Aurora caught that look and let out a low, knowing chuckle as if she had just confirmed something she already knew.

Meanwhile, Jacqueline had noticed the strange exchange, her gaze lingering for a brief moment before she chose not to interfere.

Instead, she turned her attention toward Theodore, her brows knitting together with concern.

"Theodore... are you okay?" she asked, her voice gentle yet laced with worry.

Theodore didn’t hesitate for even a second. He leaned closer to her, almost collapsing into her space, his forehead brushing against her shoulder before he tilted his head toward her neck.

"I’m not okay," he muttered, his voice soft and slightly hoarse, as if he had been holding something back. "I need comfort."

Without waiting for a response, he nuzzled lightly against her, his cheek rubbing against her skin in an almost shamelessly affectionate manner.

Jacqueline froze for a fraction of a second before a small, helpless smile appeared on her lips.

Around them, a few people exchanged glances before soft laughter broke out. The atmosphere, which had been tense just moments ago, loosened as if someone had cut an invisible thread.

’He’s done for now,’ they thought silently. ’With Jacqueline here, she’s definitely going to misunderstand him and punish him later.’

But Theodore, as always, was far from careless.

Within a few carefully chosen gestures and soft murmurs, he managed to shift Jacqueline’s attention completely, guiding her thoughts away from anything suspicious.

Jacqueline, now calmer, turned her gaze toward Bunny.

"So," she said coldly, her voice carrying a sharp edge, "are you leaving on your own... or do you want to be thrown out?"

Bunny’s throat tightened. She lowered her gaze, her hands clenching slightly before she gave a small nod and began to walk away, her steps slow and reluctant.

Aurora watched her leave, her eyes narrowing slightly before she followed behind.

Bunny stopped near the roadside, her shoulders tense.

Aurora stepped beside her, her expression no longer playful but serious, almost piercing.

"If you know what’s good for you," Aurora said, her tone firm and unyielding, "you should stop following that ridiculous plotline."

Bunny turned sharply, her eyes filled with confusion.

"How do you know?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Aurora crossed her arms, her gaze steady.

"Because it had happened to me and It’s nothing more than a scam," she said bluntly.

Bunny’s pupils shrank. "A... scam?"

"Yes," Aurora replied without hesitation. "Someone implanted a chip in your mind."

For a moment, everything went silent.

’A chip... in my mind?’ Bunny repeated internally, her thoughts spiraling.

Aurora continued, her voice calm but authoritative.

"You have far more potential than you think. The only reason Theodore has been able to achieve so much is because he removed the chip in his mind."

Bunny frowned deeply, shaking her head.

"A chip? What chip are you even talking about?" she demanded, though uncertainty had already begun to creep into her voice.

Aurora let out a soft chuckle.

"You might not realize it," she said, "but that so-called system you’re synced with... it’s because of that chip."

She then began to explain, detailing how the chip influenced thoughts.

By the time Aurora finished, Bunny’s resistance had crumbled.

"...If what you’re saying is true," Bunny whispered, her voice barely audible, "then I... I want it removed."

Aurora’s lips curved into a faint smile.

The next day, Bunny returned. The process was quick.

When she walked out, the difference was immediate. Her steps felt lighter, her breathing deeper, as if an invisible weight had been lifted off her chest.

’I... can think clearly,’ she realized, her eyes widening slightly. ’Everything feels... mine again.’

From a distance, Aurora watched her leave. In her hand, she held another chip.

She chuckled softly, her eyes gleaming with interest. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Now," she murmured, "I can research to my heart’s content."

And without wasting another moment, she turned away, already immersing herself in her work.

Elsewhere, someone else was dealing with an entirely different kind of chaos.

Olivia. She had gone to meet Louis’s parents.

Louis had insisted, almost stubbornly, "Since we’re already together, we’re bound to end up together anyway. So why not meet them now and get everything sorted?"

Olivia had hesitated at first.

She longed for a stable and warm relationship, something she had always quietly desired. After much thought, she finally agreed.

When she arrived, both of Louis’s parents were already there.

They looked nothing like what she had imagined.

Instead of distant or reserved expressions, they wore wide smiles, their faces practically glowing with enthusiasm.

The reason was simple. Olivia’s assets had already surpassed theirs.

That knowledge had quietly stirred greed within them.

’Someone must have wanted us to see this,’ Louis’s father had thought earlier.

And now, seeing Olivia in person, their smiles only deepened. A hint of regret also lingered in their hearts.

’We shouldn’t have treated her like that before...’

Even Louis’s father, despite having cut off contact in the past, now found himself wanting his son to return.

Not out of love. But out of benefit. He knew exactly how valuable Louis was to his business.

And today, he had brought someone else along. His younger brother.

Louis’s uncle. Angie.

Angie stood out immediately. There was something about him... something dark... that made people instinctively wary.

One glance at him was enough to tell that he was not someone to be taken lightly.

The moment his eyes landed on Olivia, however, his expression shifted.

He froze. A flicker of fascination passed through his gaze.

’She’s... stunning,’ he thought, a faint smirk almost forming before he suppressed it.

For a brief moment, he even considered asking for her number.

But he held himself back, choosing instead to sit quietly.

Olivia, completely unaware of the gaze lingering on her, focused entirely on making a good impression.

Even though Louis had told her, "Their opinion doesn’t matter," she still wanted things to be smooth in the future.

’I don’t want to stand between him and his family someday,’ she thought.

As they sat together, Louis’s father leaned forward eagerly.

"I heard you paint," he said, his tone filled with interest. "Could you show us some of your work?"

Olivia nodded and pulled out her phone, showing one of her most detailed paintings.

Angie leaned in slightly, his eyes narrowing with interest.

Then, unexpectedly, he began asking questions... deep ones.

"What inspired this composition?"

"Why did you choose this color contrast?"

"What emotion were you trying to capture here?"

His questions were sharp, insightful.

Olivia blinked in surprise. ’He’s... not ordinary,’ she realized.

When she found out that Angie was also a painter, and that his perspective carried unusual depth, she became genuinely engaged.

She began asking him questions in return, her curiosity evident.

Angie responded generously, his voice calm, his explanations layered with meaning.

Their conversation flowed naturally. Too naturally.

From the side, Louis watched, his lips slowly forming a pout.

"Before, he wasn’t even that interested in painting," Louis muttered, his tone slightly annoyed. "It’s only after his accident that he suddenly became like this."

Olivia turned toward Angie, curiosity flickering in her eyes.

"An accident?" she asked. "When did that happen?"

Angie waved his hand dismissively.

"Oh, nothing serious," he said lightly. "Just a month or two ago."

Olivia nodded thoughtfully. A brief silence followed before she glanced at the time.

Her expression changed slightly.

"I’m sorry," she said, standing up gently. "I’m running a bit late. I should leave now since the meeting is over."

Before anyone else could respond, Louis’s father quickly stood up, his expression turning almost alarmed.

"Leave?" he said, his voice rising slightly. "How can we let you go without even having a proper dinner here?"

Olivia waved her hand lightly, her movements casual yet polite, as a faint smile played on her lips.

"It’s alright," she said, her tone warm but firm. "I already ate before coming here."

She paused for a second, her eyes softening as a playful expression crept onto her face.

"And besides," she continued, a teasing lilt entering her voice, "if I don’t eat what my mom cooks later, she’ll definitely beat me up."

She stuck out her tongue slightly, mimicking a childish fear, her shoulders lifting in mock dread.

Meanwhile, Louis pushed his chair back and stood up.

"I’ll drop you," he said, his tone leaving no room for refusal.

Almost at the same time, Angie rose from his seat as well, brushing his sleeve casually.

"I have some work too," he said smoothly. "I’ll join you on the way."

For a brief moment, Louis’s parents exchanged glances, a silent conversation passing between them, but neither of them spoke.

Louis’s mother forced a small smile.

"Angie, you can take another car," she said, her voice gentle but pointed. "It’s not like you’re lacking options."

Louis didn’t even bother hiding his displeasure. He let out a small huff and crossed his arms slightly.

"I want to spend time with my girlfriend," he said, sounding almost like a spoiled child.