Chapter 5: The Beginning of the Revenge Plan

Returning to Clothville, Aurora's heart was vastly different from before.

Her eighteenth birthday had altered her entire life trajectory; the man who had intended to propose to her had betrayed her with her best friend. Her family devised schemes to strip her of her shares and framed her. The man who pretended to help was only after her body, harboring no good intentions. Everyone around her harbored malice, but years of battling in the business world had turned her even darker than them.

Currently, she couldn’t return home as her father had completely believed the slanders of her stepmother. Over the years, he hadn’t sent her a dime, hoping she would perish on her own. They had hired numerous assassins to eliminate her, but fortunately, her resilience had allowed her to escape time and again.

Cameron was driving a Maybach to a nearby hotel. “Miss Montgomery, there’s been a temporary issue with the house Mr. Betts arranged. You’ll have to stay at the hotel for a few days. What kind of house do you like? I’ll rearrange a new one for you and if you need anything you can let me know.”

“Hmm, I like the sea. Find a property near the seaside. Are you heading to The Emberly?” Despite being away for three years, she was still familiar with the roads; on this road there was only one five-star hotel, The Emberly.

Cameron nodded, “Yes, The Emberly is near the sea, Mr. Betts has already got the room ready.”

“No need, take me to The Grand Belcourt.” Aurora’s eyes dimmed—that incident was long in the past.

“But Mr. Betts specifically said you must not go to that hotel,” Cameron remembered Asher's repeated warnings not to let her go there.

He hadn’t expected Aurora to bring it up herself. The Grand Belcourt was the territory of the Alvarez family, and Asher had good intentions of sparing her from reopening old wounds. But he underestimated her; she had returned to make those who hurt her three years ago pay a painful price!

Now immune to all poisons, why should she fear a Hayden, whose love she once cherished as a mere girl?

“I said, take me to The Grand Belcourt.” She reiterated, smiling as she spoke, yet to Cameron, it felt ominously chilly.

“Alright.” Cameron reluctantly turned the car around.

In the lobby, Cameron was processing her check-in. She stood in a black dress, her hair casually tied back. Her pale legs crossed, a glimpse of her elegant neck revealed with a nod, her unique demeanor effortlessly attracting the eyes of many passersby.

“Miss, it’s ready.” Cameron handed her a room card, remembering her instruction not to call her by name in public, though her noble upbringing was unmistakably imposing already.

She stood up smoothly, took the room card, and walked towards the elevator. Just as she reached the elevator, she caught a glimpse of someone entering through the front door.

The man approaching wore a neatly tailored, crisply ironed dark suit. His face, gentle as ever, bore a few more traces of maturity than three years ago, still strikingly handsome.

It was Hayden, and she hadn’t expected him to be the first person she encountered upon her return.

Seeing his eyes slightly unfocused, she knew him well enough to recognize he was drunk. If he thought she would run to him in tears, asking why he had treated her so badly back then, he was sorely mistaken.

“Cameron, you can go. Come pick me up here at seven o’clock tomorrow morning.” She urged Cameron to leave.

“Hmm, Miss, call me if you need anything.” Cameron’s words trailed off as she had already walked away.