Aurora sighed in relief; she was finally free from the hospital. However, thoughts of her father brought back her sadness.
"I'm sorry, Dad. I couldn't keep my promise to stay with you longer..." Aurora silently expressed her sorrow as she glanced at the clock. She was shocked to see it was already late afternoon.
As she attempted to get out of bed to look for her clothes and bag, David returned, carrying a shopping bag from a well-known clothing brand.
David awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck after placing the shopping bag in front of her. "Aurora, your clothes are wet and dirty; you can't wear them any longer. You can use these..."
Aurora stared at the bag, surprised. Before she could respond, Alex's face suddenly flashed in her mind.
She recalled how casually Alex had called David's name earlier, and it struck her that David had never mentioned knowing Alexander Graystone.
Narrowing her eyes at him, she asked, "How do you know Alexander Graystone?"
David was taken aback. He had kept his relationship with Alexander Graystone a secret from his classmates, including Aurora. However, it seemed he could no longer hide it.
He smiled at her and asked, "Do you remember my full name?"
Aurora frowned, trying to recall his name. It didn't take her long to remember.
'Oh my gosh! His last name is Morrison. Is he related to Alex's mother? Seriously?!' The thought sent a chill down her spine.
Most people were unaware that Alexander's mother's maiden name was Sophia Morrison; however, Aurora knew it.
But, something confused her: she had never seen David at any Graystone family gathering.
"Of course, I remember. Your full name is David Morrison. So, what does your last name have to do with Alexander Graystone?" Aurora asked, pretending not to know.
David paused before responding, scratching his head absentmindedly as guilt washed over him for not being honest sooner.
"Alex's mother is my aunt—my father's older sister. That makes Alex my cousin. Aurora, I apologize for not mentioning this to you and the others. I worry that people might start using me to connect to him, to his company, Stardust…"
David felt terrible for keeping this information from her.
"It's fine, David. I understand," she replied before taking the shopping bag and heading to the bathroom to change her clothes.
A sigh of relief escaped David's lips as he watched Aurora disappear behind the bathroom door. But it didn't take long for a frown to form on his forehead.
He felt confused and suspicious as he noticed how strangely Aurora was acting. Aurora would definitely scold him if she knew he had hidden his family relationship with Alexander Graystone.
However, earlier, she seemed calm and nonchalant, starkly contrasting with her typical personality he remembered.
'Why didn't she throw a tantrum like she usually does? Is she really Aurora?'
Everyone in their class knew that Aurora was a die-hard fan of Alexander Graystone, almost like worshipping the man. After graduating, she planned to work for his company, Stardust Tech. Even during their final semester, she had already applied for a three-month internship.
'Aurora Spencer, you are quite quirky,' David chuckled, shaking his head and setting aside his confusion.
***
At the White Tower Apartment.
Upon arriving at the apartment lobby, Aurora hurried to thank David for driving her home.
Before leaving his car, she insisted on repaying him for the medical expenses and the new clothes he had bought for her.
"It's fine. You don't need to return anything, Aurora," David said firmly. "Just consider this my early birthday present to you."
Aurora was speechless when she heard that. Although her birthday had just passed a few days ago, it was two months away in her new life.
"I insist, David," Aurora said sternly. Her expression clearly reflects her feelings; she can't accept his rejection. "Please, just send me your bank account details. I will transfer the money later."
David chuckled inwardly, noticing how strange Aurora was acting again.
'Okay, I understand that you insist. But why are you asking for my bank account information again? You already know about it!' He expressed his confusion internally while maintaining eye contact with her.
"Alright, I will text you…" That's all he could say.
"Thanks," Aurora said, grabbing her wet bag and belongings before opening the car door. However, she paused when David stopped her.
"What is it, David?" she asked, frowning.
"Since when did you start acting like this, Aurora? Please stop. This isn't like you…" He narrowed his eyes at her, trying to gauge her reaction.
This girl is usually playful, calm, and gentle when she speaks. Still, since meeting her in the rain earlier, her demeanor had changed entirely. Now, she sounded bossy, impatient, and sharp-tongued. She acts like a different person.
Aurora was stunned. She tried to recall how she usually interacted with David.
'Did I really behave differently?' she wondered, smiling at him.
"David, come on, don't overthink it. I'm just stressed after what happened to me and my family recently. Anyway, thanks for your help today. I have to go now. Bye—" She opened the car door and left quickly.
Aurora couldn't stay in David's car any longer, worried he might expose her as a different Aurora. She hurried toward the building, hoping David wouldn't follow her.
She felt relieved he wasn't coming after her upon arriving at the elevator. She entered the elevator and headed home.
As she remembered what David had said earlier, Aurora began to worry that the people around her would recognize her changes and discover she wasn't Aurora Spencer.
This worry was causing her stress, and she realized she needed to be more careful.
'Rory, you must adapt more quickly to become Aurora Spencer...' she harshly reminded herself.
She fully knew how crucial it was to flawlessly embrace her identity as Aurora Spencer. She had to let go of her previous life and adjust to her new one.
Taking a deep breath, Aurora cautiously opened the front door, hoping Tina wouldn't notice her.
She didn't want Tina to see her in a different outfit and in such poor condition.
Once again, luck was not on Aurora's side. As soon as she opened the door, she heard Tina's footsteps approaching.