Aurora Morales' Workplace and Life Challenges

Ricardo Vargas looked calm and said, "I had too much soup in the evening."

Aurora Morales nodded hurriedly and replied, "Got it."

Subsequently, Ricardo Vargas stood up and walked towards the door, leaving behind the words, "I'll go deal with it first."

"Okay," Aurora Morales responded.

After he left, Aurora Morales picked up her phone and sent a message to Alessia Rossi on WhatsApp: [I suspect there's nothing wrong with his health.]

Alessia Rossi replied with a snicker, writing: [Wish you happiness.]

Aurora Morales looked at the message and chose to remain silent.

About half an hour later, Ricardo Vargas came back. By then, Aurora Morales had already changed into regular pajamas. She glanced at the door lock and asked in confusion, "How did you get in? I clearly locked the door!"

"The lock is broken. I haven't had time to find someone to fix it yet," Ricardo Vargas explained.

Aurora Morales smiled awkwardly, thinking that this was too much of a coincidence! Then she said, "Since that's the case, we don't have to sleep in..." Before she could finish, she saw Ricardo Vargas get straight into bed.

At the police station, the new police assistant was taking Fiona's statement. Fiona was aggressive and vividly described what had happened, but the assistant couldn't help yawning.

Just then, there came a knock on the door. The assistant looked back upon hearing the sound, quickly got up and went out, greeting with a smile, "Chief Thompson."

Leo Thompson had a cigarette in his mouth. He glanced into the room and asked, "How's it going?"

"The recording is almost done. It's actually not a big deal. Neither side has suffered any losses. This person can be released tomorrow morning," the assistant reported.

Leo Thompson frowned and said, "She can't be released."

"Ah? It doesn't seem reasonable not to release her. This woman was just being argumentative. There's no need for detention," the assistant said in confusion.

Leo Thompson snorted, flicked the ash, and said, "She offended someone she shouldn't have. It's not that easy for her to leave." With that, he turned and left.

The assistant immediately chased after him, curiously asking, "Who did she offend? Isn't the other party the eldest lady of the Morales family?"

Leo Thompson gave him a sidelong glance and said coldly, "Don't ask what you shouldn't. This is none of your business."

Back in the office, before Leo Thompson could even get settled, someone handed him a form.

"Chief Thompson, the donation approval from the Charity Hall has come through. It's one hundred million!"

"The donor is really a kind - hearted person! Over the past seven or eight years, it must have added up to this amount," the person said, gesturing with his hand.

Leo Thompson flipped through it and said, "It's not just about donating money. They've also built about ten schools."

"This person is so mysterious. There aren't many people who donate money without showing their faces these days."

"I still remember that the second young lady of the Morales family held a live - stream for half a month to gain popularity after donating a hundred thousand yuan last time!"

Leo Thompson murmured meaningfully, "They're both from the Morales family. Why is there such a big difference?"

The next day, when Aurora Morales arrived at the company, she found that the workstation next to hers was empty. The atmosphere in the entire office was rather strange. It wasn't until Lucas Bryant showed up that the deadlock was broken.

"Emma, your husband is here to see you," a colleague shouted.

Emma Turner looked up and saw Lucas Bryant leaning against the side of the sales department, greeting her.

"I brought some afternoon tea for everyone. Come and have some," Lucas Bryant said warmly.

"Mr. Bryant, you always bring so many delicious things every time you come to see Emma. We're really embarrassed," someone said.

"Yeah, we're really benefiting from Emma," the colleagues echoed.

Lucas Bryant gracefully tugged at his tie and said with a smile, "Well, why not benefit a little more? I've already reserved a restaurant. I hope all you handsome gentlemen and beautiful ladies will do me the honor."

"Mr. Bryant is so generous!" Everyone cheered.

Lucas Bryant smiled and his eyes turned to Aurora Morales. He said, "Miss Aurora Morales, would you like to come too? I've heard about what happened yesterday from Emma. Consider this as our way of making amends. What do you think?"

The smile on Emma Turner's face disappeared instantly. She looked at Aurora Morales with a hostile gaze, as if she wanted to see through her.

Aurora Morales didn't even raise her head. She just replied, "Well, see you tonight."

After work, the group headed to the hotel reserved by Lucas Bryant. Aurora Morales walked at the end and sent a message to Ricardo Vargas on WhatsApp: [Having a dinner gathering. I'll be back later.]

When they arrived, everyone realized that Lucas Bryant had booked the Bihai Pavilion, the most prosperous place in Westbrook city. Ordering just two dishes here would cost thousands of yuan, and the consumption was extremely high. Lucas Bryant was very generous. He ordered many expensive dishes and even opened a bottle of 1982 Lafite.

"A bottle of 1982 Lafite must cost about five or six hundred thousand yuan... Mr. Bryant is really willing to spend," someone exclaimed.

Lucas Bryant smiled modestly, "As long as everyone has a good time, money doesn't matter."

Someone teased Emma Turner, "Emma, your Mr. Bryant is so romantic!"

Emma Turner forced a smile. She was wondering if Lucas Bryant's extravagance was for Aurora Morales.

The wine was poured for everyone in turn. When it came to Aurora Morales, she raised her hand and gently blocked the cup rim, saying, "Sorry, I don't drink." Remembering the experience of being knocked out by Mr. Carson with just one glass of wine last time, she was still terrified. Although she knew how to appreciate wine, it didn't mean she couldn't get drunk.

"Since you're here, Miss Aurora Morales, you wouldn't be so ungracious, would you?" Lucas Bryant stood up, took the wine bottle from the waiter, and seemed to want to pour the wine for her personally.

"Sorry, I'm not feeling well. I really shouldn't drink," Aurora Morales refused in a flat tone.

Lucas Bryant felt a bit embarrassed, but still tried to persuade her, "It's rare for everyone to get together. Miss Aurora Morales, don't reject me. I'm not forcing you. Just one glass, okay?"

Aurora Morales' fingertips gently tapped the edge of the cup, and she said with a faint smile, "Is this not forcing?"

"Aurora Morales, we're all here to have fun. Don't be so uncooperative," someone said.

"Yeah, what can happen if you just have a glass of wine?"

"Ah, you don't understand. Miss Aurora Morales is showing us respect. She can easily buy jewelry worth millions. How could she care about this bottle of wine?"

"Miss Morales comes from a wealthy family. She must usually drink something much more expensive. Maybe she knows a lot about wine?"

Everyone chimed in, obviously trying to embarrass Aurora Morales. In their eyes, even if Aurora Morales was rich, she was from the countryside and only knew how to buy luxury goods, no different from a nouveau riche.

Aurora Morales said unhurriedly, "I really don't recommend the 1982 Lafite. Comparatively, I think Romanee - Conti is better."

Most of the people there were ordinary office workers who knew little about expensive wines.

A glint of interest flashed in Lucas Bryant's eyes. He asked with great interest, "Which year of Romanee - Conti does Miss Aurora Morales recommend?"

"The 1990 one."

Lucas Bryant immediately said to the waiter beside him, "Go and open a bottle of 1990 Romanee - Conti."

The waiter looked apologetic, "Sorry, sir. The annual production of this wine is only about six thousand bottles, and our store can only get about ten. If you want to buy it, you need to meet two conditions. First, you must hold a VIP gold card obtained by spending eight hundred and eighty thousand yuan in our store. Second, you need to accurately distinguish which glass is Romanee - Conti from among five kinds of wines. After all, we sell wine to those who know it."