Chapter 2 His First Love Has Returned

Aurora paused, then grabbed the pen and signed at the bottom.

"Don't worry. From now on, Julia and I are none of your concern," she said.

Michael's expression darkened further. He stared at Aurora's delicate profile—soft yet defiant—and inexplicable anger surged within him, with nowhere to vent.

But then he let out a cold laugh.

Ever since Aurora married into the Johnson family, she'd been a stay-at-home mom caring for Julia. After all these years, even if she hadn't completely lost touch with society, returning to the workforce would be nearly impossible.

She could talk tough now, but once she faced hardship out there, she'd regret it.

With that thought, Michael sneered. "You'd better mean it."

Aurora lowered her gaze, no longer looking at him, but her words were firm. "I won't regret it."

Michael's eyes darkened like ink. He grabbed the divorce agreement and turned to leave.

As the door slammed shut, the strength Aurora had been forcing herself to maintain drained away instantly. She staggered and sank to the floor, tears streaming down her face.

This marriage had finally reached its end.

Aurora forced herself up and began packing her and Julia's belongings.

Nearly three years of marriage, yet so few things truly belonged to the two of them.

Aurora packed slowly. By the time dawn broke, she'd barely finished.

"Mommy..."

A sweet childlike voice pulled Aurora back to reality. She snapped out of her thoughts to find Julia opening her drowsy eyes, instinctively smiling at her.

Aurora came to her senses and smiled back, opening her arms. "Good morning, my sweet Julia."

"Mommy!"

Julia rolled over and crawled toward her on all fours.

Aurora pulled her into her arms. The soft little body instantly filled the emptiness in her heart.

She took a deep breath and carried Julia toward the door.

Julia rubbed her eyes while resting against Aurora's chest. When she spotted the suitcase behind them, she clapped her hands excitedly. "Mommy! Big car! See Daddy!"

When Julia was younger, Aurora believed a child shouldn't be deprived of her father's company. So even though Michael didn't welcome them, she'd still take Julia to see him.

After enough visits, Julia learned that dragging a suitcase meant riding in the car to see Daddy.

Michael's attitude toward them had gradually shifted from initial rejection to occasionally playing with Julia. Aurora had once naively believed that given enough time, he would eventually accept her too.

What a foolish fantasy.

A sharp ache rose in Aurora's nose. She smiled and said, "This time we're taking the big car to have fun on our own."

As she spoke, she walked downstairs.

The living room TV had been turned on—by whom, she didn't know—and was broadcasting the news.

The subject of the news was Michael.

He wore an impeccably tailored black custom suit, his features striking, his posture upright, exuding the composure and nobility of someone in power. Standing beside him was a woman in a light blue strapless gown.

Strikingly beautiful with an elegant bearing, she immediately captured Aurora's attention.

Aurora's breathing stopped for two beats. An overwhelming sense of suffocation crashed over her.

No wonder Michael was so desperate for a divorce. His first love, Tiffany Rivera, had returned.

"Mr. Johnson, we heard you and Ms. Tiffany were college classmates and even dated—is that true?"

"Mr. Johnson, now that Ms. Tiffany's back, are wedding bells in your future?"

"Mr. Johnson..."

Reporters jostled forward with their questions. Aurora couldn't bear to listen. She fled toward the exit with Julia in her arms, only to be blocked by the household staff.

"Mrs. Johnson, please stop."

A servant stood expressionlessly in her path.

Aurora frowned. "What is it?"

The servant reached directly for her suitcase. "Mr. Johnson has instructed that you may not take any valuables belonging to the Johnson family. Also, Julia must remain with the Johnsons."

She paused briefly before adding, "These are Mrs. Elizabeth's orders."

Before Aurora could respond, another servant stepped forward to take Julia.

Terrified, Julia clung tightly to her neck. "Mommy! I want Mommy..."

Aurora quickly held Julia close and backed away. As they moved to forcibly take her daughter, she kicked the nearest servant.

"Don't come any closer!" she snapped coldly.

The servant fell to the ground, staring at Aurora with shock and surprise.

They were all staff sent from the Johnson estate. Because they looked down on Aurora for climbing into bed to secure her position, their service had always been perfunctory at best.

Today, after hearing Elizabeth on the phone saying Aurora and Michael were divorcing, they'd all been eager to give her one final humiliation.

But they hadn't expected the usually meek and compliant Aurora to fight back.

"Mrs. Johnson, are you defying Mr. Johnson's and Mrs. Elizabeth's orders?" one servant asked with a frown.

Aurora laughed coldly. "I'm leaving the Johnson family anyway. Why should I care what they think? Get out! All of you, get out of my way!"

She grabbed a nearby vase and smashed it, pointing the jagged half at them. "Anyone who wants to try me, come ahead!"

Aurora's desperate stance made the servants' eyes flash with wariness.

They stepped aside one by one, their gazes fixed on her.

Aurora clutched Julia tightly and hurried out with her suitcase.

After marrying Michael, the Johnsons had deemed it shameful for Mrs. Johnson to work outside the home. Combined with Julia's fragile health, Aurora had stopped working altogether.

But privately, she'd still taken on small design projects—partly to keep her skills sharp, partly as insurance against emergencies.

So while she'd left the Johnson family with nothing but herself, she wasn't completely destitute.

Aurora rented a small apartment near City First Hospital. It wasn't large, but just enough for the two of them.

"Mommy, where's Daddy? I want Daddy." Julia was frightened by the unfamiliar surroundings and clung to Aurora, refusing to let go.

Aurora's heart ached at Julia's tears, her own eyes reddening. "Julia, I'm sorry. We probably won't see Daddy anymore. But Mommy will be with you, okay?"

"Daddy... I want Daddy..."

Julia's small mind couldn't comprehend her father's absence. She looked up, crying herself hoarse.

Afraid Julia's emotional distress might trigger her condition, Aurora quickly held her close and soothed her.

Half an hour later, Julia cried herself to sleep in Aurora's arms, but her small body still shuddered with occasional sobs from crying so hard.

Aurora's heart broke watching her, but there was nothing she could do.

Now that Tiffany was back, Michael's heart had probably already flown to her side.

But the pressing issue now was living expenses and Julia's medical bills.

Where could she find the money?

Aurora's mind churned with worry.

Meanwhile, in Harbor City, at the Smith estate.

The butler rushed into the study after receiving a phone call, his face full of excitement. "Mr. Smith, we have news! Our people say they've located Ms. Smith—she's in Emerald City!"

"What!"

Inside the study, the man shot to his feet. "Quick! Go bring my daughter home immediately!"