stay tuned for the tea!"
~Tea Time.
Olivia’s anger knew no bounds when she read the latest gossip. She couldn’t hold back her tears especially after she saw that an online poll vote had been set between her and Aurora, with the latter taking the lead by about 83% while the remaining 17% was left for her.
"Who the fuck is behind all of this?!" She screamed at the top of her voice, smashing her tablet at once.
Stella came rushing into her bedroom as soon as she learned from the servants that she was smashing things up in her room.
"Mum, did you read Tea Time’s latest blog?" Olivia cried, rushing into her arms. "We didn’t even succeed with our plans to ruin Aurora’s party and I’m already being blamed for it. Look at all the tabloids. They have already concluded that Aurora is going to win. I’m going to lose the COO position to her at this rate!"
Stella sat at the edge of her bed, letting her cry in her arms as she patted her back gently. "Your mother cannot be alive and watch someone else take what should be yours. Mark my words, Olivia, I will get everything back for you."
"Mum, what should we do? We can’t keep quiet! I have to destroy Aurora and that confidence in her that never dies!" Olivia said, leaning away with tears rolling down her cheeks.
Stella moved to wipe them with her thumb fingers and said to her, "Tell your friends to promote your champagne on their social media pages and timeline daily to show their support for you."
"Is that all?" Olivia probed, looking horrified.
"As for Aurora, we will attack her image. Didn’t you say that Xander Scott was married?" Stella inquired, prompting Oliver to confirm the news. "Good! We will turn your sister into his mistress."
Almost immediately, Olivia got an idea. She suggested as she wiped the tears away from her eyes, "We can photoshop pictures of them and send to bloggers."
"No!" Stella dismissed the idea immediately. "We cannot afford the consequences of belittling Mr. Scott in that manner."
Olivia nodded in understanding, letting out a sigh.
"Olivia," her mother called her, meeting her gaze. "You have to get married to Owen within a month so you can enter the Scott family and befriend Mr. Scott’s wife. In the end, we will use her to attack Aurora. After all, which woman will accept her husband being close to another woman?"
A hearty chuckle escaped Olivia’s lips. She was truly her mother’s daughter. This was the same idea she got last night, meaning the situation was urgent and had to be taken care of.
"Your wedding is also an opportunity to promote your brand, so, we must utilize every opportunity wisely," Stella added.
Olivia became worried that her father wouldn’t allow her wedding to be rushed, but her mother assured her.
"I will take care of it when the Scott family visit this weekend just like how I took care of your father last night," Stella assured her.
As soon as they had gotten home the previous night, Adam had questioned the mother and daughter, accusing them of the mishap that happened in the middle of Aurora’s launch. And instead of cowering, Stella outrightly asked him to present his evidence otherwise forever hold his peace.
Since Adam had nothing to back his claims up, he could only shift from accusing them to scolding them.
---
On the other hand, Aurora had a different reaction after reading the famous ear-tingling gossip blog post that morning.
"Shouldn’t you be happy with the post?" Xander inquired, noting the furrows in her brows.
"Of course I am happy," Aurora admitted, keeping her tablet next to her plate on the breakfast table. "I am only worried about some people who will not rest after seeing my progress. I will be too busy promoting my product to pay attention to them. Anything can happen."
Xander spread his arms out. "What am I here for? You have people watching your back, no need to fret."
Since Aurora had the day off, she stayed home to recuperate after the stressful planning of her successful product launch. Fortunately, she could deal better with her period pain and sleep in for as long as she wanted.
Meanwhile, Xander left for work. During his lunch break, Asher phoned him to report on his request.
"I couldn’t find anything on that woman even though I had initially thought she was the face behind that popular gossip blog."
Xander’s brows furrowed slightly. "You didn’t find anything at all?" He felt that was unbelievable.
"Nothing," Asher confirmed. "Her background is squeaky clean except for her rumoured fling with her co-actor two years ago. Abigail was raised by her single mother, and they moved to Wing City when she was three."
Xander was quiet for a moment before saying, "I don’t trust that report. Something feels amiss."
"Same here," Asher said. "Unfortunately, I have confirmed she has nothing to do with the gossip blog unless she is a con artist and I failed to recognize it."
"Let her be until she triggers our attention," Xander instructed.
Chapter 40: Xander’s Grandeur Gesture
"Mrs. Scott," Nene called as she appeared at the in-house flower garden with a big box. "Mr. Scott sent a package for you."
"A package?" Aurora lifted her gaze from her tablet, pausing the emails she was replying to, brows furrowing. She looked surprised because Xander had breakfast with her before leaving the house, and he never mentioned anything about sending something to her.
"Yes," Nene confirmed, setting the box on the table in front of her before letting out a sigh. "One of his men delivered the box," she said, straightening her back.
Aurora stared at the olive-coloured rectangular box and the big red ribbon on it and tried to guess what could be inside.
"I think you should go ahead and open it," Nene urged, looking more excited than she should.
Aurora moved to untie the ribbon before opening the magnetic box. She saw her name ’Aurora’ written on the cover with a heart shape and instantly, her heart warmed up.
She thought that Xander was such a romantic as she moved the ruffles and papers away to reveal the box’s contents.
First, her eyes caught the card and picked it up before moving her attention to the box’s content. Her eyes and her hands searched through it to discover the beautiful treasures lined up.
There were chocolate bars, expensive skin care products, a sexy Valentino perfume, a self-care book for women, a vanilla and coco scented candle, bath salt, face mask and hibiscus tea.
"Oh, My Goodness!" Aurora exclaimed with excitement in her eyes. "It’s a period care kit. No one has ever curated one for me!"
Nene was all smiles as she gave Xander a thumbs-up and a round of applause in her head. It was a good thing he was smart enough to know the right gift to give.
"Are you that happy?" Nene asked, despite knowing the answer. She just wanted to snag more credit for her boss.
"Of course, I am, Nene!" Aurora replied with a smile that reached her eyes. Looking back to the box, she continued, "Look, even the box is magnetic and has been designed to store the period care products. He even got me a book and a scented candle. This is huge!"
"Mr. Scott has done well today," Nene said before urging her to try the perfume. "We have to make sure the scent is perfect for you and deliver feedback."
Aurora thought she made sense and proceeded to spray two notes on her left wrist before dabbing it in.
"Mmmm!" She hummed, shutting her eyes as she let the sexy long-lasting fragrance assault her nose. "I love this one, Nene," she said, opening her eyes. "I have to send a picture to Xander and give him feedback on his gift."
As soon as Aurora said that, she gave Nene her phone and turned her into a photographer, letting her take a picture of her and the period care package from four different angles.
"Nene, which one looks better?" Aurora inquired as her fingers swiped through the recent pictures, looking for the perfect picture to send to Xander.
Nene peeped at her phone screen, squinting her eyes. "Mrs. Scott, I’m bad at choosing one option amongst other good ones. I think you should just choose randomly."
"I will just send everything to Xander." Aurora selected the four pictures of her staring at the box happily from four different angles and sent them to Xander. Then she added a ’Thank You’ with a pink heart in the caption.
Nene helped Aurora to arrange the items in the box before reminding her about the card. "Would you like to see what the note says?"
"Oh!" Aurora lifted her gaze, "I almost forgot about it."
How could she remember that Xander had sent a note along with the other items when she was pretty much satisfied by his romantic grandeur?
Aurora picked up the little card and flipped it open to read the content.
"My Dearest Wife, my love for you has increased with time and I’m lucky to have you. Please accept my little gifts and take proper care until my return."
Aurora giggled as her eyes captured every word on that note. What was more romantic about the letter was the fact that Xander had written it with his pen.
"Nene," Aurora called, lifting her smiling gaze. "This man is going to drive me crazy."
"Well, he better drive you crazy in a good way," Nene humoured as she tied the red ribbon around the box and lifted it in her arms. "Would you like to have your afternoon tea here with some cookies? The kitchen made a fresh batch."
Aurora squinted. "I’m in the mood for light colourful macaroons. Are there macaroons today?"
"I thought it would be best to avoid sugary things on your period because of the cramps, so I opted for an oatmeal cookie in your stead," Nene explained.
"That’s fine," Aurora sighed. "Make some of that hibiscus tea Xander gifted me and serve it with the cookies. Also, add one of the chocolate bars."
Nene smiled and left.
Aurora was having the best time of her life even though she and her team were working from home.
She had to attend to a lot of mails and monitor the champagne sales along with turning down the interview invitations from the media.
There was time for everything, and now was not the time to be accepting interviews. Besides, her eyes were set on Vogue, so ensuring she succeeded with her task and got the COO position was the best way to snag the deal confidently.
On the other hand, while Aurora basked in Xander’s love, something went south with her stepmother.
After attending a few meetings in her art gallery, Stella left for her private nail appointment. As soon as she exited the car at the underground parking lot, she turned to the chauffeur.
"Get me one bottle of the ’Spraying Champagne’ from the trunk."
"Yes, Ma’am," the chauffeur replied and quickly moved to the back of the car and opened the trunk to get the champagne but he was greeted with something else other than the bottle he had come for.
"What is taking you that long?!" Stella scolded. She was more furious that she couldn’t see the chauffeur’s face due to the trunk raised above him.
But almost immediately, the chauffeur ran out from behind the car with a deadpan face.
"Ma’am, there is a dead man in the trunk," he announced.