Chapter 88: Exploitation
Aurora followed his gaze and saw the same scene. She smiled and placed her hand on his shoulder, "Well, your girlfriend has found herself a new dance partner. Why don't you keep dancing with me?"
Francis's stare at Jennifer was so intense it seemed almost tangible. Jennifer felt it and quickly glanced at him. She knew Francis was unhappy, but she felt quite indignant. Francis had reunited with Aurora, hugged her, kissed her, and not only did she not object, but she even voluntarily stepped aside to give Francis and Aurora space. Now she was just dancing with Declan—what right did Francis have to be unhappy? Declan, showing no sign of backing down, met Francis's gaze and nodded with a smile that seemed polite but was actually provocative, as if saying, "Thanks for letting me have Jennifer."
Francis snorted coldly and took Aurora's hand again. He had planned to invite Jennifer for the next dance, but hadn't expected her to accept Declan's invitation. So the two couples danced, each with their own thoughts. Isabella, watching from outside the dance floor, was so anxious her hands were shaking. Why did Francis keep dancing with Aurora? What if Jennifer got snatched away by someone else?
Aurora recalled the things she and Francis had experienced together back then. That party was held at The Carter Manor, where they had played hide-and-seek among the expensive furniture and ornaments. While hiding, Aurora accidentally broke an antique vase. When Francis discovered it, he immediately comforted her, "If anyone asks later, just say you don't know anything. I'll say I broke it. My father loves me and won't blame me." Aurora believed him, but later she learned that Francis had been punished by kneeling for this incident. When Aurora found out the truth, she felt very guilty. She cried when she saw Francis's bruised knees.
"You've protected me since we were little. I always thought we'd be that close forever." Aurora's tone carried nostalgia and sadness as she gently leaned on Francis's shoulder, the water lily scent from her hair quite strong.
Francis sighed softly, "We were just kids back then. Things are different now. What exactly are you trying to do by coming back this time?"
Aurora looked up at him with sad eyes, "What do you think my purpose is? I just can't let you go. If you don't believe me, I'll prove it to you." She knew Francis still had feelings for her, but having been hurt by her once, he wouldn't easily trust her again. He was afraid of being abandoned by her again. She would show him that she was different from other women. Those women coveted his family background and money, but all she wanted was his love!
Francis frowned and reminded her, "Aurora, there are many guests here."
Aurora smiled bitterly, "Alright, I'll stop talking. You used to never bear to see me sad. Now, even if I cried in front of you, you'd probably just find it annoying."
Francis's voice was somewhat cold, "Not quite. We're still friends, after all." Out of courtesy, he would hand her a handkerchief.
Friends? Just friends? Aurora thought unwillingly. She was determined to reawaken Francis's exclusive affection for her.
The two spoke in very low voices, with Aurora's face very close to Francis's. To outsiders, they seemed to be whispering intimate words. That's what Jennifer thought. Though her hand rested on Declan's, she wasn't focused on dancing at all. She kept noticing Francis and Aurora appearing in her line of sight, which made her very unhappy.
Declan couldn't help but squeeze her fingers, reminding her softly, "Jennifer, if you don't focus, you're going to step on me again. Although you're light, my feet are still made of flesh."
Jennifer quickly withdrew her gaze and apologized in panic, "I'm sorry." She barely dared to look into Declan's eyes. He was completely sincere toward her, yet she was using his affection. She was clearly worse than Francis and Aurora.
"Look at me!" Declan's tone suddenly became forceful. His right hand suddenly tightened around her waist, pulling her a bit closer, "Since you agreed to dance with me, shouldn't you be a little more engaged?"
Jennifer involuntarily looked into his eyes—his warm brown eyes reminded her of an eager puppy. She blinked several times before reacting and pushing him away, "I got it. Don't get so close, I'm not used to it."
Declan laughed and stopped pressing against her. After they danced a few steps in sync, he suddenly leaned close to her ear and said, "Actually, I don't mind you using me. He and Aurora are rekindling their old flame—why don't you try it with me too? Men always want what they have to fight for. If he cares about you, he'll naturally put Aurora aside and win you back; if he has no feelings for you, I'm actually not a bad choice either."
No! Jennifer stared at him in shock, "What are you saying? I'm not that kind of woman!" She was a person, not a trophy for men to compete over. Because Declan had always maintained an innocent and considerate image in front of her, she had always treated him as a friend. She never expected his view of relationships to be so casual. In her heart, love wasn't about testing and comparing, but about two people understanding each other, genuinely caring for one another, and being unwilling to cause hurt. Her relationship with Francis had started as a transaction of interests, which is why she couldn't get his genuine love. And this mistake—she wouldn't make it a second time!
Declan's voice seemed to carry temptation, "Right, you're not—you're an excellent woman. It's just that Francis doesn't know how to cherish you. But trust me, I will definitely cherish you. Unlike you, I don't have an unforgettable love I can't let go of. I'm not that ambitious about fame and fortune either, so I won't wrong you by climbing up to a woman of higher status." In his eyes, Jennifer was the perfect wife candidate, and he was confident he was her best choice. Although his status wasn't as high as Francis's, she wasn't a woman who craved vanity either. And the sincerity and devotion she wanted—he could give exactly that.
But he didn't understand that Jennifer's heart was so sensitive and tender that these few sentences pierced her heart like needles. "I'm sorry!" Jennifer suddenly pushed him away, holding back tears as she turned and fled. She couldn't cry in front of everyone. She knew she had always been foolish, making wrong choices every time. First Eugene, then Francis. This time she had prepared herself, yet she still hopelessly fell for real. She thought she could not care, but watching Francis and Aurora together, so affectionate, still made her so sad she could barely breathe.
"Jennifer!" Declan chased after her. His call attracted Francis's attention, who had been watching them all along. Francis's dance steps faltered, and Aurora stepped on his foot. Aurora stumbled into his arms, her voice tinged with complaint, "What are you looking at? Are you that concerned about your girlfriend?"
Francis instinctively steadied her, his lips pressed into a thin line as he said, "No, just be careful." Her words had struck right at his male pride. Jennifer was dancing with another man—if he chased after her, it would show how much he valued this relationship.