Chapter 572: Outburst
Her lips quivered, but no words came out. She glanced desperately at Shay, her eyes silently begging for help.
Shay simply lifted her teacup and took a calm sip, completely ignoring her. That indifference hurt more than the slap.
Lily lowered her gaze, forcing back her tears. ’I... have no one...’
Slowly, she turned and walked out.
The cold air outside brushed against her skin as she stepped onto the stone ground. Without hesitation, she knelt down, her knees pressing painfully against the hard surface.
........
Jim had already contacted Aurora.
Not only that, he had sent a long apology message.
He even knelt down, asking a servant to record a video of him apologizing, his voice trembling with regret.
.......
Aurora watched the video. Her eyes flickered with mild surprise.
"I didn’t think I pressured him that much..." she murmured softly.
Even though she had hacked his social media, she hadn’t expected things to escalate to this extent.
Her gaze shifted. Spencer sat beside her, calm and composed.
Then, her thoughts drifted to Alex. A faint realization appeared in her eyes. ’So... it was him...’
A gentle smile formed on her lips. Without hesitation, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Spencer, her embrace warm and sincere.
"Thank you," she whispered softly.
Spencer, hearing those soft words, let out a low chuckle, the sound warm and gentle, before wrapping his arms around Aurora and pulling her closer into his embrace.
His hold was firm yet careful, as if afraid she might disappear if he loosened it even slightly.
It had been such a long time. Things were already so different now.
Back then, Aurora used to be at least half a head shorter than him, small and easy to shield.
But now, as he held her, he realized just how much had changed.
He had grown broader, stronger, his frame heavier with time, and now he could completely envelop her in his arms as if she were something fragile... something precious he needed to protect.
Aurora, on the other hand, melted into his embrace.
The warmth of his body, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, the faint scent of his clothes... it all wrapped around her like a shield.
For the first time in a long while, she felt... safe. ’Jim is gone...’
That thought lingered in her mind, bringing a strange mix of relief and unease. Her thoughts drifted to Shay.
’What about her...? Will she be punished too...?’
But almost immediately, Aurora realized something. She had underestimated Shay’s position in the Brown family.
.......
Sure enough, after dealing with Lily and Jim, Oslo turned his attention toward Shay.
How could he not know? She was the one who had ordered Jim to carry out the hacking.
And yet... when he faced her, there was no anger. Not even a trace of it.
Instead, his expression softened unnaturally, a gentle smile spreading across his face as if nothing had happened.
He picked up a glass of water and handed it to her.
"Drink some water," he spoke in a surprisingly mild tone. "You look a bit pale."
His voice carried a hint of concern. "If you feel like eating anything, tell me. I’ll get it for you."
Shay blinked softly, her delicate fingers trembling just slightly as she shook her head.
"There’s no need..." she murmured.
Then, she reached out and tugged lightly at his sleeve, her voice soft, almost pleading.
"Don’t punish Jim too much..."
Oslo’s eyes softened even further, almost doting.
"Only you have such a kind heart," he replied, his tone filled with approval. "No one else understands what you do for them."
She simply smiled, her expression calm and composed, as if she truly deserved such praise.
"Alright, alright," Oslo waved his hand lightly. "I’ll do as you say."
With that, he turned and walked out. Outside, his expression changed instantly.
The warmth vanished, replaced by cold authority. "Get inside," he ordered curtly.
Jim, who had been kneeling, immediately looked up, relief flashing across his face.
"Yes... yes!" he hurriedly got up and went inside, his movements eager and submissive.
Earlier, after sending the apology video, Oslo had forced Jim to kneel as well. But now that the punishment was lifted, Jim felt as though he had been granted a second chance at life.
........
Meanwhile, Aurora and Spencer had already retreated to her room.
They decided to wait until night before heading out, when the entire house would fall silent, when no one would notice their absence.
And so, they waited.
Lying on the bed, Spencer pulled Aurora into his arms, holding her close as if making up for all the lost time. His fingers brushed lightly against her arm, tracing absent patterns.
Aurora buried herself against him, her arms wrapped around his waist.
’It’s been so long...’
Her voice came out softly. "It feels like we haven’t done this in forever..."
Spencer chuckled lightly, the vibration of his chest brushing against her cheek.
"You’re talking as if we used to cuddle all the time," he teased.
Aurora pouted slightly, lifting her head just enough to look at him. "From my perspective, we did."
Spencer laughed again, softer this time. "Alright, alright... you’re right."
They continued talking like that, about random things, meaningless things, yet everything felt important.
Spencer never mentioned the hardships he had gone through. Aurora never spoke about the dangers and challenges she had faced.
Both of them silently chose to protect each other from those truths.
........
By the time their conversation ended, night had already fallen.
The room was dim, lit only by faint city lights seeping through the curtains.
They quietly got ready and slipped downstairs into the apartment below. Without drawing attention, they left.
......
Outside, the night greeted them with a gentle breeze. Aurora turned toward Spencer, her eyes faintly shining.
"Now... we can finally go on a night date."
Her voice carried a hint of excitement. They had already decided on where to go.
The ocean. For Aurora, it had always been a dream.
She had seen countless couples walking along the shore at night, laughing softly under the moonlight, and every time, a quiet longing would bloom in her heart.
Now, that dream was finally within reach.
When they arrived, the vast ocean stretched endlessly before them.
The sound of waves gently crashing against the shore filled the air, rhythmic and soothing.
The salty scent of the sea lingered around them, carried by the cool breeze that brushed softly against their skin.
Aurora held Spencer’s hand tightly. A peaceful smile formed on her lips.
Spencer glanced at her, then noticed something. She had crouched down slightly, her attention fixed on the sand.
Small seashells glimmered faintly under the moonlight.
Without a word, he bent down and began picking them up one by one, carefully brushing off the sand.
Aurora watched him, amused.
"What are you planning to do with those?" she asked, tilting her head.
Spencer smirked slightly. "It’s a secret," he replied. "I’ll tell you later."
Aurora chuckled softly, shaking her head.
......
After spending time by the ocean, they wandered into a nearby gaming zone.
The bright lights and cheerful sounds contrasted sharply with the calmness of the beach.
They played together, laughter occasionally escaping them. But Spencer kept a close eye on her.
"Don’t overdo it," he warned, his tone turning serious. "You’ll tire yourself out... You might even get a fever."
Aurora rolled her eyes dramatically. "You worry too much."
Still, she slowed down slightly.
.......
Just as they were completely immersed in their little world, something unsettling unfolded elsewhere. And it was witnessed.
By Abby. Her expression twisted with disgust as she watched everything unfold.
Without hesitation, she sent Aurora a message.
.......
Aurora’s phone buzzed. The moment she read it... she froze. Her fingers tightened around the phone, her breath catching in her throat.
The message described everything. Lily had been kneeling outside the mansion for ten hours.
Ten hours. Under the cold air, her body trembling, her strength long gone...and she had collapsed.
When she woke up, something had changed. She was no longer the same.
Agitated. Restless.
She stormed toward Shay’s room, her steps uneven, her mind clouded with suppressed rage and desperation.
"I can’t live like this anymore..." Her voice trembled, almost breaking.
But Shay, she sat there like a block of ice. Cold. Unfeeling. Unmoved.
Lily’s emotions spiraled out of control. For a moment, it even seemed like she might harm Shay...
"How can you be so heartless, Shay! You are a cold b*tch! I hate you!"
But then... Clink. Clink.
The sharp sound of a spoon tapping against glass echoed in the room.
Lily froze. Her body stiffened unnaturally.
The madness in her eyes disappeared in an instant, replaced by blank obedience.
Like a puppet whose strings had been pulled.
The next second... Smack!
She’s hand struck Lily’s face.
The force was enough to split her lip, and blood slowly trickled down.
"How dare you raise your voice at me?" Shay’s tone was cold, cutting.
Lily lowered her head immediately. "I... I’m sorry..."