Chapter 22
Aurora sat in her office, lost in thought. She had been pondering hard, trying to recall who among the Lumire staff she could trust to ask for help.
Actually, if she wanted it easy, Aurora could ask her father. But she was sure he would ask for what purpose she needed such information.
So, instead of having to come up with a reason that would ultimately end up being a lie, Aurora tried to find out on her own so she could quickly investigate the company’s fund flow that Alex might have misappropriated.
Before long, Aurora jumped in her seat. Remembering something, she murmured softly.
“Oh my, why didn’t I think of that? I could ask Mr. Sandy for help. After all, he’s Papa’s trusted person who has stayed with Lumire until now.”
Aurora smiled as she nodded repeatedly. But shortly after, her shoulders slumped again. It was as if a problem suddenly approached and instantly deflated her spirits.
“But, I don’t have his phone number. Asking Papa would be like signing my own death warrant.”
Aurora sighed to alleviate the tightness in her chest. She was back to being puzzled for a while before finally coming up with an idea she could execute.
“Ah… yes! Why not look for his contact in Alex’s phone? He must have it saved. Since Mr. Sandy is currently the legal advisor in the company.” Aurora nodded. Her red lips seemed to smile, brightening. “Okay, tonight I’ll look for his number while Alex is asleep.”
Believing she had found a solution to her problem, Aurora then tidied up her desk. Realizing it was already late in the day, she prepared to head home.
As she left the room, Aurora was taken aback. Right in the waiting area next to the door, she found Alden sitting alone, possibly waiting for her to leave the room.
“Alden?”
The handsome man quickly turned. Flashing a smile, he briskly stood up and positioned himself in front of Aurora.
“Finished with your work?”
Aurora nodded.
“Yeah. I’m heading home now. What are you doing here?”
“I was waiting for you to come home.”
Aurora frowned. She wondered why her ex-boyfriend would bother waiting for her to come home. Did Alden stop by because he wanted to ask about what happened the other day?
“Wait for me? What’s going on?”
Alden smiled. He picked up a pink box of cakes that he had placed on the waiting chair. Handing it to Aurora with a smile, which only added to his charm.
“I want to give you this cake. Earlier, during lunchtime, I happened to stop by one of the pastry shops to buy snacks for the medical staff who were on duty tonight. I remembered that you really liked pandan cheese cake. So, I bought it for you.”
Aurora’s heart tightened. She immediately remembered the old days when she was in a relationship with Alden. He often waited for her to come home. In fact, almost every day he brought various kinds of food if Aurora didn’t have time for breakfast. Alden knew exactly what foods and snacks Aurora liked and disliked.
“Here, take it,” Alden urged when Aurora remained silent. He offered the box of cakes again. “It’s not a sin to give cake to an ex-girlfriend, is it? Having coffee or tea before going home is also not a problem, right?”Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.
“What?”
Aurora blinked in astonishment. She processed Alden’s words from just now with great difficulty.
Meanwhile, Alden laughed. He found Aurora’s behavior adorable.
“Alright, hurry up and take it. You can eat it when you get home.”
“Thank you so much for the cake.”
“You’re welcome. But my offer to have coffee or tea together before going home is serious.”
“Okay then,” Aurora replied, her expression now more relaxed.
“Okay then? What does that mean?”
Alden double-checked. He didn’t want any misunderstandings or misinterpretations.
“You said let’s grab a drink together. Okay then, I’m in. Besides, I’m not in a rush to get home.”
Alden smiled broadly, gesturing for Aurora to walk ahead.
“Ladies first.”
Aurora smiled back. It seemed that Alden’s act of service, being of Arab descent, hadn’t changed one bit. Even when they arrived at the coffee shop on the first floor of the hospital, Alden helped pull out chairs and invited Aurora to sit down promptly.
“What would you like to drink? Jasmine tea with less sugar? Or—”
“Yes. That one,” Aurora replied quickly. “My taste hasn’t changed since forever.”
“Same here,” Alden said afterward. He then chuckled.
“Oh, really? Then, how about your taste in women?”
Then, Aurora cursed herself. Why did she ask such a stupid question? She was sure Alden would have all sorts of thoughts.
“Still the same as before,” Alden said, gazing directly at Aurora. This time, he smiled thinly, locking his gaze with her brown eyes. “Because I’m so bad at moving on, I find it difficult to find a replacement.”
Aurora nodded awkwardly. Moreover, she was immediately confused about how to respond to Alden’s recent statement.
“Are you okay, though?”
Alden changed the subject. He cautiously asked a question. He didn’t mean to interfere, just wanted to make sure of Aurora’s current condition.
“Don’t be offended,” Alden said again. He quickly clarified. “I just want to make sure, are you—”
“I’m fine. You don’t need to worry.”
“But—”
“Thanks for your concern. But seriously, I’m fine.”
Alden didn’t ask further. Concerned that Aurora might feel uncomfortable, he chose another topic to discuss. Talking about work and the patients they were currently handling together.
***