Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

Aurora listened intently as Michael Bardem shared his thoughts on design. It was surprising to learn that this business tycoon wasn't a finance student from a prestigious university, but instead had studied fine arts.

He had been a painter from a young age, growing up in a humble family. His first love, however, abandoned him, dismissing his passion for painting as a dead end.

That heartbreak changed the trajectory of his life. Michael, who once had little regard for material wealth, resolved to reinvent himself. He set aside his paintbrushes, rejected his dream of becoming a designer, and turned to finance. It turned out he had a remarkable talent for it, far exceeding others, and success followed him naturally.

As his business empire grew, he never found the time-or perhaps the courage-to return to painting. A lingering regret stayed with him.

Aurora, in sway, had filled that void for him. She wasn't just successful in her business ventures; she also stayed true to her passions. Whether or not Aurora was Victoria's daughter, Michael genuinely liked her. She was independent, determined, and persistent. It was only natural for him to help her.

"Alright then, it's rare forto be this interested," Michael said, genuinely looking forward to seeing her creations. Each of her designs seemed to carry a unique charm.

"Uncle Bardem, were you close with my mom?" Aurora asked. She always felt that others knew more about her mother than she did.

"Yes, we were close. Your mother was a genius. Back in the day, she skipped several grades and was the youngest student in our year at university.

The finance courses were long and complex, and many students failed, but she was always in the top three of her class. She finished all her courses early and left. Do you know how old she was at the time?" This was the first tAurora had heard anyone speak about her mother's past. Curious, her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

"How old? Mom never talked about her past. I was too young to understand even if she had. Later, before she could tellmore, she was already gone." "She was sixteen! I heard she'd been skipping grades every year before college, which was unheard of.

But the R family had high standards. They believed that since she had already mastered the knowledge, there was no point in wasting tat school. They arranged for her to complete all her university courses early.

Back then, I didn't interact much with her at school. I was in design, and she was in finance. I only ever heard about the prodigy girl from afar.

We truly crossed paths after entering the professional world. By then, I had just started my business, and she, at sixteen, had already taken over R Corporation.

We met a few times, but soon after, she disappeared. No one knew where she went. But she changed my life. When I was at my lowest, she gavethe will to carry on. The next twe met was eight years later, by which tI had already made a nfor myself.

I had searched for her for a long time, but no one knew where she had spent those eight years. She was like a mystery-vanishing and reappearing without explanation.

When she returned, I had built my company and was confident enough to collaborate with R Corporation. That's when we interacted more frequently.

I admired and pursued her for a long time, but ultimately, I failed.

I thought she was too proud to like someone as ordinary as me. But to my surprise, she remained single for years.

It was only by chance that I learned she had a daughter. Even the R family didn't know. I kept her secret for her." "So my mom was amazing," Aurora said, her thoughts drifting to the image of Tina's lonely silhouette in the New York office.

If you're loving the book, nel5sis where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience-all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! If her mother hadn't met her father, would she have been happier? "Yes, she was incredible and brilliant. Stronger than most men I've known. Back then, when I was at my worst, she helped me, and I've never forgotten that.

I heard Walsh was coming to negotiate on behalf of the R family. Initially, I intended to give him the resources. Who would've thought you'd beat him to it?" Michael said with a smile.

"I had no choice. Our company is nowhere near the scale of R Corporation. If you're willing to help us, everyone at our company will be forever grateful," Aurora said sweetly.

"You're a smooth talker, little girl. Don't worry. Since I've decided to give you the resources, I won't go back on my word. I'll schedule a tfor us to discuss the collaboration. I have something to attend to this afternoon, so I'll have to leave soon." "Thank you for giving us this opportunity. If you need anything, contact Ashy. He's handling the company's affairs for now." "Alright." The conversation was pleasant, and the meal was filled with laughter. After seeing Michael Bardem off, Aurora collapsed into her chair, utterly exhausted.

"Phew, it's finally over. Thank goodness Uncle Bardem was easy to deal with. I was so nervous," she said, her face still tense.

"Little genius, the company owes you big tfor this! I chere expecting nothing, but who knew we'd get so lucky?" "I think the heavens finally noticed all the hardships I've endured and decided to make it up to me," Aurora said with a smile.

She felt that ever since she met Julian, her luck had turned. Even such coincidences now seemed destined. She couldn't have imagined this in the past.

"Yes, the heavens are finally on your side. You've earned this happiness," Asher said, genuinely happy for her.

Aurora had been planning to launch her skincare brand in the European market. But this project with Michael e Bardem was an unexpected windfall. Once they secured the deal, their company would gain international recognition. This would pave the way for competing for major global contracts, significantly elevating their status. It was a golden opportunity.

But while scelebrated, others despaired.

The next day, Walsh lounged in his hotel room, wearing a robe and holding an exquisite glass of red we wine. He had just met with an old lover. Every the was with a woman, he insisted on showering afterward. He found them filthy. The red wine slid down his throat like liquid fire. Everything was moving according to his plan. Soon, he believed, he would claim the position of head of the R family.

But then someone barged in, panicked.

"Mr. Walsh, there's a problem," the man stammered.

"Hm?" Walsh glanced up at his secretary.

"Michael Bardem's secretary just called. They've already chosen am company to collaborate with," the secretary said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Which company?" Walsh's sharp, cold eyes fixed on him.

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