Chapter 46 Aurora’s Impressive Display of Skill
Aurora looked at Celeste, whose awkward expression stirred no sympathy in her–only a sense of satisfaction.
Just as she was about to close the door, Celeste, having clearly made up her mind, shoved it back open.
“Aurora, there’s an auction tonight, and the heir to the Hawke family will be attending. I’ve prepared a dress for you, hoping you’ll come and see your future husband in person.”
“So what? If I’m not happy with what I see, will you just call off the engagement?” Aurora replied, her tone sharp.
Celeste was momentarily speechless.
The marriage was something the Elvador family had already decided for Aurora. She had no say in the matter.
Whether she liked it or not, she was going to marry him.
If that was the case, what difference did it make whether she saw
him or not?
Celeste wanted to sacrifice her for the marriage, but also didn’t want to be seen as selling her daughter for personal gain. That was why she was making it sound so noble, pretending it was all
Chapter 46 Aurora’s Impressive Display of … for Aurora’s benefit. It was truly hypocritical.
Even if Celeste acted completely indifferent to her, Aurora wouldn’t be nearly as disgusted.
The real irritation came from the fact that Celeste didn’t love her, yet pretended to care. She gave her false hope, only to repeatedly push her into danger.
Aurora was just like a puppet, manipulated at will by the Elvador family.
That was what truly angered her.
With a clear gaze, Aurora saw through it all. Celeste’s face flushed crimson.
2/8
Aurora didn’t say anything, instead, she reached into her shopping bag and pulled out the dress–a simple red strapless gown, the kind one might grab off a rack at a department store.
It was basic, dull, and clearly chosen with no real thought.
“You really put a lot of effort into this,” she emphasized the word “effort” with mockery.
Celeste instantly recognized the sarcasm in her tone.
“Um… If you don’t like it, I can pick something else for you,” she. stammered.
Aurora tossed the dress at Celeste. “My injuries aren’t healed
Chapter 46 Aurora’s Impressive Display of… 3/8 yet. You really want me to wear a dress to a party?”
Although the pain from Joshua’s belt had subsided, the bruises on her arms, back, and legs were still visible.
The worst of the injuries was on her shoulder. Though the wound had healed, it left large scars, and wearing a strapless dress would reveal them all.
It dawned on Celeste what she had overlooked, and she flushed with guilt. “I… I didn’t think about that. I’m sorry.”
“There’s no need for an apology. Just give me the money, and I’ll buy my own clothes. Yours don’t fit.”
Her body was in bad shape–having missed out on proper nutrition during her growing years, she was abnormally thin and underdeveloped.
Given the Elvador family’s model–like physiques–Joshua wast 6’1“, Barnett was 6’2“, Celeste was 5’7“-Aurora should have easily been at least 5’7” as well.
Yet, Aurora only stood at 5’3“. If it weren’t for her face, which perfectly inherited Joshua and Celeste’s best features, looking stunning and delicate, no one would believe she was their daughter.
And the dress Celeste had chosen was clearly meant for Bertha, whose tall, curvy frame was nothing like Aurora’s frail, underfed
one.
Chapter 46 Aurora’s Impressive Display of… Aurora wouldn’t fit into Bertha’s size at all.
4/8
Celeste’s face turned bright red, and she wished she could sink into the floor.
Not wanting to face Aurora anymore, she quickly handed her a card. “There’s 100 thousand dollars on here. Take it, and if it’s not enough, let me know.”
Without waiting for a response, she fled.
Aurora quickly gathered herself and left the house, the card in hand.
She hailed a taxi and headed straight to the mall, but instead of buying a dress, she went into a suit store.
A suit would be more formal and would cover her injuries perfectly.
With the help of a sales associate, Aurora picked out a black suit and went into the changing room to try it on.
When she stepped out, ready to check herself in the mirror, she saw a man with rimless glasses standing in front of the store, looking upset. “Is it really impossible to fix?” he asked, his voice filled with frustration.
The sales associate glanced at the suit in his hands and shook her head apologetically. “Sir, the fabric is extremely high–end, and the hole is from a cigarette burn. It’s going to be hard to make it look like new. It would require a very skilled specialist to
Chapter 46 Aurora’s Impressive Display of… fix it properly.”
5/8
The man sighed, his face falling. “This is for a very important event tonight. This suit was custom–made just for this occasion. There’s no way I can get it repaired in time.”
“I’m really sorry, sir,” the sales associate said. “We just don’t have the expertise for this. You might want to try another store.”
“I’ve been to every suit shop in Orley already,” he said, defeated.
Aurora glanced at the suit he was holding.
Having lived with the Elvador family for three years, she had seen her fair share of high–end custom tailoring. But the suit in the man’s hands was far beyond anything she had seen before.
The fabric and cut were top–notch–this was no ordinary suit.
It had been made specifically for the man, one–of–a–kind.
Even if it could be repaired, it wouldn’t be done quickly, and the cost would be astronomical–at least five figures to start.
Perhaps it was the length of time she stared at the suit that caught the man’s attention, as he suddenly noticed her.
Dressed in the black suit she had just changed into, Aurora looked striking. The tailored cut hugged her slim waist perfectly. Her shoulders, though thin, looked more defined thanks to the padded structure of the suit. The black fabric contrasted sharply with her pale skin, and the sleek lines of the collar and neckline
Chapter 46 Aurora’s Impressive Display of…
6/8
drew attention to her long neck. Overall, she exuded a vibe of simplicity and confidence.
The man, assuming she was the store manager, hurried over to her, eager to ask, “Is there really no way to fix it? I don’t care. what it costs, as long as it can be done before dark.”
Aurora paused, realizing he thought she was the manager. She was about to decline, but when she looked into the man’s pleading eyes, she felt an unexpected sense of being needed, making it hard to say no.
Without thinking, she said, “Embroidery, would that work?”
“What?” he blinked, confused.
The man seemed taken aback. Embroidering a hole in a suit.
seemed… odd.
But then, with no better options, he hesitated before asking, “How skilled are you?”
“Well… I think I can handle it,” she said with uncertainty.
Aurora had learned embroidery in prison. Despite the constant abuse, no one ever destroyed her hands, as her embroidery was considered the best among the inmates.
Even the guards seemed to value her skill.
How good was she? She wasn’t sure–perhaps just better than the others, but still far from professional.
Chapter 46 Aurora’s Impressive Display of…
7/8
The man stared at her, doubtful. “Are you really sure you can do this?”
He wasn’t dismissing her because of her age–he just couldn’t imagine someone so young could master such a difficult craft.
She seemed barely in her twenties.
But embroidery was a difficult craft.
It wouldn’t be easy for her to master it.
Aurora didn’t boast. “I’m not sure I can do it perfectly, but I can tell you this much–you can’t wear this suit to the event in its current condition.”
“Fair enough.” The man sighed, giving her the suit.
His hopes now hung on a thread. “Please, just… please make it work.”
Aurora carefully examined the hole from the cigarette burn, running her fingers along the surrounding fabric as her mind. began to craft a design.
“Do you have any embroidery thread?” she asked the sales associale.
The sales associate nodded, quickly gathering all the materials she would need.
Chapter 46 Aurora’s Impressive Display of… Aurora sat down at the table, her focus sharpening.
8/8
Before beginning, she separated the embroidery thread into 48 strands.
Just that one move left both the man and the sales associate
stunned.
The man’s heart raced with excitement. Just seeing that, he knew Aurora wasn’t an amateur–she was a professional.
