Chapter 7

"Yes, I'm the least favored third daughter, so I ended up locked in my room. What about you? Why are you out here alone?" Aurora said, rummaging through the bushes.

"The banquet was a snooze-fest, so I came out for some fresh air," Heath replied.

"I find it boring too, but if I don't go, Grandpa will never let me attend any other events," Aurora said, her voice tinged with helplessness.

"Why won't he let you attend?" Heath asked, feeling a bit nosy. He usually wasn't this chatty, but today, he found this girl far more interesting than anyone else at the banquet.

"You saw it, right? My figure isn't great, I'm too chubby, and not well-liked. I'd bring shame to the Pendleton family," Aurora explained.

"Chubby? I think you're just right," Heath said, recalling the soft feeling of the girl in his arms, like a small animal.

"I'll tell you, they all look down on me, but once I lose weight, you'll see that I'm actually quite good-looking!" Aurora declared confidently.

"Oh? So confident?" Heath said, his smile teasing.

"Of course, this face..." Aurora started to say that her face was identical to Olivia's, an ace assassin who could approach targets with her beautiful face. But she stopped herself, realizing that no one would believe that the soul of a deceased assassin resided in the body of a high school girl. Besides, she didn't want to return to the life of an assassin. Being Aurora Pendleton was good enough.

Heath noticed her sudden silence and asked, "What are you looking for?"

"My high heels. I threw them here just now, but now they're gone..." Aurora muttered, searching through the bushes.

"Heath, if you have nothing to do, you could help by shining a light with your phone. It's so dark, how am I supposed to find them?" Aurora said.

Heath reluctantly turned on his phone's flashlight. He had never been ordered around by a girl like this before.

The girl bent over, searching through the bushes, a strand of hair falling beside her face, making her look charming and cute.

"Found them!" Aurora pulled two high heels from the bushes, threw them in front of her, and reached out to Heath, saying, "Mr. Fairbank, help me up."

Heath took her soft arm, surprised at how much he had interacted with this girl today, even touching her skin.

Aurora didn't think much of it. With Heath's help, she put on her high heels, fixed her hair, and said, "Thanks. I'll treat you to dinner sometime."

"When?" Heath asked.

"What?" Aurora was taken aback.

"You said you'd treat me to dinner. When?" Heath repeated.

Aurora was speechless. Wasn't that just a polite thing to say? But since she had said it, she couldn't go back on her word.

"How about next Saturday?" Aurora asked.

"Sure, I'll pick you up," Heath said.

"No need, we can meet at Times Square in the city center," Aurora replied, not wanting Sophia to see a strange man coming to their house for her.

Heath nodded in agreement.

"I'll be going now!" Aurora waved and ran towards the banquet hall, her steps not at all hindered by her high heels.

Inside the banquet hall.

"Grandpa, where's Aurora?" Evelyn asked.

The old man's face was gloomy, and he didn't answer. Sophia quickly said, "Sis, Aurora promised Grandpa she'd attend the banquet, but she hasn't come. You know how reclusive and unreliable she can be."

Sophia's words made the old man even more unhappy. How could Aurora be so fickle at such a young age? He had even prepared a seat for her. What an embarrassment!

"Sophia, just eat. Why all this talk?" Maxwell said, disliking the tense atmosphere at home.

"Brother, I'm just telling the truth! Aurora is just..." Sophia began, feeling wronged.

"Aurora is just what? Sophia, continue," a crisp voice interrupted, and everyone turned to see Aurora in a black evening gown standing at the entrance.

Her round face was smooth and fair, with light makeup, and her waist-length hair hung behind her, giving her an elegant appearance.

Her eyes were bright, like a lost sprite in the forest, and one couldn't help but become entranced by her clear gaze.

"Who is this? Another Miss Pendleton?"

"I don't know, I've never seen her before..."

"Aurora, you..." Sophia stood up in shock. It was impossible; she had drugged Aurora's water to make her sleep until the next day. And even if she woke up, Sophia had locked her door. How could she appear at the banquet?

"What about me? Sophia, you seem surprised to see me..." Aurora said, smiling radiantly.