Chapter 13 Living a Laid–Back Life
Although she had long known that they didn’t care about her, the words Joshua said still made Aurora’s heart hurt.
Joshua didn’t even bother to pretend to love her.
Fortunately, Aurora hid her emotions well. From her stubborn exterior, no one could tell that she was hurting inside.
“Okay,” said Aurora indifferently.
Joshua frowned, “What did you say?”
Aurora looked up, her gaze solemn as she stared at the family of four standing on the second floor. “I’ll leave the Elvador Villa right now. From today on, I’ll cut off all ties with the Elvador family. Please rest assured. I won’t pester you anymore.” She added in her heart that she would rather die outside than come
back.
After saying that, she no longer had any attachment to this home.
Having been hurt so deeply in those three years, Aurora had learned her lesson. How could she still hope for a family affection that didn’t belong to her?
This time, she walked quickly. Her broken leg, which was still tightly strained, ached, but she gritted her teeth and endured it.
Chapter 13 Living a Laid–Back Life
2/8
There was finally a light in her dull eyes, the light of being about to shed her shackles and embrace freedom.
Soon, Aurora opened the living room door and walked out.
She showed no signs of hesitation and didn’t look back, and her back was resolute.
Barnett’s pupils constricted. He wanted to chase after Aurora, but the excruciating stomach cramps made him too weak to even stand up. He could only shout at the slowly closing door, “Aurora, come back here…”
His shout echoed through the large living room and drained all his strength.
But Aurora didn’t look back and only vaguely heard someone shouting something.
She couldn’t make out exactly what it was because the door. behind her had closed, and her right ear had poor hearing.
However, whatever it was, it had nothing to do with her
anymore.
The moment Aurora stepped out of the Elvador Villa, her tense nerves finally relaxed.
She walked briskly. After about five minutes, a man appeared in front of her.
In the middle of the night, seeing a man suddenly, Aurora felt
Chapter 13 Living a Laid–Back Life
her heart skip a beat.
3/8
She instinctively moved away from the street light and stood in the pitch–black shadow.
The man was walking in a hurry. As he got closer, Aurora recognized him at a glance.
It was Darren Lowell, Barnett’s friend.
Aurora’s deepest impression of Darren could be summed up in two words–sarcastic and mean.
She remembered the first time she had seen him. He sized her up from head to toe and casually commented, “So shabby. If it weren’t for the slight resemblance to Barnett, it’d be hard to tell you’re from the Elvador family.”
When he said this, Barnett was right beside him. Barnett didn’t stop Darren’s rudeness to her but just let out a non–committal
snort.
At that time, what hurt Aurora the most wasn’t Darren’s deliberate provocation but Barnett’s indifferent attitude.
She was only fifteen years old then. Despite having a family, when she was being bullied, not a single family member stood up for her.
She felt like a stray dog at that time, which was so pitiful.
Darren walked past her without noticing her in the shadow of
Chapter 13 Living a Laid–Back Life
the corner.
4/8
Her eyes followed his figure until he entered the Elvador Villa. Then, she realized that Darren was probably going to see
Barnell.
Stepping out of the shadow, Aurora quickened her pace.
Originally, she had planned to find a hotel to stay for the night and look for a job the next day.
Now, she changed her mind and wanted to leave Orley.
Aurora had heard what the three members of the Elvador family. said in the study. Joshua intended to follow Adolph’s demand and make her go to the hospital and apologize to Camille.
But why should she?
Joshua and Celeste knew that it was Bertha who had pushed Camille downstairs and caused her to become a vegetable, yet they still insisted on making Aurora take the blame for Bertha.
Aurora had yearned for her parents‘ love and had paid the price of five years in prison, a broken leg, partial deafness, and the loss of a kidney.
Her body was already in a mess, barely able to bear any loss.
Now, Joshua and Celeste wanted Aurora to pay for Barnett’s impulsiveness.
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5/8
For the sake of the Elvador Group, Aurora was certain that the Elvador family would come looking for her again.
She resented the Elvador family and was even more afraid of Adolph.
Aurora had experienced Adolph’s means of torture in prison. It was the darkest period of her life, and she didn’t want to go. through it again. Her body couldn’t take it anymore.
So, she had to leave Orley as soon as possible and run far away. She wanted to get to a place where they couldn’t find her and live out the rest of her life in peace.
She counted the money in her hand. There were two thousand dollars, all given to her by Daisy.
Aurora’s eyes became moist at thinking of Daisy.
She didn’t know if she would ever have the chance to repay
Daisy.
She stood by the roadside for a long time before finally flagging
down a taxi.
“Where are you going?” asked the driver, rolling down the
window.
Aurora asked, “Sir, how much does it cost to go to Sounan Railway Station?”
“Are you leaving Orley? During the day, three hundred dollars
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6/8
would be enough, but it’s so late now. It’ll be a bit more expensive. Five hundred and fifty dollars. Can you accept that?” said the driver.
Aurora got into the car without hesitation.
She had already made up her mind. She would leave Orley as soon as possible. Once she got to Sounan Railway Station, she would take a train to Gelaun in the northeast of Peloland. It was said that the houses there were the cheapest in the country, costing only a few tens of thousands of dollars for a whole set. It was the most suitable place for someone like her to live.
As long as she didn’t go to developed cities or crowded places. and just stayed in a remote, cold, resource–depleted city like Gelaun, she believed that the Elvador family would never find her in their lifetime.
Imagining herself living a laid–back life alone in Gelaun, Aurora felt hope begin to sprout in her cold heart.
Leaning against the car window, she looked at the beautiful night view of the center of Orley.
Skyscrapers stood in rows. The outer walls of the buildings were decorated with various neon lights, creating a colorful display. Some flashed fashionable brand logos, and some showed exquisite advertisements, adding charm to this bustling city.
The warm yellow glow of the street lights spread across Aurora’s face, giving her a touch of softness.
Chapter 13 Living a Laid–Back Life
There were few cars on the road, and the taxi sped along.
7/8
Two hours later, she finally arrived at Sounan Railway Station.
Aurora took her ID card and went to the ticket counter. Fortunately, she managed to buy a ticket for the train that departed at one in the morning.
She only needed to wait for one more hour to embark on the journey to Gelaun.
The waiting room of the railway station was relatively empty. at night. Aurora found a quiet and unoccupied corner and sat down to rest.
In a daze, she seemed to hear announcements on the platform.
At this time, she was tired and sleepy, and with her poor right–car hearing, she couldn’t make out anything at first.
After about five minutes, the announcement on the platform came again. “Dear passengers, the train departing from Sounan to Gelaun is now starting to check tickets. Passengers taking this train, please organize your luggage and proceed to the ticket–checking gate to check in and board the train.”
Aurora was startled and quickly opened her eyes.
She hurriedly looked towards the ticket–checking gate. At this time, passengers were already queuing up to check in.
Aurora was filled with uncontrollable excitement.
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8/8
Once she passed the ticket–checking and boarded the train, the Elvador family would never be able to find her again.
She didn’t waste any more time and quickly got up, going to the ticket–checking gale to queue.
Aurora followed the person in front of her closely. When it was her turn, she immediately handed the ticket to the ticket checker.
Just as the ticket checker was about to reach for the ticket, a large hand suddenly reached out from the side, tightly covering Aurora’s slender hand and the ticket in it.
Aurora turned around and widened her eyes suddenly.
