Chapter 12: CHAPTER 12

Aurora's POV

As I enter the house, I hear Jayden’s voice in the living room. He is in Professor Alaric’s arms. I rush over and pick Jayden from him. It feels nice to have my boy in my arms.

“Thank you very much. I hope he didn’t bother you?” I ask Professor Alaric almost immediately.

“I love the boy,” he replies. “Did you enjoy the party?”

“It was better than the last,” I answer.

Professor Alaric looks glad. He might be dying to say, I told you, didn’t I.

“It will keep getting better,” he tells me.

I nod as I pat Jayden on the back. Within a few minutes, Jayden falls asleep. I lay him down on his bed and admire him. He has my nose. He is handsome. He takes after me, I tell myself.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” Professor Alaric asks in a hushed tone. He probably doesn’t want to wake Jayden.

“Of course,” I say and follow him outside the bedroom. In the living room, I sit next to him, fully anticipating what he has to say. I have a few guesses, though.

“I don’t want you to take this the wrong way,” he begins, confirming my suspicion.

“Is this about my lateness the other day?” I ask. Without giving him room to reply, I continue. “I understand that you had to be strict. After all, it was at our workplace. I did you a disservice by coming late, and I won’t do it again.”

Professor Alaric sighs. “It wasn’t about that, but since we are already on the topic…”

“We don’t need to discuss it,” I interrupt quickly. “Let’s just talk about what you intended originally.”

He nods. “Okay. Have you heard about the Rousseau Foundation’s annual gala?”

“I’m not sure,” I mutter, pondering it. “I have heard of Rousseau, though. Isn’t that Andrew’s surname?”

“Correct!” Professor Alaric says enthusiastically. “The foundation is currently being run by Andrew’s mother, Margot Rousseau. Their annual gala is serious business and a great chance for you.”

“A great chance? I don’t see how,” I reply honestly.

“If you are lucky, you could be selected among the models who will walk the runway. Isn’t that what you have always wanted?” Professor Alaric asks. From his expression, he believes I should be excited.

I take a deep breath.

“I don’t know if I always wanted it,” I say nervously.

“Well… I thought you would love it,” he mutters.

“I woke up from a coma with no memories. Afterwards, I became a nude model to make money so I could raise my son. I am not doing the job because I want it. It is because I have to,” I tell him honestly.

Professor Alaric looks away from me, showing signs of remorse.

“I didn’t bring this up because I didn’t want to bruise your pride…” he starts. “But if you really hate the job, you can quit. I don’t earn that much as a professor, but I will support you the best I can.”

“You don’t need to do that for me,” I tell him, rejecting the offer immediately.

“While you were in a coma, I took care of you and your baby. I don’t see why I can’t take responsibility for you now that you’re awake,” Professor Alaric says.

“I was helpless when I was unconscious. Now it’s different. I can help myself, and I will,” I tell him firmly.

“Then become one of the models for the annual gala!” Professor Alaric says with renewed firmness.

“What?” I ask, not understanding his point.

“You will make money if you are selected. If all goes well, your modeling career could blow up. If it does, you can quit your job at Veridian,” he suggests calmly.

“But how do I even get in?” I ask carefully.

“Margot selects the models herself. It won’t be easy unless you have the right connections,” he replies.

“The right connection like you?” I ask, hopeful.

“I am not that well-connected,” he says plainly. “How about you talk to Andrew? He can get you in without a hassle.”

“No!” I reply instantly. “That’s impossible.”

“I know he comes off as arrogant and cold, but—”

“Andrew is arrogant and cold!” I say firmly. “If I tell him about it, he will probably laugh it off and tell the whole class. I won’t have that.”

Professor Alaric bites his lower lip, his gesture for whenever he was about to drop a bomb.

“You don’t have a choice, Aurora,” he says carefully. “You are not in a position to nitpick opportunities. You must grab whatever comes your way.”

“I will meet anyone but Andrew,” I say resolutely.

“Well, good luck,” Professor Alaric says as he stands. “I have a meeting to attend.”

I nod respectfully. As he leaves, I know he has no meeting. He takes no appointments on weekends. I take a deep breath. Now, I am all alone.

Later, I read about the Rousseau Foundation’s annual gala, just to see if my decision can be influenced. I go through different articles, and each one impresses me more than the last.

As I scroll further, I find an article about the models at the annual gala. I read calmly.

“For models selected to flaunt wearable art pieces on the runway, they will receive a payment of…”

My jaw drops in shock at what I read. The pay is ten times my monthly salary. That amount can easily double if I impress a brand at the gala and receive a job offer.

I turn to Jayden, who is sleeping despite the heat in the house. He is sweating profusely. If I had more money, I could get a bigger house so Jayden could sleep comfortably.

My heart pounds with excitement. I already know my mind has been made up. I wasn't convinced by Professor Alaric's pleas but by the sheer thought of a nice house for Jayden and I.

“I just have to apply for the position,” I say as I tap the screen to apply, only to see:

“We are not recruiting anymore. Thank you.”