CHAPTER 312: CHAPTER 312: HIGH-END PARTY

Mrs. Lancaster looked at Aurora and Olivia again and gave a pleasant smile.

"This party has many influential guests. If you two attend, you’ll have the chance to meet important people. People who could help you enter the high society world."

Aurora sighed and leaned against the doorway. "Not interested."

Mrs. Lancaster blinked. "I don’t think you understand the value of this gathering."

She stepped closer and lowered her voice, like she was letting Aurora in on a secret.

"Everyone at this event has a strong background. Powerful families. Wealth. Connections. Just by attending, you’ll open doors to opportunities you’ve never imagined."

Aurora raised an eyebrow, then said, "Je ne suis pas intéressé"

Rose and Mrs. Lancaster both stared blankly.

Aurora smiled. "I was saying ’not interested’ in French. Thought you might understand it better since English doesn’t seem to be working."

Both women’s faces darkened. Rose clenched her fists, and Mrs. Lancaster’s smile turned tight. But she took a deep breath and kept calm.

"I understand that because of our past, you’re holding a grudge," Mrs. Lancaster said gently. "And you have every reason to. But this party, this offer, it’s a way for us to make things right. To show you that we’re truly sorry."

Aurora opened her mouth, ready to say "still not interested" again. But then she stopped.

Her mind wandered for a second.

She thought of Spencer

Maybe... just maybe, this party could help him.

She looked up at Mrs. Lancaster. "What do we get if Olivia and I show up?"

Mrs. Lancaster’s face softened even more. She placed a hand over her heart and said,

"We were wrong. I know we hurt you. And this... this is my way of apologizing. We’re not asking for forgiveness right away. But we want to start with this small step."

Aurora didn’t blink. Her voice turned cold again. "Even if we go, we’re not forgiving you. That grudge is still there. And if we ever get the chance, we will destroy the Lancaster family."

Mrs. Lancaster went pale. Her mouth parted slightly, but no words came out.

After a few moments, she straightened her shoulders and said softly, "That’s your choice. But at least give us this one chance."

Aurora stood in silence.

The room behind her was quiet. Olivia, Theodore, Adriana, and Lucas watched closely, waiting to see what she would say.

"I’m not interested in forgiving you," Aurora said clearly. "And if you’re still going to insist after everything, then I won’t come at all."

Rose’s eyes widened, and she quickly stepped forward.

"You don’t need to forgive us," she said quickly. "Just show up at the party. We’ll take that as a sign that you’re willing to give us a chance."

Aurora’s smile grew colder. "I wanted to attend the party," she said. "But now that you said that, I’ve changed my mind. I won’t show up at all."

Hearing this, Mrs. Lancaster tried to stay calm. She placed a hand gently on Rose’s shoulder and gave her a slight look, clearly blaming her for being too hasty.

Then, turning back to Aurora, she smiled again. "Aurora, you shouldn’t say such things," she said softly.

"Rose was being impulsive. I understand your decision, and I will not force you. If you decide to come to the party, I won’t take it as forgiveness. I promise."

Aurora nodded once, showing she accepted that.

Mrs. Lancaster stood there quietly, as if she was waiting for something.

Seconds passed.

But Aurora didn’t step aside. She didn’t say, "Would you like to come in?" She just stood there, her eyes cold but polite.

Mrs. Lancaster’s smile slowly faded, and her face turned pale. She had expected at least a little courtesy, maybe a chance to enter and talk more.

Just then, Olivia stepped beside Aurora, her expression calm but sharp.

"You shouldn’t even think about stepping inside," Olivia said clearly. "This place, this penthouse, isn’t just a building bought with money. It took connections too. And this kind of home doesn’t welcome people like you."

Her voice was low but strong.

She looked Mrs. Lancaster straight in the eyes. "Even though you’re rich, you’re not rich enough to afford a home in this area."

Mrs. Lancaster’s eyes widened just slightly. She stared at Olivia, and for a moment, she remembered something.

Three years ago, she was sitting in her car with Rose. They were laughing, chatting, and looking down at Olivia and Theodore like they were nothing. That day, she felt like she was at the top of the world. She was rich, powerful, and untouchable.

And now, here she was, standing outside a penthouse she couldn’t afford to enter. Looking up at the very people she once called worthless.

She felt something cold twist inside her chest.

’I should have gotten rid of them,’ she thought. ’I should’ve crushed them when I had the chance. I let bugs crawl too far.’

But she didn’t say any of that. Instead, she forced a smile and said, "Olivia, I think you’re misunderstanding me."

That’s when Theodore, who had been quiet the whole time, finally spoke.

"No," he said, shaking his head slowly. "You’re the one misunderstanding."

Mrs. Lancaster turned to him.

Theodore gave a calm smile. "I still remember what you said. According to you, we didn’t even deserve to talk to you. You were too rich, too important. So now, how can we possibly invite you into our humble home?"

His words were clear and sharp, like a knife wrapped in silk.

Mrs. Lancaster’s fingers curled into fists at her side. She glared at Theodore.

She always thought Olivia was the dangerous one. But now she realized something else. Theodore might be quieter, but he was the one who remembered everything. Every insult. Every cruel word. And he never forgot.

She looked at Rose and said in a quiet voice, "Let’s go."

Rose frowned but didn’t argue. She stepped forward, placed the shiny invitation card on the small table near the door, and followed her mother out.