Chapter 29 You're Blushing...
Charles POV
Because Aubrey leaned in close, a faint, cool scent surrounded me. My heart started racing, and | needed before
| even thought about it. By the t| realized what I'd done, | was already regretting it becauer [ had a feeling
whatever she wanted to showwouldn't be anything good.
| parked the car on the driveway outside, about to knock on the door when Aubrey stoppedand pointed to
the side.
“Hide over there.”
| obeyed without thinking. | didn’t even know why | was listening to her so easily.
Aubrey rang the doorbell. The one who opened it wasn’t Kayla-it was Aurelia.
The moment she saw Aubrey, soaked to the bone, her face actually flashed with satisfaction.
“What are you doing back here? | thought you were all grown up now, spreading your wings. And now you're out
here threatening and sowing discord? What'd you tell Charles? You think he’d believe you?”
Aubrey answered quietly, “I cback because | don’t have any money. I've got nowhere else to go. Maybe give
“Pah!”
Aurelia didn’t even hesitate before snapping, “You little brat. Are you stupid from last night's scare or just so
desperate for money you’ve lost your mind? You've got the nerve to askfor money? | fed you, clothed you,
sent you to school-and now you want cash? Keep dreaming!”
Aubrey gave a cold laugh. “You always brag about how generous you are with me, how much money you gave
me. Aren't you afraid someone might find out you never actually gavea cent? That you madewear
factory rejects and eat leftovers? What happens to your image then?”
That shut Aurelia up-but only for a second. Her face instantly twisted in rage. Her carefully shaped brows shot up
like knives.
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“You little b*tch. Go ahead, say whatever you want! You think anyone would believe you? After all these years,
people already have their minds made up about you. No matter what you say, they'll just think you're lying!”
Aubrey smiled and shook her head. “You wouldn't be this bold withif you hadn't already found someone to
ghostwrite Bailey’s paper, huh? They say overprotective mothers ruin their kids-Bailey’s already useless. Even if
she gets into the program, she’s going to be a total failure.”
Aurelia looked like she was going to explode. She laughed out of pure fury.
“What business is that of yours? You think you can keep threateningforever? You're sleeping outside tonight!
Anyway, dressed like such a tramp, I'm sure srandom guy will be happy to take you in!”
Then she slammed the door shut.
Aubrey turned and looked at me, her expression unreadable, then smiled. “Charles, looks like I'll have to trouble
you to driveto a motel in the city.”
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Chapter 20 You're Blushing
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| couldn’t hold back anymore. “Te this how she usually treats you? She can’t treat you like that! That's—this is
I'm going to talk to her!”
Aubrey stopped me. Under the streetlamp and rain, her face was calmno anger, no panic-just a quiet. deep
exhaustion.
“Don’t make trouble for me. If she finds out I played her, it won't stop at just kickingout.”
Her calmness hitlike a punch in the gut. | couldn't believe the difference between how Aunt Aurelia acts in
public and how she treats Aubrey behind closed doors.
For over ten years, she kept saying how hard she worked to be a good stepmother. We all believed her. But the
truth... couldn't be more different.
| didn’t want to imagine what these past years had been like for Aubrey, an unawakened Omega in that house.
“Cstay at my place.”
| hesitated a second, then said it out loud.
Aubrey suddenly let out a soft laugh. “You gonna be the guy who takes in a stray girl?”
My face flushed red. “Aubrey!”
But she had already turned away. “Just taketo a motel.”
“No way!” | gripped the steering wheel tight. “An unawakened Omega staying alone is too dangerous.” And with
how gorgeous she is? No chance.
Aubrey gavea look and then suddenly asked,
“Charles, have you thought about what might've happened if | hadn't run into you this afternoon?”
I blinked,
“Letlay it out for you,” she said softly, eyes glinting. “Imagine you cover to the Mary family’s place, and
Aurelia told you that something happened last night betweenand those two scumbags. That for the sake of
the family’s reputation, they can’t be allowed to talk. You'd probably think | caused more trouble again. You'd be
annoyed with me, but because you think she’s just a poor, helpless stepmother, you'd still help, wouldn't you?”
I didn’t answer. Because... if she had said that, maybe I really would have helped cover it up.
Thinking back now-how fast Aunt Aurelia calledover, how she treated Aubrey-it’s very possible that’s what
she planned. Bleverything on Aubrey.
Aubrey smiled. “Then today, when you interrogated those two bastards, they told you the truth. And what did
you say to me? You told| must've misunderstood Bailey...”
“No...”
| started to panic. If this were before, | would've believed it was just a misunderstanding without hesitation. But
now? | wasn’t so sure.
“Save it. Truth is, you, Aurelia, and Bailey are real family. | don’t mean a thing to any of you.”
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Chapter 29 You're Blushing...
Aubrey’s voice was final.
| pulled over to the side of the road and said seriously.
“You're my cousin too.”
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“Funny. You never cared before, but now you're using that label like it means something? Don’t you think it's a
little late?”
Aubrey gave a cold laugh and leaned in closer. “Or maybe... you've got other thoughts about me, and that’s why
you suddenly care?”
“Don’t talk nonsense!”
| instinctively pushed back.
“Is that so?”
Aubrey leaned even closer. Her long lashes curled slightly, like two little brushes hiding her true emotions. Her
eyes looked almost dreamy.
That cold, clean scent surroundedagain. | could hear my own heart pounding in my ears.
Then | heard her laugh.
“Charles,” she whispered, “you're blushing...”
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