Chapter 652: Fear
As Adeline watched them fuss over her, warmth spread throughout her chest. She felt incredibly grateful.
Having sister-in-laws who cared for her this much felt almost unreal Just when she thought everything was finished, Adriana suddenly grabbed her hand.
"We’re not done yet."
A mischievous smile appeared on her face. "There are still more surprises waiting for you."
Adeline blinked. "More surprises?"
Nobody answered. Instead, all four women headed toward the top floor.
When the elevator doors opened, Adeline stopped walking. Her breath caught in her throat.
A magnificent hall stretched before her. Crystal chandeliers illuminated the entire venue. Countless flowers decorated every corner.
At the center stood a beautiful white stage. Around it were elegant tables where dozens of guests were seated.
The scent of fresh roses filled the hall. For a moment, Adeline was speechless.
Then she looked closer. Her eyes widened. Every single person present was someone she knew.
Among them, she even spotted Mira waving enthusiastically.
The next moment, Mira rushed over. She immediately wrapped an arm around Adeline’s shoulder.
"I’ll take over from here."
Without waiting for a response, she shooed Adriana, Aurora, and Olivia away.
The three women exchanged amused glances before walking off. Then Adeline looked toward the stage.
Her heart instantly began racing. Alex was standing there, waiting for her. Under the bright lights looking directly at her.
At that moment, Adeline finally understood everything.
This wasn’t simply a proposal. This was an engagement ceremony.
For a moment, she stood frozen. Then happiness exploded inside her chest.
She remembered something she had casually mentioned months ago.
"I want my engagement to be a complete surprise."
Back then she had spoken without much thought. Yet Alex had remembered.
Not only had he remembered, but he had fulfilled every single wish she had ever expressed.
A bright smile appeared on her face. Without hesitation, she ran toward him.
Alex opened his arms. The moment she reached him, she threw herself into his embrace. "Thank you."
Her voice was full of emotion. "I love the surprise."
Alex chuckled softly. Then he tightened his arms around her.
No words were necessary. Soon, the ceremony officially began.
Under the blessings of their family and friends, they exchanged rings.
The applause that followed filled the entire hall. From this day forward, they were officially engaged.
Their wedding was scheduled for six months later. As Adeline looked at the ring on her finger, everything felt unreal.
Just two years ago, her life had been a complete mess.
Her relationship was falling apart. Her career was uncertain. Her finances were unstable. Every day felt exhausting.
Yet only two years later, everything had changed.
She was studying medicine. She was pursuing her dream. She had a stable job. Her finances were excellent.
Most importantly, she was about to marry a man who loved her deeply.
A ridiculously handsome man, at that. Thinking about it made her laugh.
’This feels like a dream.’
A dream she had secretly wished for. A dream she had never dared believe would come true.
After the ceremony ended, Adeline remained surrounded by happiness.
However, there was still one lingering regret. Ms. Dawn.
Just as she was thinking about it, her phone suddenly rang.
Her heart skipped a beat. Quickly answering the call, she heard a familiar voice.
"Do you want to meet me?"
The moment Adeline heard those words, her breathing stopped.
"Ms. Dawn?"
A smile appeared on the other end. "Yes."
Without hesitation, Adeline replied, "Of course."
After all, Ms. Dawn was the person who had changed her entire life.
The mysterious benefactor who had guided her whenever she needed help.
Then the voice continued. "I’m waiting in the preparation room where you did your makeup."
The call ended. Without wasting another second, Adeline rushed toward the room.
Meanwhile, Alex silently followed behind her. He already knew the truth. He simply wanted to witness her reaction.
Soon, Adeline pushed open the door. The moment she entered, she froze. Inside sat Aurora.
A phone was still pressed against her ear. For several seconds, Adeline could only stare.
She couldn’t believe what she was seeing, but at the same time everything suddenly made sense.
Her lips trembled. "Aurora..."
Aurora slowly smiled. Then she lowered the phone and hung up the call. "Yes."
A playful smile appeared on her face.
"I’m Ms. Dawn."
Adeline’s eyes instantly became red.
Without even realizing it, she closed the distance between them.
"Aurora..."
Aurora stood up and opened her arms. The next second, Adeline hugged her tightly.
Aurora gently returned the embrace. Then she smiled and whispered softly into her ear.
"Sister-in-law."
Her eyes became warm. "I’m really happy for you."
As she spoke those words, Adeline hugged Aurora back tightly.
A warm feeling spread throughout her chest. "I’m happy too."
Her voice was soft and sincere. At this moment, she truly felt grateful.
Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that the mysterious benefactor who had changed her life, guided her through her darkest moments, and helped her achieve her dreams would turn out to be her own sister-in-law.
’What more could I possibly ask for?’
Her eyes became slightly moist.
Just as Adeline was about to say something else, Aurora suddenly pulled away. Then she reached into her bag and took out a document.
She handed it over. Adeline blinked in confusion. "What is this?"
Curious, she accepted the folder and opened it. The moment she read the contents, her eyes widened. "What?"
Her voice rose in shock. Quickly, she shook her head. "No. No, I don’t need this."
She immediately tried to hand the document back. "I really don’t need this."
However, Aurora simply smiled. A gentle smile filled with affection. "Keep it."
Her tone left no room for argument. "This is my engagement gift to you."
She crossed her arms and added playfully, "And don’t forget, there is still a wedding gift waiting for you."
Aurora laughed softly. "So stop looking so overwhelmed. If you keep reacting like this, I’ll start feeling guilty for giving you too litte presents."
Hearing those words, Adeline became speechless.
The contract she was holding was the very same agreement she had once signed.
Back then, it had clearly stated that she would eventually repay every cent Miss Dawn had invested in her education and future.
However, the new contract was completely different. Aurora had personally rewritten it. According to the revised agreement, Adeline no longer owed Miss Dawn anything.
Not a single cent. Not only that, Aurora had also transferred ownership of a luxurious villa in the suburban area into Adeline’s name.
Adeline felt her throat tighten. Her vision became blurry. For a long moment, she couldn’t speak. The kindness she had received from Aurora was simply too much.
Looking up, she stared at Aurora seriously. "One day..."
Her voice trembled slightly. "One day, when I become successful, I’ll definitely repay you."
Aurora immediately burst into laughter. "You really are stubborn."
She gently flicked Adeline’s forehead. "It isn’t necessary."
Her eyes softened. "I only hope that you can fulfill your dream. Become the doctor you always wanted to be. Live happily. That’s more than enough for me."
Adeline lowered her gaze. At that moment, she silently swore to herself. ’One day, I will repay this kindness.’
Not through money. But through actions. Through success. Through becoming someone Aurora could be proud of.
Soon afterward, Aurora noticed a familiar figure standing outside the room. Alex was waiting patiently near the doorway.
Aurora paused. Then she looked between the two of them.
A teasing smile appeared on her face. Without saying anything further, she gave Alex a meaningful nod before quietly leaving.
The door closed behind her. Only Adeline and Alex remained. Adeline slowly turned toward him.
Her eyes narrowed. "Did you know?"
Alex immediately knew what she was referring to. He nodded honestly. "Yes."
The moment he admitted it, Adeline became slightly annoyed. "You knew? Then why didn’t you tell me? You know how much I admire Miss Dawn."
She folded her arms. "Tell me the truth."
Alex couldn’t help laughing. "If I had told you earlier, would you have been this shocked?"
Adeline paused. Then she reluctantly realized he had a point. Still, she wasn’t willing to admit it. "Hmph."
Alex chuckled. The sight of her pouting made her look incredibly adorable. A few moments later, Adeline looked down at the documents again.
Then she sighed. "Your sister gave me a villa."
Alex nodded. "I know."
Adeline stared at him. "What should I do?"
Alex looked genuinely confused. "What do you mean? Accept it."
Hearing his casual response, Adeline frowned. "How can I just accept something this valuable?"
She sat down heavily on a nearby chair. The excitement from earlier slowly faded.
In its place appeared another emotion. Fear. A strange and uncomfortable fear. Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the contract.
"You know..."
She lowered her gaze. "Sometimes I feel like my life has become a fairy tale."
Alex sat beside her. She continued softly, "Everything is going so smoothly."
Her voice became quieter. "So smoothly that it scares me."