She took out her phone and sent Alvin Morgan a message:

"I’m back."

A reply came back quickly: "Wait for me at the old spot."

In the past few days, Alvin Morgan had successfully breached all the internal local area networks here, including the surveillance cameras.

In other words, wherever they wanted to go, as long as Alvin Morgan controlled the surveillance system remotely, they could do so without being discovered.

When Alvin Morgan arrived, he saw Aurora Sinclair sitting alone on the deserted beach, her figure looking a bit frail.

He draped the jacket he had brought over her shoulders from behind, sat down next to her, and pulled her into his arms.

Listening to the unsteady rhythm of his heartbeat, Aurora Sinclair said softly, "I was just mimicking Jean. I think I passed."

"Aurora, I was so scared..."

"Even if I had failed, he wouldn’t have been able to catch me."

Alvin Morgan held her tighter, whispering into her ear, "If it were possible, I’d wish you could just be an ordinary girl."

***

After the performances, the annual gala was basically over. Many employees who lived far away began to head home.

Aurora Sinclair had also gotten a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg at Seawell Pharma. The fact that they could have so many Martial Kings at once meant they also had "God’s Blessing" in their possession.

Therefore, finding their laboratory was a pressing matter.

"Cecelia, are you really dating Mark Warren from the tech department?" Shauna asked gossipily, holding the milk tea Alvin Morgan had bought.

Aurora quickly put a finger to her lips. "Quiet! Miss Sterling is coming."

At Seawell Pharma Group, there was a company rule against office romances. If a relationship started, one person would either have to transfer to a different division or leave the company entirely.

Although everyone always joked about finding a partner at work, any real relationship was guaranteed to become an underground affair, only coming to light when the couple decided to get married or have a child.

The only reason her relationship with Alvin Morgan had been exposed was because Wallace Lawson had let it slip by accident when he came looking for Alvin.

As a result, their colleagues in both departments found out about them.

Shauna watched Miss Sterling walk away before lowering her voice again. "It’s always the quiet ones who are the sneakiest. I thought the tech guy was pining away in unrequited love, but it turns out you two were hooking up on the down low this whole time. So, how far have you gone? First base, second base, or a home run?"

"What does that mean?"

"Hugging, kissing, sleeping together... which is it?" Shauna raised an eyebrow, poking her with a gossipy grin.

Aurora Sinclair’s cheeks flushed red as she shyly lowered her head. "We haven’t..."

"You’re already living together. I bet the little seed is about to be planted, huh?" Shauna said suggestively, her eyes fixed on Aurora’s stomach.

Although Aurora Sinclair didn’t quite understand, she had a gut feeling that the comment was inappropriate.

"Hehe... C’mon little lady, give your big sis some gossip. How’s the tech guy’s ’technique’? If he’s good, I might find a tech guy for myself."

The conversation was getting more and more out of line, prompting June, who was standing nearby, to pull her back. "You’re such a pervert. You can tell Cecelia is still an innocent girl. Don’t go corrupting her."

"She’ll have to become a woman sooner or later. The transformation from girl to woman can happen overnight. A little early education will save her from getting taken advantage of later."

Ever since Shauna found out that Aurora Sinclair had a boyfriend, her attitude toward her had done a complete one-eighty.

Later, Aurora Sinclair asked Alvin Morgan why that was.

Alvin Morgan replied calmly, "Because you’re no longer a threat to her."

"Why?"

"It’s one of those unwritten rules of office politics. You’ll understand later..."

Although Aurora Sinclair tried her best to hide the relationship, Miss Sterling still found out.

She was called into the office for a talk. Miss Sterling gave her two choices: either resign, or agree not to get married or have children for the next two years.

In the end, Aurora Sinclair chose to resign.

Because she already had a new job...

***

At Briarwood Bay, in the eastern part of Syland Province, a group of girls in matching uniforms got out of a car, carrying suitcases.

The surroundings were beautiful and quiet, giving the impression of a secluded house nestled in a sea of flowers.

The rich floral fragrance was wonderfully refreshing.

The girls’ eyes were filled with curiosity as they looked all around.

A middle-aged woman standing beside them added another instruction: "The Madam will be back shortly. You all need to be on your best behavior. Whether or not you get to stay is entirely up to you. Joy, you joined us late and have only studied the rules for a few days, so remember to watch what you say and do when you go inside."

The girl nodded obediently.

She still wasn’t used to wearing a skirt and unconsciously tugged at the hem.

"Don’t make that gesture in front of the Master in the future." The middle-aged woman said, rapping the girl’s hand sharply.

The girl flinched, seeming very frightened. "I understand."

The middle-aged woman nodded in satisfaction and looked over the seven girls in front of her again. "Do you all remember the Madam’s prohibitions?"

The girls recited in unison: "Do not wear red, be completely obedient to her cat, do not show your face in front of the Master..."

"Good. When working as a maid in a wealthy household, remember to talk less and do more..."

Just as she was speaking, a white sports car pulled up, and a group of bodyguards in black suits quickly surrounded it.

One bodyguard stepped forward with an open parasol and ran to open the car door.

A slender, graceful figure stepped out.

She wore sunglasses that obscured her face, but the platinum and diamond jewelry on her ears, neck, and wrists was dazzling.

A sophisticated blue dress accentuated her curvaceous figure. Her exposed arms and legs were completely toned, without a trace of excess fat, their lines and proportions beautiful to behold. At a glance, it was clear she was a very self-disciplined woman.

She was also holding a snow-white cat with stunning, sapphire-blue eyes.

"Are you Miss Alden?" Her voice was pleasant but devoid of emotion.

The middle-aged woman half-bowed and stepped forward to speak. "Madam, I am Phoebe Alden."

"Thank you for your hard work. Bring them all inside."

"Yes, of course..." After bowing and scraping before her, the middle-aged woman quickly gestured for the young girls behind her to line up and enter in an orderly fashion.

Inside, the woman had already taken off her sunglasses and was sitting on the sofa.

The sight of that exquisite and serene face made the girl called Joy freeze in place...