Even without asking, Aurora could already tell that Lucas was the "He boy" from back then. Though both of them had changed somewhat in appearance and presence, the gentleness and quiet care he gave her were still the same, etched deep in his bones. She saw it clearly, and she remembered it all. A man like that was rare. That was why Aurora cherished Con and all the surprises it brought. Everything, in the end, felt like the best possible arrangement.

Before Lucas could say anything, a knock came from the door. His eyes dimmed slightly. At this hour, it could only be those two. But still… how was the timing this exact? He had just mentioned them, and now they were already here. It was fast enough to make Lucas wonder if his dear cousin had secretly placed a tracker on Aurora.

Hearing the knock, Aurora looked curiously toward the door. “Who’s here?”

Seeing her start to rise, Lucas quickly stood up. “Let me get it. You should rest. Keep your energy up.”

Hearing that, Aurora didn’t argue. She knew that right now, taking care of her body was the most important thing for the future. Without good health, everything else was meaningless. To her, her body was the foundation of everything. She wasn’t about to burn herself out–not anymore. That much, she had learned to value.

When Lucas opened the door, just as he expected, he saw Megan’s bright, cheerful smile and Leonard’s calm, indifferent face. The moment Lucas saw Leonard’s face, his first instinct was to throw a punch. But Megan quickly stepped in to block him.

“Lucas, I’m saying this upfront–no matter what, Leonard is my guest. The way you’re treating him right now really isn’t appropriate.”

Sensing Lucas’s intention, Megan immediately stood in front of Leonard. He’d already taken a punch yesterday, and it had only just started to stop swelling. If it happened again today, she was seriously starting to wonder–was Leonard just here to be beaten up? Besides, her cousin had trained in more than a few things. Just from appearance alone, Leonard clearly wasn’t a match for him. This was shaping up to be a very one-sided fight.

Hearing Megan’s words, Lucas‘ smile slowly grew more pronounced. He smiled, but it was forced and it never reached his eyes. Anyone could tell at a glance. No matter how anyone looked at it, Lucas simply didn’t like Leonard. But with Megan standing in front of him, and considering that he still needed her help, he found himself momentarily stuck.

Just then, Aurora’s voice called out from inside, finally breaking the tension and helping Lucas relax. “Lucas, what’s going on? Who’s out there?”

“It’s Megan. They’re coming in now.”

The short exchange sounded ordinary enough. But to Leonard and Megan, it was utterly shocking. The two exchanged a look, both seeing disbelief in the other’s eyes, especially Megan–she still didn’t understand what was going on. “Um, Lucas, just now, were you talking to…?” The rest of the sentence got stuck in her throat, because that voice was just too familiar.