Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

Chapter 488: The Mrs. Alvarez Scandal Hayden heard Aurora's voice on the other end of the call. It sounded both unfamiliar and familiar, a voice he hadn't heard in so long that he couldn't even remember the last tthey spoke.

"Aurora," he said, his tone carrying a hint of melancholy and loneliness.

"Mr. Alvarez? What made you think of calling me?" Aurora's response was casual, as if Hayden was merely an acquaintance.

"Nothing important. I just wanted to check in on you. I heard you went to New York." Had they really reached the point where even small talk between friends felt strange? Aurora smiled faintly. "Yes, I chere to relax." Of course, she had no intention of telling him the truth. Hearing the lightness in her tone, Hayden realized she had truly moved on. The one who couldn't let go of their past was him.

"How's your hand?" Aurora asked when he didn't respond.

"It's the same-neither good nor bad. I'll live with it for the rest of my life." Those words brought Aurora back to that night. If it hadn't been for Hayden, she wouldn't be here, safe and unharmed.

"I'm sorry." What else could she say? What had happened was irreversible, and tcould not be turned back. "It's fine. I didn't call to talk about that. I just wanted to hear your voice and know that you're doing well. That's all." In his mind, Hayden imagined what Aurora might look like at that moment. Was she standing or sitting? Was she at hor out somewhere? Not being able to see her left his imagination running wild.

"I'm doing well. I've started learning snew skills I didn't know before. Mr. Alvarez, I've got something to take care of on my end. I'll need to hang up now." "Alright. The weather's getting colder. Don't forget to wear more layers." "Thank you. Goodbye." Aurora hung up quickly, leaving Hayden staring at his phone, now filled with the hum of the disconnected line. Had he truly becjust a passerby in her life? Tis fair to everyone-no more, no less. For Aurora, who was diligently studying the art of perfumery, her days seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. But for Hayden, Susan, and even Marcos, each day was a torment, as if they were stuck in a dead-end alley. A battle involving all of them had already begun.

That evening, Aurora prepared dinner, waiting for Asher and Denis Vukic to return. As soon as Asher entered, he didn't even bother to take off his shoes before bursting into the room.

"Big news! Huge news!" "Ashy, Denis doesn't like messes, and you know it. Take your shoes off! This isn't our house," Aurora scolded him as usual.

Asher's face was lit with excitement. "Forget the shoes! Look at this-Clothville's got a huge story breaking. Haven't you seen it?" Aurora shook her head as she ladled food from the pot. "Where would I find the time? I spent the whole afternoon memorizing perfingredients. What big news?" She had half a mind to ask if it was about Julian, but judging by Asher's excitement, it couldn't be. If it were bad news about Julian, he wouldn't show her. And if it were good news, he wouldn't be this thrilled.

Genevieve was already behind bars. Aurora couldn't imagine what other news could excite Asher this much.

"I knew you hadn't seen it. Look, I saved it for you." Asher handed her a tablet, practically bouncing with joy. Aurora had barely glanced at the screen when Denis Vukic walked in. The moment he saw Asher still wearing his shoes, he exploded.

"Asher, are you trying to die? Because I can help you with that right now!" "Don't, don't, don't get mad! I'll change them right now." Asher didn't dare mess around with Denis Vukic anymore. If he left the place messy, he'd be the one cleaning it up later.

The two of them bickered, playful as always. With Asher's presence, Denis Vukic had softened, his once-cold demeanor now carrying a touch of humanity.

Meanwhile, Aurora leaned against the counter, engrossed in the news. The headline read: Mrs. Alvarez Spends the Night with Local Businessman.

It was Susan in the story. No wonder Asher was so excited. Hadn't Susan been blacklisted by her company? How had she managed to get back into the tabloids? At first, Aurora thought it was impossible. Susan loved Hayden too much to cheat. Of all the people in the world, she was the least likely to stray. Otherwise, why would she have gone to such lengths to take Hayden from her? But as she read on, Aurora's disbelief grew. The article detailed how Susan had dined with a local businessman, shared intimate moments, and spent the night together. Upon leaving, the two were even caught passionately kissing.

That businessman was none other than Marcos. When Aurora had negotiated contracts with Marcos, she had noticed their closeness, but she never thought it was anything more.

The webpage included sblurry videos: Marcos helping Susan into a car, the two entering a villa together, and even sharing a goodbye kiss at the door the next morning. Though the footage wasn't clear, Aurora had known Susan long enough to recognize her. She couldn't believe it.

"Little fox, did you see? This time, Susan's done for. She'll never recover from this," Asher said, bursting back in, still brimming with excitement.

"No way," Aurora said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"What's no way?" Asher asked.

"Susan loves Hayden so much. Even if every woman in the world cheated, she wouldn't. It doesn't make sense."

"How does it not make sense? Photos can be faked, but videos don't lie. Look at her- she's the one m ther-she's ме initiating the kiss! I'm telling you, nothing's impossible. Maybe she got tired of Hayden's coldness and decided to find someone else." "That... could be. Marcos treats her well-so well he even broke his own principles to make her the spokesperson for his company's perfline. But now, with this scandal..." "You're still worried about her?" Asher looked incredulous. "When someone like her screws up, you should be laughing! Con, laugh with me-ha ha ha!" Asher threw his head back in exaggerated laughter, drawing an eye-roll from Denis Vukic. "If you're sick, take your meds."

"You don't get it. I'm helping my little fox let go of her grudges and move on." "Ashy, I've already let go. O M Whethersusan is doing well or not, I don't feel anything anymore. It has nothing to do with us. Let her be." Aurora smiled softly. mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLliIofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1