Chapter 1468
Tessa spoke with feigned regret. “Oh, Aaron, I only wanted you to give my sister a little lesson. I never said I wanted her to lose her spot on the show. If my mother finds out what you did, she’s going to blame me for it.”
Aaron felt a flicker of irritation on the other end of the line. Her meaning was clear enough – none of this would have happened without her say-so. If she hadn’t wanted it, he never would’ve gone this far or spread those rumors online. After all, he hadn’t even known who Aurora was until Tessa told him. And now she was pretending to be innocent. As much as her looks had drawn him in, the more he got to know her, the faster that initial charm was fading. Still, since he wasn’t done having his fun, he played along, saying what she wanted to hear. “Didn’t you tell me she was giving you a hard time? I just thought I’d teach her a lesson, that’s all. Maybe I went a little overboard. Don’t be mad at me, Tessa.” He offered her a way out, smoothing things over. It wasn’t hard. She was just a woman who liked to be coaxed.
But what Aaron really wanted was the reward she’d promised him. He brought it up again, eager for a reminder.
Tessa, however, feigned indifference. “The situation online hasn’t settled yet, Aaron. Don’t you think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself?”
“You’re right,” he replied after a pause. “Let’s just wait and see how it plays out. But if you ask me, hers is as good as gone.”
Aaron was confident. After all, no show wanted to keep a scandal-tainted unknown. Aurora wasn’t famous; losing her wouldn’t hurt the production. Any director with half a brain would drop her instantly. That was why he could make such bold promises to Tessa.
She didn’t respond right away, but the amusement in her eyes said it all. Aaron had done his job beautifully. Just as she’d hoped, Aurora probably wouldn’t be setting foot on that show ever again. If Aurora couldn’t appear on the show, her name would never reach the public. No fame meant no recognition. No one would even know who she was. And if that happened, Tessa’s own chances would only grow.
When she took Walton Corporation to new heights, her mother’s eyes would be on her alone. Aurora? She’d be nothing more than a stepping stone, crushed beneath her heel. So, what if she’d married well? Once Tessa climbed her way up to win the favor of Lucas‘ uncle, Aurora might even have to greet her as a senior one day. The thought made Tessa grin uncontrollably.
“So don’t rush it, Aaron,” she said in a soft, deliberate tone. “Once everything online settles, I’ll make sure to give you everything I promised you.” Her words were like honey, and she knew exactly how irresistible they sounded to him.
Sure enough, Aaron’s voice came through, satisfied and relaxed. “As long as you said that, I’m good. I won’t overthink it anymore.”
After they hung up, Tessa hummed to herself as she headed downstairs to grab a cup of coffee, her mood lighter than ever.