Aurora''s head snapped to the side from the p. She clenched her teeth but didn''t strike back, focusing instead on tending to her wound.


    Vi turned to Michael, wiping her tears with one hand as she shouted, "Mr. Brown, it was her! The assassins came for her. She locked herself in the room, and pushed me and my maids out. She''s responsible for my maids'' death! And the assassins-Carissa had already taken them down and tied them up, but Aurora went crazy and killed them all. Mr. Brown, please get justice for me!" Michael nced at Aurora. Before he could ask any questions, Aurora said coldly, "They broke into Valor Estate and killed guards and maids. Why would I leave them alive? Keeping them around would only bring more trouble."


    Michael examined the assassins'' bodies, and was dissatisfied with Aurora''s response. "Their tendons were severed, their cores were damaged, and they were bound. What further danger could they pose? Leaving them alive and questioning them to find out who was behind this would have been the real way to prevent future threats."


    Aurora remained unnervingly calm. "I apologize. They killed so many people in Valor Estate. In my anger and grief, I didn''t think to leave any alive for interrogation."


    Michael chose not to respond to this. There was no need to waste words.


    Vi''s anger was far from abated, even though she had pped Aurora. She recalled that Aurora had locked the door in the face of danger, leading to Julia and Yvonne''s deaths. Hearing her reply to Michael, Vi was convinced that Aurora was at fault.


    Vi coldly demanded, "The assassins came for you! Who exactly did you cross, and what kind of shameful things have you done? Julia and Yvonne died because of you. You owe me an exnation!"


    Aurora scoffed derisively. "If you want an exnation, ask the assassins. I didn''t kill your maids."


    "It''s because you locked the door that the assassins were able to kill them!" Vi retorted.


    Aurora''s tone was icy, "Why not say it''s because you blocked the door, and they were standing in front of you? You''re the reason they''re dead."


    "You''re talking nonsense!"


    Aurora tightened the bandage on her wounds and looked up at Vi, her face half covered and shrouded in gloom.


    "There were so many people in the estate, but the assassins didn''t kill them. Didn''t they kill your maids because your maids were trying to protect you, and you just happened to be blocking the door? I locked the door and kept you out, so the assassins wouldn''t have killed you. But instead of running, you stood there pounding on the door. Are you still going to say it''s not your fault they died?"


    Vi recalled the events and


    realized it was indeed as Aurora had said. She had been standing at the


    door, while Julia and Yvonne had


    been trembling with fear but stiet


    trying to protect her. The assassins had killed Julia and Yvonne, and


    then had intended to kill Vi. It was only her husband''s timely arrival that had saved her.


    Realizing she was the reason they died, Vi copsed to the ground, her body going limp as tears flowed uncontrobly.


    As Barrett listened to the exchange between Aurora and Vi, he couldn''t help but think back to the things Aurora had said to him before the assassins arrived.


    It wasughable-he had almost believed her then.


    From an outsider''s perspective, hearing her now me Vi for everything made him realize how skilled Aurora was at distorting the truth.


    Before the attack, she had insisted she was thinking of their future. But when disaster struck, she had thrown him in harm''s way to save herself. He had seen the depths of her ruthlessness.


    No wonder she saw massacring


    civilians as just another step toward


    was


    her ambitions, something she believed everyone would do. In her mind, if it served her interests, no act terrible. She cared for no one but herself. Her talk of raising the status of women was just that-talk. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    All she ever wanted was to raise her own status.


    For such a selfish woman, he had abandoned Carissa!


    Barrett''s heart sank into an icy abyss, and he shook with rage. He wanted nothing more than to strike Aurora down on the spot. Yet, his anger would have to wait until they got through questioning from the Royal Citadel and the Capital Guards. Then, he would make sure she paid for all of it.